“We knew there were only two caves in this area where you could have taken shelter in. When the locator was unable to pinpoint your exact location, we split into two teams. One above. One below. We are the above team.”
“Contact them! Now!” Wray ordered. “Inform them, they are not to enter the cave!”
“Yes, sire.” But Veron was talking to an empty space for Wray was already over the side of the cliff.
Kim folded the survival blanket and stuffed it back into the now empty bag. Standing, she looked around the cave. She found she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay here. With Wray. She didn’t want to face whatever was out there, didn’t want to deal with the looks she knew she was going to receive. Everyone was going to know what had happened to her, what the Ganglians had done to her... how was she going to handle that?
Slowly she sat down on what she’d come to consider as ‘their’ rock and made herself think about it. Did it really matter to her? What people, she didn't know, thought about her? It's not like what happened was her fault but still... She was still having nightmares, still hadn't Joined with Wray. Could she really put it behind her? Could she really move on and live a rich full life with Wray? Could she become a full and complete female? One that Wray could love and be proud of? Not the victim he’d found. She wasn’t sure. It was going to be so hard…
‘Life isn’t always easy, Kimberly,’ she could hear her mother’s sweet voice saying. ‘but it’s only as bad as you let it be, as you believe it is. Don’t let something bad take away all the good in your life, if you do then the bad wins.’
Kim couldn’t let that happen. Stinky bastard had taken enough away from her. She wouldn’t let him take Wray too. She would overcome what had happened to her. It would take time and she’d never be the person she’d been before but that wasn’t all bad. She would take what had happened to her and learn from it. Wray believed in her and she believed in Wray, together they could do anything.
And what if they couldn't have offspring together? What happened then? He'd told her how important that was but he'd already lost Van. Did he even want more? Why hadn't she asked these questions before?
“Well, what do we have here?” Kim’s eyes whipped around to find two very large males entering the chamber and neither of them were Wray.
“Who are you?” Kim asked, standing as she looked from one red male to the other. They were obviously Tornian. Wray had told her how Tornians came in many colors, but that they all had the same long black hair. These two weren’t as massive as Wray but that didn’t make them small by any means. Why were they here? Where was Wray?
“We are Warrior Gyula,” the larger of the two spoke indicating himself, “and Warrior Fala.” He pointed to the smaller one. “We are here for the Emperor.”
“The Emperor?” Kim gave them a confused look. “The Emperor’s not here.” Why would they think he was?
“But you are…” Gyula growled and took a step towards her.
Kim immediately took one back. She didn’t like the way he was looking at her.
“And you have no male protecting you.” Fala said also stepping towards her, his eyes running over her bare legs.
“Yes, I do. I have Wray.” Kim claimed, trying to stay calm. These were Tornian warriors. They protected females. They didn't harm them.
“Your lies reek as badly as you do.” Gyula spit out moving to her side. “The Emperor has sworn he would never take another female and even if he did, he would never consider Joining with a female such as you!” Kim could easily hear the disgust in his voice.
“Females such as you are only good for servicing a male when worthy females are unavailable.” Fala said flanking her other side.
“Such as me?” Kim asked, backing away her heart pounding. What was going on here? Where was Wray?
“One that cannot further a Tornian Warrior’s line.” Gyula said, looking at her as if she were stupid. “The Goddess only created you for her most blessed Warriors to use at their will and I will use you now!” he declared as he lunged at Kim.
Kim tried to jump out of the way, but Gyula was faster than he looked and his bruising grip clamped around her arm as he threw her to the ground.
“I will have her first!” Fala argued, shoving Gyula aside before he dropped down on top of her.
“Wray!” Kim screamed before the breath was crushed out of her. She couldn’t go through this again. She couldn’t!
Wray jumped down the last ten feet landing on his feet, his hands and chest cut and bleeding from his reckless descent down the cliff walls. His mind had raced the entire way down. He never should have climbed that cliff, never should have left Kim. He should have just waited for Veron to find him, but he'd wanted to get Kim on the Searcher, so he could properly care for her. What had he been thinking leaving her unprotected? There was still so much he hadn’t explained yet, so much she still didn’t know. If his warriors found her, there was no telling what they might do. Hearing her terrified scream had him rushing into the cave to defend his Kim.
“No!” Kim tried to scream, but no sound came out as she struggled against the oppressive weight bearing down on her, reaching up she raked her nails down Fala’s face. Immediately he reeled back roaring out his pain and surprise.
“You dare…” he accused and raised his fist to strike her when another roar filled the chamber.
Both males jumped to their feet and drew their swords as they turned to confront the unknown threat.
Wray surged into the chamber his eyes frantically searching for Kim. Finding her sprawled out on her back, her eyes full of fear, enraged him. His gaze turned to the two warriors that stood over her, their swords drawn. Wray advanced on them.
Kim scurried away from the males when they turned and drew their swords. She didn’t know what had caused them to release her, but she wasn’t going to wait around to find out. Jumping to her feet, she kept her eyes locked on their backs as she prepared to sprint around them. If she could get out of the cave, she could find Wray and he would protect her.
As her eyes moved to her escape route her heart stopped. Wray was advancing towards the two males, his massive chest covered in sweat and blood, his eyes black with rage. She’d never seen a more beautiful sight in her life or frightening one, because his hands were empty. Oh God, Wray was going to die!
Then to her shock, as soon as the warriors saw Wray they dropped their swords and fell to their knees, lowering their heads.
“Majesty!” They said in unison.
‘Majesty?’ Kim’s jaw dropped in shock. Why the hell were they calling Wray that?
“What in the name of the Goddess do you think you are doing!” Wray roared, pushing the two males aside to get to Kim. His eyes immediately taking in her fear filled eyes, the new scrapes that ran down her legs, the bruises forming on her arms, the way her shirt was partially torn, the blood dripping from her fingers.
“Are you harmed, little one?” he whispered gruffly, stopping just inches from her. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but wasn’t sure if she’d let him.
“No. You got here in time.” She whispered shakily and Wray felt a weight lift from his chest.
“Come here, little one.” He said opening his arms and thanked the Goddess when she dived into them.
“Sire! Our apologies!” Fala spoke pulling Wray’s attention from Kim. “We know we should not have stopped searching for you, but when we stumbled across this female… she distracted us with her obvious willingness to Join with males.”
“What!” Kim couldn’t stop her shocked gasp as she pulled back in Wray’s arms to look at the male still on his knees.
Wray ignored Kim’s gasp, never taking his eyes off the males. “You would blame a female for your failure to see to your duty?” He demanded.
“Sire! It has been…”
“Silence!”
“Majesty!” Wray spun around to face the new threat and found Veron and several other warriors filling the chamber.
&
nbsp; Veron quickly assessed the situation. The female he’d thought wouldn’t survive, stood in the Emperor’s arms and the two warriors he’d sent to find the lower cave’s entrance, were kneeling before an enraged Emperor.
“Majesty, what grievance has occurred that Warrior Fala and Gyula are on the receiving end of your wrath?”
“They have attacked my female.” Wray growled, his eyes taking in the deep scratches running down Fala’s cheeks, the scratches he knew came from Kim defending herself.
“Your female?” Gyula’s color faded to a dull pink as he raised wary eyes to Wray. “But, sire, she does not carry your scent!”
“Sire,” Veron took a deep breath and smelled what his warriors had. Ganglian. “You have not yet joined with this female. Fala and Gyula have broken no law with their… attentions towards her.”
Kim’s eyes flew back to Wray. What was this male saying? How could no law have been broken? She knew Wray was going to correct the male by how his body started to tremble… then everything about Wray stilled.
“You are correct, Captain.” Wray said, his voice as tightly controlled as his body. He didn’t like what his Captain had said, but he spoke the truth. There was no way Fala and Gyula could have known Kim was his. He had yet to Join with her so she didn’t carry his scent and without it, she was unprotected.
"What does he mean no law has been broken?" She asked, taking a step back as she searched Wray's eyes. “They attacked me. They would have raped me if you hadn't stopped them. How does that not break a law?” Absolute silence greeted her question with no male willing to answer her. “Answer me, damn it!” Kim ordered her tone as regal as the Empress’ of old.
“Only Tornian females are protected from being abused by Tornian males." A deep voice finally answered Kim’s demand and her eyes flew to the male that spoke. "All others are at risk.”
Standing just inside the cave’s entrance was a male unlike any Kim had ever seen. He wasn’t as tall as Wray but he wasn’t much shorter. He was as muscular as Wray but with a skin tone closer to Kim’s own than a Tornian. She might have mistaken him for human if it weren’t for his glowing eyes and the wide strip of black hair running down the center of his head with strings of beads running through it. He must be a Kaliszian.
“What do you mean ‘at risk’?” she demanded.
"Unprotected, non-Tornian females are considered available to any Tornian Warrior under Tornian Law."
“What?” Kim’s eyes flew to Wray knowing the male had to be wrong but she saw the truth in his eyes. “You allow them to rape whomever they want and you don’t punish them?” Kim didn't try to hide her shock or her hurt from Wray.
“I have never abused a female!” Fala growled at Kim.
“Really!" Kim felt her anger begin to build as she looked to Fala. "And just what do you call what you were going to do to me!” she demanded.
“You are not Tornian and are therefore nothing more than a vessel the Goddess has created for her blessed warriors to use until a compatible female is presented. It is not abuse to use a vessel.”
Kim’s mouth opened and closed at the warrior’s tirade. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more that he truly seemed to believe what he was saying or the fact that no one corrected him.
“You can’t possibly agree with him.” Kim demanded her eyes returning to Wray.
“It is not something you should ever have had to concern yourself with Kim." Wray glowered at Fala. "Once we are on the Searcher, I will explain it to you and you will understand.”
“Understand? What’s there to understand, your Majesty?" Kim questioned, letting him know, she knew he’d lied to her. "Your warriors are nothing but a bunch of rapists, no better than the Ganglians.”
“How dare you insult me, you worthless female!” Fala rose to his feet, enraged. Not only had this female marred his face, not only had she put him on his knees before his Emperor, now she insulted his worth by saying he was the same as a Ganglian! This he would not tolerate and he moved towards her.
“Unless you wish to join the Goddess this day, Fala, I would not move.” Wray’s quietly spoken words froze Fala in his tracks, for they were full of a barely controlled rage that had every male in the room tensing, waiting for him to explode. “Leave! Both of you! Now!” Wray ordered.
Kim watched as the males quickly bolted towards the cave's entrance at the Emperor’s order, but not before they gave her a look that said they would make her pay for this.
Kim looked to the light-skinned male for several minutes, assessing him. He'd been the only one willing to tell her what was going on. The only one willing to tell her the truth.
“Who are you?” She demanded.
“I am General Treyvon Rayner.”
“You’re Kaliszian.”
“Yes.” he nodded.
Kim's disillusioned gaze returned to Wray, who was watching her intently as she spoke to Rayner. She still couldn’t believe he’d just let those males go after what they’d done to her, after what they’d said to her.
He’d told her that Tornian males had honor, that they were worthy. How was what Fala and Gyula done been either? From the moment she’d woken, he’d started to work his way into her broken heart. He’d started healing all the damage done by the Ganglians with his attention, with his caring and with his understanding. Now she realized it was all a lie.
He had led her to believe he was just a male, a warrior like any other, nothing special, at least not beyond what she felt for him, but he was more, he was the Emperor. His patience and caring had touched something in her that she had thought the Ganglians had killed… her dreams. Her dream that someone could love her even with all her faults and failures and Wray had seemed able to do that. When she had doubted herself, he gave her his belief. When her strength had failed, he’d given her his. When she’d cried, he’d held her.
So what was she supposed to do now that he supported all that had tried to destroy her?
Wray watched Kim intently as her every thought traveled across her face. He knew she was upset with him, knew that she didn’t understand why he hadn’t killed Fala and Gyula for attacking her. There was so much he should have told her before Veron arrived, but he hadn’t, he hadn’t wanted anything to intrude on their time together.
She’d willingly given him so much. More than she realized with her caring, with her gentle touch and with her kisses. He had never experienced any of them before and hadn’t wanted them to end. Now he could see that was a mistake.
Kim had relied on him to tell her what she needed to know to survive in his universe and he’d failed her. She’d told him how she felt when he hadn’t told her he had cleansed her and he hadn’t listened.
“Kim.”
“Our entire time together was a lie,” Kim whispered, her eyes full of betrayal and hurt, “from start to finish. Every touch… every word… I am such a fool. I believed you when you said your males had honor because you told me they did. Where’s the honor in what happened here today, Wray?!!” She gestured to the marks in the dirt left by her struggle with Fala and Gyula. “Where is the honor in lying about who you are, your Majesty?”
“Kim…” Wray took a step towards her.
“Don’t!” Kim ordered harshly, taking a step back. “Do you treat females the same way Tornians do?” She asked her gaze returning to Rayner.
General Rayner’s eyes traveled over the small female that not only stood up to the Emperor but dared to defy him. He had never seen one such as her, not in the color of her skin or her hair. It was obvious she wasn’t Tornian, especially after the way the warriors had attacked her but what was she?
“No.” He realized he had yet to answer her question when she raised a regal eyebrow at him. How was that possible? She stood before him a tiny thing wearing clothing that wasn’t hers, covered in dirt with her hair in disarray around her and still she managed to appear royal. “Kaliszians have more than enough females to satisfy our males. We do not need to force our attentions
on one.”
“Yet you allow Tornians to, in your own space.”
Rayner stiffened at her implied insult. “Had I arrived first it would not have been allowed. I offer my regrets on behalf of Emperor Liron.”
“Who is that?”
“He is the Emperor of the Kaliszian Empire. When we were informed that the Searcher had been attacked and that the shuttle carrying Emperor Vasteri had crashed on Pontus, he sent me here to assist in the search.”
“Vasteri…” Kim realized Wray had told her he was the Emperor, if she had been listening. He’d announced that he was Wray Vasteri and later told her that Wyck Vasteri had been named Emperor. She just hadn’t put the two together.
“And you have my thanks.” Wray nodded to the male. “Now we need to get Kim onto the Searcher.”
“Emperor Vasteri.” The male nodded back.
“No.” Kim said looking back to Wray. “I’m not going with you.”
“What?” Wray’s eyes latched onto Kim’s and his heart constricting when the eyes that met his had no warmth, had none of the caring that had always been there.
“I’m staying here. Where I'm not considered a 'vessel' to be used at a male's whim. Where I’m not something considered 'unworthy' of protecting.” Kim spit out and watched Wray pale as her words struck him.
“If that is your wish then you shall have the protection of the Kaliszian Empire, my vow.” Rayner replied.
“Thank you.” Kim said, forcing her eyes away from Wary even as her heart protested. She tried to smile at Rayner, but found she didn't have it in her.
“No!” Wray roared. Kim's words had frozen him in place with a pain unlike any he'd ever experienced before. She couldn't really believe that he thought her 'unworthy' of protecting, that he wouldn't protect her with his life, but her ready acceptance of another male's vow told him that she did. He’d lost her trust. Her love. This he would not allow. Couldn't allow and survive. She was his and he would stop at nothing to keep her. “You will not grant her sanctuary, General. If you do your people will pay the price.”