A Warlord's Heart (12 page)

Vaan had never been considered tolerant but
if those in Kaban learned to fear his brother equally, then Saran
ruled well in his stead. The edge of Vaan’s blade flirted with the
hair of Rolon’s tail before slicing through the length. Black coils
hit the ground. “You razed villages. Used fire
hashi
on my
home and that of my mate.”

“It was not my idea, Overlord.” Rolon
sniveled and lifted his bound hands. Brown eyes creased and never
left Vaan’s face.

Vaan tipped his head to the side. Perhaps he
would seek answers first and then end this hapfe piss. “Do you know
of the other rebels?”

Rolon nodded and wiped at his face with his
forearms. “Warlord Saran has sent a contingent of the best warriors
to rouse them. Only one group remains now since the Aerilians
killed all my companions.”

Interesting. He’d thank his brother later.
“Who are they?”

“I do not-”

Vaan cut across Rolon’s bare chest, ending
the lie before he finished. Rolon shouted as blood welled from the
cut. A minor injury compared to what Vaan wanted to do. “Who. Are.
They?”

“Warlord Kuran, Sire. It has been Kuran who
sided with Thenl from the beginning.” Rolon couldn’t get the words
out fast enough. “Together they raided Anane, Sokal and Mulei so
you would be blamed. When Thenl fell, Warlord Kuran continued his
attacks. He wanted your youngling or the Raasa you took as bride to
force you to give him Kaban.”

Vaan lowered his head in order to mask the
rage he couldn’t hide. He had called Kuran friend. The Warlord had
greeted Vaan’s return from the dead with happiness and drank to his
long life. To hear that the Kabanian had worked with Thenl to cause
most of his trouble and intended to harm Mikayla and his youngling
was hard to stomach.

When he had himself composed, Vaan lifted his
head. “My youngling?”

Rolon attempted a brave smile, then licked
his swollen lips. Apparently the Aerilians had not been gentle in
subduing him. “Not to be harmed. Warlord Kuran would have returned
them after you met his demands.”

Which explained why Arane and Erana had been
drugged. “Know you his plan for the Raasa female?”

“Death, Overlord. The Raasa are nothing to
us, yes?”

Those were the last clear words Rolon spoke.
Each scream Vaan pulled from the traitorous Kabanian rang like
music to his ears. Mikayla was everything to him and all would know
it by the message he sent when this night was over.

***

When the clouds of mist faded, Miki glanced
around. Their group arrived in the middle of the courtyard of her
home, catching her people by surprise. Tolan called out along with
a few others. The smell of smoke hit her next. It didn’t take more
than a look to note the worry and concern on their faces before she
was soon surrounded.

As she reassured everyone that she was fine,
Miki took in the differences. The pen reserved for shep near the
storage shed to her home now boasted the jumping forms of her
hapfe. Wessel hurried toward her, dragging his leg in a limp. His
black pants were torn at the knee where thick white bandages
wrapped down to his ankle. Miki shoved her hand over her mouth to
hold back a cry of dismay as she spun in a complete circle. Her
stables! Gone. Completely destroyed.

“What happened?” She asked.

Tolan reached her and bowed. “Kabanians
attacked. The Overlord has gone after them.”

It was as Argan had said. Miki swallowed. “My
youngling…has there been word?”

Tolan’s gaze darkened as he shook his head.
Miki straightened her shoulders. She trusted Vaan but the thought
of waiting would kill her. “Argan?”

Vaan’s best friend was at her side in an
instant. “What do you need, Mikayla?”

“Can you…can you find Vaan and bring him
home?”

Argan’s brows lowered and she sensed the
denial he was about to speak when the Shadow Queen answered for
him. “I can. Traveling through the shadows is still new to my
husband. With Argan’s connection to the Overlord, I can help him
shift through to find them and we’ll return quickly.”

Her throat ached but Miki managed a wane
smile. “Thank you, Shadow Queen.”

“Please call me Shaina, Mikayla.”

Argan and Shaina held hands and dark tendrils
covered the both of them until nothing but an empty spot remained
where they’d stood. Miki took a deep breath, uncertainty causing
her to hiccup as tears burned.

“Come inside, Mikayla,” called a familiar
voice.

She glanced up and Balal waved at her from
the top of the stairs of their home. Bandages and black streaks
told their own story. If someone stole her youngling, they would
have had to go through this Warlord, who loved and guarded them
fiercely. Miki cried and ran to him. As soon as she was close
enough, she jumped into his arms and hugged him, grateful that he
was alive.

They stumbled backward as he grunted from her
weight but she held on. “Thank you, thank you, Balal.”

He patted her back hesitantly and the very
awkwardness of the gesture had Miki releasing him with a chuckle.
Assa stood behind him and Miki hugged her friend next. When Miki
settled, she swiped at the tears on her face and followed them
inside. She immediately identified the Warlords missing.

Those present rose to their feet hastily.
Kavan and the others entered behind her but Miki had one question
burning at the forefront. A question she needed the answer to in
order to assuage the well of guilt building inside.

“Who else is injured, Balal?” she asked,
cornering him when he sought to move.

Assa curled into his side, stroking a hand
down his torso but Balal’s wince proved her right.

Miki worked at the knot in her throat. “Is he
dead?”

“No!” Balal exploded. “Amrod is fine.”

Relief made her dizzy. Miki had worried that
the Warlord Vaan would have assigned to take Kavan’s place, was
gone to the Hills.

She searched anxiously for the friendly
Warlord, her gaze going over Ramar, Hason, Lima and Marin. “Where
is he?”

Ramar answered. “Amrod rests, my lady. His
injuries were more grievous than Balal’s.”

Miki closed her eyes and gave thanks to the
Blessed One. “Was anyone else harmed?”

Vesa walked over and wrapped an arm around
Miki’s shoulders. “Why don’t you have a seat and everyone can talk?
Cook is serving meat pies.”

The Warlords’ cheering drowned out Miki’s
groan.

Chapter 12

After much complaining, Amrod had convinced
Ramar to allow him to join them in the hall. His face was battered,
one eye swollen completely closed, a split lip that bled each time
he spoke and his right arm had been secured to his chest in a
sling. It was a good thing Vaan taught each of his Warlords to
fight with both hands.

Miki kissed Amrod on the cheek in thanks much
to his embarrassment.

“That kiss has cost me, my lady. Now the
Overlord will thank me for my efforts with one on one practice as
soon as I recover.”

Miki chuckled. None of the Warlords wanted to
be selected to practice with Vaan except Argan and now that he no
longer lived among them, her mate was at a loss for partners.

The warriors devoured cook’s pies while the
Raasa eagerly ate the steamed vegetables and bread placed before
them. Miki couldn’t eat. The only distraction from worry that
seemed to help was focusing on how odd her friend Vesa was
behaving.

When Vesa passed by her a second time, Miki
grabbed her friend until Vesa sat with a thump beside her. “Tell
me.”

Vesa flustered, avoiding her gaze. “What?
Tell you what?”

Miki glared. “Something’s amiss.”

It was in her friends green eyes, the barely
noticeable pink in her cheeks. “I…I”

The stutter proved her correct. Miki grinned.
“Has Maen asked for a True Union?”

Ramar growled from his seat across the table.
Miki turned to him in surprise but the Warlord only had eyes for
Vesa. Miki faced Vesa to question her further but caught Vesa’s
slow smile in Ramar’s direction.

“You’re back with Ramar?” Miki gasped.

“Shh,” Vesa cautioned and worried at the
material of her dress.

“What else has been going on since I left?”
Miki had been gone less than a week.

“Assa is with young.”

Miki froze. Not because the announcement
surprised her. Which it did. But because the deep voice revealing
the words had her heart singing. “Vaan!”

Miki jumped up to race toward the Warlords
and her mate standing at the center of the room next to a smiling
Shaina and an amused Argan. Miki would tease Argan later about his
happiness. She only had eyes for her family. Kavan reached her
youngling first and soon held a sleeping Arane and Erana in his
arms. Miki flew to Vaan instead and wrapped her arms tight around
his waist in a hug she never wanted to loosen.

She cried, laughed and babbled. It took a few
moments for her to understand the words Vaan kept murmuring in her
ear as his hands stroked her back in even rhythms. “I can not
understand Raasa when you speak this fast.”

Miki pulled back, uncaring that her face was
probably a mess. Black eyes shining with pleasure and love stared
down at her. She switched to Standard. “I knew you’d bring them
home.”

A tremor shook his frame but he did not
lessen his hold about her either. “Your faith is good.”

“I trusted you. You wouldn’t fail in this.”
Miki cupped his strong jaw and leaned up to kiss him on the mouth.
His hands clenched on her waist as he conveyed his own fear and
worry in the lips that smashed into hers and the tongue that
stroked eagerly.

At last, Miki stepped back and with her arm
linked around Vaan’s hips, approached Kavan. She didn’t even
attempt to take the girls from the Warlord whose eyes silently
begged her understanding. Miki didn’t need to know all of Kavan’s
secrets but she more than anyone else knew what it cost him to be
away when the youngling were taken.

With that in mind, Miki ran a hand over their
backs, kissed plump cheeks, content in the knowledge they were
home. Safe.

***

Vaan fought the urge to crush Mikayla to his
chest again. He wanted to rush her to their bedroom and hold her
through the night until he accepted in his mind and heart that she
was safe and in his arms. Listening to the Kabanian admit the plans
to kill his mate had knocked him off his footing.

Vaan loved her too much to comprehend a life
without her at his side. He glanced down and tears rolled down her
cheeks once more as she caressed their youngling. She wanted to
hold them but allowed Kavan this moment. Vaan’s heart swelled at
further proof of her generosity of spirit. Kavan had lost his
sister when she was but a youngling after his mother left him in
charge of her. The death had been the will of the Blessed One but
his Warlord could not accept this.

For years Vaan had not understood but now he
did. If he had lost his youngling, it would have destroyed Mikayla
and sent him on a spiral he would not have recovered from quickly.
It reminded him of his promise.

“Argan, a word.”

His best friend inclined his head and came to
Vaan instantly. He might be the Shadow King but their friendship
had no boundaries. “Yes, Vaan?”

“The Aerilians handled the Kabanians
responsible before I could.”

At the name of the enemies to the Olak’din,
Argan’s lips firmed. Vaan pressed forward. He’d given his word. “In
return they have asked only that you and your bride hear them out
and talk.”

Mikayla’s fingers pinched his side, her
attention fully on the conversation. Vaan hadn’t had a chance to
speak with her about any of this.

Argan ran a hand through his shortened hair,
gaze seeking his bride whose attention hadn’t strayed from Kavan.
“I almost lost Shaina through Bjorn’s attack. I hold animosity
toward them.”

Vaan would feel the same. But he owed Tylis.
“I gave my word that you would listen in exchange for the life of
my youngling. No more, Argan. Only listen.”

Argan’s brown eyes snapped to his. “Consider
it done, Overlord.”

Arane chose that moment to wake. Her dark
head popped up and she grinned, not looking the least disturbed.
Erana woke slower. Vaan held his breath as her lashes fluttered.
Green eyes widened and the flash of fear in them had Vaan wishing
he could kill Rolon all over again. Mikayla bit off a cry beside
him.

Erana looked up at Kavan’s face. She patted
his Warlord’s chest and the fear eased. “Kaf.”

The Shadow Queen moved closer to Kavan, her
silver eyes on his youngling. Argan and his Queen had arrived after
Vaan had let the Aerilians go. His Warlords unfamiliar with Shaina
had kept a wide wall between her and the youngling. Vaan could not
fault them with their recent fear still riding them all hard. This
was Shaina’s first time seeing his young clearly.

“They’re beautiful,” she breathed.

She reached for Erana but paused when his
Warlords tensed around them. Seeing her dilemma, Argan left Vaan
and lifted the youngling from Kavan and his intimidating frown.

“These are the Overlords youngling Arane and
Erana,” Argan announced.

“Mine too,” Mikayla chimed with a wry grin,
relaxing.

A small smile curved Argan’s mouth as he
faced his bride. Vaan tried to recall seeing his friend this happy
when it didn’t involve death. He couldn’t pull forth any such
memory. Shaina stroked the downy-soft black hair of his youngling
and Erana giggled as she was want to do, then extended her arms
toward Shaina. After a brief glance in his direction and Mikayla’s
to make certain they approved, Shaina took the little one from
Argan. Erana immediately rested her head on Shaina’s chest and the
Shadow Queen’s silver eyes melted.

When Mikayla wrapped her arms around her
waist, Vaan knew she did it to keep from snatching their young away
from Shaina. He understood her need to hold them close and never
let go. Stepping behind her, Vaan smoothed his hands over her arms
and pulled her snug against him.