Empress Hiding Read online

  The Red Captain only let his demercriere growl a quick retort that echoed threateningly down the hallway before the microcomm implanted deep in his ear went active, and Hondo’s voice rang clearly in his head.

  It had been put there at Hondo’s request although it seemed the only times it had been used were when Kilgar requested its use.

  This was the first time Hondo had activated it without such a request from who the Prince jokingly referred to as his over-protective friend.

  Kilgar went through the mindless and self-comforting exercise of touching all his weapons and checking his wrist read out.

  Again.

  And nearly choked as the Khedive’s words rang in his ear.

  Chapter 10

  Erol and Matin continued to silently taunt each other as Shelvana and Yearlan endeavored to change their clothing – the twins had both ended up rolling in the shallows around the stones and boulders where their mamè had been attempting to teach them a technique of catching the small amphibians that lurked and played in the shadows beneath. Not that the two of them arguing was a surprise – the twins almost always ended up in a tussle in nearly any activity due to their highly competitive natures. Now, they simply glared at each other in earnest as they both held to the prize over which they had been fighting – Matin gripping the tail-end of the poor, divided creature while Erol fisted the half with the head.

  Shelvana hid her amusement well although Yearlan saw her eyes dance with her enjoyment.

  “You have both captured a fine prize to present to the Prince,” she kept her voice remarkably level with a gentle smile on her face, “Patè will be proud of you both.”

  The sneers that passed from one brother to the other were almost priceless, but, again, Yearlan managed to keep his face neutral as the steward slipped on Matin’s dry undergarments – all the while having to maneuver around the part of the dead animal held tightly in that little clutch.

  “Here, my yakisik adams,” Shelvana stopped handling Erol for a moment and reached toward the small pack she had carried with her, “Let us put your trophies in …”

  Suddenly, just the tiniest whisper of an unfamiliar odor and presence breeched her sensitive olfactory, and Shelvana froze mid-motion – an unbidden rumble of deathly warning rising up from deep inside of her.

  The unfamiliar scent suddenly registered as all too familiar.

  Yearlan stiffened at the noise that emanated from his Somdech as a chill encompassed both him and Shadow – every one of their in-borne instincts screaming at him to run as far and as fast away from this predator as he could. But loyalty to and love for that predator and her offspring forced their feet to remain in place.

  Somehow, Yearlan managed to look toward Shelvana for instructions – he had never before heard such a sound from his Somdech.

  The Somdech’s eyes glowed an almost blinding blue – even in the starlight so high in the sky this day, their color seemed to practically burn through Erol’s skin where they shone. And when she spoke, her voice was low and almost other-worldly, the likes of which Yearlan had never heard from any being.

  “Take them behind the large boulder there and come out for no one,” the twins immediately relaxed their staring contest with one another when Shelvana began to speak – both of them becoming instantly concerned about the change in their mamè’s tone, “Act as if you are playing with them. I will return.”

  She began unbuttoning the long robe she had donned after retrieving the twins from the water, but she spoke softly yet commandingly to those same sons as she did so.

  “Listen to Yearlan. Protect him and each other and come out for no one except mamè, understood?”

  Yearlan’s blood ran cold as he listened to her speak and watched her hand them each a small knife – they were but four cycles! – and that cold turned to ice when each took the knife and nodded obediently. But even as scared as he was at the moment, Yearlan stood amazed by the transition in the twins – their “trophies” all but forgotten – resolve coating their little faces as if they were ten or even fifteen cycles.

  Before Yearlan had time to contemplate the images that assaulted his unbelieving mind, Shelvana dropped her robe and was gone.

  And the twins and he quickly followed her orders and moved to behind the large boulder a few steps in front of them.

  As Yearlan took one last glance around the area to perhaps see what had put the Somdech into such a state, he saw only the peaceful countryside and water’s edge, but he did notice the two guards within his line of sight jerk their faces skyward and duck just as the steward’s leap landed him beside the twins behind the boulder.

  Where he was quickly ushered back behind Erol and Matin, their sudden show of bravery and solidarity almost amusing to the old steward and, especially, to Shadow.

  Yearlan had not seen the Somdech anywhere, but he had only glimpsed her full altare form on a single occasion prior to this day and had no true idea for what his eyes had been searching.

  Shelvana ran in her reflective cloaking – it was so very hard to separate her from her altare that a separate name did not exist for the altare – both were completely cognizant of the other with transition between the two almost seamless. Her pelt reflected and mimicked those colors and hues around her as she bolted for the forested area from which the scent had first emanated. When she had first caught the scent, it was only connected to an emotion of searching, but, as she exited the area surrounding the lake, that changed. The emotions that reached her now in conjunction with the Perse Assassin were those of resolve and of focus – that could possibly indicate taking aim.

  Something which she could not allow with her sons still exposed.

  Shelvana sent out a resonating psychic scream of Above you! to all Crimsons of higher cognitive existence in the area – the assassin’s reaction to that would buy her and her sons some time.

  And, as she entered the forest, it also bought her the recognition of movement that she needed to locate him. The giant treetop up the rise to Shelvana’s left had a shudder toward its top that was not associated with the slight breeze that flowed through the valley. No, there had to be something or someone in that tree, and, nose to the air, the marabilla confirmed that such was the case.

  And the Perse Assassin’s death warrant was signed.

  A low rumble was lost in the passing air as the marabilla’s muscular body sped toward the tree – an almost red haze of fury surrounding her blue-lit vision. That same vision became fixed on the well-camouflaged being near the top of the tree as he carefully sighted through the scope on his weapon – his direction aimed exactly at the location of Yearlan and her Erol and Matin.

  As Shelvana’s lithe and limber altare body molded to the curvature of the tree to begin her silent climb, she again sent a psychic scream, but, this time, it was louder and aimed only at the male in her line of sight. When the Behind you! rang in the male’s head, he immediately jerked his head and body to look behind, but then his actions began to define suspicion as he began to slowly and carefully look around him and even down the tree trunk. Twice even three times he did a complete visual sweep of the area before resuming his sighting perch in the crook of the tree.

  And that was almost long enough for the marabilla to complete her scale of the towering trunk; however, just when she was nearly within striking distance, awareness or even guarded suspicion once again overtook the obviously well-trained assassin. He looked carefully down and around him – twice his gaze passing directly over Shelvana’s position and twice lingering on her longer than she would have liked, but she held her breath so as not to disturb the mirrored images on which she depended for concealment.

  Finally, the assassin slowly pulled the throwing star from inside his boot – his gaze fixed squarely on the location of her shoulder. It was obvious he was not quite sure at what he stared, but that he was not content to go with the unknowin
g. But as he raised his arm to throw the weapon at her, Shelvana instantly launched upward and latched a prehensiled and sharply taloned paw onto his suspended ankle and yanked as hard as she could as she continued to grip the tree with the remainder of her entire body.

  Between the yelp of surprise that burst forth from the assassin’s beast and the growl of exertion that poured from Shelvana’s marabilla form, the Red Guards in the vicinity went immediately to high alert. Five of the eight began to run in their direction while the other three made a beeline for Yearlan and the twins at the boulder.

  But only one Red Guard would make it to Shelvana and the Perse Assassin’s location in time for their bodies to reach the ground after passing through a number of limbs that did nothing but slow their fall – and perhaps break a bone or two along the way – into the soft, thick humus that coated the forest floor.

  Kilgar worked furiously to keep his anger and angst from emanating in all directions as the Khedive’s words still echoed in his head – he needed to be here for his Prince, but his demercriere was about to crawl out of both of their skins!

  “Rafal has betrayed me for the last time. At the Anniversary Celebration you, my fine son, with your proud and strong wartrige, will be named our heir-apparent.”

  Kilgar ran his hands roughly over his scarred face and raked them through his nappy hair – taking care not to catch the braids across his forehead. Even as Hondo’s maniacal conversation with the Khedive continued to progress beyond the realms of reality, Kilgar could more and more clearly detect the actual sound of Hondo’s pulse in the transmission – the Prince’s blood pressure had to be sky-high for that to be the case.

  His own beast stirred for a taste of the Khedive’s bear.

  Tamp it down, beast – we need to be here!

  “Godsfall!” whispered Kilgar as he suppressed his beast’s growl – both of them trying to find reason in this insanity. How was Hondo keeping himself and his beast in check through this?

  Kilgar just let his head fall back against the wall behind him and tried to concentrate on the conversation in his ear.

  “I will think on your words, sire,” Hondo’s voice was more controlled than it had been in a long time – not even the hint of an emotion betrayed in the Prince’s tone – and that could not be good, “And I will speak with the Somdech regar . …”

  An unsettling chuckle in the Khedive’s voice.

  “Your address of that puta as your Somdech seems to have bought you some leverage in your more uncivilized and, shall we say, innocent territories, and I applaud you for that, Hondo,” Khitam’s voice was all command and no feeling, “But such will be unnecessary once you are Khedive.”

  Kilgar heard the sound of Hondo’s pulse increase at the designation of Shelvana as a puta and the mention of his mate being unnecessary – best not to travel down that road, Patè, Kilgar thought sarcastically.

  Hondo’s response was even, “A Khedive must have a consort for the young prin …”

  The Khedive’s words once again unfeeling, “She has served her purpose, Hondo” – a smack on a wall or a tabletop or something solid – “The orospus at the palace will throw themselves at you and keep you well-satisfied! You have two fine, strong sons with no prophecy hanging over their heads” – a growl beginning to mix in with Khitam’s words – “That female you bed is much too feral to serve at your side on the throne of our Empire.”

  Another smack on a wall or table.

  Hondo’s pulse was so loud that the pounding was beginning to give Kilgar a headache as he stepped to the side of the doorway – this conversation had now progressed into complete madness, and he expected the two males to exit soon. Patè, you have truly fucked up now – both Rafal and Shelvana in one conversation – really, esholeshek?

  Finally, a rise in Hondo’s voice, “Would you have me abandon her here and …”

  A full-throated growl this time, and it was not completely wartrige. Not yet.

  “Grow up, Hondo” – someone’s nails scraping on metal in warning – “She will need to be eliminated so that you may choose …”

  Now, that was the wartrige’s snarl through Hondo’s retort, “It is time for you to depart, sire.”

  The door flew open and Hondo marched out into the hallway, and stood. He could not even meet Kilgar’s questioning gaze as he awaited Khitam’s exit beside him.

  The three of them began to silently walk toward the entrance to the hangar, and it was Khitam who spoke first – his voice cold and calculating.

  “All will make a complete sense once you have time to push your emotions out of the way, Hondo,” the Khedive made it sound as though they were talking about the outcome to a sporting event, “You always were the more emotional one on first reaction. We will …”

  Hondo cut him off.

  “Better more emotional than dead.”

  Kilgar’s wrist alert sounded.

  The great bear growl that rolled up from Khitam filled the passageway.

  “We will speak again once you gain a better and less emotional perspective.”

  Hondo and his wartrige growled both in response and in threat – Kilgar remained silent, although he knew that sound from Hondo.

  The Prince would not be changing his mind.

  Ever.

  Kilgar’s wrist alert sounded again – it was an urgent incoming notice from the guards that had accompanied Shelvana.

  Kilgar got a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach – what in the godsfall else could go wrong here?

  At the insistent beeping, Hondo was about to dismiss his Captain – both of them now knowing the Khedive meant Hondo no harm this time for the most insane reason ever imagined – when the Prince’s bond to Shelvana suddenly went active and he was deluged with a fury the depth of which he never even imagined possible until this moment.

  Even given the present conversation with his sire.

  As Hondo’s knees threatened to collapse under him with the sheer force of the emotion, a bloodied male face he recognized but could not place appeared across his field of vision and Shelvana’s snarled words breathed across his mind, “The Khedive will die at my hand.”

  Kilgar unceremoniously shoved the Khedive out of the way, shouting Hold! into the wrist comm, and reaching forward to catch Hondo’s arm as the Prince waivered toward the wall, “Prince Sadid!”

  But when Kilgar’s hand grasped Hondo’s skin, and the prince turned to look at his best friend and caught his Captain’s shirt for stability, the Captain knew immediately that something was wrong with Shelvana – the only other time Hondo’s skin had felt like that and his eyes had taken on that almost greenish hue was when Shelvana had unexpectedly gone into full-on, hard labor for the birth of the twins.

  And Kilgar could now not answer that incoming alert fast enough.

  Because there was definitely something the matter.

  And it was not good.

  “You alright?” The Captain was right in Hondo’s face as if the Khedive did not exist.

  Hondo could not believe Shelvana’s words. Had she somehow overheard their conversation in the map room? He did not think their bond included such an aspect. …

  Hondo shook himself back to reality as he tried to bleed some of the fury from himself and keep some semblance of civilization in the interaction that remained between him and his sire.

  “Yes. Go,” the Prince waved his arm at his Captain.

  Hondo had no idea the incoming alert had to do with Shelvana’s guards.

  And Kilgar preferred to keep it that way right now – best to just get the mad pich Khedive out of the way before he caused any other problems today.

  “Talk to me,” Kilgar was already sprinting around the corner as he shouted the words into the comm.

  Awareness came upon Shelvana the moment her head met the damp forest floor and leaves
flew upward in the wake of her landing. She sprung to her feet and immediately sensed that a single Red Guard was already cautiously approaching the scene while still four others approached from a distance in the direction of the lake.

  But Shelvana’s main concern moaned and began to try to pull himself up in cognate form – his uniform far too confining for his beast to become present at the moment.

  Not even sure in what form she appeared at the moment, Shelvana envisioned her marabilla standing upright and the breeze seemed to assault her a bit less as the fur thickened on her lower body. She cocked her head and rolled it somewhat sideways in provocation as she bared the sabers that she felt extend over her lower lip.

  Here was the assassin who will feed our blood need this day.

  “What in godsfall are you, puta?”

  The assassin whispered as he slowly drew his short sword from its sheath along his back – hoping for that action to be a distraction from his other hand that almost instantly launched a throwing star at Shelvana.

  Shelvana instinctively felt his release of the star before the male actually did so and had moved out of its flight path and landed directly in front of him as she screamed psychically in his head, Ölüm melek! And before the male could even be surprised by her actions, Shelvana had run him through with his own blade, a fiendish light in her wild, brilliant eyes.

  But the assassin did not give up so easily and his hands clasped around her neck as he growled in pain and frustration, his beast fighting to be released with every ounce of energy the both of them could find.

  “And you will die with me, melek.”

  Perhaps that action was all Shelvana needed or perhaps her need for violence was ready to be sated, but, whatever the case, a shrill scream escaped her as she swung both arms back behind her – releasing the short sword in the process – and drove her sharp talons forward into the males’ armpits.