Training the Warrior (26 page)

The material was gauze-like and gave the
illusion of transparency. The garment was formfitting and covered her
completely—long sleeves, high collar and the hem reached to the floor. From her
hips down, the skirt fit snug and didn’t allow for much movement. Her shoes
were thin-soled flimsy sandals tied on her feet with thin laces. Very delicate.
She had to take fast choppy steps to keep up with the two hulking males.
Note
to self, get a new wardrobe. Long tunics with pant skirts.
As the straps
around her ankles loosened and came undone, Lydia stumbled to a halt.

She called, “You two go on ahead. I’ll go
shopping for some real clothes, okay?”

They both halted and turned around to gawk
at her. Her mate chuckled while Jarrok’s mouth clamped shut. Both warriors were
dressed in their traditional clothing, all leather—forearm restraints, boots,
thick belts, short loincloths and assorted weaponry.
Lucky jerks
. Not
that she was complaining about the view…

Taelor hurried back to her and swept her up
into his arms. “You’re wearing real clothes, and they match the color of your
eyes. You’re lovely. Relax.” He gave her a swift kiss before resuming the
journey.

They arrived on time. She and Taelor were
ushered into Mistress Breanne’s private rooms while Jarrok waited in the
corridor outside. The head mistress met them as they entered. An older warrior
stood beside her. Lydia recognized him as one of the handlers who worked with
the newly-bladed young warriors.

Taelor nodded in respect, first to the head
mistress, then to the warrior at her side.

“Compliments on your mating, Dharjen
Taelor,” the warrior said.

“I’m grateful, Rhoel,” Taelor responded
automatically.

Mistress Breanne shuffled forward and warmly
embraced Lydia. “I wish you much happiness, my dear. Hopefully you and Taelor
will enjoy a long life together…much as Rhoel and I have managed over the
years.” The woman released her and returned to the warrior’s side.

Lydia was stunned. “What?” She looked at
Taelor, who smiled slyly. Rhoel shared a secretive look with Breanne.

Taelor leaned over, and said, “They’re
mated.”

“It’s a secret only a few warriors have
discovered. Taelor knew the moment we first met yesterday,” Mistress Breanne
said. “It’s why I retired from active teaching several years ago.” The two warriors
shuffled uncomfortably and cleared their throats. The head mistress laughed and
continued. “They don’t actually object to us having taught the young warriors,
but once Rhoel claimed me, he was uncomfortable with the idea that I’d still be
in charge of the teacher clan and initiates.”

“Which would bring you close to the young warriors
who are in training,” Lydia finished.

Rhoel spoke up. “It isn’t jealousy. Breanne
is my mate. I’m protective of her, but she must continue her work for the
future of all our young warriors.” He proudly glanced at his mate. “I’ll leave now.
You have much to discuss.” The warrior tenderly touched Breanne’s shoulder
before he left the room.

Lydia suspected Rhoel was also anxious to
distance himself from the irritating component of Taelor’s claiming scent.
Breanne’s mate had appeared to be holding his breath the entire time he was in
the room. She was glad her own sense of smell wasn’t super sensitive. To her,
Taelor smelled divine.

“Please take a seat. What I have to say
will require some time.”

Lydia sat next to Taelor on a plush sofa
while the head mistress settled on the cushioned seat of a high-back chair
across from them.

“Dhara Laeness visited me right before she
left Fortress. She wanted me to pass along some highly secret information to
you, Taelor. Your sister gave me certain documents to support her claims and
then instructed me to destroy them so no one else could read them. I burned the
papers to ash while she watched. What I must tell you has to remain
confidential. You must not tell anyone, not even your partner.”

Lydia stole a quick glance at her mate. He
appeared calm but curious. No matter. Her own nervousness made her reach out
and grab his giant hand. His fingers curled around hers and squeezed gently,
bolstering her courage.

“Your former mate, Norlana, didn’t die by
her own hand, Taelor. She was poisoned.”

“Murdered!” Taelor released her hand and
jumped to his feet. “Who did this? I’ll kill them!”

Mistress Breanne held up her hand, palm
out. “Calm, Taelor. If your mother knew who was responsible for Norlana’s death
the larger problem would cease to exist.”

Taelor sank back down beside Lydia.

“Larger problem?” Lydia asked.

“Yes. Someone or some group has been
targeting the royals for several years. The poison that killed Norlana was
intended for your mother, Taelor. The bottle of contaminated Yewnan wine was
one of two left in your dwelling on Fortress.”

“All of us, my mother, myself and Norlana, we
drank a bottle of that wine the night before I left on assignment.”

“Norlana drank a small portion from the
second bottle weeks after you were gone.”

“I was told she took pills.” Taelor’s voice
sounded harsh with bitterness.

“A necessary cover story.” The head mistress
stopped speaking, allowing them time to think.

Lydia remained silent as she sat beside
him. Some things were starting to make sense to her now. Taelor thought his
mate killed herself, preferring death to being mated to him. Now he knew the
truth.

She didn’t dare look at him or try to touch
him. For one, she was reluctant to witness his pain. And if she tried to
comfort him and he shied away from her touch, it’d devastate her. Lydia wasn’t
thinking straight. She had no reason to feel jealous. Taelor had every right to
be upset. His former mate, a woman he’d loved, had been murdered.

Lydia forced her mind to focus on the
facts. This wasn’t about her feelings or her pain. Her mate was… Unable to help
herself, she stole a quick glance at his face…furious. She turned her attention
to the head mistress, hoping the wiser woman had an answer. All she saw
reflected in the other woman’s expression was pity.

After a long silence, Taelor asked, “Has my
mother been threatened since Norlana’s death?”

“Yes, Taelor. However, Laeness was the
latest target. Your mother suspects the attack on your sister’s ship was
orchestrated by someone of high rank, perhaps a council member.”

“How is this possible?” He growled.

“Until the traitors are identified and
eliminated, your family and all the royals are seeking refuge on Taura Major or
the rim worlds. You must decide where you’ll take Lydia as soon as possible,
Taelor. I can’t guarantee your safety here within these walls or anywhere on
Fortress for any great length of time. Attor and two other young warriors of royal
blood will be guarded at all times for the next two years while they’re in
training. So far, no warriors have been targeted, but we won’t take any
chances. The assassins seem to be concentrating their efforts on the supreme chancellor,
the Vellas and their daughters.”

“It isn’t honorable to run and hide from
our enemies. This is an outrage. It must end!” Taelor’s rage seemed to be
growing by the second. “I’ll stay, and when I find them, they’ll die by my
hand.”

The head mistress nodded gravely, but Lydia
noticed she smiled ever so slightly. Apparently, Breanne had been expecting his
reaction.

“Your mother wishes to meet your new mate.
If you object, she intends to issue a summons, ordering you to appear before
her on Taura Prime.”

“What?” Indignant, Taelor jumped to his
feet once again and paced as he raged. “I won’t obey! If the high council is
involved in this treachery then Taura Prime is the worst place for me to take
Lydia. I’d rather go to one of the rim worlds to make sure she’s safe.”

“Finally, Dharjen Taelor, you’re behaving
as a proper mate should,” the head mistress scolded.

Taelor came to an abrupt standstill and
glared at the head mistress. His jaw worked, as if trying to speak words that
simply wouldn’t form. Seconds passed before he huffed out an aggravated breath.

“You lied about my mother summoning me,” he
accused the head mistress.

“Necessary. You weren’t thinking clearly.”

He appeared to struggle to control his
inner rage while coming to terms with the fact he was unable to fight an
unknown enemy, no matter how much he wanted to rip them to pieces. His mighty
shoulders slumped in resignation and he swung about to face Lydia. Taelor
immediately dropped to his knees in front of her and buried his head in her lap
as he wrapped his mighty arms around her waist. He groaned as if in pain.

Lydia was stunned, struck speechless. Never
in a million years would she have expected such a reaction. She looked at
Breanne for answers, but the other woman shook her head, stood and walked to
the door.

Before leaving she said quietly, “I’ll
return momentarily with an offer. Please stay and make yourselves comfortable.”
Then she mouthed two silent words.
Soothe him.

Lydia didn’t bother wondering what the head
mistress meant about an offer. Her only concern was Taelor. She stroked his
hair, smoothing the silken strands with her fingers before caressing his
shoulders. He groaned softly and tightened his hold around her.

“Forgive me, my love. I acted foolishly.”
His voice was muffled since his face was pressed deep into her lap.

“What is there to forgive?”

He turned his head sideways to rest his cheek
against one of her thighs. “I was thinking of revenge first, not your safety.
You’re my heart, Lydia. Without you I’m incomplete. Have no fear, I’ll protect
you from this threat.” He peered up at her, golden eyes gleaming with emotion.

He was all boyish innocence for one brief
moment. Her giant Tauran warrior, an ultimate killing machine of muscle-bound
fury, melted her heart into a puddle of gooey mush.

“I love you, Taelor. Never leave me,
remember? Keep me safe at your side—forever.”

Lydia bent and placed a chaste kiss at the
corner of his lips. As expected, he captured her mouth in a lusty, needy one.

Breaking away, he said, “You have my
promise. I’ll never let you go.”

* * * *

The head mistress gave them several moments
of privacy before she returned. Lydia readjusted her hem down below her knees
as she slapped at Taelor’s hands playfully as Breanne settled into the chair
across from them. Thankfully, the older woman ignored Lydia’s disheveled
appearance.

“You mentioned an offer, mistress?” Taelor
asked.

“Yes, Taelor. As I already told you, I hoped
to have Lydia replace me as head mistress. Now my plans have changed since you’ve
taken her as your mate. I’m hoping to convince you and Lydia to help me and the
warrior clan with a very grave situation.”

“What’s wrong, Mistress Breanne?” Lydia
asked, instantly alerted by the anxious expression on her mentor’s face. Taelor
gripped her hand tightly, letting her know he was just as concerned. The head mistress
of the teacher clan rarely asked for help from anyone.

“For several years, I’ve been monitoring an
alarming trend in the birth rates of warriors all over the empire, especially
the numbers coming from the rim worlds. They’re increasing at an accelerated
rate. I fear we’re approaching a progressive genetic instability—a phase.”

“What?” Lydia didn’t have a clue as to what
the woman talked about.

Taelor snorted derisively. “A scientific
reference to a prophecy telling of a return to the Dark Times. It’s a myth.”

“Not all tales are myth, Taelor,” Breanne
cautioned. “Vorthans were once thought to be myth. They aren’t.”

“Are their numbers increasing?” Taelor
challenged her.

“Unknown, as you’re well aware. No one can
total their numbers.”

“Because they are extremely rare, mistress.
Enough talk about myths. What alarms you about the birth rates of warriors?”

“The trend started twelve years ago, slowly
at first. At the moment, the numbers of new warrior births are doubling with no
end in sight. Next year, Fortress will process our capacity of young warriors.
In two years, this facility will be overrun and unable to train them all.”

Lydia gasped, recognizing the impact of
what the head mistress told them. In a few years, warriors wouldn’t have a safe
place for blading or training. The ancient practices of murder and infanticide
could return.

“What can be done?” Lydia asked.

The head mistress expelled a weary sigh. “We
must expand. For the past two years, under my direction, a second training sanctuary
has been under construction on one of the rim worlds. I chose Pella, a planet
in the Wolf IV system, which is much like our Fortress World. It’s near the alliance
border, but well within Tauran space. As near as I can tell, the explosion of warrior
births began on several planets within this quadrant. Rhoel and I were planning
on relocating to Pella along with several qualified teachers and a group of initiates.
Now I implore you, Lydia, please take my place on Pella.” Before Lydia could
respond, Breanne turned her attention to Taelor. “There’s a garrison
surrounding the new sanctuary. I have control over who is assigned to command
the troops. You’re more than qualified for the position.”