Dragon Lords Books 1 - 4 Box Set: Anniversary Edition (51 page)

Aleksander’s hands reached to touch her shoulders, rubbing her arms gently. “Tsk, tsk, Nadja Mandylen Aleksander. How you gave us a scare. Your mother has been frantic with worry over you.”

Nadja lowered her head, stiffening as she awaited another burn. It never came. Meekly, she said, “I’m sorry, father. How did you find me?”

“You didn’t honestly think an act of privacy would keep me from finding you, did you?” he mused. “You would be surprised what laws can be broken with enough money and persuasion.”

Nadja had seen this man’s form of persuasion.

“You…” she began. Pausing, she took a deep breath and tried to look him in his dark eyes. “You didn’t hurt anyone, did you? They didn’t know who I was when they let me aboard.”

“No, darling,” he whispered as if he was the most caring man in the world. “But you’ve hurt me. You embarrassed me and your mother. She was very upset. She hasn’t left her room aboard the medic ship since your engagement party. You looked me in the eye and said you were going to marry Hank. You lied to me.”

“No,” she whimpered. Tears sprung to her eyes when she looked up at him. “I didn’t lie.”

“Oh,” he soothed. “Don’t cry, Nadja.”

“I don’t want to marry, Hank,” she whispered. “He scares me. Please don’t make me marry him. Let me stay with you and mother. Hank wanted to-to—”

“Boys,” Doc announced coldly, not giving her a response. His large, genetically altered henchmen came from the forest as if they grew from trees. “Take my daughter here to our camp, and have her arm looked at. She burned herself on my cigar.”

“Miss Aleksander.” One of the men bowed. Nadja recognized him, but didn’t know his name. He was one of the many mindless clones her father grew in his lab. She could see by the look on his face that if she didn’t follow willingly, he would take her by force.

Nadja nodded at him to walk. And, as he led her into the forest, she knew her fate was sealed.

O
lek frowned
at the servant who stood before him and then at the note he tried to pass him. The man had said it was from Princess Olena. Shaking his head, he said, “That letter is not for me. You seek my brother, Prince Yusef.”

“No,
Draea Anwealda
,” the man assured. “Princess Olena bid me to find only you. She was very specific. She told me to give it to you tonight.”

“Very well,” he answered, “I’ll clear up this mistake myself.”

Olek took the missive and nodded the man away. Why would that fiery tree witch be sending letters to him? The very impropriety of it made him sick. As far as he could tell, she didn’t even like him. He clutched the letter in his fist, not wishing to read it when eyes could be on him. He could only imagine the rumors that would be started by this little stunt of hers. He hoped they didn’t get back to Nadja before he had a chance to explain.

Thinking of his wife, he finally managed to get the courage to go home and face her. It was late and, if he was lucky, she would be fast asleep.

“Nadja,” Olek called softly as he stepped into his home. He tore open Olena’s missive, not eager to read what was inside. He looked in the bedroom. Nadja wasn’t there. He searched the whole house, his gut aching when he didn’t find her. Taking a deep breath, he wearily sank down into a chair. Where could she be? Would she even welcome him looking for her?

N
adja was led
to a campsite buried deep in the forest. It felt like she walked forever. No one spoke as they moved. Nadja felt her father’s eyes behind her. She wished he’d have just killed her and gotten it over with. His silence could only bode ill.

“Have a seat, my dear,” Aleksander said, motioning to a chair set up in the middle of the ground.

Nadja eyed it wearily. “No thanks, I’m fine.”

“Sit,” her father growled, his dark mustache twisting into a snarl.

Nadja nodded, not daring to naysay him again. She moved slowly to the chair, her body trembling in fright as she sat down. She knew this chair, saw the manacles that would bind a person’s wrists to the arms and their ankles to the thick oak legs.

Nadja crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her ankles together, careful to stay away from the manacle’s bite.

“Are you hungry?” Doc asked, eyeing her carefully. His eyes narrowed in disgust as he took in her waistline. “I see you have been eating more.”

It was true she hadn’t watched her diet since leaving the medic ship, but she had been working out too.

“What else has changed with you, daughter?” he asked, not bothering to send his men away so they could speak in private. The clones were loyal and probably didn’t hear him anyway.

“N-no-thing,” she lied, her voice quivering.

“Sit back,” he urged. “Relax. You look so tense.”

Nadja looked at the chair arms as he meaningfully glanced at them. She shook her head furiously, moving to stand. Arms came around her from the back like vices, pulling her down hard. She screamed. Before long the goons had her strapped to the chair, helpless. Nadja began to cry. Her tears had no effect on the emotionless henchmen.

“Father, please,” she begged, meeting his eyes with hers. “Don’t do this.”

“You did this,” he answered with false sympathy, as if he was the victim and she forced his hand.

“What will you do?”

Doc lifted his hand and motioned his fingers. One of his men came forward holding his medic bag. Nadja tensed, gasping frantically for air, trying not to pass out as fear overwhelmed her.

“Father, no,” she cried out. Her mind called for Olek in terror.

“There, there Nadja.” Doc’s brow rose as he reached into his bag. “If you’re telling me the truth, you have nothing to worry about.”

Nadja gulped. She was so dead.

O
lek jolted to awareness
, his skin prickling. He waited, listening. Nothing. All was quiet. Thinking he imagined the sound of his name, he sat forward to run his fingers through his hair.

Suddenly, Olena’s missive caught his eye. He had dropped it on the floor in his preoccupation with Nadja. With a frown, he picked it up and finished tearing it open. His eyes narrowed as he read.

Your wife’s father is coming for her. Ask her what that means. I go to put him off. You must keep her safe. He is an evil man.

Olek’s hand trembled. The note made no sense. Frowning, worry overcame him. Clutching the missive, he was going to find Olena and force her to tell him what she meant by the cryptic message. Then, he was going to find his wife.

“
F
ather
?” Nadja whispered as he came near her. Pricking her arm, he took a reading of her blood. She watched his face in horror as he paled.

Suddenly, he waved his hand at the group of men. “Go. Make sure she wasn’t followed.”

They nodded and scurried off.

“Father?” she whispered.

He ignored her, going back to his medic bag. When he withdrew his hand he held a laser scalpel. Nadja tensed.

“Who is he, daughter?” he asked quietly, eyeing the instrument as if he didn’t trust himself to turn to her.

“Wha-at do you mean?” she asked, trembling.

“You know what I mean. Tell me.”

“There is no one, father, I swear,” she put forth.

“Your blood screen says otherwise.” Shooting forward, his eyes flashed unnaturally in the blue glow of the camp lights. “Who have you whored for?”

“No one,” she said, trying to block Olek from her mind. She couldn’t let him find the love she had for him.

Taking the scalpel, he lightly pressed the end of it to her cheek. With one press of the button, it would light up and slice her eye in two.

“My patience grows thin.” Drawing the blade over her cheek to her neck, he pressed the dull end into her racing pulse. “Give me his name.”

Nadja pressed her lips together. Her father pulled the scalpel back and pressed the button. Taking his hand to her wrist, he clamped his fingers over her and moved the lighted blade to hover over her arm.

“Last chance,” he growled. “I will have a name.”

Nadja tensed, closing her eyes as she braced herself for the cut. It came like a strike of lightening, snaking along her forearm in a deep gash. She whimpered in agony, knowing it was no use to cry out. No one would hear her. She didn’t want to alert the Draig guards. If they came, Olek would follow.

Her breath ragged, she opened her eyes to look at him.

“I can do this all night,” he whispered.

Nadja trembled. She already knew as much.

“But, unfortunately, I don’t have all night. You see, daughter, I have made some friends of my own on this accursed planet. It seems your precious Draig aren’t liked by my friends. And if I help them, they’ll help me. So tell me, which prince is yours?”

Nadja shook her head, trails of tears streaming silently down her face.

“You are such a disappointment.” He sniffed in disgust. “Well, if hurting you won’t get us anywhere, what if I hurt one of your little friends?”

Nadja stiffened. Blood ran from the wound on her arm, but her father had been very precise in his cut and hadn’t hit an artery. Doc Aleksander went to one of the tents, and drew back the flap.

“Bring out the pirate,” he ordered.

Nadja tensed as Olena was carted out. She lay flat on a long operating table, her arms strapped to her sides.

“She had nothing to do with this,” Nadja rushed.

Doc Aleksander shrugged, as if unconcerned.

“Olena,” he called down to the red haired woman. He tapped her face lightly. “Time to wake up.”

Olena blinked, automatically stiffening against her bonds. Nadja saw her mouth was gagged. Her head thrashed back and forth on her shoulders.

“What shall I do to her, Nadja?” her father asked. He drew his scalpel along Olena’s face. Olena stopped moving. Her wide eyes followed the laser blade. “Carve out her eyes? Her nose? Take off her lips?”

“Don’t,” Nadja whispered, weakly.

“Then tell me what I want to know,” he ordered. “Who is the father of that bastard you carry?”

Nadja tensed, sure she had misunderstood him until she saw his eye twitch. “I’ll never tell you.”

Nadja shivered as her father reached into his bag once more. Leaving Olena alone, he turned back to her.

“That bastard inside you will be dissolved.” Doc Aleksander lightly stroked her face.

To her surprise, the manacles were freed from her wrists and she was allowed to move. Her fingers shook as her father lifted her hand into his. He pulled her up. His fingers brushed over her face. Nadja tensed, closing her eyes as she swayed on her feet.

“The time for being a child is over, Nadja,” he said. “It’s time for you to take your place amongst your peers.”

Nadja felt cold, hard metal being placed into her fingers. She jolted in surprise to see a large laser scalpel. It was much larger than the fine, precision tool, her father had used on her arm. Her hand trembled and she looked at him in confusion.

“Do you love me, Nadja?” he asked her.

“Yes,” Nadja answered. She cursed herself. It wasn’t all a lie. She did love him. He was her father. But she didn’t like him, couldn’t respect him.

“Then dissect her,” he ordered, pointing at Olena.

“What…?” Nadja breathed, her wide eyes turning wild as she looked at Olena strapped to the table.

“She is a common thief, a pirate.” Doc Aleksander gave his daughter a shove toward the bound woman. “She broke her word to me.”

“No,” Nadja gasped. The scalpel fell from her fingers to the ground. She turned to run. Her father caught her easily.

“Cut out her eyes,” he ordered. “Or I’ll burn your lying ones from your head.”

To prove his point he motioned for a hot poker to be brought from the fire. Nadja watched the angry red metal smoke and curl with heat.

“Hold her down,” Doc ordered. His voice was calm, unattached, and weary.

“No!” Nadja screamed, flailing. Hands were all over her, gripping her shoulders and her arms, lifting her legs into the air when she kicked. Her father took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. The hot poker waved dangerously at the action.

“It’s time you learned, Nadja,” he told her. “You don’t lie to your father.”

Nadja kicked, trying to get free. The poker loomed closer to her face.

“Will you do as you’re told?” he asked, his voice mocking her with its composed, almost soothing rendering.

Nadja nodded. How could she not?

“Let her go,” Doc ordered. He handed the poker back to one of the men who tossed it back into the fire. Then, reaching to the ground, he retrieved the scalpel for his daughter. Nadja took it, her fingers shaking horribly as she pressed the button. A long laser shot out, nearly six inches long and sharper than the most deadly of blades.

Nadja sniffed, unable to breathe. Doc led her forward to Olena. The woman moaned, shaking her head.

“Take the eyes,” her father ordered.

Nadja’s fingers trembled as she lifted her hand to Olena’s cheek. The woman’s eyes pleaded with her to stop. Nadja’s fingers slipped in Olena’s tears, her own falling to splash in droplets on Olena’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Nadja whispered lifting the scalpel close to Olena’s eyes. Turning to look at her father, she said, “I love you.”

Doc Aleksander smiled. Nadja, using a move Pia had showed her, turned, thrusting the blade into her father’s heart. The man blinked in surprise. Nadja held completely frozen, unable to move as a fine mist of blood sprayed over her from his chest. In slow motion, she watched him fall to his knees.

Chaos erupted all around her. Yusef and Olek burst from the trees, subduing Doc’s men with slashes to their throats and rips through their guts.

Nadja stared down. Doc looked up at her, his lips hardly moving. His hand lifted as if to touch her. Nadja fell to her knees, taking his hand into her own.

He pulled her ear down to his mouth and whispered. When Nadja sat back up, he was dead.

Y
usef freed Olena
, hugging her to his shifted chest as he assured himself she was unharmed. Olek stood above Nadja and motioned to his brother that he should take the shaken Olena home.

When he looked down, he saw a scalpel protruding from a patch on the man’s shirt that matched Nadja’s tattoo. He saw the blood on her arm, but she ignored it. The wound didn’t appear to trouble her. Her beautiful features were spotted with crimson droplets.

Nadja grabbed the hilt of the scalpel, pulled it from the man’s chest, and turned it off. She tossed it over to his medical bag on the ground. Around the edge of the badge he read the words, “Medical Alliance for Planetary Health”.

“Nadja?” he asked. Her eyes blankly turned to look at him and he felt a hollowness forming inside of her.

“He said he forgave me,” she whispered. Then, pushing to her feet, she buried herself into her husband’s arms and didn’t say another word.

Draig soldiers came to the campsite at Yusef’s command, shifted and ready for battle. Olek ordered them to remove the bodies. Nadja still hadn’t spoken after that single sentence. No tears fell from her eyes.

She pulled back from Olek to watch the Draig soldiers taking the bodies.

“Nadja?” Olek asked quietly.

“Burn the henchmen,” she ordered. She hardly moved. Her eyes stared out of her head with an eerie, foreign light. “They’re genetically altered clones, human drones. They had no feelings.”

Olek nodded, calling out her order to the men.

Nadja kneeled beside her father. Unbuttoning the top button on his shirt, she pulled a small oval locket from around his neck. Jerking it, she broke the leather strap. Olek watched as she twisted it. Her picture was on the inside of it. She pressed her finger onto her miniature face. A beam of light came up and then a screen appeared, floating in the air.

“We are recording,” came a voice.

“This is Nadja Aleksander,” she said calmly to the burly man who answered the call. Her face gave nothing away. The man appeared to see her face clearly, but didn’t flinch when he saw the blood splattered on it. Nadja’s eyes hardened as she looked back at him.

“Medical identification?” the man asked.

“Evening Dove,” she answered.

“Number?” The man was emotionless.

“Ten. Twelve. One,” she stated. Olek was shaken by her unmoving features. He couldn’t even feel a trace of emotion coming from her. It was like she was dead inside.

“Miss Aleksander,” the man acknowledged.

“My father is dead.”

“Yes, Lady Aleksander,” the man’s tone changed. Olek saw him rise to his feet and bow to her. “How may I serve you, Lady Aleksander?”

“Follow this signal,” she ordered. “Transport his body and dismantle the camp. Take everything.”

The man nodded. “It will be done, Lady.”

“Tell my mother he died nobly and well,” she continued. Olek frowned at the obvious lie. “Tell her it was an accident. Don’t let her see the body until the mortician has finished his work.”

“Yes, Lady,” he answered. “And shall we be coming for you?”

Nadja glanced at Olek. Slowly, she shook her head in denial. “My father was the head of this family. Now, as his heir, I am breaking apart the family. Tell Doc Truman that I’ll not be taking my father’s place at his side. He died before he could name a second.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“My mother gets everything, every penny,” Nadja said. “I want you personally to see to the funeral. Bring him to the Hazare Complex. Doc Truman will undoubtedly meet you there to give you a new assignment. I go to Datlis to start over. Wipe this planet from the records. There is nothing here for the Medical Alliance but a bunch of primitives who won’t serve any purpose.”