Taking her time, she wanders the row and points at the valuable she desires. Her brothers are quick to collect them. My guards stand at the entrance, heavily armed and at the ready. At one time, Maneshha was considered a nuisance, not a threat. But that has changed, and it is unfortunate. She was once a part of us and now, she is our enemy.
“I require a ship,” she says casually. “A transport vessel, not a pod or a cruiser.” Tossing down the vase she’d been looking at, she turns to me and lifts her chin. “A transport vessel will satisfy the debt for our jilted union.”
“I cannot hand you a transport vessel.”
“You will. I don’t care how you go about it, but you will do as I ask.”
It makes sense now. The fence around her compound which traps her people inside against their will. The collection of valuables for trade. Her raiding plans. She’s moving off world and taking her tribe with her. While I am not sad to see her go, she cannot take Talarions against their will, and considering she’s caged them, I suspect they aren’t that willing.
“The Queen will never allow it.”
She slams a hand onto the table, her voice a menacing hiss. “I don’t care about the Queen, Gamalt, and you’d be wise to stop throwing her in my face.”
Fern has circled around and stands across from Maneshha with two rows between them. Her head is cocked slightly to her shoulder, her stance battle ready. She is primed as a predator assessing its prey. Hand on the hilt of her sword, Fern simply watches.
And waits.
She claims she did not know how to fight before she arrived on this planet, but I have a difficult time believing that. She is the epitome of warrioress, and my chest fills with pride and apprehension because I know what Maneshha is capable of, and I do not want harm to come to my human.
My enemy lowers her voice to a barely audible level.
“Deliver the transport vessel by the end of this sun cycle. I will deliver pieces of bodies to your doorstep for every day that you are late.”
My fingers clench into my palms. “You would sacrifice those who follow you?”
“Of course. Why do you think I force them to stay? What is a leader without an army of sacrificial loyalists?”
Motioning to her brothers, she turns to leave. Her gaze drags along Fern as she walks to the entrance.
“I would like a word with you, female to female.”
Fern’s eyes dart to me.
I will not allow it. “That is not going to happen.”
Fern holds up a hand to interrupt me. “It’s fine.”
The back of my neck prickles and my scales begin to tingle in warning. Both females look at me and though I do not like this, I will trust Fern. I notice the dagger she’d been looking at earlier tucked into her belt.
“I will be right outside.”
Every nerve is on edge as I exit the cavern and wait right outside the entrance. My guards surround me, effectively shutting Maneshha’s brothers out. I am a bit irritated to be so heavily guarded. It’s always been a wound to my pride to be looked after by other males in the face of danger. The protection comes with my status, but I can protect myself.
Is Fern?
Have I overestimated her abilities to fight against a warrioress such as Maneshha? Their voices filter out to me, but I cannot hear what they are saying. Fern’s tones are smoother, softer. Calmer. While her counterpart tends to raise her voice and speak with a strained tone.
My mind whirls with what Maneshha said. She has caged her people and now she will sacrifice them in order to get her way. How many have already died at her hand? They chose to follow her and should have the choice to leave. Not die for her ambitions.
I have just found Fern, but I know what I need to do. I cannot wait any longer.
The guards suddenly part and Derlix hurries to me.
“The King requires you right away.” His voice drops intimately. “Something is wrong with the child.”
Grinding my jaw, I glance back to the vault. The females’ voices are too low for me to hear now, aside from a low drone.
I must go to my King. Should something detrimental happen with the child, I’m needed to guide her energy to the cosmos. The universe gives and the universe takes. I only pray it is not taking the life of my King’s daughter today.
