Wray (Tornians #3)

Chapter Ten

Kim’s eyes traveled over Wray as he returned from checking on the storm enjoying the way his impressive abs flexed with every confident step he took. Damn, the male was built.

The last few days had been amazing as far as Kim was concerned. Sure, the taste of the nutrient bars was getting old, but they actually filled her up, something she knew they weren't doing for Wray. One bar was meant to sustain a Warrior for a day, not half a bar, yet he still tried to get her to eat the whole bar every day.

During the day they would talk, well Kim talked. Wray would sit there listening intently as if every word she said was precious. She’d never meet a male that had actually listened to her before, not even her own father. Wray wanted to know her thoughts and feelings. He seemed to soak them up as if he was starved for her attention.

When she'd told him how Warrior would soak her father, he’d laughed, a deep belly laugh that made her smile. It was something she didn’t think he did often and decided she would do her best to make sure he did it more often.

During the nights , Wray would hold her close, surrounding her with his warmth and protection. When the nightmares came, he would kiss away her tears, tell her he loved her and vow that she was safe.

She couldn’t believe how protective he was of her, especially here where there were no threats. Unless she had to relieve herself, he was always near her, either holding her in his lap or touching her in some way, especially her hair. He liked to play with her curls while they talked. It was something that in the past would have irritated her. Now it made her feel cherished.

“It’s finally starting to end.” Wray said, moving to her. “Have you eaten?”

“I was waiting for you.” She said and opened their last bar handing him half.

Wray waved her off. “You eat it.” he ordered.

Kim gave him an exasperated look and dropped both halves back into the bag.

“What are you doing ?” Wray demanded angrily, reaching into the bag to pull the bars back out. “You need to eat!”

“And so do you!” Kim fired back.

“It won’t be much longer.” He told her, holding both halves out to her.

“Then there’s no reason you can’t eat too!”

“Goddess , Kim!” Wray closed his eyes growling his frustration. “Don’t you understand? I need you to eat. I need to at least try to care for you.” It was killing him that she was doing without, that he wasn’t providing enough for her. Not that she’d complained, but he knew she had to be hungry. No matter how many times he tried, no matter how many valid arguments he made, she refused to eat unless he did. Yesterday she’d even refused to take a bite until he did. His Kim was stubborn.

“ You are taking care of me.” Kim told him gently squeezing a tense bicep. "I’m smaller than you Wray. I don't need as much food. Half a bar is more than enough for me." She knew he was struggling with what he saw as his failure to provide for her but he was wrong. “And I need to care for you too. You're just as important as I am, Wray.”

“Have I ever told you that you are a most stubborn female, my Kim?” He asked as he covered her hand with his and felt the warmth of her words spread through his chest.

“ Ummm… let me think…” she tapped a finger to her chin. “About a dozen times a day.”

“I will need to increase that number.” He told her only half teasing keeping his share of the bar before handing the remainder to her.

“I’m sorry I’ ve made this harder for you, Wray.” Kim told him softly, lowering the bar without taking a bite. She found she had to fight back the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. Was she just being stubborn? Like she used to be, for no good reason? All she knew was it hurt to think of him going without when she could prevent it.

Wray frowned at Kim’s words and it grew when she lowered the bar without taking a bite. “You have not done that, little one.” He told her sliding closer. Running a gentle hand down her cheek, he raised her eyes to his. “If anything, you have made it too easy on me, little one.” At her surprised look he continued. “You haven’t complained, Kim. Not once. You haven’t demanded things I couldn’t give you.”

“What good would that have done?” She asked.

“ It is what a Tornian female would have done.” He gestured to the bar just lying in her hand. “Eat, Kim. Please.” He begged. “It will make me feel better to see you eat.”

Kim sighed, she knew he was using her feelings to get her to do what he wanted, but still she took a bite.

Wray watched Kim as she ate, making sure she finished the bar. He was struggling with more than not being able to provide for her properly. He was struggling with the fact that she seemed to care so much for him that she would put herself at risk, for him. She’d done the same for her sister and it still enraged him. It should never have been allowed.

She didn’t seem to understand that she mattered more than he did and not because she was a female but because she was his female. He wanted her to be safe, protected and provided for at all times. He wanted her to see her smile, wanted to hear her laugh and see her eyes filled with happiness, not with the fear her nightmares brought. He wanted all these things for his Kim. Could he provide it for her?

Their time together here was quickly coming to an end and there were still so many things he needed to tell her. Kim had been completely open and honest with him, answering every question he asked. He hadn’t. He would distract her or not tell the full truth when she asked a question. She still didn’t even know he was the Emperor.

How would she react once she learned he’d kept it from her? She had been angry when he hadn’t told her he’d cleansed her. Would this upset her too?

Then there was the matter of how his people would react if she were unable to present offspring. A male that Joined with a female who was either unable to present offspring or presented unfit offspring was forced to forfeit his position since there would be no male to replace him. Wray had never understood why a male would willingly do this, for it ended his line, but since finding Kim, he understood because even if he didn’t have Tora, Wray would still have chosen Kim.

Th ere was also the matter of where she came from. Why had the Ganglians deleted all the navigational history of her planet? It was a question the Assembly of Lords would want answered .

He needed to start preparing Kim for all of this and he needed to start with admitting to her who he really was.

“Kim…” he began only to be cut off when the locator started to beep, moving to it, he pressed several buttons and was rewarded with static.

"Why is it doing that?" Kim asked, moving to look at the locator.

“It is Veron trying to communicate with me.”

"You can talk on that thing? I thought it just sent out a signal."

"It does both." Wray told her frowning at the device. "The storm made it impossible for us to communicate with the Searcher, but now that it is clearing we should be able to hear them." Moving towards the cave's entrance Wray realized the storm had completely dissipated and pressed several buttons.

“Veron. Where in the name of the Goddess are you!” He demanded.

“Maj…ar…” Hearing Veron’s voice Wray realized that the storm wasn't the only thing interfering with the locator's reception. The jagged cliffs surrounding the cave and the remaining energy crystals were also. He needed to move away from them, turning around, he found that Kim had followed him outside and was now staring wide eyed at the barren landscape before her.

"Wow." she said carefully moving forward as her eyes traveled over the alien landscape that wasn't really so alien looking. The cave Wray had carried her to was situated inside a narrow canyon with steep sides and a sharp V at its opening. Beyond it lay a brown valley. Not the rich brown you see after a farmer had tilled a fertile field, but the brown of a land that's gone dormant in the late fall as all life it contains hopes to survive until spring.

"As I said , there is no longer life on Pontus."

Kim stepped carefully over the rocky ground, worried she might cut her bare feet, but instead found the storm had smoothed their edges. At the mouth of the canyon, she was shocked to see the steep descent to the valley floor.

"How did you manage to carry me up that?" She asked, turning back to Wray.

"It was not that difficult , Kim. You are not heavy."

"Not heavy?" Kim couldn't believe he'd said that. Sure, she wasn't overly large, but at 5' 5" and 140 pounds, she wasn't exactly light either, especially not on that steep of an incline.

"No , you are not." Wray's eyes scanned the valley below them. Veron should have landed by now, but he saw no evidence of it. "I need to get to higher ground, Kim. These walls and the crystals are interfering with me being able to communicate with Veron." He moved to a wall and gripped a rock testing that it would hold his weight.

Kim looked from the wall to him in disbelief. "You're going to climb the wall?!!"

"It is the quickest way." He said still looking up.

"If you want to break your neck."

Walking over he wrapped his arms around her. "I will be fine, Kim." He told her. "I want you to go back into the cave and wait for me."

"Like that's going to happen." She told him.

"Kim..."

"I am not going back into that cave while you climb that cliff. I'll go crazy wondering if you fell."

"I will not fall." He told her insulted she would think such a thing. "Now I order..."

" Order ... who do you think you are? The damn Emperor? I might love you, but that doesn't mean you get to order me around Wray."

"I..." static stopped him again from telling her that, yes, he was the Emperor. "I need to get to where I can communicate with Veron, Kim." he told her frustrated. "I vow to you that nothing will happen to me, now please go back into the cave."

"No, " she told him and held up a finger to stop him from speaking, "but I will once you reach the top."

" Kim..."

"I need to know you made it , Wray. It will seriously drive me nuts to not know."

Sighing heavily Wray walked over to frame her face in his hands. “You will wait in the c ave for me to return?” He asked, his eyes searching hers.

“If you want me to.”

“I do. I need to know you are safe also , my Kim.”

“Alright, as soon as you reach the top I’ll go inside and wait.”

“I will not be long.” He told her and with a hard kiss moved to the wall.

Kim waited with bated breath as Wray scaled the walls of the cliff making it look easy. Once he was over the edge, he stood and looked back down with a cocky smile.

“Show off.” Kim muttered to herself, but she gave him a smile and a wave, then turned back to the cave.

Wray found himself smiling as he watched Kim entering the cave. The cliff hadn’t been a difficult climb, less than forty feet, and yet Kim had worried about him. The thought filled him with warmth, to have someone worry about him… he’d have to take measures to see he didn’t, worry her that is. He didn’t want his Kim to worry about anything ever again.

His smile faded as he looked over the valley and could see where the shuttle had crashed. He could have lost her in that crash, a crash, he truly hadn’t thought they would survive. The Goddess must have been watching over them.

“Majesty!”

Turning Wray found Veron fast approaching behind him. “What in the name of the Goddess are you doing back there, Captain!” Wray demanded angrily. “The shuttle is that way!” he pointed in the opposite direction.

“Yes , Majesty.” Veron immediately replied. “But the locator beacon indicated you were somewhere in this area so we deployed the rescue team here.”

“Send a recovery team to the shuttle.”

“Recovery, Majesty?”

“Yes , Warrior Damir is now in the hands of the Goddess.”

“I understand , sire. I will have a team sent immediately. And the female?” Veron felt he had to ask. When Wray’s shuttle had gone down, Veron had thought he’d lost him. Thought his Emperor and friend was gone. When the locator had gone with the Emperor's code stating they'd survived the crash, he’d thanked the Goddess for her mercy, but then the storm had refused to end and his concern had grown again.

Two males confined with a female abused by the Ganglians.... he'd shuddered to think what they were going through, but to find out now that it was just the Emperor... Goddess, he couldn't think of a worse punishment, so he was surprised at the Emperor's next words.

“Kim is fine, she is in the cave. We need to retrieve her so I can get her on the Searcher and into the deep repair unit.”

“Kim?” Veron frowned at the strange name.

“It is her name. Kim Teel and she is mine !” Wray growled at him.

“Yours?” Veron couldn’t hide his shock. Wray had claimed he would never take another female after the death of his Empress , yet now he was claiming this female, a female from an unknown species and one that had been abused. Why? “You’ve Joined with her?” he asked quietly.

“No!” Wray saw his friend's shock and disbelief and while he understood it, didn't like it. “She is still recovering from the Ganglians but have no doubt, Veron, she is mine! Now lets us get to her, she's alone.”

“By now the other advance team should be at the cave.”

“What?” Wray had started to walk away, but whipped around causing Veron to stumble in surprise.

“We knew there were only two caves in this area where you could have taken shelter in. When the locator was unable to pinpoint your exact location, we split into two teams. One above. One below. We are the above team.”

“Contact them! Now!” Wray ordered. “Inform them, they are not to enter the cave!”

“Yes , sire.” But Veron was talking to an empty space for Wray was already over the side of the cliff.

Kim folded the survival blanket and stuffed it back into the now empty bag. Standing, she looked around the cave. She found she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay here. With Wray. She didn’t want to face whatever was out there, didn’t want to deal with the looks she knew she was going to receive. Everyone was going to know what had happened to her, what the Ganglians had done to her... how was she going to handle that?

Slowly she sat down on what she’d come to consider as ‘their’ rock and made herself think about it. Did it really matter to her? What people, she didn't know, thought about her? It's not like what happened was her fault but still... She was still having nightmares, still hadn't Joined with Wray. Could she really put it behind her? Could she really move on and live a rich full life with Wray? Could she become a full and complete female? One that Wray could love and be proud of? Not the victim he’d found. She wasn’t sure. It was going to be so hard…

‘ Life isn’t always easy, Kimberly,’ she could hear her mother’s sweet voice saying. ‘but it’s only as bad as you let it be, as you believe it is. Don’t let something bad take away all the good in your life, if you do then the bad wins.’

Kim c ouldn’t let that happen. Stinky bastard had taken enough away from her. She wouldn’t let him take Wray too. She would overcome what had happened to her. It would take time and she’d never be the person she’d been before but that wasn’t all bad. She would take what had happened to her and learn from it. Wray believed in her and she believed in Wray, together they could do anything.

And what if they couldn't have offspring together? What happened then? He'd told her how important that was but he'd already lost Van. Did he even want more? Why hadn't she asked these questions before?

“Well, what do we have here?” Kim’s eyes whipped around to find two very large males entering the chamber and neither of them were Wray.

“Who are you?” Kim asked, standing as she looked from one red male to the other. They were obviously Tornian. Wray had told her how Tornians came in many colors, but that they all had the same long black hair. These two weren’t as massive as Wray but that didn’t make them small by any means. Why were they here? Where was Wray?

“We are Warrior Gyula,” the larger of the two spoke indicating himself, “and Warrior Fala.” He pointed to the smaller one. “We are here for the Emperor.”

“ The Emperor?” Kim gave them a confused look. “The Emperor’s not here.” Why would they think he was?

“But you are…” Gyula growled and took a step towards her.

Kim immediately took one back. She didn’t like the way he was looking at her.

“And you have no male protecting you.” Fala said also stepping towards her, his eyes running over her bare legs.

“Yes , I do. I have Wray.” Kim claimed, trying to stay calm. These were Tornian warriors. They protected females. They didn't harm them.

“Your lies reek as badly as you do.” Gyula spit out moving to her side. “The Emperor has sworn he would never take another female and even if he did, he would never consider Joining with a female such as you!” Kim could easily hear the disgust in his voice.

“ Females such as you are only good for servicing a male when worthy females are unavailable.” Fala said flanking her other side.

“Such as me?” Kim asked, backing away her heart pounding. What was going on here? Where was Wray?

“One that cannot further a Tornian Warrior’s line.” Gyula said, looking at her as if she were stupid. “The Goddess only created you for her most blessed Warriors to use at their will and I will use you now!” he declared as he lunged at Kim.

Kim tried to jump out of the way, but Gyula was faster than he looked and his bruising grip clamped around her arm as he threw her to the ground.

“I will have her first!” Fala argued, shoving Gyula aside before he dropped down on top of her.

“Wray!” Kim screamed before the breath was crushed out of her. She couldn’t go through this again. She couldn’t!

Wray jumped down the last ten feet landing on his feet, his hands and chest cut and bleeding from his reckless descent down the cliff walls. His mind had raced the entire way down. He never should have climbed that cliff, never should have left Kim. He should have just waited for Veron to find him, but he'd wanted to get Kim on the Searcher, so he could properly care for her. What had he been thinking leaving her unprotected? There was still so much he hadn’t explained yet, so much she still didn’t know. If his warriors found her, there was no telling what they might do. Hearing her terrified scream had him rushing into the cave to defend his Kim.

“No!” Kim tried to scream, but no sound came out as she struggled against the oppressive weight bearing down on her, reaching up she raked her nails down Fala’s face. Immediately he reeled back roaring out his pain and surprise.

“You dare…” he accused and raised his fist to strike her when another roar filled the chamber.

Both males jumped to their feet and drew their swords as they turned to confront the unknown threat.

Wray surged into the chamber his eyes frantically searching for Kim. Finding her sprawled out on her back, her eyes full of fear, enraged him. His gaze turned to the two warriors that stood over her, their swords drawn. Wray advanced on them.

Kim scurried away from the males when they turned and drew their swords. She didn’t know what had caused them to release her, but she wasn’t going to wait around to find out. Jumping to her feet, she kept her eyes locked on their backs as she prepared to sprint around them. If she could get out of the cave, she could find Wray and he would protect her.

As her eyes moved to her escape route h er heart stopped. Wray was advancing towards the two males, his massive chest covered in sweat and blood, his eyes black with rage. She’d never seen a more beautiful sight in her life or frightening one, because his hands were empty. Oh God, Wray was going to die!

Then t o her shock, as soon as the warriors saw Wray they dropped their swords and fell to their knees, lowering their heads.

“Majesty!” They said in unison.

‘Majesty?’ Kim’s jaw dropped in shock. Why the hell were they calling Wray that?

“What in the name of the Goddess do you think you are doing!” Wray roared, pushing the two males aside to get to Kim. His eyes immediately taking in her fear filled eyes, the new scrapes that ran down her legs, the bruises forming on her arms, the way her shirt was partially torn, the blood dripping from her fingers.

“Are you harmed , little one?” he whispered gruffly, stopping just inches from her. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but wasn’t sure if she’d let him.

“No. You got here in time.” She whispered shakily and Wray felt a weight lift from his chest.

“Come here , little one.” He said opening his arms and thanked the Goddess when she dived into them.

“Sire! O ur apologies!” Fala spoke pulling Wray’s attention from Kim. “We know we should not have stopped searching for you, but when we stumbled across this female… she distracted us with her obvious willingness to Join with males.”

“What!” Kim couldn’t stop her shocked gasp as she pulled back in Wray’s arms to look at the male still on his knees.

Wray ignored Kim’s gasp , never taking his eyes off the males. “You would blame a female for your failure to see to your duty?” He demanded.

“Sire ! It has been…”

“Silence!”

“Majesty!” Wray spun around to face the new threat and found Veron and several other warriors filling the chamber.

Veron quickly assess ed the situation. The female he’d thought wouldn’t survive, stood in the Emperor’s arms and the two warriors he’d sent to find the lower cave’s entrance, were kneeling before an enraged Emperor.

“Majesty, what grievance has occurred that Warrior Fala and Gyula are on the receiving end of your wrath?”

“They have attacked my female.” Wray growled, his eyes taking in the deep scratches running down Fala’s cheeks, the scratches he knew came from Kim defending herself.

“ Your female?” Gyula’s color faded to a dull pink as he raised wary eyes to Wray. “But, sire, she does not carry your scent!”

“Sire,” Veron took a deep breath and smelled what his warriors had. Ganglian. “You have not yet joined with this female. Fala and Gyula have broken no law with their… attentions towards her.”

Kim ’s eyes flew back to Wray. What was this male saying? How could no law have been broken? She knew Wray was going to correct the male by how his body started to tremble… then everything about Wray stilled.

“You are correct , Captain.” Wray said, his voice as tightly controlled as his body. He didn’t like what his Captain had said, but he spoke the truth. There was no way Fala and Gyula could have known Kim was his. He had yet to Join with her so she didn’t carry his scent and without it, she was unprotected.

"What d oes he mean no law has been broken?" She asked, taking a step back as she searched Wray's eyes. “They attacked me. They would have raped me if you hadn't stopped them. How does that not break a law?” Absolute silence greeted her question with no male willing to answer her. “Answer me, damn it!” Kim ordered her tone as regal as the Empress’ of old.

“Only Tornian females are protected from being abused by Tornian males." A deep voice finally answered Kim’s demand and her eyes flew to the male that spoke. "All others are at risk.”

Standing just inside the cave’s entrance was a male unlike any Kim had ever seen. He wasn’t as tall as Wray but he wasn’t much shorter. He was as muscular as Wray but with a skin tone closer to Kim’s own than a Tornian. She might have mistaken him for human if it weren’t for his glowing eyes and the wide strip of black hair running down the center of his head with strings of beads running through it. He must be a Kaliszian.

“What do you mean ‘at risk’?” she demanded.

"Unprotected , non-Tornian females are considered available to any Tornian Warrior under Tornian Law."

“What?” Kim’s eyes flew to Wray knowing the male had to be wrong but she saw the truth in his eyes. “You allow them to rape whomever they want and you don’t punish them?” Kim didn't try to hide her shock or her hurt from Wray.

“I have never abused a female!” Fala growled at Kim.

“Really!" Kim felt her anger begin to build as she looked to Fala. "And just what do you call what you were going to do to me !” she demanded.

“ You are not Tornian and are therefore nothing more than a vessel the Goddess has created for her blessed warriors to use until a compatible female is presented. It is not abuse to use a vessel.”

Kim’s mouth opened and closed at the warrior’s tirade. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more that he truly seemed to believe what he was saying or the fact that no one corrected him.

“You can’t possibly agree with him.” Kim demanded her eyes returning to Wray.

“It is not something you should ever have had to concern yourself with Kim." Wray glowered at Fala. "Once we are on the Searcher, I will explain it to you and you will understand.”

“Understand? What’s there to understand , your Majesty ?" Kim questioned, letting him know, she knew he’d lied to her. "Your warriors are nothing but a bunch of rapists, no better than the Ganglians.”

“How dare you insult me , you worthless female!” Fala rose to his feet, enraged. Not only had this female marred his face, not only had she put him on his knees before his Emperor, now she insulted his worth by saying he was the same as a Ganglian! This he would not tolerate and he moved towards her.

“Unless you wish to join the Goddess this day, Fala, I would not move.” Wray’s quietly spoken words froze Fala in his tracks, for they were full of a barely controlled rage that had every male in the room tensing, waiting for him to explode. “Leave! Both of you! Now!” Wray ordered.

Kim watched as the males quickly bolted towards the cave's entrance at the Emperor’s order, but not before they gave her a look that said they would make her pay for this.

Kim looked to the light-skinned male for several minutes, assessing him. He'd been the only one willing to tell her what was going on. The only one willing to tell her the truth.

“Who are you?” She demanded.

“I am General Treyvon Rayner.”

“You’re Kaliszian.”

“Yes.” he nodded.

Kim's disillusioned gaze returned to Wray, who was watching her intently as she spoke to Rayner. She still couldn’t believe he’d just let those males go after what they’d done to her, after what they’d said to her.

He’d told her that Tornian males had honor, that they were worthy. How was what Fala and Gyula done been either? From the moment she’d woken, he’d started to work his way into her broken heart. He’d started healing all the damage done by the Ganglians with his attention, with his caring and with his understanding. Now she realized it was all a lie.

He had led her to believe he was just a male, a warrior like any other, nothing special, at least not beyond what she felt for him, but he was more, he was the Emperor. His patience and caring had touched something in her that she had thought the Ganglians had killed… her dreams. Her dream that someone could love her even with all her faults and failures and Wray had seemed able to do that. When she had doubted herself, he gave her his belief. When her strength had failed, he’d given her his. When she’d cried, he’d held her.

So w hat was she supposed to do now that he supported all that had tried to destroy her?

Wray watched Kim intently as her every thought traveled across her face. He knew she was upset with him, knew that she didn’t understand why he hadn’t killed Fala and Gyula for attacking her. There was so much he should have told her before Veron arrived, but he hadn’t, he hadn’t wanted anything to intrude on their time together.

She’d willingly given him so much. More than she realized with her caring, with her gentle touch and with her kisses. He had never experienced any of them before and hadn’t wanted them to end. Now he could see that was a mistake.

Kim had relied on him to tell her what she needed to know to survive in his universe and he’d failed her. She’d told him how she felt when he hadn’t told her he had cleansed her and he hadn’t listened.

“Kim.”

“Our entire time together was a lie,” Kim whispered, her eyes full of betrayal and hurt, “from start to finish. Every touch… every word… I am such a fool . I believed you when you said your males had honor because you told me they did. Where’s the honor in what happened here today, Wray?!!” She gestured to the marks in the dirt left by her struggle with Fala and Gyula. “Where is the honor in lying about who you are, your Majesty ?”

“Kim…” Wray took a step towards her.

“Don’t!” Kim ordered harshly, taking a step back. “Do you treat females the same way Tornians do?” She asked her gaze returning to Rayner.

General Rayner’s eyes traveled over the small female that not only stood up to the Emperor but dared to defy him. He had never seen one such as her, not in the color of her skin or her hair. It was obvious she wasn’t Tornian, especially after the way the warriors had attacked her but what was she?

“No. ” He realized he had yet to answer her question when she raised a regal eyebrow at him. How was that possible? She stood before him a tiny thing wearing clothing that wasn’t hers, covered in dirt with her hair in disarray around her and still she managed to appear royal. “Kaliszians have more than enough females to satisfy our males. We do not need to force our attentions on one.”

“Yet you allow Tornians to, in your own space.”

Rayner s tiffened at her implied insult. “Had I arrived first it would not have been allowed. I offer my regrets on behalf of Emperor Liron.”

“Who is that?”

“He is the Emperor of the Kaliszian Empire. When we were informed that the Searcher had been attacked and that the shuttle carrying Emperor Vasteri had crashed on Pontus, he sent me here to assist in the search.”

“Vasteri…” Kim realize d Wray had told her he was the Emperor, if she had been listening. He’d announced that he was Wray Vasteri and later told her that Wyck Vasteri had been named Emperor. She just hadn’t put the two together.

“ And you have my thanks.” Wray nodded to the male. “Now we need to get Kim onto the Searcher.”

“Emperor Vasteri.” The male nodded back.

“No.” Kim said looking back to Wray. “I’m not going with you.”

“What?” Wray’s eyes latched onto Kim’s and his heart constricting when the eyes that met his had no warmth, had none of the caring that had always been there.

“I’m staying here. Where I 'm not considered a 'vessel' to be used at a male's whim. Where I’m not something considered 'unworthy' of protecting.” Kim spit out and watched Wray pale as her words struck him.

“If that is your wish then you shall have the protection of the Kaliszian Empire, my vow.” Rayner replied.

“ Thank you.” Kim said, forcing her eyes away from Wary even as her heart protested. She tried to smile at Rayner, but found she didn't have it in her.

“No!” Wray roared. Kim's words had frozen him in place with a pain unlike any he'd ever experienced before. She couldn't really believe that he thought her 'unworthy' of protecting, that he wouldn't protect her with his life, but her ready acceptance of another male's vow told him that she did. He’d lost her trust. Her love. This he would not allow. Couldn't allow and survive. She was his and he would stop at nothing to keep her. “You will not grant her sanctuary, General. If you do your people will pay the price.”

Kim’s head whipped around at the cold ruthlessness in Wray voice and found his eyes were just as hard and cold. Gone was the gentle, caring male she’d come to know, before her stood a ruthless Emperor.

“You threaten me?” The General growled at him.

“I promise you. " Wray told him in a deadly quiet voice. "If you grant Kim sanctuary I will stop all food transports to the Kaliszian Empire.”

A stunned silence filled the chamber at the Emperor’s declaration and even the luciferins seemed to go still in shock.

“You can’t do t hat!” Rayner denied aghast.

“ I am Wray Vasteri, Emperor of the Tornian Empire, Protector of the civilized planets. I control what leaves my Empire. I control who we support.”

“ My people will starve…”

“It is your choice.”

Kim watched Rayner look from Wray to her. His eyes were filled with anger and regret and she knew what he was going to say.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot offer you sanctuary. I cannot put you before the needs of my own people.”

Looking into the General’s eyes Kim could see he truly did regret refusing her, but she also saw his resolve. He would not save her.

“ I see why the Goddess continues to withhold her blessing from the Kaliszians. You are no different than your ancestor, putting your own wants before that of an innocent.” Kim's quiet words had the General flinching, for their truth cut deeper than any Tornian blade.

“Come , Kim.” Wray said, moving to take her arm.

“Don’t touch me!” Ki m jerked her arm away, rounding on him. "Ever! You, Emperor Wray Vasteri , deserve everything the Goddess has done to your people!” Turning, she went to move past him

Wray's jaw tightened at her insult and every male expected him to lash out at her instead he stepped in front of her causing her to look up at him in surprise. "Perhaps we do, but I will not lose you, Kim." He told her in a low voice so full of pain that Kim felt it in her soul. "You mean too much to me." Slowly he stepped to the side and allowed her to walk past him.

Rayner tensed when the Emperor stepped in front of the little female, stopping her. He knew her words had cut the Emperor just as deeply as they had him, for they were the truth. A truth, neither male could deny, but for her to say them to him was one thing, for her to say them to the Emperor... did she have a death wish? Yet she had shown no fear as she faced the most powerful male in the known universes, her only reaction was for her brilliant green eyes to darken before the Emperor let her pass. Rayner discovered he couldn't let her leave. Not like this.

Wray turned and followed Kim because no matter what she said, no matter how much he deserved her disdain, she was his and he would make sure she was protected. When Rayner stepped out in front of her, causing her to stumble, he immediately steadied her.

“I cannot let you leave ,” Rayner stated his hand moving to the blade sheathed on his forearm, ignoring the Emperor’s low growl. “Not until I’ve done what I can to protect you.” His fingers quickly removed the sheath and presented it to her. “It is not much, but with it you may be able to protect yourself.” Rayner found it difficult to maintain eye contact with her as she just stared at him.

To his surprise, instead of reaching for the blade, she slowly raised her arm and held it out to him. Carefully, he attached the sheath to her upper arm finding he had to wrap the straps around her arms several times before it would fit.

“I wish I could do more.”

Kim looked up Rayner. He was the first male, besides Wray, that had truly tried to help her. He didn’t have to. He didn’t know a thing about her. Didn’t need or want a thing from her. He wasn’t like his ancestor and it shamed her that she had said he was.

“Thank you.” She said softly. “I will pray to the Goddess that she blesses you and your people.”