A Warlord's Heart (9 page)

Ramar protested. “I would ride at your
back.”

Vaan shook his head and coughed. “No, I need
you here protecting our home in case they return or there are
others.”

Ramar blanched but bowed. Vaan suddenly
thought of his mate. Mikayla would be unaware of the dangers
present. The skin on his arms pebbled and a wave of intense fear
rolled over him until he shook. He needed her home now. “Summon
Argan. Tell him I need Mikayla and my men brought home.”

Ramar nodded. “As you wish, Overlord.”

Argan’s bride, the Shadow Queen, had gifts
beyond his comprehension and Vaan trusted his best friend would see
to his mate’s safety. Argan would understand more than anyone the
driving force behind Vaan’s desire for Mikayla to be home within
reach of those who would give their life for her.

As Vaan and his men thundered off, he turned
to his youngest Warlord riding to his left. Though pale, Kiel met
Vaan’s gaze. “Whatever you need, Sire.”

“Track them. Find my enemies.”

Kiel didn’t hesitate. “Of course,
Overlord.”

The youth raced ahead. Kiel had an uncanny
ability to follow the smallest detail on a trail. Vaan placed his
trust in those instincts now as he kneed his hapfe faster.

***

Miki gave the youngling, Ora, an extra cuddle
then handed her to Genisa. Sendal smiled at his mate and youngling
before shifting his gaze to Miki.

“We thank you for coming, Mikayla.”

When the stable master brought the hapfe
over, Miki grabbed Hapani’s leads and nodded. “I’m just sorry for
the events of the last day.”

Sendal’s green eyes darkened as he took a
step toward Miki. All four Warlords clustered around her,
preventing Sendal from touching her. Miki tossed them a frown as
she shoved Merik in the side for a clear view of her fellow
Su-Su.

Sendal’s lips quirked up at the corners. He
looked lighthearted for the first time since her arrival. “Rumors
of the Overlord’s care for you are true.” Genisa chuckled at his
side then Sendal became serious. “What happened here wasn’t your
fault or your mate’s. The blame is on those who refuse to accept
peace.”

Sendal waved an arm at their surroundings
from the steps of his home. “All of this can be rebuilt. Your True
Union has given the rest of us faith. Worries of continued war
between Desani and Kaban are a thing of the past and all because of
your courage.”

Miki flushed at his effusive praise. “I
didn’t do anything.”

Sendal curved an arm around his mate, drawing
her closer. “You did what the rest of us were afraid to do. Fought
back.” His shoulders straightened as he continued. “It won’t happen
again. If you or the Overlord ever need us, the S’Asigi household
will stand by you.”

Miki’s fingers tightened on the leather in
her hand and she absorbed his commitment. “Thank you Sendal and
you, Genisa.”

“Su-Su Mikayla!”

Miki turned. Running across the open
courtyard was one of Sendal’s people. Steel rang behind her as
Carog drew his sword. Kavan eased her behind his back, keeping one
arm at her waist. The Raasa male came to a halt, gaze darting from
the Warlords then back to Miki. Or as much as he could see of her
around Kavan’s bulk.

“Miki,” he called.

Miki craned her neck and couldn’t stop her
bright smile when recognition flared. She dropped Hapani’s leads in
her excitement. “Arlis.”

He offered a small bow and took a step
closer. This time all four Warlords moved to create a wall between
Miki and the Raasa male. She sighed internally then broke Kavan’s
hold and ran to hug Arlis. His arms eased around her waist in a
comfortable embrace as he rubbed his face against the top of her
head.

“It’s been ages,” he murmured in her ear.

Miki gently pulled his arms from her then
slid her hands up to his shoulders where she gave a firm squeeze
before letting him go. His crooked grin revealed shortened fangs
that had never developed all the way as a youngling.

“It has been some time, Arlis.” They’d
developed a friendship years ago and Miki had hoped her feelings
for him would grow deeper but they hadn’t although she knew he
still had hope.

“Miki,” he said her name again and ran a
finger down her cheek.

The touch held more intimacy than the hug.
Miki sensed the Warlords’ anger and shifted away until Arlis’ hand
fell to his side and his lips turned down. “I’d heard you have a
True Union.”

He would have had to be buried under a rock
not to know but Miki softened her response. “Yes. Youngling as
well.”

His green eyes glanced toward the warriors at
her back before their gazes met. “His guards for you. Doesn’t he
trust you?”

A low rumble started behind her but Miki
didn’t bother checking to see which Warlord would be glaring at
Arlis. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her and kept her
tone even. “Vaan and I trust one another completely. The Warlords
are for my protection. One would think after yesterday you would
understand the need.”

Arlis had the grace to blush and Miki
reminded herself that he had made no secrets of his affections and
his desire to pursue her as a mate. In a moment of sentiment, she
reached out and grasped his forearm. “You will make an honorable
mate when you meet the female for you.”

His shoulders drooped beneath the black tunic
as his head tipped down to stare at the ground. When he lifted his
head up, his lips curled with a rueful twist. “I should have made
my move sooner.”

Miki’s chuckle caught her off guard. Before
she could let his arm go, Arlis captured her fingers and kissed the
tips lightly, tongue flickering. Her eyes narrowed but he merely
laughed and released her.

“May the Blessed One give you many years of
happiness, Miki.”

“We must leave, my lady.” Kavan’s brusque
tone cut in on the conversation, surprising Miki that he’d lasted
as long.

She turned and accepted the leads for Hapani,
preparing to mount.

Arlis cried out behind her. Over her
shoulder, Miki caught a glimpse of him sprawled on the ground on
his back, a hand holding his face. Kavan cupped her elbow when she
would have gone to Arlis and forced her into the saddle. “Come, we
must return to warn the Overlord.”

Miki twisted in her seat but the other
Warlords, now on hapfe circled around her.

“What did you do, Kavan?” Miki demanded as
Carog slapped Hapani on the rear to get her moving.

Kavan maintained his pace beside her and
glanced over. “Nothing my Overlord would not have wanted.”

Considering the dark frowns on all of their
faces, Miki decided not to ask further questions but she nudged
Hapani closer to him and pinched Kavan’s side. To her annoyance, he
didn’t even flinch.

Miki remained silent for the first leg of the
journey, their pace too fast to allow for comfortable conversation.
The dry terrain of Raasa stretched before them and the sun shifted
its position in the sky. Occasionally a mild wind would kick up
dust from the ground over well-trod grass on the path they
used.

After a while, the grim expression on the
Warlords’ faces eased, tempting Miki to get over her pique with
Kavan enough to ask about something on her mind. “Do you think
everything’s alright at home?”

He raised a brow. “Why would it not be?”

The more distance they covered, the more the
ball in her belly bloomed. Miki tried to shake off the feeling of
trepidation. “I don’t know. Something’s off.”

“We will make haste on the ride,” Merik
said.

Kavan, Merik, Carog and Eatan exchanged looks
Miki couldn’t interpret but the pit in her stomach widened. Without
comment, each of them kicked their hapfe faster until they were all
racing, the animals straining their necks ahead with front paws
cupping the air to increase their speed. Miki hefted her hips
forward and leaned over Hapani’s neck, blowing at the strands of
the dark brown mane slapping in her face.

Their frenzied speed didn’t stop her mind
from whirling. What caused her feelings of disquiet? Could it be
Vaan? Had something happened to her mate? Her heart clutched at the
thought of losing him. Or her youngling? She pictured their smiling
faces, tiny fangs and inquisitive, green eyes shadowed by thick
eyelashes inherited from Vaan. Miki almost retched and pulled hard
on the leads, sending the hapfe careening into each other. Kavan
clicked his teeth and slowed his mount down but it was Eatan who
reached out and grasped the leads from Miki’s slack grip as she
gagged.

“My lady?” Eatan inquired as they all drew to
a halt.

Miki buried her face in Hapani’s neck,
gasping as the taste of bile filled her mouth.

A warm hand touched her back lightly. Miki
sniffed loudly and scrubbed at her eyes. Her vision blurred and she
blinked rapidly to clear her watery sight.

“Mikayla? Are you well?” Kavan’s voice.

The firm contact of his hand had the strength
to ground her. Miki sat up to find all four Warlords eyeing her
with concern. She tried a weak smile but knew the edges trembled.
Another sniff. “I had this sudden feeling that something was very,
very wrong.”

Kavan sat back in his saddle and shifted his
weight to stare behind them. They’d covered a great bit of distance
and Sendal’s home was no longer visible. He twisted around,
scanning the horizon for hidden danger.

“Do you worry the rebel band of Kabanians
will ambush us?”

Kavan’s question had the other Warlords
anxiously looking around even as Merik unsheathed his sword.

Miki couldn’t pinpoint the reason for her
unease. “I don’t know.”

Kavan stared at her a moment longer, mouth
compressed in a grim line then nodded. “I will send Carog ahead to
scout the way. No harm will come to you.”

It wasn’t herself Miki worried over. She
started to thank the protective Warlord for his concern when a
shadowy mist appeared mere feet from them. Kavan and the others
were off the hapfe, swords drawn in a flash as they assumed
positions of defense in front of her.

“Armor up!” Kavan snapped and the green
indestructible armor covered their torso in a slick rolling motion
from neck to waist.

The hard shell created from the symbiotic
connection to the coccar bug beneath their skin still had the
ability to stun Miki. She’d worn the protective armor once when
Kavan saved her life and remembered the warm sensation of being
covered in silk lined steel.

In front of the Warlords, dark tendrils
separated, forming a tall column before parting to reveal a
familiar face, arms and body dressed in black leather pants.

“Argan!” Miki dismounted to run toward the
Warlord and the red-headed woman standing next to him as the grey
fog disappeared.

Kavan hooked an arm around Miki’s waist,
stopping her flight. A smile curled the corner of Argan’s mouth.
“And still she does not heed danger.”

His fellow Warlords lowered their weapons,
Carog going so far as to grin broadly and bow to Argan.

“She would see me dead with her actions this
week,” Kavan muttered in reply.

Argan chuckled, causing the woman at his side
to frown in his direction. Miki had to adjust to the sight of
Vaan’s best friend without his waist length hair. He looked happy
though and more important, he looked at peace.

“The little Raasa has the courage of a
Kabanian Warlord,” Argan stated, his warm gaze on Miki.

“In this you speak truth,” Kavan agreed,
releasing her at last.

Miki took that as approval to move and she
crossed to Argan, arms going around him in a hug. To her surprise,
instead of stiffening as he often did with her affection, he
returned the embrace. They parted when the woman beside him hummed
under her breath.

Argan cast Miki a sardonic look. “My lady I
have not introduced you to my bride. Shaina C’Err, Queen of the
Olak’din.”

“Which apparently is no longer a secret,”
Shaina said with a roll of her eyes at Argan.

Miki knew of Argan’s bride through Vaan.
Shaina was Queen of the Shadow Warriors, a people long thought dead
and Argan was now their King.

Argan eased behind the woman and slid his
arms around her middle. He rested his chin on the top of her red
waves. “Shaina, my Overlord’s mate, Mikayla.”

Both women took the measure of the other. For
Miki’s part, she couldn’t get past Shaina’s skin hugging leather
pants in a rich rust color with a matching leather vest that bared
a flat belly and a good amount of cleavage. At her waist she wore a
double-belted harness with a sword on each hip.

“A warrior, Argan? I’m surprised.”

Argan shot Mikayla a glare.

Shaina looked up over her shoulder at Argan.
“I already like her. I thought you said she was trouble.”

Argan kissed Shaina’s temple, shocking Miki
further. “She is.”

“I’m pleased to meet her.” Miki said but her
unease returned. Brow creased, she asked, “What are you doing here,
Argan?”

Argan’s brown eyes darkened and his mouth
tightened. “Vaan sent me with news.”

Then the Warlord shifted his stance and
switched to Kaban to speak to his brethren. Miki could tell by the
harsh grunts and growls it was not good news but Kavan’s reaction
had her stumbling back. He roared, neck strained skyward, every
muscle tense. When he used both hands to ram his sword into the
ground, Miki reached for him wanting to sooth whatever caused his
anger.

Argan pulled her away. “Stay back.”

Miki’s pulse sped up. She didn’t like the way
he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “What’s going on, Argan?”

He faced her, mouth drawn and Miki curled her
fingers until her nails pricked her palms. She didn’t want to hear
whatever words he had to share.

Kavan’s loud snarls and curses in Kaban
almost made her miss what Argan said. She paled as denial filled
her. “Say it again.”