Stolen: Warriors of Hir, Book 3 (24 page)

He shook his head a little, his glowing amber eyes wide. “Why did you not tell me?”

“
Two
daughters of the Betari have been kept from their clan by the criminal acts of your son!” Mirak snarled, rounding on Rotin. “And you say this is not our concern?”

“Summer is
my
mate,” Ke’lar growled. “Emma is
my
daughter.”

“By what right do you claim them?” Mirak scoffed. “None! You stole this female—”

“I admit what I have done!” Ke’lar’s voice rang out. “I took the lawful mate of another without offering challenge as a warrior should. I journeyed to a world forbidden to any who do not have the Council’s sanction. But I do not regret what I have done! I brought a mother to her child and—no matter what laws I have broken—I have done what is right!”

Summer threw him a proud look.

You tell ’em, honey!

He addressed Ar’ar. “By what right do you claim her?” he demanded. “No female is to be taken from her offspring. That is the law. Your capture of her was forbidden!”

Ar’ar’s fangs bared. “I did not know she had a child! How could I have? She never told me.”

“But
he
captured her honorably,” Mirak broke in. “So Ar’ar’s claim is the lawful one. The child is here now and she too belongs to my son. I insist these females be returned to their true clan—the Betari!”

“Mommy?”

Emma could understand their language now but all the roaring was frightening her. Summer’s own ears were ringing from it.

She swung Emma up to hold her on her hip. “It’s okay, sweetie,” she murmured, stroking her back. “You’re safe. I promise.”

“Summer should never have been taken, never forced from her young one.” In the wake of understanding his son’s actions, the life and color had returned to Rotin’s face and he faced his old enemy confidently. “And so Ar’ar has lost all claim on her. She is Ke’lar’s.”

“Your son is not a warrior!” Mirak’s fangs bared fully. “He is a criminal!”

“He sought only to remedy the wrongs done by
your
son!” Rotin roared back.

“My son will prove himself the warrior deserving of
our
clansisters,” Mirak spat. “By killing this thief!”

“I will fight,” Ke’lar growled. “For the mate and child that are mine.”

Rotin gave his son a short, proud nod. “Do you see? My son will fight as an honorable warrior should.”

“As will mine,” Mirak snapped. “And we will see this matter decided now.”

With a grim look at Summer, and Emma in her arms, Ar’ar followed his father, and the Betari clanbrothers as well.

People were moving about, changing places, clearing room for the coming fight. The g’hir woman was already leading her children away.

Jenna crossed quickly to Summer. She smiled at Emma but her face was tight with tension. “Hi, I’m Jenna. What’s your name?”

“Emma.”

“Hi, Emma,” she said. “If it’s okay with your mom I’d really like to take you inside to meet my little girl, Anna.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “Inside the castle?”

“The—? Uh, yeah,” Jenna said, nodding. “The castle.”

“Is it okay, Mommy?”

Ke’lar caught her eye and gave a firm nod.

We sure don’t want her watching this. Actually, I’m not sure I want to watch this either . . .

“Yup,” Summer said with false cheerfulness and put Emma down. “You go inside with Miss Jenna and I’ll come see you after, okay?”

Emma’s brow creased. “After what?”

“After your visit,” Ke’lar said smoothly. He crouched down but Emma still had to look up to meet his eye. “You will like the new baby.”

“Oh,” Emma said, disappointed. “She’s just a baby?”

“For now,” Ke’lar agreed. “But someday soon she will be old enough to be your playmate.” He smiled ruefully. “Remember always that I love you, Emma.”

She threw her arms around his neck for a hug. “I love you too, Daddy.”

He patted her back, his face taut, but when she pulled away he gave her another smile and stood. “You must go with our clansister Jenna. She can make icy tea.”

“Iced tea,” Emma corrected. She looked up at Jenna. “I like lemonade.”

Jenna gave a nod. “I’m sure I can wrangle up something.”

“You be good, okay?” Summer knelt to hug her. “I’ll come get you soon.”

“How long?” Emma demanded.

Summer glanced to where Ke’lar stood a few paces away in grim conversation with Ra’kur and their father. She smoothed her daughter’s hair. “Not long.”

“Have you ever been inside a castle before?” Jenna took Emma’s hand to lead her away. “This one is really, really old . . .”

“Do you wish to go with her?” Ke’lar asked seriously as he came to stand at her side.

“No, I’ll stay here with you.”

He hesitated. “This may be difficult for you to watch. The end is often . . . ugly.”

Summer glanced at Ar’ar. “I actually don’t want either one of you to get hurt.”

“He was your mate,” Ke’lar rumbled quietly. “Would you like to speak to him before we begin?”

“No,” Summer said with a sigh. “I’ll speak to him afterwards.”

“Afterwards?” His brow furrowed. “That will not be possible if I win.”

Summer raised her eyebrows. “You mean if you win I can’t even talk to him anymore?”

“Of course not,” Ke’lar said, surprised. “He will be dead.”

Her breath stopped. “What?”

“That is how the winner is declared,” Ke’lar growled with a narrowed look across the courtyard at Ar’ar. “When only one of us still lives.”

Twenty-six

Summer felt the blood drain from her face. “This is a fight to the death?”

“Of course.”

“You never—Why the fuck didn’t you say so?”

He gave her a puzzled look. “I just did.”

“No, I mean—” She passed her hand over her eyes.
So. Fucking. Literal.
“I meant, why didn’t you tell me
before
you agreed to do this?” His brow creased but before he could say anything she held her palm up. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. You aren’t doing it.”

“You are my mate. She is our child.” His fangs flashed. “I
will
fight for you.”

“Ke’lar—” She folded her arms. “I am not just going to stand here and watch you die!”

He gave a short huff. “I did not realize you had such confidence in my skills.”

“You aren’t doing this,” she insisted. “I won’t let you!”

He searched her eyes for a moment.

“I think you say this because you are human,” he said slowly. “Perhaps this is how as a human you would show you care for me. But I am g’hir and we are on my world.” Ke’lar took her hand. “If I die, remember you have only the moon’s cycle with Ar’ar. I have secured my father’s promise and Ra’kur’s they will be present for your Choosing Day. You will have your choice.”

Her throat tightened. “
You’re
my choice, Ke’lar.”

He cupped her cheek in his palm. “And I fight to prove I am worthy of you.”

“Are you ready, brother?” Ra’kur asked, joining them.

“In a moment,” Ke’lar agreed and began unfastening the jacket of his warrior clothing.

“What are you doing?” Summer exclaimed. “You guys don’t fight naked do you?”

Ke’lar froze and the looks the men gave her were priceless. If this hadn’t been so horrifying, so deadly serious, it would have been funny.

Ra’kur recovered first. “Weapons are forbidden,” he explained. “A warrior fights bare chested to show he has none hidden on him.”

“My child, Emma—” Ke’lar rumbled with an anxious glance on Ra’kur, handing over his jacket to a waiting clanbrother.

“My mate will keep her inside,” Ra’kur assured. “Far from the windows and balconies until we come for her. She will not see. It is just as well,” he rumbled. “I do not wish Jenna to witness this either.”

“You aren’t making me feel any better here, you know,” Summer said, wrapping her arms around herself.

“A challenge of this kind is no small thing, nor to be lightly undertaken,” Ra’kur said, a little sharply. “They are a relic from the time when the clans began but the number of these battles has increased since the Scourge. The enclosures have actively tried to discourage them but to little avail. There are too many warriors and too few females and we have all witnessed such battles. There are no rules but to kill your opponent. These challenges are fierce, and bloody.” Ra’kur’s face was grim. “It takes a great deal of damage for one g’hir warrior to kill another.”

Summer’s gaze snapped to Ke’lar. “I don’t think—I don’t want you to—”

“I
will
fight for you,” he snarled, his fangs showing. “I will not let you and Emma go to another. I will die first!”

Oh my God, he means that.

“I changed my mind.” Summer wet her lips. “I want to talk to Ar’ar.”

Ra’kur scowled in disapproval and Ke’lar went still.

“That is your right,” he agreed, but she could see it hurt him.

“Okay.” She gave a nod. “Okay.”

“It is inappropriate that I go with you”—he glanced toward the other side of the courtyard—“if you wish to speak to your mate.”

“He’s
not
my mate, you are,” Summer said thickly. “But—just maybe—I can convince
him
of that.”

“The challenge will begin shortly,” Ra’kur growled. “If you wish to speak to”—he glanced to where the Betari had gathered, to where Ar’ar stood shirtless, his molten gaze on her—“Ar’ar, you should do so now.”

“I’ll be right back,” she said to Ke’lar.

Summer could feel every eye on her as she crossed the courtyard and she wondered if she were breaking some death-battle etiquette or something.

Certainly the Betari weren’t happy to see her.

“Daughter,” Mirak greeted her with narrowed eyes and heavy sarcasm. “How honored we are you have seen fit to stand with us.”

“I need to speak to Ar’ar,” she said. “Alone.”

The Betari warriors shifted in their places, looking to their clanfather, but Ar’ar spoke first.

“Leave us.”

The men inclined their heads and after a moment, Mirak, with a bitter look at her, gave them some privacy.

“I will kill him,” Ar’ar said without preamble. “I am the mightier warrior. The better fighter.”

Summer’s eyes stung. What if Ar’ar was right? Was her happiness worth Ke’lar’s life?

“I love him. Doesn’t that matter to you?”

“The Zerar took the luxury of love from us when they unleashed their plague on my people,” he growled. “Now it is about which of the g’hir are deserving enough—
strong enough
—to survive. The Betari must be among those who do.”

“Ar’ar, if there is one thing my time on Hir has taught me,” Summer said tightly, “it’s that surviving isn’t
living
. And your people have known enough killing.”

Ar’ar looked to the far side of the courtyard where the Erah stood, where Ke’lar stood, waiting for this battle to begin.

“Do you think me a monster? My heart is sick with what will result from this challenge,” he rumbled. “All that will be lost.”

“Then don’t fight it,” Summer pleaded. “You don’t have to. What if I agreed to go with you? What if—”

“No. The matter must be settled here, today. There can be no doubt to whom you belong.” His fangs bared. “And when I kill their clanbrother the Erah will hate us even more. It will not be long before our enclosures are at war.”

She shook her head. “I’m not worth a war, Ar’ar.”

“Why did you run from me?” he demanded sharply. “Why did you not tell me of the child? She is a daughter of mine—of the Betari!”

She closed her eyes briefly. “Because I had to get back to Earth to protect her. Me not being there when she was returned from a visit to her grandmother would have put Emma in great danger. I know,” she hurried to say at his frown, “you don’t understand. That something like that would never happen on Hir, but believe me, getting back to Earth—
fast
—was the only way to keep her safe.”

He searched her face.

“I believe you,” he rumbled at last. “I believe that you acted to protect our child. What I do not understand is why you did not trust me to protect her.”

“I think you would have—the g’hir way. You would have gone and tried to find Emma . . . if you’d known about her.”

“I will be a good mate to you, Summer,” he growled softly. “I am strong. I will protect our daughter . . . and all the offspring that follow her.”

Summer chewed the inside of her cheek. “Please don’t do this.”

His nostrils flared. “I do not have any choice.”

“We always have choices,” Summer said hoarsely.

He looked away, his face hard and set now. “Not if the Betari are to survive.”

It was clear that she wasn’t doing any good here, that she didn’t have any more chance of talking him out of this than she did Ke’lar.

Ke’lar was watching her warily, his expression guarded as she approached. “Is there something you wish to tell me, Summer?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “Don’t die.”

“I dare not.” He gave a faint smile. “The All Mother has given me too much to live for and She will be much vexed if I am not here to appreciate it.”

She rested her hands on his chest, feeling the strong steady beat of his heart. “I love you.”

“And I love you . . .” he rumbled and brushed his nose against hers, then pressed a kiss to her mouth. “My sweet Summer . . .”

From the other side of the courtyard, Ar’ar came forward. Mirak and the other clanbrothers took up a place near Rotin but the Erah clanfather did not even acknowledge his rival.

“It is time,” Ke’lar said, waving his brother forward. “Ra’kur will keep you safe until this is ended.”

Ra’kur’s hand was at her elbow, seeking to draw her away, but she couldn’t make her feet move. “Ke’lar . . .”

His glowing blue gaze was steady. “I will not fail you.”

“No . . .” she whispered but Ra’kur’s hold was less gentle now, pulling her back, away from the combatants.

The men faced each other as Ra’kur hauled her up the clanhall steps.

“Wait!” Summer pleaded, pulling against Ra’kur’s hold. In the courtyard Ar’ar was already falling into a fighter’s posture. “Let me talk to them again!”

“Ar’ar!” Ke’lar roared, taking position before his opponent, his fangs fully bared. “I challenge you for the female, Summer. Will you fight me for her?”

“Let me—”

Ra’kur’s grip tightened against her struggles. “Be still,” he hissed. “Or I will take you into the clanhall!”

Ar’ar glanced her way then, his yellow gaze burning, his face savage, terrifying.

“No,” Ar’ar growled and straightened from his battle stance. “I will not.”