BloodLust (Rise of the Iliri Book 1) (19 page)

Chapter 23

The Black Blades traveled lightly.  Most of their supplies were strapped on their horses.  Tilso trimmed the rest down to only what four pack animals could carry.  The mules were tethered to each other and would follow Risk's mare, Phoenix.  The hours Sal spent in training made her comfortable in the saddle, and Arden picked her way across the grass easily on a loose rein.  At the front of the line, Arctic, Shift, and the Lieutenant rode abreast, making last minute changes to the plans, fretting about things it was too late to change.

"They allus do this," Cyno said, pulling his blue roan mare back next to her.  "He's na snubbing ya, ya know."

She couldn't help but smile.  "I know, Cyno.  I just slept with the man, I didn't become his puppet."

His cold eyes looked at her.  "If ya think that's all it is, then yer a fool."

"You think I'm his puppet?" she tossed back.

"Nah, but I also do na think ya jus' slept with him.  It's na that casual – for him a'least."

"That I know, but I'm still one of his men, same as you.  I don't expect to be treated any differently than I was yesterday."

He nodded, satisfied with her answer, but he refused to look away even as his eyes warmed.  "Do na let it distract ya, neither.  K?"

"I'll try not to.  I'm being realistic.  I really am."

"K."  He sounded like he didn't believe her. 

"Cyno, I'm pretty used to things ending after the first night.  I'm iliri, remember?"

"Wha' does that have ta do with it?" he asked, confused.

"You ever met a man who dreamed of a long term relationship with an iliri?"

He tried not to, but couldn't stop himself from smiling.  "Yeh.  There's least seven here in the Blades."

"Who'd choose an iliri lover over anyone else?"

"Yeh.  Ya sayin' ya'd prefer a human over one of our own kind?"

Sal thought about that for a moment.  "I dunno.  Doesn't it matter more how the person treats you than what species they are?"

"Does na their species kinna effect how they treat ya?" he asked back.  "Sal, yer jus'... I dunno." The pause stretched on, and slowly, he lowered his eyes to hers again.  "Yer a good friend."

She nudged her mare closer to his.  Picking at the reins when Arden pinned her ears at Raven, Sal reached over to grab his hand.  She smiled at him, but he glanced down for a moment before pulling his away.

"Ya prolly do na wanna make a habit a that."  His eyes slipped closed as he spoke.

"Of what?"

"Touching me, kitten.  Each time ya do, yer sharin' yer secrets."  He once again looked at her with his midnight gaze.

"You just read me?"

He shrugged and nodded once.  "I can na control it, Sal.  Ya touch me, I get somethan.  And na all a us men are like the ones ya knew before.  LT'd never treat ya like that.  I've read him, too."

Sal felt her skin prickle.  "How much have you gotten from me?"  His words hinted at secrets she'd never shared.

"Enough."  He sighed.  "Enough ta know ya do na believe it when he says yer beautiful.  Ya are, though.  Strong, magnificent, brilliant.  Even the humans see it, Sal.  But ya do na know what yer instincts are screaming about, do ya?"

"No," she admitted.  "I keep trying to ignore it.  Cyno, I don't want to be a beast.  I don't want to be the animal humans always say I am.  I just want to be a damned good soldier!"

"Then maybe start listenin' ta what yer body's demanding.  They call us beasts 'cause they're jealous.  It is na 'cause they're better than us, it's 'cause they're scared of us, and they have damned good reason ta be."

"I'm sure growling, snarling, and biting don't help any.  Not like any of that is exactly civilized."

"And lying, cheating, or backstabbing are?  Being different does na make it better.  There's more a them than us, and it's gotta be hard fer ya."

"What do you mean?"

"Being female," Cyno said, cocking his head.  "Has na anyone told ya 'bout that?"

Sal shook her head.  "No.  I just keep hearing that we're rare."

"Only 'bout one female is born fer every four or five males.  Of those, maybe one in ten is an alpha type.  We call them kaisaes.  Pack Leaders."

"How do you know all this?" Sal asked, amazed.

"I was raised iliri.  Pretty rare ta find purebreds anymore, but that does na mean we do na still keep the traditions.  That's why it makes so much sense for ya ta end up with LT.  Ya both got the vis."  He shrugged and glanced away.  "Makes me a bit jealous, though.  I'm na the type ta be ahnor, but does na mean I would na wanna be."

Sal just shook her head, confused.  "Cyno, I think you just lost me.  I don't know what half of those words mean."

"Damn," he whispered.  "I can na believe I told ya that.  Look, never mind, k?  Yer a good friend Sal.  Ya jus' happen ta be the best smelling friend I ever had.  LT's a lucky man."

With a last glance at her, he kneed Raven into a canter and moved forward in line.  She looked up and saw Blaec glance over his shoulder at the sound of hooves.  His brow creased when he saw Cyno.

He's embarrassed,
she sent to Blaec. 
He actually gave me a compliment and didn't know what to do next.

Do I need to talk to him?

No, that's the worst thing you can do, I think.  He's good, he just wasn't sure how to tell me that he's ok with this.

Are you still ok with this?

I am,
she told him. 
Stop worrying, Blaec.

I won't promise anything,
he teased as he retreated from her mind.

"It will be hard for him, you know," a lilting voice said behind her.

Sal slowed her mare and fell in beside Risk.  "For who?"

"Cyno.  He trained you, he feels responsible for you, and he feels a connection with you."  He stared at her with his amber eyes for a moment, then explained, "Where he comes from, iliri act nothing like humans and relationships are very different.  He's trying to work that out.  He trusts LT.  He respects you.  He's just not sure how to feel happy about something that goes against all his instincts."

"Where's he from?"

"Guttertown in Prin."  Risk named the slum so notorious that everyone in the Conglomerate knew of it.  "He got conscripted when he – let's say they caught him stealing food.  LT saw him working on the walls of some outpost we passed and got his name.  When we had the next round of applications, he sent for Cyno, even though he hadn't applied.  Like you, he passed each test, except riding.  Took us almost a year to get him in the saddle, which is why he'll only ride Raven, now."

"So how long has he been with the Blades?"

"He's the newest.  I think he's been with us about two years.  The others we got since him didn't live that long."

Their conversation drifted into companionable silence for a few miles, and then a few miles more.  Throughout the day, the Blades moved through the ranks, entertaining themselves as they could.  Sal took in scenery she'd never seen.  Open plains turned to rolling hills and trees made lines along the horizon.  Each night they cared for their horses first then set up the pavilions, finding their way into their beds by the time darkness took over the sky.  Each morning she woke next to Blaec and made it her duty to pack the communal items of the camp.  On the third evening, when the sky began to show streaks of pinks, the glow of a military encampment signaled their destination in the shadow of a foothill.

Riding at the rear of the column, Sal smiled when the Lieutenant pulled his horse to the side, looking for her.  She squeezed Arden into a smooth trot, and pulled ahead of Risk and the pack mules, into an opening in the line.  Seeing her, LT nudged Scorch over, reaching across to grab her hand.

"We're bunking down with the main army for a few days," he told her.

"I see that."  She nodded toward the camp fires twinkling in the distance.  "I guess this means I get a new roommate for the night?"

"No, stay with me."  He flashed her a charming grin.  "Let the men say what they will."

"How about a compromise.  I'll visit you, but I'll bunk with Risk." She called over her shoulder, "If you're ok with it, that is?"

"Us scrubbers have to stick together, you know," Risk yelled at the couple.

"Keeps your reputation pristine and doesn't give any of those grunts the wrong idea about what
I
will do in my free time."  Her pale eyes looked up at Blaec with a warning in them.  "We both know there's going to be at least one scuffle.  We don't need to add any fuel to that fire."

"Fair enough, but I plan to change your mind."  He brought their entwined hands to his lips.

The moment his mouth touched the back of her hand, his eyes widened and his grip released.  Scorch stopped in his tracks at an unseen command.  Shocked, Sal reined Arden to a halt.

"Blaec?" she asked, his eyes staring at nothing.

Hold up!
Risk sent into the minds of the Black Blades. 
LT's seen something
.

Confused, Sal looked at Risk.  "Is this normal?" Blaec still sat his saddle like a statue.

"Not exactly," Risk told her, while the other men nosed their horses closer.  "It's his ability.  Happens often enough that we know what it is, but not so often that we ever get used to it."

With a gasp, Blaec became animated, blinking and looking around him to get his bearings.  When his eyes met hers, he relaxed.

"Sal, whatever you do, don't take the dun," he said with a calm intensity.  "That's an order, do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir?"  She was confused.  "What dun?"

"I don't know," he said, looking to the Blades, seeking answers he didn't have.  "I just know it'll break a leg, and if you choose the dun, you'll be under it.  The bay is fast.  If you take the bay, it will be ok."

"Sal," Arctic said, pushing Bazya beside Arden.  "It'll make sense when it needs to.  It always seems to."

"What else did you get, boss?" Shift asked.

"Damn, I hate this."  Blaec rubbed his head.  "We need to hit all targets when the moon is only a sliver.  If we do it then – "

"That's tomorrow night, LT," Razor interrupted.

"Ok, then we go tomorrow.  We'll drop each target if we do it then, otherwise, we'll miss two of them.  I don't know why.  Cyno?"

"Yeh?"

"Watch out for the son.  He's going to make a late call on his father and may surprise you.  Shift?"

"Yeah, boss?"

"The girl has to go.  She'll seem like a working girl, but she's really his body guard.  Take her out first and you can walk out the front door without anyone stopping you."

Shift nodded, and the Lieutenant turned to Arctic.

"Don't try to go in.  Just after the evening bells ring, he'll close the east windows.  A good shot will take him down without you needing to be near."

"I can do that, sir," Arctic said.

"And Sal..." he broke off.  "Guys, can I have a moment?"  The Blades nodded and moved their horses, giving LT and Sal space to ride off the road, out of earshot.  "Remember that promise I made you give me?" he asked.  "About being faithful?"

"I do." she said nervously.

"Good.  I meant it."  He looked at her for a long moment, sadness in his eyes, until he came to a decision.  "You're going to have to catch the Chancellor's eye tomorrow afternoon.  He'll have his men secure you and bring you to his rooms.  I'm sorry, love, but I don't know all the details, there's just too many options.  I just know you'll be undressed, with golden hair and green eyes, kneeling over him in his bed.  You'll be able to sneak through the halls – remember that the first room on the right has servant's clothes in it.  Out the door, turn right, first door.  Can you remember that?"

"I can."

"When you get to the stables, they'll raise the alarm.  The boy will try to stop you.  Don't let him.  If you wait, they'll catch you.  If you stop to incapacitate him, they'll catch you.  And don't take the dun.  Please, Sal, swear to me you won't take the dun?"