CHAPTER 7
Rafa had managed to place them within a somewhat secure location against the base of a mountain, but they were also trapped by the steep rock wall at their back.
Lena knew there would be no escape for them, not with Raiden fighter ships spread out on three sides.
She could see the worry in Rafa and Aaliyah’s eyes.
When Gauge had asked to enter her mind so he could see what they were facing, she hadn’t hesitated to say yes, suspecting this was Rafa and Aaliyah’s only chance to survive.
The warriors wouldn’t kill her. They wanted to gift her to the Sabula prince.
But she suspected Rafa and Aaliyah would be expendable.
Closing her eyes, Lena tried to relax, not certain what to expect from Gauge. He spoke with her often using telepathy, and sometimes she could almost feel his gentle touch against her face, but she sensed what he had planned now would be completely different.
Lena gasped when he came more fully into her mind.
She struggled not to fight against him, the pressure inside her head almost unbearable.
Gently, Gauge began to nudge her aside, pushing her into a far corner of her mind.
“Don’t be afraid, young one. This shouldn’t hurt you.
Tell me if you begin to feel overwhelmed and I can put you to sleep until the danger has passed. ”
“I’m okay,” she replied, at least for now.
She kept the last part to herself, not wishing to worry Gauge.
She suspected he’d never tried anything like this before and didn’t know what to expect.
Whatever happened, it had to be better than letting the Sabula warriors harm Rafa or Aaliyah.
They wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice her new friends.
If Gauge failed, she would give herself up to the Sabula king.
Her life had basically ended when Ngozi claimed her.
What difference would it make if Kiernan did now?
“Be calm, young one. You cannot give up. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but your life is only just beginning. Be strong for me now. We’ll discuss this further later.”
“Lena, are you okay?” Aaliyah asked. “There’s something wrong with your eyes. I can see a reddish shine forming, and your pupils are round now.”
Lena was a serpent female. Unlike Aaliyah, her bright yellow eyes were more round than oblong, and the pupils were vertical slits, not circles. Serpents didn’t have round pupils.
“She’s fine,” Gauge replied for her. His accent and lowered tone came through in her voice. “Lena contacted me when you were trapped by the Raiden fighters.”
“Gauge?” Rafa said, his eyes widening in surprise. “I didn’t realize Hunters could speak through another person.”
“We usually can’t. My bond with Lena is unique.”
Lena’s eyes shifted toward the sky, taking in the three fighter ships. She found it odd that she could feel Gauge’s presence inside her, but she couldn’t read his thoughts. She wondered if he would be able to read hers, suspecting he could.
“We are inside Catalan territory?” Gauge asked Rafa.
“Yes.”
“Why haven’t the serpents attacked?”
“I don’t know. These ships would have needed to get through the Leviathan to reach Catalan territory. The serpents usually have guards set up along their borders, but we didn’t see anyone. I was hoping Lena would be able to contact her uncle once we moved in close enough.”
Lena cringed a little when she felt Gauge return his attention to her. “Did you attempt to contact Seraphym?” he asked.
“No.” How did she explain? Could she explain?
Because their males couldn’t speak while in serpent form, they learned to communicate through telepathy at a very young age.
But ever since Ngozi attacked her, Lena had been unable to stand the thought of anyone else being inside her head, even her parents.
The only one she tolerated, even depended on, was Gauge.
She’d closed herself off to everyone else.
“Relax, young one. I am not judging you. I hold a blood bond with your uncle. I should be able to contact him myself through you.”
Lena breathed a sigh of relief, or she would have if she’d been in control of her body. She felt Gauge sifting through her thoughts, locking on the stronger pathways forged to her parents, to Seraphym. She felt her uncle’s surprise when Gauge opened a channel.
“Lena,” Seraphym sent back. “Your connection feels strange. Are you hurt, niece? Are you still with Rafa and Aaliyah?”
“Lena is safe for now,” Gauge replied for her. “I was forced to establish a connection with your niece when she, Rafa, and Aaliyah were attacked by Sabula warriors.”
“Gauge?”
“Yes.”
“Were they followed into space?” Seraphym asked. “Rafa was supposed to take Lena to Liore.”
“I assume you have not spoken with Nicolai or Abby?”
“No. Abby should have contacted me or Samantha if anything went wrong. What happened?”
“Abby may not know. She recently gave birth. It’s possible Nicolai chose not to tell her. The Sabula prince, Kiernan, is desperate to claim a strong mate. Since you took Samantha from him, he demanded Nicolai produce Lena. Apparently, he’s threatening war with the serpents if they deny him.”
“And the Nekbet prince agreed to this?”
Lena could sense her uncle’s fury and knew it was misplaced.
“No, he did not,” Gauge sent. “The decision to return to Raiden was left up to Lena. It doesn’t mean she intends to sacrifice herself to Kiernan. Right now, I need you to lock on our position and send serpents to help if it becomes necessary.”
“We will leave now. How many ships?”
“Three. Tell me why Aaliyah would think she could control the warriors in the ships if she could see them?”
“You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“It is a long story, one we don’t have time for now. I will fill you in later. Just know Aaliyah was approached by a Djinn shortly after Rafa claimed her. Apparently, she is connected to them somehow. She has abilities I’ve never seen in another before.”
Lena felt Gauge’s shock and worry, but then he clamped down on it, pushing her aside.
“Be calm, young one,” he said. “We will discuss this further once we handle this current crisis.”
Gauge studied the three Raiden ships holding them pinned against the steep rock cliffs.
Typical fighters in appearance, but he imagined they’d been improved upon since the last time he’d dealt with them.
They weren’t especially large, probably only big enough to carry a pilot, copilot, and a weapons master.
The silver bodies of the ships were oblong with retractable wings.
The wings helped keep them stable when dealing with gravity.
They weren’t needed once they entered space.
Weapons were a big concern. He suspected these modern fighters had been equipped with percussion sound waves, made specifically to fight serpents.
Depending on the strength used, they could incapacitate or kill.
They couldn’t be used around buildings without risk of destroying them, but out in the country like this, they might not hesitate.
“Has anyone tried to make contact with the pilots?” Gauge asked Rafa. He noticed the Raiden warrior kept trying to push the dark-skinned female behind him, but she was having nothing to do with it. He would have found the scene amusing if their circumstances were not so dire.
“Not yet,” Rafa said. “I’m not sure what they’re waiting for, but they’re definitely part of the Sabula king’s fleet.
See the white markings along the hull? The armor of a Sabula warrior is white.
It is Prince Kiernan who is trying to claim Lena.
I know his shaprata is maturing and he’s growing desperate, but this is not the way to go about it. ”
“How long does the prince have before he has to claim a mate?”
“Hard to say, but probably no more than two weeks.”
“Time enough to find a mate on another world. Why is he so determined to claim Lena?”
“It might have to do with you, Gauge. I suspect the Sabula king, Caelium, may have found out an ancient Laizahlian Hunter is blood-bonded to Lena. He may see this as giving him a military advantage over the other five Houses.”
“How did he learn?”
“It’s not exactly a secret what you did for Lena when you stripped her of Ngozi’s essence. Lena remained untouchable as long as she resided with the Leviathan Cliff Dwellers. King Caelium took advantage when we took her off world.”
“Can you arrange a meeting with the king? Perhaps we can avoid any bloodshed.” And avoid a war between serpents and Raiden warriors. The Laizahlian council would not be happy to learn Gauge had put them in the middle of it. The council did not tend to interfere in the politics of other worlds.
“Yes, I can try,” Rafa replied. “May I ask what you have in mind?”
“First, tell me what kind of male Kiernan is? Will he treat his claimed female well?”
Rafa paused. “You are not thinking about letting him have Lena, are you? Aaliyah and I won’t agree to this.”
“No, of course not. I have an idea that might help all parties concerned, but I first need to understand what type of male I am dealing with.”
Rafa’s expression relaxed. “I don’t think Kiernan is a bad male. He is a lot like Nicolai, more open to change, but his father is not, and his father rules with an iron fist. I don’t think Kiernan wanted to take Samantha from Seraphym, but the king had the last say. Kiernan wasn’t given a choice.”
Gauge offered Rafa a thoughtful nod. “I have been granted permission by my council to travel to Raiden. If the Sabula king agrees, I will meet with them.”
“To what end?” Rafa asked.
“It’s possible I may have a solution to all our problems. I could arrange for the Sabula prince to claim another female, a human female. She would, of course, need to agree to the claiming. I won’t allow any female to be taken against her will.”
“Do you have someone in particular in mind?”
“I know of several who might be interested, but it will mean traveling to Earth.”