“That’s easy for you tosay,” Kyra muttered. “You aren’t married to the man who consideredsending my sister to the gulch pits as punishment for hiding ourdaughter.”
“Oh come on now! I don’tbelieve he considered it for a second once he knew she was yoursister.”
“The distinction might notmatter to her.”
“It will matter. Assumingshe even knows about it.”
Kyra rubbed her arms up and down to ward offa sudden chill. “I haven’t seen her in twenty-seven years, Ger.Then I find out she’s been in Galis the entire time, that she endedup in Trek Mi Q’an a year before you and I did?”
“And?”
“And maybe she replacedme.” She blew out a breath. “Maybe the Gy’at Lis matter to her morethan I do.”
“Hey,” Geris said softly.She took Kyra’s hands in hers. “There is nothing replaceable aboutyou.”
Unshed tears formed in the corners of hereyes. “What would I do without you, Ger?”
“Your Highnesses,” thewarrior-commander announced, interrupting them. “We are ready toteleport you both.” He looked from the Empress to the Queen andback again. “You can leave the soonest do you desireit.”
Kyra took a deep, steadying breath andslowly exhaled. She nodded to the warrior-commander. “We’reready.”
* * * * *
Meanwhile, on Khan-Gor…
Yorin F’al Vader scannedthe rugged, harsh terrain with a predator’s crimson eyes. Inhiskor-tarformhe should have been able to lock in on Jana’s scent within minutes,yet the moon-risings came and went. He was beginning to fear theworst, that hisvorahhad met a bad end, yet he refused to cease searching forher.
She would have given birth to their firstlitter by now. Verily, he could but pray to the gods that, similarto most females, she had delivered but a single pup in her firstbirthing. ‘Twould make it easier for her to protect but a singleson.
Near insanity engulfed Yorin’s mind as hedesperately searched for his Bloodmate and child. What if Jana hadwandered into another pack’s territory? Verily, some Barbarianpacks were more brutal than others. Some would even seek to keepher despite her being bound for seven lifetimes to another—tohim.
I know you are frightened, zya, yet neverwould I harm you. Please talk to me. Let me know for a certaintythat you still live.
Heading northeast, a sixthsense told Yorin he’d flown too far. He turned around and swoopedhis massive wings faster than he’d ever before flown. TenNuba-minuteslater hepicked up the faint, but distinct scent of two humanoids mingledwith that of amuubeast. That made no sense…
Verily, it made no senseunless a humanoid was being attacked by amuu.
Yorin plunged down from above, following thefaint scent he couldn’t quite get a lock on. He roared hisdesperation into the night, four crimson moons looming abovehim.
Chapter Seven
Isar walked alongside hisSacred Mate as the deuce of them made their way to thegastrolight-cruiser’smain compartment. The Empress had teleported fifteenNuba-minutespast and‘twas time for the sisters to be reunited. He could sense Kara’snervousness, though to her credit she carried an outer façade ofstoicism. He wished there was aught he could do to calm her, yet herealized there was not.
Warriors parted like thestory of the Red Sea hisnee’kahad told him of as they made their way closer towhere the Emperor and Empress no doubt awaited them. ‘Twas improperto have made them wait in the first, yet Kara was nothing if notunconcerned with the proprieties. She wore her black warriorleathers and matching black boots for there were noqi’kasaboard ship—yet.Aye, observing convention was simply not who Kara was.
A hush came over the crowd of curiousonlookers as Isar and Kara made their way to the middle of the mainconsole. Kara came to a sudden, very abrupt, halt. He could feelher heartbeat thumping wildly. When the Empress came into his lineof vision, he understood why.
Kyra, dressed in aredqi’ka, staredat her sister through wide, ice-blue eyes so reminiscent of hisKara’s. The Empress’ breathing was labored, her breasts heaving upand down in time with it. She took one step forward.
Kara, as emotional as the Empress obviouslywas, also took a step forward. She too suffered from raggedbreathing.
The sisters stared at eachother, but said not a word. The Emperor stood a step behindhisnee’ka, hisbrothers lined up beside him. ‘Twas so silent that for a certaintyone could hear a pin drop. Even Isar was starting to feel tense.Finally, praise be to the goddess, Kara opened her mouth andspoke.
“So about that trip toDisney World,” Kara said. She quietly cleared her throat. “Itsucked.”
Kyra released a pent up breath as shesemi-smiled. “You’re alive, you little brat.”
“And you’re alive, youbigger brat.”
