“I guess we’ll have to see about that, now won’t we?”
I stepped clear of the rubble, gathering my ki about me as the High Priestess had. It wouldn’t take much. Just a single touch… and I’d blend my ki with that of the general’s. I’d feast on his essence until there was nothing left, and then? The dark shadows all around him were next. It would be over before it had even begun.
“M-Mila, no.” Hand outstretched to stop me, my father elbowed past Josh—just as a familiar face stepped clear of the general’s shadow.
I froze.
Captain Rawlings.
He too was armed, and though his weapon was smaller, it glowed with thrice the brilliance of the gargantuan thing clasped in the general’s large hands. And when his eyes found mine—which they did without fault—his lips curved in a dark smile. Lips I had touched only this morning. Hands that had cradled were now encased in fine black leather, wrapped around a thing meant to kill.
I stumbled back, left shoulder bumping against my father’s, right pressed against Josh’s chest. “Goddess,no.” His pendant—mypendant—winked at me, concealing him from the High Priestess’ senses. A power she was unprepared to face, because I had not warned her!
“I’ve got her, Senator!” Josh wrapped his hand in the fabric at my lower back, hauling me away. “Let’sgo,Miss Tannovic.”
“Get your hands off me! I have to—”
“You’re not going anywhere with that little Priestess, Eloran,” General Tilcot said, tipping his head to one side, then the other, cracking his thick neck as he drew a dainty set of golden chains from his pocket. Letting them dangle on a thick index finger. “She’smine.”
Trembling and gray, my father stepped in front of me. “You’ll not lay a hand on my daughter.”
The captain took a step, inky gaze blazing defiance.
“A senator’s daughter, hmm?” the general said, inspecting my soot-caked clothes and skin. “I’ll make you an offer, Senator. Bring her here, and I will consider making her my personal slave. If for no other reason than I enjoy breaking spoiled brats.” He laughed, baring perfect, white teeth. “You can resist, of course, but she will be detained either way. And I won’t be feeling so lenient then, you see. I’ll make her a garrison whore before she’s sold to the highest bidder.”
“Howdareyou make such vile—”
The general grinned and raised two fingers. A mockery of the Tritan salute, for a moment later those fingers fell, and he said, “Attack.”
Four Elites rushed forward, large bodies dwarfing the slight form of the High Priestess. But she did not falter. She waited, even as they washed over her, letting them damn themselves.
One by one, they fell, dropping to the floor, boneless and without the ki they had come to rely upon—a lenient punishment for those who dared touch Milithia’s chosen without consent. For though it would be laughably easy to do so, she did not kill the would-be usurpers. Not a single one.
She flicked her now-sloppy braid over her shoulder, stepping over a crumpled Elite. “Is that all you’ve got, General Tilcot? I must say, I’m rather disappointed. I thought you came prepared for a fight.”
He snarled, chains in hand as he lunged for her. But general or no, he too fell at her feet. Unconscious and alive, though I screamed, “Kill him, mistress! Please!” Begging to watch a man die, and all but shouting that there was something corrupt within my breast.
Sending me a cutting glance that demanded my silence, the High Priestess ignored me, for the general was but a minor irritant in the face of the power possessed by a fully trained Trila-Glís.
“Bloody hell,” Josh breathed at my back, entranced, as I was, by the beauty of the High Priestess in action.
She took a step toward the only Elite still on his feet. “What of you, boy?” she asked, hair beginning to stand on end with the static of stolen Elite ki. “Do you dare challenge me in my own house?”
Cold dread swept through me when he didn’t reply, and I shook Josh’s hands off, rushing to the High Priestess’ side. “High Priestess, please! Be careful—”
“Did I not tell you to leave?” she snarled, head snapping toward me, pupils so dilated, black had swallowed the blue.
Captain Rawlings chose that moment to strike—but the High Priestess was ready. She caught him about the throat, her slender fingers curved into savage claws as she latched on, stripping him of his life force without hesitation or remorse.
A grunt burst from his lips, but the young, impossible captain was more than he appeared. He had the strength to spare and used it wisely, pulling his left glove off with his teeth, he flung it to the floor and seized my pendant.
“No!”
It was too late. The High Priestess cried out, overwhelmed, back arching as she tried to contain the ki oftworare and dangerous creatures. And though his knees had begun to buckle and perspiration beaded along his brow, a smile spread across his lips. For his gaze had found mine once more.
I sunk an elbow into Josh’s middle—over and over andover—letting the virgin Glaith clatter to the floor when he released me. Swelling in answer to the betrayer’s challenge, I bellowed, surged toward them with great, dark wings beating at my ribs.
Grunting, the captain broke the chain from which my pendant hung, engulfing her forearm. And with gloved hand, dug into his trouser pocket, withdrawing a bracelet of matte black.
