Wray (34 page)

Skua poison. The same poison that had ended
his mother. It was fast acting and deadly. These warriors were now
in the hands of the goddess.

And Kim?

Rising, his eyes searched the ground for
tracks. Lord Oryon had taught him well and what had happened was
easily seen.

This is where the Empress and another had
fallen.

There were the footprints of two males and
the marks they left behind when they lifted them from the
ground.

Why? Why take them if they were dead?

They wouldn’t.

If they had wanted the Empress dead, they
would have darted her with the skua poison and left her.

They had taken her… why?

Tora paled at the possibility. Quickly he
drew his sword and followed the trail.

Kim woke slowly and found herself lying in a
heap, on the cold, damp ground, her arm aching and her head was
throbbing. She was about to call out when she heard voices... Male
voices.

“Why did you bring the other one?” The first
one said.

“She’s Auyangian.” Said the second. “Do you
know how much the pleasure houses will pay for her? Especially an
untouched one.”

“And is she going to be untouched?”

“Not by us.” The snide smile could be heard
in his voice. “Auyangian females are known for their ability to
take
two
males at the same time. I think we should
demonstrate this talent for the
Empress
then she’ll
understand exactly what we are going to do to her, especially after
what happened in the cave.”

Kim felt herself go cold as she realized it
was Fala and Gyula she was hearing and suddenly it all came back to
her. She'd been walking in the garden with Caitir... Caitir... they
were talking about raping Caitir.

“Empress my ass." Gyula spat out. "There is
no way I will ever allow that bitch to become
my
Empress.”

“Agreed.” Fala replied. “But first we need to
find a spot to cross the river. Last night's storm in the mountains
has made the original spot too deep and dangerous. Then we'll take
them to the ship that's waiting and once we take off, we can have
some fun.” Kim could hear the lust in Fala’s voice. “You go scout
the river and I’ll go back and make sure our trail is covered, not
that anyone will come looking for them, not yet.”

As the voices faded away, Kim forced herself
to remain perfectly still. When she was sure they were gone, she
opened her eyes.

She was somewhere in the forest. She could
hear water rushing in the distance but had no clue where she was.
Moving to sit up, she found her hands and feet bound, rolling over
she found Caitir beside her, awake, her eyes filled with
terror.

“It will be alright Caitir.” Kim whispered
and hoped she was telling the truth.

“We are lost.” Caitir whispered back, her
eyes filling with tears. “No one will come in time. We are too far
away from the guards.”

“Then we have to give them the time.” Kim
refused to give into her fear. She has come too far, survived too
much to give up now. “Can you sit up?”

“Yes, but what good will that do?”

“Just do it Caitir.” Kim ordered as she
struggled up herself. “Quietly.”

Caitir did as she was ordered.

“Now reach up under my sleeve.”

“What?” Caitir gave her a confused look.

“I have a knife Caitir.” Kim whispered
impatiently. “It’s tied to my lower arm. Grab it.”

Caitir couldn’t believe it. A female carrying
a knife?

“Hurry. Before they come back.”

Kim’s words jolted Caitir into moving. As she
grabbed the knife, a twig snapped and she dropped it barely missing
the Empress’ bare foot. Both women froze and listened intently.
Hearing nothing else, Kim grabbed the knife and began to saw
through the ropes that bound Caitir’s ankles.

“What are you doing?” Caitir looked at her in
shock.

“Listen to me Caitir.” Kim said as she
continued to work on the bindings. “Do you know where we are?”

Caitir looked around, getting her bearings.
“Y…yes.” She whispered.

“And you know the way back to House Reeve,
back to Wray.”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Having freed Caitir’s ankles Kim
started on the ropes around her wrists. “Now, once I get you free,
I want you to run for help.”

“What?” Caitir barely remembered to keep her
voice down.

“I don’t know where we are Caitir.” Kim told
her impatiently. “I don’t know where help is.
You
do.” Kim’s
eyes bored into Caitir. “
You
have to go find Wray and tell
him what happened. Where I am. It’s the only way.”

“No! They will kill you.”

“Not right away, they won’t.” Kim said,
refusing to show Caitir how scared she was. “Fala and Gyula are
going to want to have their fun first. That gives us time, time for
you to escape and get help.”

“No, I won’t let you sacrifice yourself.”

“I have no plans on ‘sacrificing’ myself.”
Kim said to her as she finally freed Caitir’s hands and started on
her own ankles. “I plan on running. Now which way are the
guards?”

"That… that way.” Caitir stuttered, gesturing
behind her.

“Then I’m going to run that way.” Kim
gestured to her left, not in the opposite direction, but angled
away from the path Caitir would need. “I’m going to scream like
bloody murder so Fala and Gyula follow
me
. I want you to
wait until you know it is safe then run for help.”

“But…”

“No buts Caitir. If they catch you, we’re
both dead. You know that.”

“But if they catch you….”

“They won’t.” Kim hoped she was speaking the
truth. Freeing her feet Kim stood and was about to hand the knife
back to Caitir to free her hands when the unmistakable sounds of
heavy footsteps could be heard moving towards them.

“Go.” Kim ordered and gripping the knife took
off running, making as much noise as she could as she screamed.

“WRAY!!!!!!”

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Fala froze at the female's scream, his eyes
catching a flash of purple moving fast through the woods to his
right.
No!
It wasn’t possible! How had the little bitch
gotten free!

He immediately changed directions and went
crashing through the overgrowth after her.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Caitir stayed crouched down and watched the
large warrior charging after the Empress. What was she going to
do…

All her life she had to be hidden, had been
afraid, of her father and other males. Only her uncle had ever
treated her with kindness, as if she mattered, but she knew that
was only because of her mother.

Until the Empress. She looked at Caitir and
saw someone who mattered, someone who had value, for herself. She
saw Caitir as an equal, even someone to risk her life for. Was
hiding how she was going to repay her?

No! She would do as her Empress and friend
had told her and find the Emperor. Lifting her skirt Caitir
ran.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Tora froze at the female’s scream, his head
jerking towards the sound, his eyes narrowing as they scanned the
area. Where was it coming from? Zeroing in on the last of the
sound, he moved quickly but silently through the brush. The sound
of someone crashing through the brush towards him had him raising
his sword ready to strike.

Caitir skidded to a halt, falling on her ass,
in front of the warrior’s raised sword, her heart breaking because
she knew she had failed.

“Where is the Empress?!! Tora demanded. “Who
are you?!!

“I… I am Caitir. The Empress’ clothier.”
Caitir stuttered. “She ran that way.” Caitir pointed a trembling
finger towards the river.

“Why aren’t you with her?” Tora demanded.

“She sent me for help. She knew if they
caught us both we would be finished.

“Who!” Tora demanded.

“She called them Fa… Fala and Gyula.”

Tora stiffened at the names. They were the
same ones that had attacked her earlier.

“Go!” Tora ordered shoving her down the way
he had come. “Find the Emperor and tell him what you have told
me.”

“You are going after them?” Caitir asked
hopefully.

“Yes.”

“Please! Please save the Empress!” Caitir
pleaded. “She is a good female and they plan to use her as they
would an Auyangian.”

Tora paled, then flushed in anger,
understanding what she meant. “GO!” he ordered then ran towards the
Empress.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kim raced blindly through the woods. What had
she been thinking? She asked herself, as another thorn pierced her
foot. She knew nothing about trying to evade warriors. She was a
city girl. All she knew was that she wanted to survive. She wanted
to be with Wray.

“Where do you think you are going?” Gyula
demanded, stepping out from behind a tree to snag her around the
waist, slamming her back against his chest.

“No!” Kim screamed the knife falling to the
ground.

“Yes!” Gyula said and wrapped a large hand
around her neck, squeezing. “You will pay for what you did to
us.”

“What
I
did!” Kim squeaked out,
refusing to back down, even as she clawed at his hand trying to
relieve the pressure. “
I
did nothing!
You
are the
ones that attacked me!”

“You are female! Non-Tornian! We honor you by
using your body!”

“Honor my ass!” Kim hissed back at him. “You
are no better than the Ganglians!”

“How dare you!” Gyula roared squeezing so
tightly she was close to passing out.

“Release her!” Tora ordered, charging out of
the trees, his sword raised.

“One step closer and I’ll snap her neck.”
Gyula told him, making sure he kept Kim between him and Tora sword.
“

“Release her now and I will grant you a quick
death.” Tora ordered.

“I think not young prince.” Gyula told him,
then smiled.

“Tora! Behind you!” Kim cried out when she
saw Fala lifting his sword.

Tora spun around, barely blocking Fala’s
sword in time, the power behind the larger, stronger warrior's
swing causing him to stumble backwards.

“Today is an historic day.” Fala said,
swinging his sword around in his hand, making cocky circles. “A
Prince and an Empress are about to die and House Vasteri will
fall.” Again, Fala swung and his years of training had Tora
stumbling again.

“Just do it Fala!” Gyula shouted. “Stop
playing with him.”

“But I wish to play with him.” Fala said
shooting Gyula an angry look. “He thinks he is more worthier than
us because he is
Vasteri
. Fitter! Today he will discover he
is no different than any other male.”

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kim couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Tora was defending her! At least he was trying, but Fala was a male
fully mature where Tora was still growing. She couldn’t let him
sacrifice himself for her. Wray would be devastated if he lost him.
She had to do something… but what? Maybe????

Going limp in Gyula's arms, Kim felt his grip
loosen, thinking she had passed out. Knowing she would only get one
shot at this, she let her chin fall to her chest, then flung it
back with all her might and felt the satisfying crunch of Gyula's
nose giving way beneath it.

“Argggg!” Gyula cried out and dropped Kim to
grab his nose.

Gyula’s cry had Fala’s eyes moving towards
his friend for a moment and that was all that Tora needed. Lifting
his sword, Tora attacked the larger, stronger male letting his
smaller size and quickness work to his advantage. He sliced Fala’s
sword arm first, then cut across his chest, catching Fala by
surprise.

Fala stumbled back, staring down at his chest
in shock. How had a male that had yet to see eighteen years been
able to draw his blood and lots of it? Gripping his sword more
tightly Fala countered, but found his grip slipping under the
slickness of his blood coating the hilt of his sword.

Tora showed the male as much mercy has he
would have shown Kim, striking as his manno and uncle had taught
him. Each strike from his blade cutting deeper, drawing more and
more blood until Fala struggled to stay on his feet. An especially
deep cut across the back of one leg had Fala falling to a knee.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Gyula ignored the blood streaming from his
nose and watched in stunned fascination as Tora brought Fala down.
How was it possible? Fala was a cunning warrior. No one defeated
him and yet Tora did.

Gyula needed to save himself. His eyes
flashed to the female that was the cause of all his problems and
found her inching away from him. Her eyes riveted to the battle
taking place before them.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kim ignored the jarring impact of her butt
hitting the ground and dug her heels into the ground, scooting away
from Gyula the best she could with her hands still bound. Her eyes
moving from Gyula to the battle between Tora and Fala.

After Fala’s initial strikes Tora was now
coming on strong, battling back the larger male and she knew she
was getting a glimpse of the warrior he would one day become. The
warrior, his manno currently was.

Suddenly she felt the weight of Gyula’s gaze
and realized she’d made a costly mistake. She should have run while
Gyula was occupied with the fight, now his focus was back on
her.

Twisting around, her fingers dug into the
damp dirt as she struggled to her feet and felt they curl around
her knife. Praying to the Goddess for Tora’s safety, she took off
running.

Wray’s mind was in turmoil, his heart
pounding, as he raced across the gardens of House Reeve, his guard
barely able to keep up. How could this have happened? Why had he
let her go without him? She was his universe and he had failed to
protect her… again. If she were gone….