Sold to the Warlord (Astral Heat Book 2)

by Ashley Hunter

  The reporter in Zalla would love to cover the story and get an exclusive on Vakrallan high politics, it would certainly make her career, but that was her old life now and it didn’t really matter.

  As a consequence of these events, Zalla suddenly found herself alone in the palace bar a handful of guards and housekeepers.

  As she was expected to simply wait for Draz to return, boredom soon set in. After the third day of loafing around their apartments and looking out at the desert wasteland, she decided to go exploring the palace.

  Much of the sprawling citadel was virtually unknown to her, and she relished peeking into magnificent halls and beautifully appointed chambers.

  Despite their hard, masculine demeanour, the Vakrallans did have an eye for elegance. It was while she was meandering down a secluded wing in the lower levels of the palace that she heard the sobbing.

  Zalla stopped dead, thinking she was imagining things, but no there was definitely somebody crying nearby. She followed the sound until she came to an iron bound door.

  It had a scan lock, but she had been given clearance to every area of the palace thanks to Draz, so it responded to her DNA when she touched it. The door swung open and Zalla let out a stifled cry when she saw what lay beyond it.

  The door fronted a bare stone chamber containing only a bucket and a pile of rags that served as a bed. A thick iron chain was set in the far wall and attached to it by the collar was a bedraggled young Earth girl. She stared at Zalla with frightened blue eyes out of a dirt caked face.

  “Who are you?” exclaimed Zalla rushing forward, trying to ignore the noisome stench that hit her. “What happened here?”

  The girl backed away like a frightened animal and clutched the chain to her as if for protection. She was painfully thin and clad only in a ragged, filth streak tunic. She let out a pathetic whimper and tears sprang in her eyes.

  “Hey, I’m not going to hurt you,” Zalla said gently. She knelt down a few feet away from the terrified girl. “I’m a friend. I want to help you. How did you get here?”

  “You . . . you’re from Earth?” the girl said in a weak voice. She peered at Zalla curiously.

  “Yes,” Zalla said, moving closer to the girl. “My name’s Zalla. Who are you?”

  “My name is May,” the girl said.

  “How did you get here?”

  “I was aboard a colony ship going to the Settled Zone when we were attacked by slavers. I was with my parents. We were going to start a new life on a colony when I was captured. My parents, I don’t know what happened to them, but I was brought here.”

  Zalla stared at her in horror. Through the dirt, the girl barely looked older than nineteen. “May, when did this happen?”

  May shook her head. “I – I can’t really remember. It was a long time ago though.”

  “Okay, never mind that now honey. We got to get you out of here. I’ll go fetch one of the guards to get this chain off you, and then we can talk properly.”

  “No! I can’t leave here!” May cried out retreating to the far wall. “He’ll be angry if I leave!”

  “Who will?”

  “The master,” May said fearfully. “Lord Navan.”

  Zalla’s heart skipped a beat. Navan had done this to her? Did that mean Draz knew she was down here too? “Why does Navan keep you down here?”

  May shrugged her bony shoulders. “It’s where I belong,” she said. “The master says I’m wrong and dirty and I have to be punished.

  I haven’t seen him for a long time, but when he comes, he does . . . things to me. They hurt, but I deserve them. I belong down here and if I leave, he will be so angry with me. Please, is the master here?

  Will he come and see me? Have I offended him in some way? I’m so worried that he hasn’t been for such a long while. Tell him I’ll do anything he wants. Please, go bring him.”

  Zalla thought back to that day in the slave market. Her life could have been so different if Navan had bought her instead of Draz. She looked at May and took her hands in her own.

  “May, listen to me. I’m going to get you out of here. I’m a slave here too, but the Vakrallan who bought me, Draz, is noble and kind. If he knew this was happening, he’d have come for you himself. I’m taking you out of here, and he’ll handle Navan.”

  “You’re a fool,” May suddenly said, her whole personality changing. A wild, insane gleam entered her eyes. “They’re all the same, the warriors. Your master will see you are dirty too, and punish you like me. We deserve it. We are wrong and dirty. Leave me alone!”

  Zalla sat back on her heels and stared down at her hands. Despite all her silken refinery, Zalla realized she was no better off than a caged animal like May was. Nevertheless, she couldn’t let this carry on. She got to her feet and looked down kindly at the wretched girl.

  “Okay, if you won’t leave me, then at least I’ll get you some food and clean you up, then I’ll talk to Draz when he gets back, we’re going to make this right.”

  May stiffened in resistance, and Zalla decided to try a new tack. “Lord Navan wants you cleaner and eating better,” she lied. “You want to please him, don’t you?”

  May stared at her in confusion and simply nodded. A slack expression crossed her face and she stared out into space. Zalla’s heart clenched.

  That bastard Navan had wrecked her mind just as thoroughly as he’d abused her body. But it was going to end. She would speak to Draz and bring this horror to an end. She just hoped he’d be back on Vakrall soon.

  Chapter 6: Confrontation

  Fortunately for her, Draz returned six days later, fresh from successfully smashing the smuggling operation. While he was away, Zalla visited May everyday, bringing her more food than the allowed rations prescribed by Navan and fresh clothing.

  Despite her urgings, May refused to leave her cell for fear of Navan’s retribution. Some days, she was coherent and other times, she jabbered and cackled. It was clear he had driven her half-mad, and Zalla’s anger at May’s mistreatment grew more intense.

  With a sense of relief, she told Draz about the situation as soon as he returned, but she did not get the response from him that she hoped for.

  “You had no right to go poking around in Navan’s business!” he exploded, his face black with rage.

  Zalla was taken aback, stung by his fury. “You knew about May? You knew he was treating her like that?”

  “Of course I did,” he stormed. “The female is his property and he can do with her as he wishes.”

  “No he can’t!” Zalla roared back. “No one can be treated like that! Have you seen the state of that young girl? Don’t you care what he is doing to her?”

  Draz went deadly calm and gave her a hard look. “You know our ways are different. Human emotions and feelings are worthless and only customary to the weaker races. You will forget that you ever saw May, and you will not visit her again under any circumstances. Do you understand?”

  Zalla stared at him in ghastly silence, her whole world crashing down about her ears. Everything she had thought about Draz was wrong. He was just as bad as the rest of the warriors. She thought that he was different. She thought that through him she could bring a positive change to the whole of Vakrall society. She knew now she was wrong, and in that moment decided that her life with him was over.

  He gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know it’s hard for you to understand Zalla,” he said in a more conciliatory tone, “but it is just too dangerous for you to go against Navan. He messaged me when I was en-route to Vakrall to tell me he has now been elected Despot.

  That means, he outranks me and has absolute power over you. He is not pleased that I have taken you as my life-mate either. He thinks you are too wilful and independent for your own good.

  You must understand he could have you executed for even speaking to May, let alone taking her food and clothing.” He stepped forward and squeezed her shoulders.

  “I cannot lose you now, I just couldn’t bear it. Promise me that you
will forget about May. Navan will be returning to the palace shortly and I want nothing to upset him. We have to put our own happiness first. You cannot help this unfortunate wretch. You promise to drop the matter?”

  Zalla nodded, already plotting her next move. “Yes,” she said in a hollow voice. “I promise.”

  * * *

  She had to move fast. Now she knew that Navan was coming back, it was vital to get May out of the palace and it would have to be that night.

  Fortunately, Draz had many duties to attend to when he’d gotten back so after his talk with her, he had left. That gave her time to get what she needed together.

  Dressing in serviceable clothing, she put the equipment she needed in a travel bag and waited for darkness to fall before hurrying down the quiet passages to May’s cell.

  The girl was curled up asleep when she entered the filthy room. Zalla hurried over to her and shook her awake.

  “Come on,” she said in a hushed voice. “We’re getting out of here tonight.”

  May looked at her through bleary eyes. “What? Who- who are you? The master – ”

  “There’s no time for that now dear,” Zalla hissed. “When we get back to Earth, I’ll make sure you get professional help, but for now, you have to do as I say. Navan will be angry if you don’t.”

  Luckily, that seemed to do the trick, and May did not struggle when Zalla started cutting through the chain with the laser tool she’d managed to purloin from one of the repair bays beneath the palace.

  “Here, put this on,” she said taking out a dark robe and sandals from the travel bag. “Then stay close to me and be very quiet.”

  May did as she was told and together they hurried through the passageways toward the closest exit. After her disaster with the flyer, Zalla had decided the best way to get away was to use a sand viper, the same type of land vehicle that had first brought her to the palace.

  Thanks to the lack of guards and staff, she’d managed to drive one up to the courtyard without anyone spotting, and the craft’s inbuilt shields should be able to protect them from any prowling Mauler. All she had to do was open the smaller rear gate and they could be away before anyone noticed.

  Holding May’s hand, Zalla hurried out across the courtyard toward the waiting sand viper. Just as they were climbing in, a voice boomed out of the gloom.

  “You’re not going anywhere!”

  Zalla froze and May broke free of her and ran to the source of the voice. “Master,” she moaned. “She made me do it! She made me run away! Please! Punish me!”

  Zalla turned round to see Navan and two palace guards standing before them. May was begging like a dog at the warrior’s feet. He kicked her aside in contempt and strode toward Zalla.

  “What a piece of good fortune that I returned just in time to stumble across your escape,” he sneered, “though the truth is my spies have been monitoring for weeks, ever since my cousin decided not to kill you. You have humiliated him with your insurrection and you insult me by trying to steal my property. I knew you’d try something like this and now I have every right to kill you.”

  “Do it then!” Zalla yelled at him defiantly. “If it means I finally get to escape this barbaric world, then let it be, just let May go back to Earth.”

  Navan advanced on her with frightening speed. “You are in no position to dictate terms!” he snarled, grabbing her by the throat.

  “I would have preferred to take my time, to make you suffer as slowly as possible, but killing you swiftly will be best all round.” He tightened his grip on her throat and she gasped for breath. She pulled helplessly at his hand and felt her vision beginning to darken at the edge.

  “No!” Draz’s voice suddenly roared out across the courtyard and his golden form bounded before him burning with the Fury Force.

  Navan released Zalla and turned to glare at his cousin. Zalla fell to her knees and took deep grateful breaths.

  “I have to kill her!” Navan snapped. “Look what she’s done to you, Draz! She’s a poison and I am the cure. Go back into the palace. I will be done with her shortly.”

  “Leave her alone!” Draz roared. “I challenge you to single combat!”

  The two palace guards raised their laser rifles and pointed them at Draz. Navan raised his hand to stop them. “Stand down! I accept the challenge!”

  Zalla stared in horror, as Navan’s own body erupted with golden fire as he succumbed to his own Fury Force. He roared with savage power and lunged at Draz. Draz met him with equal ferocity and they locked together in a brutal fist fight.

  May whimpered like a frightened animal and cowered behind the sand viper. Zalla got shakily to her feet and stared in terrified awe at the two warriors. Draz had been magnificent enough that night out in the desert, but now he burned with an untrammelled fury that brought her heart into her mouth.

  As she watched, the two warriors smashed and grappled each other without mercy, their golden bodies flaring with blinding brilliance. The whole courtyard was ablaze and other members of the household emerged to watch, transfixed by the spectacle.

  Struggling hard, Draz got caught in a headlock by Navan. He thrashed wildly and rammed Navan in the chest. The warrior was thrown back by the impact and Draz broke free of his grip. He staggered forward and rubbed at his bruised throat. While his back was turned, Navan regained his feet and rushed at him with all his might.

  “Look out!” screamed Zalla at the top of her voice.

  Draz turned in time as Navan barrelled into him knocking him clean off his feet. Now on the ground Navan pinned him down and punched him hard in the face.

  Draz was momentarily stunned and bellowing in feral rage Navan punched him again and again. Blood spurted from Draz’s nose and mouth and Navan kept hitting him, determined to reduce Draz to a bloody pulp.

  “No!” Zalla cried out in despair. “Please stop it!”

  She tried to run and grab Navan, but the golden light of the two warriors was hotter than a furnace and she couldn’t get close. She fell to her knees sobbing, watching helplessly as Navan beat her one true love to death.

  Amid the carnage she saw Draz shoot her a look through bruised and bloodied eyes. Then, almost miraculously, Draz yanked free one of his arms. He lashed out at Navan and grabbed his throat.

  The other warrior barked in surprise and push on with his offensive. Draz rose up and shoved Navan off him. Teeth gritted, Draz grabbed his cousin and lifted him up over his head. Zalla stared in frozen shock as Draz roared out and hurled Navan across the courtyard with all his strength.

  The other warrior smashed into the wall with a heavy thud and dropped broken and twisted onto the ground. The golden light of his body went out.

  A shockwave of silence engulfed the courtyard. Draz let out a moan of pain and his own Fury Force evaporated. Now a normal Vakrallan again, he slumped onto the ground in a heap.

  “Draz! Draz!” Zalla yelled scrambling over to him. She fell to her knees and dabbed at the blood on his face. “Draz, speak to me!”

  Draz’s eyes slid open. “Get me to my . . . quarters,” he gasped.

  Zalla turned to one of the guards, who stood staring at the warrior. “Help me get him up!” she demanded. The power in her voice made him rush to her aid.

  Behind her, she heard May wailing in despair and turned to see the girl sobbing over Navan’s body. “You!” she snapped to a nearby servant. “Get her indoors!” The servant rushed forward to obey her orders.

  With Draz between them, Zalla and the guard got him into the palace and to their apartments. Seon was waiting for them.

  “I can’t turn my back for five minutes without you getting into trouble,” he said archly.

  “Shut up and help me!” fumed Zalla.

  Getting him onto the bed, Seon got two medical droids to tend to the warrior’s wounds. He looked like hell, and Zalla squeezed his hand as the droids got to work. Draz lay motionless, passing in an out of consciousness. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked straight at her
.

  “Zalla,” he croaked.

  “I’m here baby,” she said urgently. “How are you holding up?”

  “It doesn’t matter about me,” he said grimly. “You are all that is important.”

  “I’m okay,” she said giving him a warm smile. “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t showed up.”

  “You were going to leave the palace,” Draz said. “You were going to leave me.”

  Zalla dipped her head. “I know honey, but I had to do something. I couldn’t let Navan carry on hurting May. I’m sorry, but I’m here now.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Draz said hotly. “You were right and I was wrong. Navan deserved to pay for what he’d done to her.”

  “Well, you sure made sure that he did,” Zalla said. “He’s dead.”

  Draz nodded. He lifted his head and looked at Seon. “Seon, go and bring the memory cleanser.”

  The cat boy frowned at him but padded away out of the room. Zalla looked questioning at Draz.

  “It is a device created by our females,” Draz explained, drawing a heavy breath. “When May is exposed to it, all her memories of Vakrall and the torments she suffered will be erased forever. She will be as she was before being captured by the slavers.”

  Zalla smiled. “That’s great. She won’t remember a thing about Navan?”

  Draz shook his head. “When the process is complete, I will ensure she is transported safely back into Earth territory. You will go with her, after you have submitted to the process as well.”

  A chill went through Zalla. “What? What are you talking about?”

  He squeezed her hand tighter and his eyes misted over with overwhelming sadness. “I was wrong to keep you here, even after you consented in the Mating Caverns. This is not your world. You’re right. We are a harsh, brutal people. You are wonderful and pure. This is no place for you. I . . . do not deserve you.”