by Auryn Hadley
Sal nodded. "Thank them for me, ok?"
"Already told them, kid. The 112th is being pretty good to Razor, too, and of course Lightning Brigade with LT. The rest of them have gone a bit feral. Risk bit a guy for touching him."
"Damn. Didn't see that one coming," she admitted.
"The one that shocked me the most was Shift. He's refused orders and walked out of a drill. They keep trying to say he's more human than iliri, and, well, he's doing a good job of proving them wrong. He's been written up twice already, but the guy you took a bolt for? Kolton? He's been smoothing things over. None have been as bad as Azure, though. Berrik gave Trax orders to tame you, I guess."
She tilted her head, almost shrugging. "Yeah, Ran told me. Trax doesn't care for our kind. I think a whisper is all he'd need."
"Sturmgren's gonna want you to press charges. His hands are tied unless you do."
"How's Anglia taking it?" Sal asked as someone tapped at the open door.
"Not good," Dominik said peering around the corner. "I heard you were awake, can I steal a moment?"
Sal nodded at him, and Zep made to leave, but Dom waved him back down. "You're good, man, and you can tell the rest. Sal, Rragri's about to cause a mess over this. She wants to demand something. I can't remember the word, but it's a Grauoran challenge thing. You know what I'm talking about?"
"Yeah. Lyrva." When Zep looked at her strangely, she explained. "Old tradition. The injured party has the right to demand a trial by combat, basically. As the injured party, I could either fight or name a champion to fight for me. That lets the domestics have the same rights. It's to the death."
"Damn. Yeah," Zep said smiling.
Sal shook her head, looking up at the King. "She can't."
Dominik sighed, his shoulders relaxing as the air fell out. "Thank you, Kaisae. I wasn't sure if you'd understand."
"Well I don't," Zep grumbled.
"Lyrva is a public thing. Witnesses, and all that. I'm not about to let anyone fight for me, not even Jase, so that means it'd be a few days." She looked up at Zep. "Just think for a second how the humans would take it if some beasts demand a fight to the death between an iliri and a human, only days before they try to come to a diplomatic agreement. The humans would be so offended that we'd all be blocked. Dom and the Anglians? They'd have no option but to head home."
Zep sighed and leaned back in his chair. "How do you see all of that so easy, Sal?"
She shrugged. "A few years of crawling around in Blaec's head. Dom, tell her I said no. I'm not pressing charges, either."
"What?" Zep surged to his feet.
Sal grabbed his hand weakly and pulled him down. "We all know what happened. I don't need a court to make my decisions for me. If I press charges, they'll make this about my love life, and you know what a mess that is. Considering I was all over Blaec the other night? That won't end well."
"The poison, though..."
"No. We can't prove that - not really. The grauori got it all out of my system. It's our word against theirs. I don't even know how they slipped it to me.” She gently squeezed his hand. “There's nothing there, Zep. Tomorrow or the next day, I'll be back in training with them. We need to play this close. We need the treaty more than anything else right now, ok? Until we know we can get Viraenova, we need the Conglomerate to bring in Myrosica. That's all there is to it."
"I don't like it either Sal," Dom said. "I'm going to demand that they move you to a new unit."
She paused, slowly looking up at him with a devious smile. "Actually, that's not a bad idea, Dom, but not like you think. Ask. Make it a pretty public thing, too. I'll refuse and tell you to keep your nose out of the Conglomerate's business."
He looked at her for a moment, then chuckled. "OK, you have a point. I see where you're going with this."
She nodded slowly, the plans running through her mind. "Warn the Shields. Maast… and Rragri. I may need to have a bit of a spectacle with her."
Zep patted her hand. "I don't think she'd mind that. It'd be amusing to her, and I see where you're going. You hold off a grauori, she shows her respect for you..." He thought about it for a long moment. "How you gonna end it without one of you submitting?"
"If, say, Dominik broke us up, or we fight to a draw," she suggested. "According to customs, Dom is her equal. He could make us stop without causing a problem of rank."
"And how am I going to stop the Kaisae and Orassae in a fight?" Dom asked.
"Yell really loud," Sal told him.
Zep clenched her fingers a bit tighter. "I'm not ok with you going back to Azure, though."
"It's not your choice," she said, holding his gaze.
Zep looked down. "I know. I'm still not ok with it. They did this once. They'll think they got away with it."
"True, but while I was laying there, I couldn't do much besides think. The toxin they gave me? It didn't cloud my mind that badly, but it stopped my body." She paused to let that sink in. "I realized something really important. How many elite units does the Conglomerate have?"
Zep looked at her strangely. "Ten now that the Blades are gone."
Sal nodded, her eyes never leaving. "How many of us are there?"
"Ten. What are you getting at?"
A devious smile began to lift her lips. "Make sure you learn everything you can. Every trick, tactic, story, and bit of history they'll share. We know some units are bigger, others smaller, but figure out why, how they got those permissions, and every single thing about them. Remember it like an iliri, Zep. Store it; seal it. I know you can do that."
His mouth hung open. "Damn, they really fucked up this time."
"What?" Dom asked confused.
"They just gave us the keys to the Kingdom, sire." He laughed. "They fucking have no idea what we are, and they just gave us every last secret the Conglomerate has. This country relies heavily on the elites. Each unit has its own way of handling things, and that's what sets us apart. Our tactics are unique - and often unprecedented."
Dom nodded, quickly realizing the implications. "And they just gave you the means to learn it all."
Zep laughed, bobbing his head. "If they ever come against Anglia, they won't have a chance. Not only that but with the memories we're all packing in, we can steal their tactics and use them against Terric. That's the last thing he'd expect, especially coming from Anglia. You've been known to fight in a very old, traditional style."
"Yeah, antiquated. Standing across the line waiting to die," Sal said.
"Right. So adding the grauori, then using elite tactics with the greens? You'll break most anything they toss at you with ease. The Conglomerate just gave us decades of training with this lovely little tantrum."
Sal made a dismissive noise. "If the other elites as bad as Azure, they already didn't stand a chance, but yeah. Zep just basically laid out what I was thinking. Shit, the Shields are better than anything I've seen here, Dom, and they're still finding their own way. Go on. Go tell the rest. I'll be back at work tomorrow."
Dom didn't budge. "So, you're ok with dropping it, Sal? I mean, we both know it's the best way to play this, but are you really ok with it?"
"Yeah. I couldn't give a shit about this place right now. I just want to make sure things are set up for me to go home."
The King nodded and leaned over the bed, kissing her forehead gently. "Be safe, Kaisae. I'll have Ilija relay anything we need from now on, ok? Next time I come visit, I'll bring you flowers. I'm surprised no one else did." With that, the King slipped out of the room.
For a long moment, Zep just sat there, sliding his thumb across the back of her hand. "You scared the shit out of me, you know that?" Zep asked softly. "And I thought about flowers, but it's kinda a human thing."
She waved off the idea of flowers, knowing that wasn't what was really bothering him. "I'm sorry, man. I woke up, and couldn't open my eyes. I realized it wasn't just a bad dream when the dumb-ass pulled my pants off."
Zep's eyes flicked between hers. "You have a v
oice that can wake, well," he chuckled, "a whole kingdom. I think you hit every grauori out there. I about hit the roof in my room, and was moving before I was really awake."
Sal looked at him strangely. "They're running linked?"
"Yeah. Through Roo. Rragri demanded it when she heard we'd become a target. Good thing, too. You had four healers on you."
Sal groaned. "I remember something about that. Minds all over my head, and damn. You ever had more than one heal you?"
"Nah. Never get that fucked up, kid."
"Well, let's just say the vertigo gets a lot worse. I wasn't sure if that was the drugs or the heal. Were the pups there?"
Zep chuckled. "Raast healed you, demon. Risk said it's like nothing he's seen before. The little whelp said the grauori were doing it wrong, and she fixed it."
"Ah, ok. That makes more sense. I thought I felt her." Sal touched her temple. "But they shouldn't have control of their abilities yet, I didn't think."
Zep just shrugged. "Risk is asking about them. Hwa and Roo were shocked, too. Shift and Risk think we healed them too much the first day."
Sal stared into the distance for a moment. "If Raast is healing, then what is Rhyx doing? If Raast is that strong?"
Zep shrugged. "No idea. They aren't quite like the other grauori either if some of the things I've been told are true."
"How so?"
"Well, they're about ten weeks now, and their language is really good. It's not just that, but also their logic. They're acting more like four-month old pups, one of the females said. They spend more time standing. Rhyx is doing amazing with her hands - all four of them. I guess she's supposed to be clumsy still at this age."
Sal chuckled. "She's working door knobs. Told me she can reach them. I guess you all need to be sure to lock your doors when you have company."
Zep laughed at that. "No worries there. Geo's spent some time at the brothel, but I think that's it. None of the rest of us have any interest." He looked away for a moment, thinking. "Sal?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm probably out of line, so don't take this the wrong way, ok?"
She tilted her head to the side and nodded.
"You're going back to Azure tomorrow. The rest of the guys, they're deployed. In the area, but still in the field. Devil Dogs are the only ones still bunking in the barracks."
"Yeah. That's why you were closest last night."
He nodded. "Yeah. So sleep with me? I mean, I got a bed big enough for two, and if they try that again, I'll be right there." He chuckled. "I hope you know what I mean. Damn. I'm just sayin' - "
Sal lifted a hand to halt his embarrassed explanation. "I got ya. Same bunk, someone to watch your back." He relaxed, and she rubbed his arm. "Yeah. It's a good idea. If they think this worked, they'll try it again, and there's no way they can get both of us."
"Ok. I'll ask Jase and Blaec. I mean, it's your call, I know that and all, but I don't want things to be weird."
The smell coming off him made her giggle, but she ignored it. "I understand. You don't snore, do you? I hate it when humans snore."
Zep shrugged. "I dunno, kid. Tell me in the morning."
"Oh no. If you snore, I'll be waking your ass up."
With that, Zep stood and kissed her head gently. "I've had you long enough. Cyno won't admit it, but he's been worried." He brushed a hair from her cheek. "You two have a good thing, you know that? I don't know what it is - "
She grabbed his hand before he could leave. "He's always in my head, Zep. I mean always. Conscious, unconscious. Always. Blaec's not like that which is why he's Dernor, and Jase is Ahnor."
"And that's not awkward?"
Sal gave a little shake of her head. "You're the only other one that knows." Then she met his eyes, oddly pleased that he didn't look down. "I mean, always. We burned the link open between us."
His head slowly tilted, but he was smiling. "I'm a little jealous actually, demon. I always thought what the iliri had was good, but that? Yeah. That's the kind of thing, well..." He sighed. "That's why I can't touch a human."
"There's a downside," she warned him. "If one of us dies..." Her eyes shifted to the far wall. "Cessivi, that's what it means, Zep. We share everything. Even death."
"Then we make sure it's when you're a very frail, old iliri, Sal. Ain't nothing stopping either of you before then, ok?"
Sal nodded. "I just thought you should know."
Silence hung for a moment. "It's just to sleep, kid. I'm not brave enough to get between the two of you. I'm just taking care of my Kaisae. Now, I'm gonna send your men in."
"Just let me know when you stop telling yourself that, ok?" she called after him.
Chapter 13
The next morning Sal was waiting in the practice arena, early. Very early. Her weapons were stored across her body. The steel knives had been replaced by ceramic ones, her black and white sabers lay sheathed at her back. Nineteen blades total. Raj walked up behind her - and she smiled.
"Back for more bitch?" he asked.
"More? You make it sound like you got something the first time." She stepped toward him, and Raj tensed. "I like it rough, though," she said, leaning toward his mouth.
He shoved her back. "Fuck no, scrubber. I don't fucking trust you."
Sal shrugged, unable to stop the evil smile. "You heard about the charges yet?"
"No. Trax said there's no way they'll find me guilty."
"He's right." She crossed her arms and lifted one white eyebrow. "I told them to drop it." The stunned silence made her want to laugh.
Getting nothing else from him, she moved back to her position in the ranks. Soon, the others began to arrive. All of them looked at her in shock, but no one said a word. Sal was standing at an easy parade rest when Drago Trax arrived. He looked around at the men milling in the arena.
"Lieutenant Luxx, what do you have to do with this?" he asked.
"Nothing sir. You told me to be early. Here I am."
"Fucking bitch," Raj muttered.
"Leave it, Raj," Drago said. "You're in enough shit as it is."
"Sir?" Sal asked politely.
"What?"
"I wanted to make sure you knew that the charges had been dropped."
The Captain of Azure Silence eyed her warily. "Why?"
Her smile slowly showed itself. "It suited me."
"Not good enough, soldier. Why'd you drop the charges? I got my ass chewed over that shit, and you just dropped it?"
"Yeah. I think that pretty much covers it."
"No, not nearly. Spill it."
She turned her head slightly and held his gaze. Her face had become as cold as ice. "You don't have the clearance," she said flatly. Behind her, Wyra chuckled.
Trax jerked his head away, settling on his first officer. "Enough of this shit. Raj, take them through the drills. I want every last one of them in a good sweat before lunch, you hear me? We work as a unit, iliri. Learn to play well with others, or we'll cut you. Ain't many elites taking in new men right now either."
Obediently, Sal fell into the formation and followed the orders Raj screamed at them. Over and over, he called them through both stances and changes in formations - and sometimes both at once. When the humans began to tire, he slowed the call until they caught their breath again. After the millionth formation change, Sal found herself drilling next to Wyra.
They synchronized their movements without effort. Thrust, parry, block. All of them were performed as fluidly as dancing. Raj noticed and yelled for the humans to take a break, calling for Sal and Wyra to continue. He increased the speed of the commands, one word barely out of his mouth before he was screaming the next, yet the iliri never faltered. He called about faces, turns, pivots, and more stances, and the pair moved as one. When his voice began to grow rough, he finally called them to a halt.
"Take a break. You get fifteen minutes. Someone pass me some water, damn it."
Sal and Wyra moved to the side, well away from the humans, and sat in the dust. Wyra
looked to the ground before he dared to raise his eyes and ask, "What is it about you?"
All she could do was shrug. "We don't know. Roo said it’s because I am Kaisae."
He nodded, mulling that over. "I've never hit all of them that easily before. I certainly was never able to match my partner like that."
Sal chuckled. "Synchronized movements work both ways, Wyra. I have to match you as much as you need to match me."
"It's Reko, by the way. I know we didn't meet so well, but that was a year ago. I'd almost started to believe I was the only one."
Her animosity toward the pure iliri man began to fade. "After these last few days here, I can see why you thought challenging me was a good idea."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"They don't exactly make you feel welcome, do they?"
Reko chuckled. "No. No, they really don't."
"Blades weren't like that,” she told him. “I couldn't imagine an elite being treated like this. I mean, we all dreamed of it. You work hard enough, you get in, you get some privileges. Not here."
"What was it like in the Blades, Kaisae?"
At the sound of her title, her head twitched, but she ignored it. "Just Sal. And it was like a family. Oh sure, we put on the show in public, but between us, it was just a family. We still are, you know."
"You can't get to see them much, not with the way they spread you all out."
"We don't have to see each other. Don't you know about a link?"
Reko looked at her blankly.
"Maast. Seriously? You have no idea what I'm talking about?"
He shook his head.
She glanced at the ground, thinking about how to explain it. "We hear each other," she said pointing to her head. "The grauori, too. Come see me tonight, when we're dismissed. We'll fix you up. No iliri should be without a link."
"Does it hurt?" he asked.
"Nah. Think of it as a hub with spokes." Sal drew a crude example in the dirt. "The linker is the hub, and the rest of us are at the end of the spokes. You get more than one linker, and we can cross between groups. Everyone attached to that linker can talk among themselves, but not to the rest. At least not without our linker sharing the thought to the other pack."
