by M. K. Eidem
That’s when Prince struck, embedding his razor sharp beak into the tender flesh of her tiny hand between her thumb and index finger.
Her shocked cry had Grim swinging his daughters out of harm’s way, but before he could draw his sword, the Raptor was gone.
“Miki, are you alright?” Grim was once again on his knee, his hands trembling as he carefully tried to open the hand Miki had clenched to her chest, surprised to see that no blood was flowing down it.
“I... I think so," she told him. "Prince just surprised me."
“Let me see," he murmured gently.
“It doesn’t hurt,” she said, opening her hand so he could see it.
And there in his Miki’s little hand, staring back at him, was the Eye of the Raptor.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“What does it mean, Grim?” Lisa asked later that night after the girls were asleep. They had brought Dagan back to Luanda and Hadar had healed every bruise, and every cut, while all the Earth females had come to check on him. Dagan had won every one of their hearts with his gentle way and ready smile. He had left for home happier than Lisa had ever seen the special male.
Hadar had also checked Miki’s hand, but there had been nothing for him to heal. No bruise, no blood, and no puncture wound. There was only a faint violet spot in the palm of her hand. He had tried to remove it with every portable repair unit in House Luanda, but every last one of them found nothing to remove.
Now they were in their sleeping chamber, the House was quiet, and there was a roaring fire before them as Grim handed her a small glass of wine.
Grim sighed heavily as he sat down next to her on the couch. “The Raptor’s feather has been given since the earliest of recorded times. Although I’ve never heard of a Raptor itself gifting one.”
“What do you mean?”
“The finding of a Raptor’s feather is a rare thing. No one knows why so finding one is an honor.”
“Why?”
“Because it is believed that only true protectors are allowed to find and wear them.”
“True protectors?”
“Yes, those that protect, serve, and watch over those that can’t do it for themselves. The way the Great Raptor does for the people of Luda.”
“But Carly is just a child.”
“And yet she came to the aid of Dagan. We have both seen how protective she is of Miki... and of you. She is a worthy recipient of the Raptor’s feather.”
“And Miki’s hand?”
“The Eye of the Raptor.” Grim’s voice was much more hushed this time, almost pensive.
“Why do you say it that way?” Lisa demanded, her stomach clenching.
“The Eye of the Raptor. Lisa...”
“Yes? What about it?”
“Few have ever heard of it, and even fewer know what its gift is.”
“Just what did that damn bird do to my baby?!!” she demanded, setting her wine aside.
“He gave her the ability to sense the evil and darkness that is Daco.”
“What?!!”
“I know of only one other that has ever been gifted the Eye. It is said that while he saved many from Daco’s clutches, it came at a terrible cost.”
“What cost?”
“That is not known.”
“Goddess, Grim. What are we going to do?”
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean nothing?!!”
“Calm, my Lisa,” Grim told her, gently framing her face with his large hands. “First, because there is nothing we can do and second, what I’ve just told you is a myth. It doesn’t mean it is truth.”
“But...”
“No,” he gently admonished her. “You said yourself that Carly was always your little Warrior, was looking out for Miki and you, even before she came here.”
“This is truth,” Lisa nodded calming slightly.
“As for Miki, she never liked Luuken.”
“No one liked Luuken," Lisa muttered.
“Truth. So you see, it is nothing she didn’t already have before. Do not place so much belief in myths that have been spoken of for thousands of years.”
“I suppose you’re right,” she said, relaxing back into his arms, taking the glass he held out to her again.
“Of course I am. I am the King of Luda.” His comment got him exactly the reaction he was hoping for. His love gave a little huff of disbelief and rolled her beautiful eyes at him, but the last bits of worry and tension left her body, and she snuggled down deeper into his embrace. “Now let us enjoy the fire and maybe... if you aren’t too tired, we could light one ourselves later.”
“Oh, I think that can be arranged."
Epilogue
Several days later…
"My Queen still doubts that you are the right male for this task, Warrior Ull," Grim said looking across his desk at the Warrior standing there.
"With all due respect to your Queen, King Grim, she knows nothing about me so is in no position to judge my abilities."
"It is not your abilities she doubts, Warrior Ull,” Grim told him. “It is your attitude since the Joining Ceremony. She and Lady Abby speak regularly. As do I and Lord Ynyr."
"They feel they have the right to criticize the assistance I gave them?" Ull questioned, his rose-colored skin darkening in anger. "Assistance they requested? To you?!!"
"Neither complained of your help, Warrior Ull. In fact, Lord Ynyr repeatedly praised you, stating that without you, it would have taken him a great deal longer to get House Jamison in order. It is because of that, Wray chose you for this."
"Then what was their complaint?" It should have eased Ull's temper, hearing that his brother acknowledged and appreciated everything he had done for him. But it didn't. Instead, it made him angrier. Why would it take the word of a third male, Lord or not, for him a first male, to be given this honor? It didn't make sense, but there was a great deal that wasn't making sense to him lately.
"That you seemed... unlike yourself since the Joining Ceremony."
"They are wrong."
"I hope so because your brother warriors’ futures, and perhaps that of our entire Empire, depend on the outcome of this mission." Grim let that hang for a moment then reached out to hand Ull a memory crystal. "This is the transmission Lisa recorded for her friend, Trisha. You must find her, convince her to view it, and convince her to help."
"She will," Ull growled. "My vow."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"Rebecca," Grim and Ull walked to where his Lisa and a group were standing next to the shuttles. One would take Ull to the Searcher, while the other would take General Rayner, Jennifer, and Rebecca to the General's ship, the Defender. It had been decided that Rebecca would travel on the Kaliszian ship as Jennifer had become progressively sicker in the mornings. "I have informed Lord Callen that you will be on Pontus."
"What?" Rebecca asked sharper than she had intended. "Why would you do that?"
"Because Vesta is the closest Tornian planet to Pontus, and is where others will be told you are should any inquire. Its Lord needed to be informed."
"Oh, of course."
"Lord Callen is also the one that will be returning you to Luda when the time comes. Should you need him before that, for anything, contact him with this." Grim handed her a small, palm-sized object. "It is secure and will not allow others to know where you are. That is important, Rebecca. Should it become known that we have allowed a compatible female to leave our Empire..."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I understand. So my cover is that I'm meeting with Lord Callen."
"Cover?"
"Reason for going," she explained.
"That would be truth then."
“Rebecca!” Every head turned to see Miki running across the grounds toward them, weaving her way through the bodies that separated her from her goal. Three guards were trying to keep up.
“Miki?” Rebecca knelt down as Miki reached her. "What's wrong?"
“You can’t leave!” Miki told her breathlessly. "
Not without these."
Rebecca's frown turned into a smile as she opened the bag Miki had shoved into her hands. "You brought me cookies?"
"Yeah, Mommy used to always make them for us when we went on a long trip, so I thought you should have some too."
"Thank you, Miki." Rebecca hugged the little girl. "I'm sure these will make my trip much more enjoyable."
Miki smiled then backed away from Rebecca until she ran into her manno's legs. Or at least she thought they were her manno's, but when she looked up, she found herself looking into the dark eyes of Warrior Ull. Eyes that, for a moment, were darker than they should be.
"Miki," Grim lifted her up into his arms. "What have we told you about running from your guards?" That had her gaze moving to him instead of where it had remained locked on Ull's.
"But I wasn't, Manno," she told him earnestly. "Vow. I just didn't want Rebecca to leave without her cookies."
Grim released a heavy sigh realizing this was a subject he would be addressing again and again as his little one grew.
"King Grim," General Rayner's lips twitched as he nodded slightly, "and Princess Miki. It is time for us to depart."
"Safe travels, General Rayner. Remember you are carrying treasured cargo," Grim looked to Rebecca.
"No one knows that better than I do, King Grim," Treyvon told him, but his gaze went to his Jennifer.
"Bye, Uncle Treyvon. Bye, Aunt Jennifer. Bye, Rebecca." Miki waved as they walked away and Lisa didn't bother to correct her that technically she was wrong. Her girls had eagerly accepted Treyvon and Jen into the family, and if this was the way they wanted to express it, then she'd let them.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ull tipped his head to the side slightly, watching the group say their goodbyes and felt nothing. No, that wasn't truth, he felt something… something dark.
‘We shouldn’t be working with the Kaliszians.’ The thought insidiously whispered through his mind. ‘They are weak. We can take what they have, take what Earth has. That would better serve our brother warriors. It would make them see who the worthy and fit one was in his family.’
Ull didn’t know where these thoughts were coming from, but they made sense. There was no guarantee his mission to Earth would succeed. After all, what did the Emperor know? He was allowing a female to influence his decisions, just like the King of Luda was, as was the Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses. It made them weak. Females were only ever meant for one thing. All females.
His gaze went to the little one in the King’s arms and was surprised to find her staring unflinchingly back at him.
“Beware the darkness that speaks to you.” Miki's words while quiet were spoken in a voice much older, wiser, and more powerful than hers could ever be. “It knows where you are most vulnerable when you are at your weakest. It then lies to you with the truth, making you believe and do things you never otherwise would. Terrible things. Beware the darkness, Warrior Ull.”
“Miki,” Grim growled looking down at his youngest in shock. Her hand, the one with the Raptor’s Eye, gripped his neck and for a moment he felt such power radiating from it that he thought it would burn him, and her eyes seemed to glow.
“What, Manno?” she asked, her voice once again full of innocence, her touch was cool, and her eyes were the beautiful amber of her mother’s.
Grim’s gaze went to Ull to demand what had just happened, only to find the Warrior closing the hatch of his shuttle.
“I should have brought cookies for Warrior Ull," Miki said, watching as the shuttle flew away. “He’s not very happy.”
“That is truth, little one.” Grim’s concerned gaze remained on the shuttle.
“Maybe Trisha’s cookies will make him happy. They’re the best.”
About the Author
Michelle has always loved to read, and writing is just a natural extension of this for her. Growing up, she always loved to extend the stories of books she'd read just to see where the characters went. Happily married, she is the proud mother of two grown children and with the house empty has found time to write again. You can reach her at [email protected] or her website at http://www.mkeidem.com. She'd love to hear your comments.
Additional Books
Cassandra's Challenge: The Imperial Series, Book 1
Victoria's Challenge: The Imperial Series, Book 2
Jacinda's Challenge: The Imperial Series, Book 3
Grim: Tornians Book 1
A Grim Holiday: Tornians Book 1.5
Wray: Tornians Book 2
Ynyr: Tornians Book 3
Oryon: Tornians Book 3.5
Kirall's Kiss
Nikhil: Kaliszians Book 1
Treyvon: Kaliszians Book 2
