Chapter 32
Rokai waited while the ramp of his ship extended and the door slid open, then he hurried up the ramp and into his ship. “You coming?” he snapped over his shoulder.
He heard Elspeth’s footsteps on the ramp as he got Mirilla settled on one of the benches against the back wall of the main cabin.
She looked around briefly, then settled on the second bench butting up against the one Mirilla was now lying on. Elspeth checked the pulse of both women, then turned and looked at Rokai. He was already seated in the command chair, flipping switches and pressing buttons.
The sound of the ramp folding up into the side of the ship and the door sealing caught her attention for a brief moment before she walked forward and without waiting to be invited, took the seat next to Rokai.
“What do you need me to do?” she asked.
“Just strap yourself in.”
Elspeth sat tensely, waiting for Rokai to finish the take off sequence and lift them both away from the space port and any repercussions from what they’d just done.
The engines started firing, and Rokai lifted them off the port’s surface. He seemed to visibly breathe easier as he locked the ship onto his chosen trajectory.
“That was easy,” she said.
“Hard part is yet to come,” he said.
“What’s that?” she asked, looking warily at him.
“Telling her mate that I found her.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think she was yours. Yours goes by a different name. Rose, or Rosie, something about a rose.”
Rokai pinned her with a glare “Who are you?” he demanded .
“I told you, Elspeth.”
“How do you know so damn much about me?”
“Anyone that moves in the circles I do, which are the same circles you do — or used to, and has any sense at all makes it their business to know all about the major players. Makes it easy to choose sides if the time ever arises.”
Rokai simply kept his gaze on her, waiting for the rest.
Finally, she sighed and gave him what he wanted. “What do I look like?”
“You look like a warrioress from the clans of planet Lin’cress.”
“And so I am. Close enough, anyway.”
“How did you get here?” he asked.
“My people don’t exist anymore. Not in the way that we once did. They chose different paths, different regions, different leaderships over the years, leaving our people a ghost of what they once were. There was nothing left for me to do, and no one left for me to commune with. I left and never looked back.”
“Seems like you’re looking back now.”
“No point wanting for something that will never be again. I’ve spent a number of years, drifting, looking for battles that deserved my attention. And lying low when there are none.”
“You call what happened today lying low?”
“I was!” she exclaimed defensively, “until you showed up. Then I decided I could get involved and help you, or I could stand by and watch things unfold. I decided to get involved.”
“There’s more to this I’m sure,” Rokai said, as he lifted his communicator from its resting place and woke it up by skimming his thumb over it. He waited only a moment for Bart to answer.
“Do you have her?!” Bart demanded.
“I do.”
“Is she well? Does she say that she’s been treated well? Is she…”
“Stop! I have none of those answers. She’s unconscious. Alive, but unconscious. I don’t think she was treated very well since I found her hidden in a room concealed behind a wall. ”
“I’ll kill them. I’ll kill every fucking one of them.”
“We’ve already killed those involved. It’s better that you change course for Cruestace. I’m taking her there for treatment, along with the other female.”
“Other female?” Bart asked.
“There were three of them. One didn’t make it, I have Mirilla and the second female. Somebody needs to go back for her and make sure her remains get back to her family, whoever she was.”
“You’re right. I’ll make sure it’s handled. I still want to burn that fucking place to the ground.”
“Instead, you should put a team in place to intercept the ship that was coming for Mirilla and the other two. The way one of the males told it is that it’s a blue ship.”
“It’s massive,” Elspeth whispered.
“It’s a massive ship, and it arrives twice a month to purchase whatever females have been stashed away for them.”
“They come like clockwork. Except for this month, I haven’t seen them yet this month,” Elspeth said.
“Who is that?!” Bart demanded.
“Elspeth.”
“Elspeth, who?”
“Just Elspeth. She’s going to need immunity as well.”
Bart started to speak, but Rokai interrupted him.
“She helped me find Mirilla. And she held an entire drinkery at bay with me.”
“She’s got immunity,” Bart said without hesitation.
“There may have been a few casualties. Two. Three. Okay, four.”
“Is Mirilla alive?” Bart asked.
“She is. I already said that.”
“Then I don’t care how many died. I’ve got to figure out how to handle the news of this ship, and I’ve already changed course for Cruestace. I’ll see you there.”
“I wouldn’t make a big production of sweeping into the port and waiting for the ship. They’ll never come. Come to think of it, that may be why they’ve not arrived yet this month. You’ve been stirring up so much attention, they probably decided to lay low for a while,” Rokai said.
“You’re right. I’ll station a few of our teams there, but order them to blend in. Dress them in regular clothing, rather than uniforms. Let the port and those that frequent it think it’s getting back to normal. The ship will return. Then I’ll take possession of it.”
“Sounds like it will work to me,” Rokai said.
“I’ll see you on Cruestace. If she wakes before I get there, tell her I’m sorry. Tell her I love her. Tell her… Just make sure she knows.”
“I got it. I’m smooth like that. I’ll fix it. I’ll see you there.”
“Rokai?”
“Yeah?” Rokai asked, his hand hovering over the communicator, waiting to disconnect the com.
“Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for doing things just exactly the way you always have. I will always have your back.”
Rokai smiled, trying to hide just exactly how much it meant to him be called friend, and to know that someone believed in him. “I’ll see you there, friend.”
~~~
Rokai brought his ship in for a landing as close as he could to the palace and still do so safely. By the time he got the door opened and the ramp down, Quin, Kol, and Jhan were all there waiting along with Kron and his team of warriors. With them stood medical personnel.
“You don’t do anything half-ass do you?” Elspeth asked as she stood in the opening leading to the ramp with the unknown female in her arms, watching as the group of warriors and medics waited for Rokai to come down the ramp with the females he’d found .
“Wouldn’t be me if I did,” Rokai answered as he stepped past her with Mirilla in his arms.
“How is she?” Kol asked as he took Mirilla in his arms and looked down at her face.
“She’s alive, that’s all I know. She gave an indication of consciousness when we found her, but hasn’t since. We kept checking on them constantly, and making sure they remained alive, but that’s about the best we can do,” Rokai said as he watched Kol hand Mirilla off to one of the medical personnel on hand.
“Who is she?” Jhan asked as he accepted the other female from Elspeth. His eyes bore into Elspeth, making her the sole intense focus of his attention.
But she didn’t care. She was used to males trying to intimidate her. All his intensity did was enforce all she already believed — males were just about useless. Still, these people were well known to Rokai and he obviously trusted them, so a little patience was called for here. Instead of slapping him, she simply glanced up at him as she answered. “I don’t know. We found her hidden in a space in the wall with Mirilla and another that didn’t make it.”
“Bart is laying a trap to find those who planned to buy them. I think,” Rokai said.
“You’ve done well, Rokai. I knew you would,” Quin said.
“I’m not finished, yet,” Rokai answered absentmindedly as he watched several of the other medical personnel working on the unknown female, before they started for the palace with both females.
“What do you mean?” Quin asked.
“I’m going back.”
“For what? You found Mirilla. You’ve gotten her to safety, along with the other female. What else is there to do?”
“Finish it. I’m going to finish it.”
Quin watched as Rokai stepped off the ramp and approached him.
Rokai hugged his brother, then playfully threw a light punch at Kol. ‘Kron!, over there looking all official. ”
Kron grinned and lifted his chin in Rokai’s direction.
Rokai looked over at Jhan and on seeing that he was still staring at Elspeth, he raised a hand and waved it in front of his face.
Jhan shoved his hand away. “What is wrong with you?!”
Rokai laughed. “So many things. But why are you staring at my new friend?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I am not! Who is she?”
“She’s my friend.”
Jhan finally pulled his attention from Elspeth and glared at Rokai.
“That doesn’t bother me. I invented that glare,” Rokai said.
“Where is your mate? Why are you with another female?”
“My mate is back on the ship. This other female just kind of fit into my plans while I was shooting people.”
“How? What did she do?”
“She shot some people, too!” Rokai said animatedly.
“Who is she?” Jhan demanded, then turned to look at Elspeth when Rokai refused to answer him. “Who are you?”
“Elspeth,” she said.
“I already know that. Who are you?!” Jhan demanded.
Elspeth looked at Rokai.
Rokai shrugged.
“I’m a Druid Warrioress Priestess!” she whispered to him as she shivered her shoulders and rubbed her hands together.
“She’s a badass, Jhan. You couldn’t handle her,” Rokai said.
“I can handle any fucking thing!” Jhan insisted.
“Can you two stop? We need to see to Mirilla and the other female.”
“They’re already going to the palace,” Rokai said, pointing at the females surrounded by Kron and his team with the medical personnel tending them as they moved, and got closer and closer to the palace. “You can go see about that. I’ve got other things to see to,” Rokai said. “Just make sure that if Mirilla wakes before Bart gets here, you tell her that Bart loves her. That Bart is a jackass, but that he’s probably traded his entire career and quite possibly his way of life to make sure she’s safe. Tell her that Bart is a typical male, but that he’d die for her.”
“Where are you going?” Quin asked.
“I told you. I’m going to finish it.”
“Rokai?” Quin said, all sense of dominance gone, “where are you going?”
“I found Mirilla because of who I used to be. I’ll find Mir’ Ahn the same way. In the circles he’s moving in, they protect their own; we protect our own. You’ll never find him. Bart will never find him. I’m one of them. I can find him. He will never, under any circumstances, threaten my family again.”
Rokai turned and went up the ramp to his ship.
“I’ll go help,” Jhan called out.
“I don’t need help. Besides, you got things to do here.”
“Such as?” Jhan demanded.
“Keeping my brother and my new nephew safe!” Rokai said.
“He’s got me. I’ve got his back,” Elspeth said to Jhan.
“Yes, I’ve got Elspeth.” Rokai grinned as he stepped back into his ship and locked eyes with Quin as his door slowly closed.
At the last moment Quin lifted his arm and slammed it over his chest in a sign of loyalty.
Rokai nodded at his brother and smiled just as the door closed.
~~~
Rokai and Elspeth both took their seats, strapping themselves in as the ship’s engines began to rev.
“So, who is that male that kept asking who I am?”
“Jhan? He’s a dick. And believe me, I know. I know well what a dick is. I used to be one. My Ehlealah told me so.”
“Why is it that your speech patterns are filled with human slang? ”
“Because my sister of the heart is human, as is my Ehlealah. I find I prefer the relaxed way they speak versus the more formal speech I was raised with. Though, even that has been affected by the speech patterns of my sister of the heart.”
“Sister of the heart?”
“Sirena Vivian, of Earth. She is my brother’s Ehlealah.”
Elspeth nodded.
“Why is it that your speech patterns are peppered with so many human slang phrases?” Rokai asked.
Elspeth smiled sadly. “In our village, certain young women were given to the Temple to be raised when they came of age. Shortly after I arrived there, they took on a servant they found for sale in a market.”
“You mean a slave,” Rokai grumbled.
“She certainly would have been, and might have been prior, but once she was bought by the Temple, she was a servant to earn her keep. She never did get home, but she was treated kindly and with respect once she came to live at the Temple. I loved her. While the priestesses taught me to become a priestess myself, and those of the order that were warriors helped me hone my gifts of battle, she taught me other things. She taught me about being tolerant and kind, but that being tolerant and kind did not equal letting others take advantage of you. She taught me to be confident, and despite the lessons of the priestesses to give yourself wholly to the temple and gods and goddesses we served, to always withhold a little piece of my soul. To never lose that little piece unique to only me because that was the thing that made me special. It was the thing that made me stronger than those who’d given away all that they were. Most importantly, she taught me what it was to be loved just because I breathed. She loved me more than my own family did. And she was human.”
“I’m sorry you lost her,” Rokai said.
Elspeth shrugged. “She was very, very old. There came a time that it was just the two of us, and despite her age, she still did her best to try to take care of me, keep me in line. I buried her beneath the ruins of the Temple I swore my allegiance to as a young girl. After that, there was no reason to remain.”
“Ruins?” Rokai asked.
“When the powerful decide they cannot have any others hold power at all, they will try their best to erase them from the land, and take their land.”
“I have seen it many times,” Rokai said.
“Was she the last alive other than yourself?”
“No. But it was time for me to leave them. There was nothing else I could do for them. Some vowed to continue in their services to the gods. Others began to scatter and I felt pulled to do the same. I have far too many questions to be an effective priestess.”
“You’re a hell of a warrior, though.”
Elspeth smiled. “That I am. A warrioress, though.”
They were quiet for a few minutes as Rokai piloted the ship up into the skies of Cruestace and beyond. “I’m glad you had her,” he finally said.
“So, am I,” she answered quietly.
Rokai reached for his communicator and waited while the person answered on the other end.
“I’ve been waiting to hear from you,” Rosalita said. “Is everything alright?”
“I found Mirilla, and two other females. One didn’t make it. I’ve just left them both at the palace on Cruestace for treatment.”
“I’m sorry the one girl didn’t survive.”
“I’m going to find Mirilla’s brother. They’ll never find him if I don’t do it, and I can’t leave him out there possibly planning another attack on my family.”
“I understand.”
“Also, I wanted you to meet Elspeth.”
“Elspeth?” Rosalita asked.
“She came to my aid while I was searching for Mirilla. We had to leave rather quickly and Elspeth helped me get the females to the ship.” Rokai held the communicator so that Rosalita could see Elspeth .
Rosalita took in the straight, shoulder-length jet-black hair, the wide shoulders, the muscular arms and chest that rivaled and truth be told, were somewhat larger than Rokai’s. When Rosie finally looked into Elspeth’s gray eyes, she smiled. “Thank you for keeping my male safe.”
“It is my honor,” Elspeth said, inclining her head, rather than bowing since she was seated.
“You do know if anything happens to him, I’ll find you,” Rosie said, the words were a chilling warning, but were delivered with an endearing smile.
Elspeth grinned. “I’d expect nothing less of his mate.”
“I expect you both to return safely. Rokai, please let me know that you’re safe from time to time.”
“I will. I won’t be long. A few weeks at best. I’m hoping I’ll get lucky and it will only be days.”
“Just take care. I need you.”
“I love you, Rosalita.”
“I love you.” Rosalita met Elspeth’s gaze again and smiled at her. “Take care, Elspeth.”
Rokai ended the comm and tossed his communicator to its shelf.
“Sorry about the threats. She’s a little protective.”
“She’s fantastic. I like her,” Elspeth said.
Rokai smiled as he keyed in the next trajectory for their journey.
Elspeth sat back in her chair and watched as they broke through the atmosphere of Cruestace, and the sky grew dark filled with brilliant twinkling stars. “Tell me about Jhan.”
“Why?” Rokai asked, glancing at her curiously.
“I find I have a need to know.”
“Really? Jhan? Didn’t I tell you he’s a dick?”
“Yes, but so are you, remember? And I like you. You’re a good male.”
“I used to be a dick. Used to! I’m not anymore. Jhan still is.”
“Good. He’ll still be fun.”
“He’s an assassin.”
Elspeth sat up straight. “No, he’s not! ”
“He is.”
“Oh. This is good. Tell me more.”
“You like the fact that he is an assassin far too much.”