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  The Aurelians must have travelled here for me.

  Then embarrassment turns to anger.

  Wait one Gods-damned minute! If these three think they can just snatch me up and take me for… reproduction… Well, they’ve got another thing coming!

  “What’s a mate?” Tod asks innocently. I glare at Lord Tenderfoot before he can answer.

  Diana Pooler looks at the tattooed Aurelians with wonder. I get a surge of jealousy. I’ll never be as elegant as her. I’ll always be a simple mechanic from a chop shop in Barl – never a noblewoman like her, even if I’m dressed and beautified like one right now.

  What if she’s their mate, not me? What if these three gorgeous aliens came for her?

  I gulp dryly, irritated by the knot of jealousy tightening in my belly.

  Why should I even care? I barely know these three. It’s been just days since I met them…

  Oblivious to my conflicted thoughts, Diana demands:

  “If they’re so primitive, they’d have no means of interstellar travel. How are they even here?”

  The old nobleman clears his throat. “You’d be wise not to underestimate those different than you, Miss Pooler. Did the elders teach you nothing?”

  Diana looks chastised – and though I hate to admit it, I feel a surge of satisfaction seeing this haughty young noblewoman taken down a peg.

  Lord Tenderfoot smiles welcomingly to us. “Come, come down to my study. Let me show you something…”

  He looks almost gleeful, like a kid wanting to show us a brand-new toy. I glance over at Tod, Tyler and Stacy.

  I’ve already lost Runner to the Viceroy, through the hatred the child learned from his father. I don’t know whether to trust this Lord Tenderfoot – or whatever ‘surprise’ he has lurking in his basement study.

  Seeing my look of concern, Darok steps forward, looming protectively over the children. I feel instant relief. With his movements, Darok demonstrates that he’ll keep the orphans safe.

  The old Lord Tenderfoot takes us to a dusty doorway, with stairs leading downwards beyond the creaking frame.

  Forn steps in front of me and follows Tenderfoot down the stairs. Diana and the two other Aurelians wait for me to go next, and the children to follow me. Finally, they bring up the rear and we all file downwards as a unit.

  A strange darkness fills me with dread as we descend. Lights come on automatically as we walk down these ancient, stone steps. It feels like I’m entering a new world. I step closer to Forn, and I feel Diana shuffling in next to me. She might have the demeanor of a noblewoman, but whatever is down there has clearly shaken her composure.

  “I’m scared,” whispers Tod.

  “It’s okay,” I murmur back. We reach the bottom of the stairs and step into Lord Tenderfoot’s study.

  Dust tickles my nose. Even more books are strewn about, and the lights seem to stop before they reach each corner of the room; making it look almost endless.

  The three Aurelians move as one, striding forward and bowing to the huge thing that floats in the air in the center of the room.

  I gasp as I see it. It’s a huge, pulsating, blue-black circle of darkness. It’s a glowing ball of deeper than black nothingness, and the longer I look at it, the more I feel like I’m going to be sucked right inside it.

  It’s an Orb – an entire Orb-Sphere. I’ve seen Orb-Shards used to power machinery and weapons – like Forn’s daggers – but I’ve only read about how the Orb-Material appears in its natural state; as a huge, perfect sphere.

  And even then, I’ve never read about an Orb-Sphere as big as this – reaching almost floor-to-ceiling, and dwarfing even the towering Aurelians.

  But more impressive than its size is its presence.

  The sphere seems… alive. It glows, and pulsates, and even as I look at it, I feel like it’s looking right back at me.

  “Don’t look at it,” I whisper to the orphans, and with a whimper they glance away.

  Ironically, I can’t even follow my own instructions. I can’t take my eyes off the huge Orb. An Orb-Sphere the size of my head could power a ship through space for eternity. This one is infinitely larger, and it spits and hisses with crackling, otherworldly electricity.

  “As you see,” states Lord Tenderfoot, looking at the Aurelians who bow their heads to the powerful being in front of us, “this tribal society revere the Orbs as Gods. This is the method they use to travel through space and even time to find their fated mates.”

  Fated mates.

  The words echo in my mind, and I look with longing at the huge, powerful Aurelians. I’ve always taken care of myself, and I was damn good at it. But I never truly felt safe. When I’m with these three – Forn, Hadone and Darok – I somehow know that they would die for me.

  “Could the Orb get us back to their planet?” I ask, piecing together the puzzle.

  Lord Tenderfoot nods, then goes to a bookshelf while speaking in the language of the Aurelians. Hadone and Darok speak back quickly, and I can tell they’re glad to finally be speaking to someone who understands them.

  At the same time, I hate being left out of the conversation.

  As if sensing that, Tenderfoot switches to the common tongue as he mutters: “Yes, yes – I’ve already paid the price of travel.”

  The old man grabs a large book from the shelf behind him and blows dust from it. He sets the ancient tome on the table.

  Paid the price of travel? Do I… Do I even want to know what that means?

  The old scholar opens the book. He bristles with passion.

  “There are many tribal Aurelian societies, though the Aurelian Empire denies their existence – or simply lost contact with them for so long that they’ve faded to distant memory and the stuff of legend. Ice Aurelians, for example, from a glacier planet. Fishing Aurelians from a planet made of ninety-percent water; although I have no reputable sources for these planet’s existence except for an account from a mercenary three thousand years ago. The most well-documented of the tribes are the jungle Aurelians. I believe these three warriors belong to that tribe.”

  He opens the book to a page with an illustration of a fierce Aurelian warrior on the paper. The picture shows the instantly-recognizable physique of a towering, muscular Aurelian – except covered in tribal tattoos, in the same patterns as Forn, Hadone and Darok wear inked into their skin.

  Tenderfoot turns the page, and overleaf there’s another illustration showing a world that looks like Old Earth, covered in verdant greenery.

  “The author of this book wrote extensively on the tribal Aurelians over six-hundred-years ago. She provided no galactic coordinates, though – only an image to illustrate what Orb travel is like. Just yesterday, I attempted to create a portal myself. I… I paid the required price – but I didn’t want to go through the portal; simply look through it.”

  The old man shrugs.

  “However, I’d thought I must have done something wrong – because no portal opened in my study.”

  But he hadn’t done it wrong. He had opened a portal – just not in his study!

  So, this old man is the reason the portal opened. He must have accidentally opened it over Barl.

  “Could the portal have opened in Barl?” I looked expectantly at him. “Is that how they came here?”

  Lord Tenderfoot nods slowly. “Yes, it’s possible. I’d been thinking of my niece that morning. She… She was doing outreach in Barl.”

  As he speaks, grief chokes the old man’s his voice. I realize he too lost a loved one in the firebombing of my home city.

  The pieces are all coming together. I ask:

  “So, you opened a portal – and these three Aurelians came through it?”

  A pang goes through my heart.

  They didn’t come here for me.

  When Tenderfoot first talked of fated mates and voyages through portals, I’d actually resented the idea that these Aurelians might think they could simply snatch me up and take me back home with them; forcing me to throw
away everything about my old life in exchange for something mysterious and new.

  Yet, now that I know Forn, Hadone and Darok didn’t come here for me, I feel a sense of loss for something I didn’t even know I wanted.

  So, the Aurelians passed through this portal by chance – which means I’m not their fated mate. Dammit, Diana Pooler has just as much of a chance to be their destined lover as I do!

  I blink back tears, embarrassed about how strongly I feel about this.

  Why do I even care? I never wanted this!

  As if they can read my mind, the three Aurelians turn away from their trance-like reverence of the Orb-Sphere and gaze at me instead.

  I love the way they stare at me – as if I’m the only thing that exists. They stare at me with the same reverence as that glowing ball of darkness; like they’re constantly astonished I even exist.

  Gods, I can’t believe it – I’d been complaining about them taking me back with them, and now I’m mourning it.

  Would it be wrong… Would it be wrong to wish they didn’t realize I’m not the woman they came here for?

  If they find out the portal that brought them to me opened because of an old man’s meddling – not to lead them to their fated mate – I know they won’t look at me like this anymore.

  I sigh and try to burn the memory of the three Aurelians and their longing gaze into my memory. In a moment they’d learn the truth, and then I’d lose this image; and spend the rest of my life longing for it again.

  Lord Tenderfoot smiles. “To go back, I’ll simply open the portal for you. I’ve studied the texts – I know that I can do it.”

  The old man laughs bitterly.

  “I nearly bankrupted my family estate with the financial burden of purchasing such a huge Orb. Perhaps I’m obsessed with the alien cultures, but you will forgive an old man for his obsession. So many in the Capital are filled with blind hatred. It’s refreshing to learn the truth; even if nobody else would believe it.”

  He could open the portal again and return these three warriors to their home.

  I feel my stomach broil.

  Gods – I don’t want them to leave me!

  Tenderfoot is oblivious to my turmoil.

  “From my research,” he strokes his long, white beard, “I believe the ‘price’ I paid will give travel both ways – from the homeworld of these Aurelians, and back to it.”

  The ‘price’ he paid.

  I swallow hard and make up my mind that I don’t want to know the price he’s talking about. The Lord Tenderfoot might seem harmless, but I see an almost crazed look of obsessive need in his eyes, whenever he glances over at the Orb-Sphere that dominates this room.

  Diana looks like she’s about to faint. I feel a tinge of shame as she slumps down on one of the many chairs. She was locked up in a dungeon for Gods-know-how-long, then rescued by a species she’d been raised to fear and hate, and now she’s forced to question everything she’d thought she knew in the presence of the same fearsome Orb-Sphere as me.

  I look to the glowing, blue-black ball of otherworldly mystery, and I realize how the almost imperceptible vibration of it cuts through you like a knife. There’s no other way to think in this thing’s presence – except with brutal honesty.

  Lord Tenderfoot noticed Diana’s reaction and gives her a long gaze of sadness. “Lady Pooler… The Viceroy took you into custody to use you as political leverage against your father. He now has witnesses that you escaped with the help of Aurelians. The people will believe that you are working with the Aurelians, and the Viceroy will whip them up into a frenzy against you and your family. You have no future here. You have to leave.”

  I see the first hint of tears in her eyes, but she juts up her chin. “No. No! That’s crazy. My father has many powerful friends.”

  Tenderfoot shakes his head. “Not after what happened today. Anyone who aids you will be branded by the same poisonous rumors as you will be. If you leave, then your father can argue that the Aurelians kidnapped you while you were in Lord Aeron’s custody. With the proper argument, perhaps we can weaken the credibility of Aeron’s version of events. With the firebombing of Barl, they’re already on weak footing. Perhaps the people of the Capital will finally wake up – and the reign of Lord Aeron’s tyranny can finally be ended.”

  I can see that the old man looks at Diana with care, but I grow suspicious. I wonder how much of his concern is for the young noblewoman, and how much is based on getting the puppet Lord Aeron out of power.

  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Diana protests. “You want me to go to the jungle planet with these brutes? How the hell will I ever get back!”

  I know I should feel concern for her, but suddenly another pang of jealousy hits me.

  Great. This gorgeous, highborn lady – who makes me remember that I’m nothing more than a greasy mechanic – is coming to the jungle planet with us. I have no choice – I’m on the run – but couldn’t she just hide out with Lord Tenderfoot? Or…

  Then it hits me.

  Oh, Gods! I’m going to go to a jungle planet?

  The reality of the situation strikes me like a punch in the face.

  Of course I have to go. I’ve poisoned Lord Aeron. I’ve broken three Aurelian fugitives out of jail. If I stay in the Capital – or even Independence itself – it’ll only be a matter of time before I’m caught, executed, or worse.

  “I’m scared,” whimpers Tyler.

  “I’ll keep these children safe,” Lord Tenderfoot sees my pained expression. “I’ll care for them in secrecy. The jungle planet is no place for a child.”

  He snorts, returning to absent-minded scholar.

  “They write that there are eagles the size of a transport ship there, and legend even tells of huge, winged reptiles in the sky – like the dragons of the Old Earth legends.”

  “No! I’m going with Tammy!” Stacy cries, understanding what we’re talking about. There’s fiery anger in her voice, and I take pride knowing she learned that from me.

  I look at Lord Tenderfoot. I can tell he has a good heart – one that is full of grief at the loss of his niece just yesterday.

  “You promise you’ll keep them safe? And in secret?”

  Lord Tenderfoot nods. “I’m out of the political sphere. I’m just happy to keep to myself and do my research. I enjoy learning more about different cultures, and I have great wealth with which to do so. Plus, no one saw your party entering my estate, and my staff is to be trusted. The children will be safe here.”

  I stare at him, trying to tell if I can truly trust the old man or not.

  “Once the search has died down,” Tenderfoot reassures me, “the orphans can be moved to a safer planet. No one will be suspicious of orphans having worked with Aurelians – they’ll be seen as victims, unlike the two of you.”

  Diana and I glance at each other.

  “I can look after them even off-world. I have estates on every planet in this solar system.”

  That was all I needed to hear.

  I turn and see Stacy looking up at me, her eyes huge and filled with tears. My heart breaks at having to leave her – but if what Lord Tenderfoot tells us of this jungle world is true, then I can’t in good conscience take any of the children there.

  I cross the room and give Stacy a huge hug.

  “This is what needs to happen,” I reassure her, squeezing her tightly. “You’ll get an education, and you’ll be able to have the life you’ve always wanted.” I lean in closer to her ear, whispering. “…and you need to take care of Tod and Tyler.”

  Stacy looks up at me with wet eyes, then nods. She turns to her friends. “Okay guys, we need to be secret. So, no yelling or crying, okay?”

  I look down at her with beaming pride. Just as Runner’s fate was twisted by the hateful rhetoric of his father, Stacy has learned bravery and independence from me. I know she’s going to be okay- and Tod and Tyler will too, with her to look after them.

  The two boys listen to Stac
y’s words and nod reluctantly. Then they rush to me, wrapping their little arms around my body in a huge hug. I squeeze them right back, knowing I’m going to miss them dearly – but if I’m truly going to a distant, jungle planet, I can’t keep them safe anymore.

  My heart breaks knowing I might never see them again, but I can’t be selfish and bring them with me.

  Eagles the size of a Gods-be-damned transport ship? It’s enough to worry about the kids, but maybe I should worry about myself! I’m going there?

  Diana swallows. She’s been trained from a young age to hide her emotions, but I can see them through her calm veneer. “Great… winged… reptiles… What did you call them? You said like… like dragons from the old fairy tales?”

  Lord Tenderfoot looks nervous, too. He speaks in the guttural language to the Aurelians. I’m shocked that the three of them laugh in unison – a deep, booming sound that I want to hear for the rest of my life.

  Lord Tenderfoot smiles. “There was a dragon, but it was slain many thousands of years ago by a great group of Aurelians… and a beautiful human woman who’s gift to the tribe was to share an amulet that allows communication between your kind and theirs. When you arrive, you’ll not have to learn their language to understand these men.”

  A tinge of nervousness goes through me. I feel like I know these Aurelians, but I haven’t yet shared a single word with them other than our names.

  What if they’re like the soldiers on the transport ship? Full of machismo and crude jokes? What if they see me as nothing more than an animal to be bred?

  My thoughts stop as the Orb suddenly pulses. Tendrils of lightning arc out, but there’s no pain as they touch my body. The Orb caresses me gently, and the Aurelians look at me with awe. Then, with a sharp crackle like a bone breaking, a portal slices through reality right in front of us.

  The table laden with books is cleaved in half. A wind from nowhere gusts through this underground chamber. The orphans jump back with a gasp and Diana lets out a faint scream.

  Suddenly I’m not looking at a dusty underground study any more. The hole in reality has opened to verdant plains, and hot, sticky air gushes through the flickering, crackling rend in reality.