Defending their Mate_A Sci-Fi alien romance by Kallista Dane

Author:Kallista Dane [Dane, Kallista]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-04-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Azar

“We’re going.”

Chancellor Kal sighed. “I know how much you want to be the ones who save Aliya. But we must be realistic, my friends. None of us are as young as we once were. A stronger, faster team of warriors has a much better chance of pulling this off.”

“Fuck all of them. Fuck Bophe – and if you don’t want to send us, fuck you, too. We’re going,” Azar declared.

The supreme ruler of Tharon put his hand on his old friend’s shoulder. “Believe me, if someone had kidnaped Soraya and threatened her life this way, I’d feel the same way you do. But I hope reason would prevail and I’d see the wisdom of sending another warrior in my place. Gods know, I’m not as good as I once was – and I’d want my beloved to have every chance she could to survive. I don’t mean to be cruel, but look at you. Aartan, you’ve got one worthless arm. How can you expect to hold your own against an opponent who has two – or three, or four? Azar, I’ve seen you wearing better prosthetic legs. Frankly, you can barely walk across the room in those.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t allow it. I still miss Rielle, and I know Soraya thinks of her every day when she offers prayers to the Sacred Ones. You’ve already lost one mate. If it’s true the gods have seen fit to bless you with another, do you really want to risk her life because you’re too proud and stubborn to accept the truth?

“Every pair of warriors we have has stepped up to volunteer for this mission,” he went on. “I’ll let the two of you choose the ones to go. It’s the least I can do.”

“You’re right. It is the least you can do,” Aartan replied. “Although you know as well as we do that in battle, youth and strength are not always going to win out over cunning and wisdom.” He lifted his withered arm, brought it crashing down on the thick slab of tharonwood Kal used for a desk.

At the same time, Azar sprang into the air. He did a somersault over the desk, wrapped an arm around Kal, and yanked him out of the way.

The chancellor stared at the splintered remains in shock, even as Azar’s dagger dug into his throat deep enough to remind him he’d be dead if his friend had carried through with the move.

Kal pulled himself together, displaying the cool demeanor under pressure that served him well leading his people. “That was…impressive,” he said mildly. “Nicely done. But, now, you sons of a jambora owe me a new desk.”

Azar slid the dagger back into the sheath around his waist and grinned. “You’ll get one, even if we have to carve it out of one of those thousand-year-old beams holding up Bophe’s fucking arena. Now, can we all agree? Aartan and I go.”

Kal turned to Aartan, waved at his arm. “I remember when you got that injury.

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