LW Browning - Krystile Warriors 01 - Warlord's Honor (15 page)

T
he healer finished his examination of her. He did not hide his shock at the speed of her recovery. Claire knew he wanted to ask questions about her healing ability, but instead, he made a series of 'mms' and 'hmms' when he checked and removed the cover from her arm. "Be careful with that, little missy. It is not completely healed yet." Finished, he left the room. Osiria followed him. 

She had seen little of Koda during the past few days, but she dreamed of him at night. He sat by her bed and said sweet things to her while he stroked her hair. Mired in self-doubt, she was glad to avoid him as much as possible. She was getting stronger. Meditation in the garden helped since she renewed herself and gained strength from nature. She started down to the garden again. Her abilities had grown and her shields were strong again, but she also felt more emotions, heard more thoughts now.

Warriors were all over the castle. Claire felt their anticipation.

As she went through the large hall of the castle toward the garden in the back, she met several servants and warlords headed toward the front doorway. A courier had arrived and excitement was in the air.

She ran to the garden and found a bench in the sun.

Osiria came out and sat on the bench opposite her.

"There is a lot of activity in the castle." Claire sat with her eyes closed, her face turned to the sun.

"Yes, but there is no need for you to worry," Osiria hesitated. "I know that you are upset with me. I never meant to hurt you, none of us did."

"I may have need of your help to understand this society. I thought I was only here for a short time. I did not realize I had been sold and my future was – uncertain. You must have thought me very childish to be so easily fooled." Claire felt her words sting Osiria's conscience.

"Claire, we want you to be happy here with us. We wanted you to have time to get to know us before you found out that you were cut off from all that was familiar to you."

"I know that I might be killed or worse and I know you cannot tell me what you know of my fate. Can you understand why your words offer no comfort to me? I do not trust you. Any of you. How can I?"

Osiria sighed. "You are without hope now. I felt that when you – projected. You are Koda's mate. Only time will convince you that you are among friends," Osiria said.

"I always thought we would have more time," Claire whispered. They had always known the Conglomerate might decide to do away with them.

"You will have more time. Koda will see to that."

Claire thought Koda's collection of MX would be a definite advantage when he brokered trade agreements. She wanted to believe he was collecting them just to offer them sanctuary, but he probably had an ulterior motive.

"Do you know why he wants us, Osiria? If not to sell us or kill us, then why?"

"It is the prophecy. It is our destiny to provide a home to the MX." Osiria's blue eyes were clear.

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Claire asked.

Osiria sighed, "That is something you must discuss with Koda."

Claire looked away. She had to decide. Time was running out for the MX. She had precious little information with which to make a good decision. How could she? She had never made a decision in her life until she came here. How was she to put her faith in Koda? She had few options. 

"Why would your society have a prophecy that concerns empaths?" Her frustration got the better of her.

"It will be better if Koda tells you of this," Osiria said.

Anger rose up in Claire. "Koda has lied about so much..." Did they expect her to believe Koda bought her because of a prophecy? "I am tired," she said as she left the garden for the coolness of the apartment.

As she made her way down the hall to the stairs leading to her rooms, a group of warlords entered the door and filled the foyer. She got no air. Panic and horror hit her. They were so big. Ramil was Veck's bastard son. The memory flashed in her mind. Koda had everything Ramil did not. Would never have. Ramil sought only to hurt Koda any way possible. Blackness closed in as she crumpled to the floor.

***

K
oda's people prepared for the Gathering while Claire spent her days in the garden or the parlor and did her best to avoid Koda. The panic attacks came further apart now, but they still came. Koda no longer slept in the bed with her at night. He was close. She felt him with her mind. Sometimes, she knew he was there with her, watching her sleep. Several times, when nightmares woke her, she found him sitting beside the bed. He tried to comfort her.

While drawing in the garden, she looked up to see Koda watching her. He stood with his arms across his chest. She put the paper aside.

"I did not know that you drew." Koda nodded toward the paper.

"Only a little."

"I would have you accompany me," Koda said.

Claire hesitated and tried to read anyone close by for signs of danger. She frowned, caught herself and made her face impassive again. "Of course," Claire said. 

"I thought we might dine together, pita." Green eyes locked with ice blue for a moment.

"Of course, Warlord Leader."

Coming closer, he extended his hand to her. He moved slowly. He was always cautious with her now. Claire looked at his hand as if it might burn her, but she placed her gloved hand in his. They took a path out of the garden beside the little stream that flowed into it. The castle was soon hidden from their view by the trees and the mountain as they made their way up the trail.

The panorama of the valley took her breath away. The river twisted through the village below, the lake on one side, and the forest on the other. A tinkling stream ran down the mountain here with a small clearing just off the path. Koda put the basket down and spread a quilt on the ground. He motioned her to sit and held her gloved hand until she joined him on the blanket.

Her heart was beating in her throat. She admired the fluid grace of his movements, his power, the beauty of his hair and eyes. He looked both fierce and confident. Claire opened her mind to find that they were alone. She bemoaned the fact that he still affected her like this.

Koda smiled at her as he took the lunch out of the basket. He caught her eyes on him like the god she thought him to be. She redirected her attention to the beauty of the picnic area and the picturesque valley below. "This is a beautiful place."

"I am pleased you like it." Koda passed her a vegetable wrap and some fruit. The day was sunny and just warm enough to be comfortable. The serenity of the place and the majestic scene felt peaceful. She would be happy to sit here and listen to the wind in the trees.

"Thank you for bringing me here." Claire needed more information from him. Polite conversation might prove useful to her cause. 

"You did not spend time outside as a child." Koda also sought information, she thought.

"We had exercise periods outside, but the view from our training center was buildings. Nothing green, nothing like this," Claire said, despite that fact that Koda's comment was not a question.

"You have many friends among the MX."

Again, not really a question. Now she would hear why he had brought her here. Claire leaned forward so that a fan of her dark red hair fell across her face. She caught a stray thought from Koda. The sunlight that filtered through the trees made it appear as though her hair were on fire. She looked like an avenging angel to him. Strange thought for him to have. Just one more piece to the puzzle that was Koda.

"We did not fraternize," Claire paused and then continued. "You want to know who I think would be the best of us to collect or who presents the most danger. I want them all to live, but I suppose that will be your decision."

"No, pita. I want them all, but I would have you help them acclimate to this society. You could make them feel more secure in their new surroundings. We do not want harm to come to them. Some of their abilities might prove dangerous to us and we need to be prepared."

"I cannot not lie to them to promote your agenda. You want me to make them feel secure, but I cannot give what I do not have."

He moved closer to her on the blanket. She read a thought that he would reach for her. Claire turned away from him to get up. He moved faster than any person ought to be able to move. Koda caught her arm, pushed her back and rolled on top of her, pulling her hands over her head, he captured them both in one of his large hands. The rise and fall of her breasts caused her hardened nipples to graze against his chest. Shock ran through her that he could cause this reaction in her even after all that had happened. He held her tight, confined her in the steel cage of his arms. She struggled against him.

"Be still." He grasped a handful of her hair and pulled her head back. Koda took his time with her face tilted up to him, she felt him harden as he watched her struggle.

Her eyes widened before she closed her eyes and went completely still beneath him.

With his mouth close to hers, he spoke. "The more you resist, the more difficult it is for me to maintain control. I see the fear in your eyes. You have no need to fear me. Be still. I will release you, but do not run from me."

Her breathing was fast and shallow. He pushed his body away from hers and let go of her hair and her wrists to sit up on the blanket. Unshed tears filled her eyes. She sat up and straightened her hair and clothing before looking at him.

"I do not want you to fear me, pita," he said. "Tell me what I must do to make you feel secure."

"I have no control over my life," she began. "I never have. The only aspect of my life that I can control is how I react to situations. I would have preferred to find out that the MX were being hunted and that I was now a fugitive in some other manner than my chance stumbling into what was obviously a meeting that you wanted to keep secret from me. And, I would have preferred hearing the nastier details of your plans for me from someone other than – Ramil and..."

Her voice was quiet now, resigned. She continued on in a whisper as she turned her back to him and looked out over the valley below. "I always thought Calks would come back for me."

"He would have. And he would have turned you over to the STS. He had no way to keep you safe from them except to give you to me." Koda was quiet behind her, once again in control of himself and his emotions. She could not read him.

"Are they really killing them?"

"I have it on good authority that is their plan. Yes. The government of your people has decided the MX are too dangerous. They are being rounded up for disposal. Many have been sold on the black market. A lot of males want the power and advantage an MX can give them."

"Including you," she whispered. 

"Yes, including me. I will acquire all the MX. My people offer them sanctuary. I would have you help me. How dangerous are they?"

"Will you be ruthless in acquiring them?" Claire turned to look at Koda. His blue gaze was so intense, she drew back from him.

He nodded. "Yes, pita, I will be ruthless. It is my way. Ruthlessness is necessary to protect my people and insure the survival of my race. When we get the MX, we will bring them here. I would have your help to combat their confusion and assure them they will be safe here."

"Safe," Claire said.

Koda was not the only one with secrets. Claire had secrets of her own. She turned to look at him.

"Would you have returned me to Calks if the MX program had not been terminated?"

Koda gave a slight turn of his head to the left, then back never taking his eyes from hers. "No, pita. I will never give you to Calks or anyone else."

"What gives you the right?"

"Might gives me the right, little one. Warlords take their mates where they find them."

"Barbarian," she whispered. He had said that to her before. She had to face the fact that it was true.

"Mercenary barbarian warlord," Koda affirmed. "Again I ask, how dangerous are the MX?"

"We never speak of it," she said in her soft voice. "Even the MX Facility has no idea. I cannot tell you. Not now."

"Think on it." Koda said.

"Warlord Leader, I think of little else," she sighed. "If you deceive me, if you mean harm to any of us, the deal is off." Her voice was soft, passionate. "And –– you must save them all."

"As I have vowed to my mate, I will do."

Claire wanted him to say more, to take her in his arms and hold her and make her feel safe, to make her trust him. She had no choice except to help him.

"I would hear the words, pita."

"I cannot say them. Not yet."

He nodded. "I will wait."

They stayed in the picnic spot until Claire relaxed and began to enjoy the beauty of the place again. Little creatures came up to her. They were cute, furry little things, similar to very small squirrels with short tails. She fed them out of her hand after discovering their hunger overpowered their fear of her. She laughed and enjoyed their antics and thought how very much like them she was. She feared Koda, but her need to help the other MX overpowered that fear. Metaphorically, he had her eating out of his hand.

When she yawned, Koda gathered up their picnic supplies and helped her to her feet. On their way back, he gave names to the birds and small animals they saw along the trail. Claire was delighted when they came upon a herd of the large creatures with huge horns. Koda whispered they were called "camphor". The animals watched as Koda and Claire continued down the trail.

When Claire stumbled, Koda picked her up and carried her in his arms. She protested that she could walk, but it did no good. He took her up the back stairway to their room where he laid her on the bed and left with an order that she rest now.

Alone at last, Claire thought of the other MX. Bess, sweet Bess who had yet to come into her true power. Anna, who saw the future, was calm and wise. Destiny, able to reach into the essence of people. Katerina and the others. Though they had not been permitted to talk with each other, they communicated with their minds. They were always careful. To be caught communicating was to invite death.

Calks had always done all the negotiating. She had no experience at it. What if she trusted Koda and put the MX in more danger? She could not deny her body's reaction to Koda. Her feelings for him might easily sway her, but if she did not help Koda, might she cause more danger to the others? She went to window, if only the mountain had answers.