Ghan-Zahr (Alien Barbarians of Vandruk #4)

1. Chapter 1

I was tired of putting my revenge on hold. Ten years was a long time to keep the fire of fury burning in my stomach. Every day waking up to the taste of acid in my mouth. I was done waiting on the other khadahrs. Done waiting on a few humans to come crawling out of the red fog so that we could send them straight to Daggahr—hell. Those hadn't been nearly enough to satisfy my bloodthirst or pay for what their species had done to us.

"Remember, this is strictly voluntary. I don't know what awaits us on the other side." I stared at the group of five of my best warriors. My elite.

"To the death, Khadahr Ghan-Zahr!" Rhon-Dhar pumped his fist in the air, followed by the others as they cried the same words.

Farther down the small embankment, I watched Than-Rhod, my First Blade, frown at me. He wasn't happy to be left out of this fight, but as my First Blade, he needed to stay in case I didn't return. Somebody had to lead my warriors and inform my brothers so they could battle at the next khadahr trials for one of them to take my place.

It was the first mission in ten years that we hadn't fought together. Than-Rhod was more a brother to me than any of my true blood siblings. He had been my First Blade for twelve years, and we always had each other's backs. He was holding a grudge that I hadn't chosen him to go in my stead, but what kind of khadahr would I be if I didn't do this myself?

Just days ago, word had reached us about a battle at the red fog, the first in many years. Several humans had stormed through the portal wielding a terrible weapon that burned many Vandruks.

"Khadahr Ghan-Zahr," Rhon-Dhar called my name, pointing at a single warrior running toward us. All five of my guards placed their hands on their swords as the stranger came closer. I didn't bother as my elite would intercept him if the stranger meant harm.

"Greetings, Khadahr Ghan-Zahr," the male said breathlessly, bowing his head. At my signal, Rhon-Dhar handed the male his waterskin.

"I am Dragh-Whar, a warrior of Khadahr Dzar-Ghan," the male introduced himself. "Khadahr Dzur-Khan's messenger must have missed you a couple of weeks ago. Khadahr Dzar-Ghan has called for a Gathering of the Khadahrs."

I cursed, "When?"

"Now, at the Temple."

I cursed again, "What about?"

"I'm sorry, Khadahr, but things have happened… important things, and your presence, as well as that of the other khadahrs, is requested."

"Hmm," I grunted, not fooled by the word request . If a Gathering of the Khadahrs was called, attendance was required. Nobody would call a Gathering without good cause. Unfortunately, this Gathering did not fit into my plans.

"Than-Rhod"." My First Blade was already on his way, our earlier dispute all but forgotten; we were brothers.

"Khadahr?"

"A Gathering of Khadahrs has been called. You will go in my absence."

Both Than-Rhod and Dragh-Whar stared at me as if I had lost my mind. This was unheard of.

"Khadahr Ghan-Zahr," Dragh-Whar objected.

"If you have any other information to give me besides that a Gathering has been called, now would be the time"." I stared the warrior down.

"All I know is that my khadahr is about to open the cave and—"

"The what?" I hissed.

The cave? An icy hand reached into my chest and squeezed my heart. Nobody in their right mind mentioned the cave around me. Nobody.

"Ghan-Zahr?" Than-Rhod's fingers dug into my bicep, holding me back. Of everyone close to me, he was the only one who truly understood my emotions. Mynarra had been my world. The only light in my life when we were growing up.

Our father had been an unforgiving, coldhearted bastard who derived pleasure in torturing his sons to turn them—as he claimed—into males. Mynarra and I were twins. Our mother's soul had split in half to give us life, while hers ended. We were two sides of the same soul—something our father had never forgiven me for.

Mynarra had been his favorite. He had spoiled and adored her all her life, and so had we, her brothers.

Born and nurtured by our father's cruelty, my three brothers detested me and blamed me for killing our mother at birth. Mynarra was the only person in my life who had ever shown me any kindness or love. The day she died was when I swore to avenge her death. I used my role as khadahr so I could lead an army against our enemy, against the humans responsible for her death. I would have thought Dzar-Ghan, the man Mynarra had loved and who had promised to make her his khadahrshi, would support me on my quest. It seemed like Dzar-Ghan had chosen a different route, and now he was going to open the cave and call a Gathering.

"Nobody has been able to open the cave in ten years," I spat out, balling and unbaling my fists.

Dzar-Ghan's messenger's eyes stayed on my fists, worried I might strike him. So did Than-Rhod since his fingers dug deeper into my flesh. Laughable. If I had wanted to strike the male, neither would have been able to hold me back.

"He… he mated a human gallis, and she is going to open the cave," Dragh-Whar explained.

The fury always churning in my stomach raged even hotter. Realistically, I had always known that sooner or later, Dzar-Ghan would mate another gallis. He would have to in order to continue his line. That he hadn't until now wasn't only because of our lack of gallies but because I knew he had loved her with all his heart. Just like I had.

His mating would have been a punch to the stomach any given day, but a human gallis? My insides roared. He had mated one of the enemy. Why?

For the second time in my life, I felt as if my soul was torn into pieces. The first time had been when the cave collapsed, burying my Mynarra and most of our gallies alive. Now I felt as torn as I had that day. Part of me screamed that I needed to get to the cave. I wanted to be there if Dzar-Ghan truly succeeded in opening it, which would be a small miracle. I wanted to bury my Mynarra the way her body deserved to be buried. Our people believed that a soul could only enter Koronae—heaven— if the body was returned to Vandruk's soil. I didn't. My father had been buried with such respect. Not for a moment did I believe that his evil soul had entered Koronae and my sweet sister's had been denied. Still, seeing her body, finding out what her last moments had been like… had the cave fully collapsed? Burying and killing everyone? Or had only the entrance been buried, and Mynarra and the other gallies had died a slow death of starvation? Both of these possibilities had haunted me, and to finally find out the truth…

And yet. I was so close to finally avenging their deaths…

"Khadahr!" Than-Rhod stiffened beside me, nodding at the red fog that was slowly decreasing.

"They're coming!" Rhon-Dhar yelled.

"Khadahr?" Than-Rod stared at me, a question in his eyes. Did I want him to go in my stead? Did I want to take care of my khadahr responsibilities, or did I want to avenge my sister's death?

The humans who came through the portal appeared perplexed when my warriors and I approached them; neither of us understood the other's language. It took some time and mimicking, but finally, they realized that I wanted to go to their side of the portal and talk to their leader.

The three puny human males talked animatedly to each other, and finally, one gestured at my weapons, indicating that I should leave them behind. With a derisive sneer, I took my sword and knives off, nodding at the five warriors accompanying me to do the same.

The same human male waved at us to follow them, but when my warriors fell in step behind me, the human stopped and raised his hand. He pointed at me, nodding, then at the others, shaking his head.

"Khadahr," Rhon-Dhar said, alarmed.

"Stay here. I might be a few days"." I grinned at him.

Rhon-Dhar didn't like this, but he had no choice but to follow my orders. I felt his and the other males' eyes bore into my back as I trailed the humans through the portal.

I had caught glimpses of the other side before whenever the humans pulled back the red fog that usually swirled in the air, making it appear as if there was a doorway. It felt like stepping through one, too, except everything on the other side was different.

Strange machines blinked in an array of many colors. The room I entered didn't look like any room I had ever been in before. No windows graced this place, which was the size of a large feasting hall. Males and gallies stopped what they were doing, holding rectangular objects in their hands. They all wore the same clothing I had seen on the other humans before. Bluish gray pants and tops. The front of their shirts were decorated with symbols I couldn't read, and a likeliness of their faces painted on a white card, accompanied by more of the undecipherable writing. Why they needed to carry a likeliness of their faces on their chests, I didn't understand, but taking into account the strangeness of where I was, that was the least important question on my mind.

An older male stepped forward. He appeared out of breath as if he had just run here to greet me.

"Carl Weidenhof," he said, holding out his hand.

I stared at his long fingers, contemplating his soft-looking hand and how easy it would be to take and break it. It was a very tempting thought. I came to punish the humans' leader, but now I decided to change my plans. There was more to learn here before I would satisfy my thirst for revenge.

"Khadahr Ghan-Zahr," I introduced myself, not bothering with any other words no one would understand.

The male said something I didn't understand, but by how he waved his hand, which was still suspended in midair, I understood he wanted me to follow him. For good measure, he placed his hand on my bicep and pressed it with his fingers. The urge to throttle him was strong, but I managed to suppress it, allowing him to lead me forward.