Defiance (Rise of the Iliri Book 3) (29 page)

Gold lashes flicked a couple of times, and then Roo's eyes cracked open.  She sat up, dazed, looking for Hwa, and Sal moved away.

"We have the pups," she said, and Hwa nodded at her as he reached for his mate.

Chapter 31

Sal tied the flap to the door and sighed before turning to face the room.  The Black Blades lounged on almost every available surface.  The King had used his own cloak as a pillow for Risk's head, and Shift held a small bundle before him, smiling down at it as he sat on the floor.  Razor held the other, cooing softly with a strange grin on his face.  Sal closed her eyes and felt able to smile for the first time all day – and then the wind was pushed from her lungs as massive arms engulfed her.

"Damn, I missed you, kid!" Zep said. Sal laughed as she turned and threw her arms around his neck.

"Your timing is perfect, you all know that?"  She asked before turning to see the rest of her family.  "I've missed all of you so much.  Is Risk going to be ok?" 

"Yeah," Shift said, "He just used everything he had.  We rode pretty damned hard to get here.  Let him have the nap."

She nodded and kissed Zep on the cheek, rumpled Shift's hair, smiled at Razor, then made her way to hug Arctic.  "Thank you," she whispered, handing him the belt before pulling away.  She smiled at the new guys, Geo and Audgan, then glanced at Jase.  He looked up at her and nodded, warmth filling his eyes.  Sal turned to Blaec.

He stood as she came close.  Without a word between them, Sal kissed him.  His arms wrapped around her back, and her fingers twined in his hair.  As their tongues met, Sal moaned softly, submitting to him with her body and her mind.

"Ooh," Dominik muttered, making Sal pull away from her commander.

Jase laughed.  "King Dominik Jens, let me introduce ya ta Major Blaec Doll, the commander of the Black Blades, and Sal's other man."

Dom chuckled and looked at Sal.  "I thought you didn't do humans?"

"Trust me," Blaec told him, "I'm iliri enough to keep her in line."  He kissed Sal again quickly, then pulled away, moving to the King.  "Not very often that I meet a king, let alone like this.  Congratulations, sire, on the victory."

Blaec held out his hand.  Without rising, Dom grasped it.  "I don't care for all the pompous shit, Major.  It's Dom or Dominik, and I owe you my country for the use of your soldier."

"You're more than welcome, Dom.  And it's Blaec or LT."

"LT?" Dom asked, confused.

"He was a lieutenant for nine years, so the name stuck," Zep answered reclining casually in the King's chair.  "And before you ask, yes, I'm as human as I look.  No, Sal doesn't do me, either."

They all laughed at that, but Shift waved Sal over.  "Hey, demon?  I think I got her better, but double check me.  I haven't exactly seen one of these before," he said holding up the pup.

She slid to the floor beside him and peered inside the cloth.  Rhyx's arm was straight and only a small line marred her soft coat, but the tip of her ear was still gone.  "You couldn't help the ear?"

"No.  Her body doesn't know itself enough yet, and it didn't know how to come back.  I can't get the fur in that line either, but I think everything beneath it's intact."

"I think she'll be fine with a scar.  It is a story to tell the males when she's older," Sal joked, and Shift smiled.

"So, we get to keep them?" Zep asked, beaming down at the pup.  "And Sal, you're right, she's more iliri than you, but you're wrong in that I'll change my tastes.  I'm not into dog, cat, weasel things."

Ilija stepped inside the tent at that moment, looking around confused at the happy faces.  Sal realized he didn't know.  "Ayati, Ilija.  She's going to be ok.  We get to watch the pups a bit, but Roo will be fine."

The big man's face broke into a grin, and he sighed in relief.  "Ok, that made my day, but Kaisae, I need you.  The grauori are trying to explain something to me, and they speak Glish worse than Hwa.  Jase, you'll work too, if you can translate?"

"Blaec, sir?" Sal asked, pulling herself to her feet.

"Oh don't ask me," he laughed.  "You're Kaisae here.  Things will be weird for a bit, but when it comes to Anglia, I'm just your adviser."

"Shit," Ilija breathed.  "Blaec?  As in, Blaec Doll?"  The big man's eyes were wide as he stared at LT in awe. 

Blaec shrugged.  "Yeah, I guess the stories traveled this far?"

Sal giggled, bobbing her head in a yes.  "Oh and got worse the further they went.  Blaec, this is Colonel Ilija Vayu, leader of the Verdant Shields."

Blaec tipped his head at the man.  "Ilija, call me LT.  I've heard a lot about you."

Ilija's brow creased slightly.  "Explain that to me one day, would ya Sal?"

Risk chose that moment to moan, coming back to consciousness.

"Shift," he groaned, "Give me some love, man."

"Fine," Shift sighed in jest.  "Since you ask so sweetly.  Close your eyes, bro."

Risk nodded, and Shift grabbed his hands while Ilija stared at them strangely.  For a few breaths, Shift looked longingly at Risk like he would a lover, and then Risk cursed softly.  "Fuck I hate the way you heal."

"Sorry, man, it's all I got," Shift said, patting Risk's shoulder.  Risk just held his eyes closed and breathed deeply.

"Ok," Ilija said.  "Is that what the grauori have been doing?"

"Yep," Sal answered.  "It causes a bad case of vertigo but cures a lot of ills.  Oddly, I haven't seen any like Risk yet."

He opened his gold eyes and looked up at Sal.  "Me either.  Why do you think I was chained in a tavern when LT found me?"

"Ok, there's some serious stories here, but Kaisae, I do need you.  You too, Ahnor," Ilija reminded them.

Sal pointed at the two bundles.  "Guys, keep the pups warm and don't pass them around too much."  With that, she slipped out of the tent, Jase on her left, and Ilija trailing behind.  "You ok with this, killer?"

"Yeh, Sal, I am.  I missed 'em too, ya know."

They rounded a corner and came to a large open area with hundreds of grauori lying around.  "See?" Ilija said, stepping closer.  "I need some help."

It took a moment for Sal to take it all in.  White, grey, and gold, the pale colors mixed into a tapestry of bodies.  There were hundreds of them – at least!

She reached out with her mind.  Arctic
, I need the King.  Nevermind, all of you come here.  You won't believe this.

Can do, demon,
Arctic said. 

And we'll need a link or half of you won't follow this, I think,
Sal said, and felt both her and Jase's minds merge with their true family.

It only took a few minutes before her own pack gathered behind her, the King with them.  Sal heard them all gasp at the sight, and she smiled.  Seeing hundreds of grauori in the same place was impressive.  The clearing looked like it was covered in living snow. 

"Dom," Sal said, "Jase will translate for you, but let me speak to them first."

"Oh yeah," he agreed.  "That's a good idea."

Sal took one step forward and called out in the best Iliran she could manage, "Kaizen, Gerus, and grauori.  Anglia thanks you for all you've done today.  I thank you for your aid and your sacrifice, both in blood and in the secrecy you've kept for so long.  Times are finally changing, and Kaisor Dominik is making those changes.  He calls the grauori Roo and Hwa, his friends.  The iliri and part-iliri behind me have saved my Gerus, and I am proud to present our newest packmates, born from this battle."

Jase whispered, "Hold the pups up, guys," and the Blades did, pulling the swaddling away from their faces.

An aufrio female stood, looking closely at the pups, and yipped in Grauoran at those behind her, "The rafrezzi and aufrio produced nacione.  Two nacione!"  Other grauori stood, panting in their excitement.

"They are mine," Sal growled softly, and the female nodded, backing away.  Sal gestured to the Blades, and they pulled the pups close to them again.

She kept going.  "The Terran army came to cleanse the world of us, and you showed them that it will not happen.  We've seen histories, written by an early iliri, that say you were here first.  The humans made us – the iliri – from you.  This is your place, your land.  The humans borrow it from you, but no longer will they try to take it.  Kaisor Dominik will not allow that."

The grauori howled in their excitement, and humans began to push toward the edges, watching with awe.  Sal gestured to them.  "Look, they do not fear you.  How many of you healed humans today, and were thanked and greeted with love?"  Grauori nodded in excitement while Jase translated it all into Glish.  

Dominik moved beside her.  "Sal, can I speak?"

She stepped behind him, knowing her body language mattered to the grauori.  Dom called out in Glish, but Jase translated, his eyes on the King.  "My friends, we know so little about you.  Until Kaisae Sal brought her pack to my court, I knew nothing of you except stories.  We thought you were no different from other wildlife!  But I owe my life to the Gerus Hwa and Aroora, and Kaisae Sal is my equal or better in all things, so humans can learn.  While we have a very different culture from yours, I would like you to be a part of our lives.  It is now illegal to harm any of you.  I would ask that you all respect that and reciprocate it.  Grauori are welcome in the capital city, and I hope that we can find a way to blend our people together, but it will take time."

The grauori nodded, Jase's words lagging behind the Kings slightly.  Dom kept going.  "I had hoped to keep your skills, like the ability to heal, a secret.  While my army has learned to respect Hwa and Aroora over the last few months, I still worry that humans will react like the Terrans have, and either fear you or try to make you slaves for their own means.  Your people are too beautiful, too wild for that.  Today, you showed Anglia that your skills are more than just fighting, and you likely saved hundreds of human lives doing it.  I owe you all a debt for that, and I don't know how I will repay it."

Orassae Rragri stepped forward.  From the set of her body, Sal knew that she spoke for the people, not just herself.  She sent a quick thought to Jase, and he whispered that to the King.  Dominik nodded, as Kaisae Rragri raised her voice so everyone could hear.  She spoke in her own language.

"Blending our packs can wait, Kaisor.  The humans have pushed us too far, and only the green men have shown potential to be good.  As Kaisae Sal has demonstrated, hiding does little good.  But standing up and hunting together as a pack – as a people – we can all live the way we want.  We will go with your army, and we will hunt these purple humans, and we will accept your advice, but we will look to the iliri Kaisae, her Ahnor, and
her
Kaisor for guidance in battle.  Humans have killed us for too long.  We will not trust you blindly, but we will try to trust you some."

"She means Sal, me, and LT," Jase whispered to the King. 

Dom nodded.  "I think we can all agree to that, for the humans will do the same.  Kaisae Sal has made us learn much this winter."

Rragri's tongue lolled from the side of her mouth in a smile.  "Good.  Then let us all rest and meet our new neighbors.  Tomorrow we will deal with the rest of the humans, then you will return to your den with walls.  I will come to you there, and we shall make plans.  Maybe, we can make friends while we are at it."

They all nodded, the motion universal between the three species.  "Then let us celebrate a good hunt and mourn those who were lost.  Laetus, Orassae," Sal said, bowing her head to Rragri.

"Laetus, Orassae," the Blades whispered behind her, and Dom added his own a breath later.

"Laetus friends, for you are too mixed of a group for any single word," Rragri said, turning and blending into the mass of grauori around her.

Blaec stepped to Sal's ear and whispered softly, "I leave you alone for a few months, and you change the world.  Damn, Sal, you're getting pretty good."

Chapter 32

Blaec stepped seamlessly into a role with the King, assisting Sal with organizing burial units and allowing her to slip amongst her men to offer condolences for those lost.  As the sun began to sink in the sky, she made her way to the next group of soldiers.  Her shoulders slumped and she sighed heavily, wishing she could cry like the humans did.  She'd listened to too many stories of young lives cut short by the Emperor's greed.  Some she'd known, others were faceless names in her head, but all of them had died because she ordered them to.  Sal had to do this.  She knew the soldiers wanted her to hear about their friends, but she wasn't sure how much more she could take.  As she walked, her men whispered the words of respect, each utterance adding to the burden she carried.  There was no easy way to lighten it.

"Sal," Blaec said behind her, jogging to catch up, but she didn't hear him.  Her mind was lost in her thoughts.

He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her around to face him.  Her hand went to her knife automatically before she looked to his face.  Around them, the sound of swords being pulled filled the air.  Dozens of Anglian soldiers stood, their weapons drawn. 

Blaec looked into Sal's eyes and smiled.  "That's not something I'm used to.  Has to feel pretty nice, for once."  His hand rested lightly on her shoulder.

She dropped her eyes and waved her soldiers down.  "It's ok, men, he's a Blade," she explained, and they stepped back.  Most put their weapons away.  "And yes, Blaec, it really does.  These are good men.  Some of the best I've ever met," she said, gesturing at the soldiers watching.  Many smiled at the compliment.

"Yeah, but you can't take much more of this, love," Blaec told her.  "You don't have to do it all in one day, you know.  Your Colonel is making the rounds, too.  Sal, let him.  Come back with us and see the pups."

"I can't.  Do you know how many men I lost today?"

He lifted his hand to cup the side of her face.  "No.  They're still counting, but it doesn't matter right now.  You can't bring them back, sweetness.  You also can't do it all yourself.  Your men know that."  He looked to the side at a group of soldiers.  "I'm pretty sure they don't blame you.  You did everything possible to keep them alive.  It's Terric that killed them. 
Never
forget that."

"I won't."

"Good.  Then come see your kids.  Cyno's been catching us up on everything that happened since Unav."

She nodded and let him guide her through the camp.  Eyes looked up as they passed.  As men uttered their respect to her, Blaec smiled at her proudly.  Unlike the Conglomerate army, none of the Anglians sneered or spit at either of them.  The hate and fear simply didn't exist. 

"You've done something I never could," he told her, his arm around her shoulders.  "You made the humans love and respect us."

She shrugged.  "They didn't have the same bias to overcome here.  They barely knew of iliri, and they didn't have generations of feeling superior to let go of."

"Yeah, but you didn't let them fear you either.  You could have, you know.  You could have shown them their inferiority and made them hate us for that, but you didn't."

She bit at her lips and looked up at him, his pale green eyes meeting hers easily.  He paused, then pulled her to him.  One hand reached up to caress her pallid cheek.  "Sal, what happened to the maast?"

"It's the grauori.  They pulled me into the whole."  She tried to find words to make him understand.  "Blaec, it's like what we do – opening ourselves to each other – but so much more.  There are thousands of them.  Blending with them?  It's like being just a single grain of sand on a beach.  I could feel the waves.  I could feel the maast across us all, but it was too big for it to take me alone.  The more it built, the faster they burned it off, devouring it for me.  I miss it, though."

His head tilted slightly as he listened.  "After the fight, it's not much fun without it.  I've always envied you both a bit for that.  You don't have to cope with the fear and disgust of what you've done, you just accept what you are.  I never could.  Maybe that's why you need him so much."

Sal glanced away at the mention of Jase.  "I don't know what I'm doing tonight, Blaec.  I don't know what I'm doing with you and him."

"I know, love, and it's ok.  I've been sleeping alone for months, I think I can handle a bit more."  He ducked his head to peer into her downcast eyes and watched her lip twitch in amusement.  "I've been where you are, little one.  I didn't have as many men, but I know what you're feeling.  Mourning is allowed.  You don't owe me your attention just because I showed up.  Just come see the pups and be with your pack.  Figure things out between Cyno and me whenever you want to."

"Why?"

His head twitched slightly in confusion.  "Why what?"

"Why are you ok with this?  Why are you being so understanding?  What about back..."  She stopped before she could dig this hole too deep.

But Blaec just chuckled.  "When I told you to be human?"  He pulled her closer and dropped an arm over her shoulder.  "Lemme tell you a secret, Sal.  Hindsight is a great thing.  See, I kept having these annoying visions of some woman taking over my unit and turning them into a bunch of beasts.  I was going to be so love struck by her that I wouldn't stop it, and we'd wade headlong into battle."

"Uh..." Wasn't that basically what they were doing.

He nodded, not even needing her to finish the thought.  "For a decade, we hadn't seen a Kaisae, then you showed up and told me I was doing it all wrong.  I thought you were going to get us killed.  I was sure that if you ever figured out what you can do, then we'd be the ones to suffer for it, but I was wrong.  My visions show me all the options, all at once.  You could have made so many mistakes, but you didn't.  I did.  Somehow, we still ended up here."  He leaned closer to her ear.  "And the Emperor's scared, love."

Without letting go, he led her into the camp.  Sal found herself actually smiling as she greeted her family.  Razor passed Raast to her, and she sat by the fire to meet her newest packmate.  The little nacione grabbed her hand and pulled it to her face, gnawing on it with her gums.

"Are Hwa and Roo still indisposed?" she asked.

"Yeah," Zep answered, "but we got some mare's milk into them.  They seemed to like it well enough, even if Rhyx did growl the whole time."

Sal smiled at the bundle in her lap, brushing the pup's face with her finger, "Sounds like Rhyx is a born fighter.  What about you, Raast?  What will you be when you grow up?" she cooed.

"Is it true?" Shift asked, "They'll be nearly mature in just a couple of years?"

"That's what Roo told me," Sal said.  "And so you know, the pack raising the pups is considered a sign of respect to them.  Mother and father are different to the grauori from dam and sire.  Those who raise them are their fathers, and the more they have, the better."  She looked across at the Black Blades, "So, I guess congratulations Daddies."

The men laughed.  Zep grabbed a bottle, took a long swig, then passed it to the man beside him.  They celebrated, and they drank, the pups slowly making the rounds between them. The sound of the Blade's voices was so comfortable after months without them, and Sal tried to take it all in.  Across from her, Jase sat with his back against their tent.  His eyes reflected the light of their fire as he watched her.  He kept his face blank, no sign of emotion on it, and it pulled at her heart. 

She looked over and saw Blaec sitting beside the fire, his eyes also on her.  Sal looked between her men, realizing that she could no longer put off a decision.  It wasn't fair to them to make them wait and wonder where they fit in, but the problem was that she didn't know.  Sal missed Blaec's leadership, his guidance, and his strength, but her desires lay with Jase.  In their months alone, she'd learned that she needed what Jase offered.  He shared his mind with her easily, giving all of himself without a second thought, while Blaec always held himself in reserve.  Blaec had felt too much pain to lower his walls to her, no matter how much he trusted her, and he kept his own secrets.  Her mind whirled.  While Blaec needed her, she needed Jase.  He'd become the other half of everything she did.  She loved Blaec, but for reasons that were all too human.  She loved Jase in a more honest way.  Blaec took from her, but Jase gave
everything
to her.

Sal stopped thinking about it and listened to her heart.  She was iliri, not human, she reminded herself.  Her choice had nothing to do with what they wanted.  She was Kaisae and, for once, it should be what she wanted that mattered.  Closing her eyes, she tried to envision herself with only one of them and only twilight eyes and swirling tattoos fit no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise. 

It wasn't logical, but love wasn't supposed to be.  It had taken her a long time to finally figure that out.  Sal stood and made her way to her Ahnor, the choice too obvious to ignore.  Sitting at Jase's feet, she leaned her back against his chest.  He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him protectively.  This was definitely right.

"Ya were amazing today, my Kaisae," he whispered into her ear.

"Then why don't you look happy, killer?"

He chuckled softly.  "Honestly?"  She nodded, and he continued.  "Cuz I hate sleeping alone."

Sal reached up and ran her fingers down his neck.  "Ok, Ahnor," she whispered, "then why don't you look happy?"

He rested his head against hers for a moment, saying nothing.  When he finally spoke, it was softly.  "Are ya sure, kitten?  Ya do na have ta do this.  I will na leave ya regardless."

Sal just nodded.  He pulled her even closer.  Across from them, Blaec watched, a smile teasing his lips. 
You made the right choice,
he whispered into Sal's head.

Did I?
she asked him.

Yeah, Sal.  He's yours, he always has been.  You know that.  You are mine, but he is yours.  I'm not hurt to be your second, love, just don't forget me.

Jase saw Blaec look away and asked, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, killer, it really is."  She turned and looked up into his face.  "Blaec's ok with this."

Jase gently kissed her forehead. "It's Dernor." He chuckled softly, "And the next one, he'll be Taunor."

Sal laughed and nipped his jaw playfully.  "Taunor, huh?  You planning on getting me more?  I barely have time for the two of you already!"

Jase just smiled softly.  "There'll be more, Sal.  It's how our species survives.  But why me?  Why na him?"

"Because I can't imagine living without you."  She let her head rest on his shoulder.  "I can without Blaec.  I'd miss him, but I could live without him.  Jase..." She looked into his deep blue eyes.  "You're a part of me.  I've never felt like this with anyone else.  I don't have to apologize.  I don't have to explain.  I can play at being human or allow myself to be who I am, and you always just understand me.  Ayati, Jase, it scares me a bit, but I need you
so
much."

He pulled her legs across his hip as they sat on the cold ground.  Gently, he caressed her face, looking deep into her eyes without flinching.  "I'll never leave ya, kitten.  I can na."

"I know.  That's why I chose you."

Around them, the Black Blades celebrated quietly.  The pups had long since fallen asleep, held in the arms of Zep and Razor.  Both men beamed with pride when they looked into the fuzzy faces, but the teasing was gentle.  The hours wore on, the pauses grew longer, but no one was quite ready to sleep.  As the night grew colder, the sounds of the army grew softer, making the approaching footsteps hard to miss.

"Name and rank, soldier," Shift said loud enough to be heard.