by Auryn Hadley
Pig nodded, impressed. "Looks like it was laid out by the Black Blades," he said. "The entire thing runs like this?"
"Yeah," Sal said. "And this is the peacetime setup. Combat is a bit different. The King and his Shields would be in the center with the aisles a bit more closed off - "
A crash alerted her, and Sal stepped back as a human and grauori dove into the path before them, wrestling in the dirt. The young man pinned the beast, but the beast threw him off easily. Behind her, Sal saw hands slip toward their hilts, and she shook her head, grinning.
"Do it, Sal," Zep whispered.
She watched as the boy pinned the beast again and reached his hand behind his back. As he drew the blade, she yelled loudly, "What do you think you are doing?"
The pair froze and, slowly, both eyes looked up, hazel and white meeting hers. With a gasp, the boy jumped to his feet, and the grauori dropped to her belly. Sal heard feet rushing toward her.
The kid saluted, ducking his head, a white blade clasped in his hand. "Laetus, Kaisae Sal."
Sal saluted him crisply, Zep mimicking her, and said, "You were cheating, Your Highness."
His face broke into a grin. "That's the wrong salute, Sal. Who are they?"
Sal gestured behind her. "These are the Devil Dogs, one of the Conglomerate's elite units. Soldiers, I'd like to introduce you to Prince Jarl Vayu Valmere. Heir to the throne of Anglia."
The Devil Dogs sank to a knee, but Jarl stopped them. "I'm just a squire. I don't get bows and stuff. Save that for my uncle. Sal, I'd like to introduce you to Arrnya, Rragri's eldest."
Sal ducked her head but held the young grauori's eyes. "Laetus."
"Laetus, Kaisae," she replied, grinning. I owe you one. He was about to finally beat me.
Sal chuckled. "Yeah you do. He's getting fast with that thing. Jarl, is your dad around?"
"Been too long, Sal," Ilija said. He leaned against a tent post with his arms crossed and a grin on his dark face. "Where's the Ahnor?" he glanced at Zep.
"Assigned," Zep said. "Told him I'd watch her left."
Sal walked to Ilija, and he wrapped her in a hug. "Good. I was worried you'd replaced him already. You're out of uniform, soldier."
"Fuck off, Ilija. No need to rub my nose in it. I do want to introduce you to Major, uh."
The leader of the Devil Dogs chuckled. "Yeah. I'm Pig. Major Pig works too, Sal, although try to say it with a straight face."
"Pig?" Ilija asked.
"My mother named me Feofilakt Pigaris. It's worse than some of the names the grauori have."
Ilija laughed. "No shit, man. Welcome to Anglia." He eyed Pig for a moment, making no attempt to hide it.
"Sir?" Rayna asked.
Ilija nodded, but he didn't take his eyes from Pig. "I'm supposed to tell you," she glanced at Sal, who gestured for her to stand up. Rayna lifted her chin and stepped toward Ilija. "Sir. I'm a soldier, like you, only better."
The commander of the Anglian army's face split into a grin. "Well, that changes things, now doesn't it!" He looked at Rayna, and his eyes widened slightly before he controlled his expression. He smiled at her again and gestured for them to follow him. "Dom's free now, but Rragri's hunting." He laughed, then stopped in his tracks, turning to Rayna. "Just tell me you aren't hiding a few dozen knives on you?"
She shrugged. "I wouldn't want to lie to you, sir."
He roared with laughter and continued walking. The group turned a corner, and Ilija ducked into the King's pavilion, gesturing for them to follow. Sal noticed that no guards were visible outside the door, but as her head passed through the cloth, she saw why.
Vanja and Dag sat on either side, watching the group. Vanja slowly drug his blade across the whetstone, the sound relaxing. When they saw Sal, they jumped to their feet, saluting. "Laetus, Kaisae!"
Sal hugged Dag, then turned to Vanja. He grabbed her tightly, then released her. "I've missed you, sir."
"Thanks for watching my back, guys. I mean it," she told them.
Ilija gestured for the Devil Dogs to make themselves comfortable. "We're not used to quite this many, but," he waved at the room, "you're soldiers. Dom doesn't stand much on ceremony, so you're welcome to the floor if you like." He turned his head, and called to the flap, "Dom! We have company, sire."
"Give me a second. Who the hell is it?"
"Soldiers. You're good."
Sal heard the King mutter, "Thank goodness," before he walked into the main room, buttoning his shirt. He looked nothing like a King.
Chapter 30
"Sal!" the King said, greeting her easily. "Too fucking long, Kaisae. Who're your friends?"
Sal looked at both him and Ilija pointedly. "Devil Dogs. Major Pig - and yes, call him Pig - and his men."
Dom looked over, flashing a smile at Rayna. "I see. Humans?"
"Everyone of them, sire," Sal said.
"Elites, I assume. They any good?"
"As good as the Shields. Almost as good as the Blades. Give them grauori, and they will be."
"Fuck me. Well..." Dominik moved to the empty chair, sinking into it. "Vanja, bring drinks. Enough for all of us. Mead, whiskey, or brandy? Sorry, I try to travel light. I assume you have questions for me?"
"How does this work?" Pig asked, adding, "I mean, sire."
Dom waved it away. "I'm Dom or Dominik to the elites. No sires needed if you'll forgive me when I forget my sirs?"
Pig chuckled. "Fair deal, Dom."
"It's not as complicated as it looks. Humans report to me, grauori to Rragri, and we're splitting the iliri between us, for now, so they report to whoever is closer. Their ruler has yet to be, um..."
Sal broke in. "I told them, Dom. They got my back a few times, and Blaec trusts them."
He sighed. "Ok. Well, we split them until we can get the alliance signed and Sal recognized. She refused the damned title until we showed her that it's her or nothing."
"I'm not a ruler, Dom."
It was Pig who replied. "I disagree. Never saw anything like that shit out there. I know why LT told me to take a walk with you now."
Dom nodded. "Wouldn't change her for the world, though. So, basically, inter-species problems are dealt with between the three of us."
"So they're segregated?" Rayna asked.
"Militarily or Civilly?" He asked, then changed his mind. "No, let me answer both, actually. Civilly, they’re welcome to mingle as they want. No restrictions outside our agreed upon laws. Things like no murder, theft, and such. Militarily, we encourage them to mingle during downtime, but units are directed by their leader. I'm shit at tactics, so Ilija takes care of it for me, but I approve his decisions. We do this for one reason." He chuckled and looked at Sal. "You explain it."
She took over. "We've found that each species has certain traits. Humans are the masters of defense. This really became apparent in our last battle. We put eight hundred humans in the middle of nearly six thousand Terrans and told them to hold. We lost twenty-one soldiers. They held the line. The grauori, on the other hand, specialize in sneak attacks. They're predators and hunters. If possible, we prefer to use them in small groups, even if it appears to be a large group. Think of it like a thousand elite units working together."
"Fuck," Tyr whispered.
Sal nodded. "That's typically the reaction we get. Rragri's got a mess of them, too. They're swift, agile, and aggressive, but they specialize in surprise. Now, there aren't many iliri, and we're taking crossbreds in that group, but we have noticed a few things about us. We're aggressive. Most of you got to see that last night. The problem is, we don't stop."
"No shit," Rayna said. "You're a fucking killing machine, Sal."
Ilija chuckled. "I take it you frenzied?"
"Yeah. Guys tried to jump us," Sal said gesturing to Zep.
Ilija looked at the Devil Dogs. "Not all of them do it, you know? Just the purest. The grauori do the same thing, but it's different."
"Yeah," Sal said returning to the topic, "but we tend to be the most ade
pt at pushing something when it shouldn't be done. Because of this, we use combined arms. Our humans tend to be in shield and pike walls. They cover the grauori or work as distractions for them. Many of our units are paired."
Ilija nodded. "Verdant Shields work with the Ice Claws, who are basically Grauoran elites. They hold our link and manage our healing."
"You're linked?" Rayna asked.
Ilija offered a smug smile. "Arctic trained the grauori how to pull humans in. Not all of us can do it. We've had a few that just failed to turn on. Zep here said to keep trying, so we do."
"Took me two years to get it," he said. "Somehow Sal made it easier."
"Ah, that explains it," Ilija muttered. "When the Shields linked in, we all fell in nicely, but that hasn't been the case with the soldiers. I'll make sure Rragri knows."
"So you work kinda like we do," Pig said. "Half offense, like my alpha team, and half defense, like bravo."
"I actually stole the idea from you, Pig," Sal admitted.
"Anglia's a long way from home, though," Pig reminded them. His men murmured behind him.
"It is," Sal agreed. "Dom, the Dogs have been guarding our asses since they tried to break the Blades."
"Thank you," Vanja said from the other side of the room. "I mean it, guys. We've been worried sick up here."
"That's not all," Sal said. "They offered to cover our retreat. They're damned good, too. The problem is... they're human. I have no rights over them."
"Shit," Dom said leaning back. "You tell me to jump, Sal, and I start asking how high afterward. We're not fucking stupid."
Sal shrugged. "Rules are rules. They aren't sure what they're doing yet, but they wanted to see what was on the other side of the line."
Ilija sighed heavily. "Worried it's going to get to that?"
She shrugged, and Dominik looked between them, confused.
"Dom," Ilija explained, "worst case, we go to war with the Conglomerate. If we do, think about where they'd be standing before the horns go off."
Dominik sighed deeply, and he nodded. "Across the line. Fucking hope it doesn't come to that, but I'm not giving up the iliri."
"You shouldn't," Tyr said.
"Thing is," Sal said, "Dom, you need elites. They need an offer."
The King gestured to Ilija. The big man smiled and said, "Citizenship immediately, a set of greens - or whatever colors you prefer to use - weapons, armor, and of course, the Anglia triad. Ranks are carried over, pay rates equivalent for cost of living. Housing is paid for by the military, and when your term is up, you're granted minor land titles unless you earn major ones during your career."
"Minor land? Major?" Deron asked.
"Holdings or nobility, basically," Sal told him. "There's a lot of room out there, and no one using it. And when he says housing is paid for, he means for your families, too. We have a small town outside each major base that's pretty much nothing but military families. Basically, this means you get a house while you serve, and a house for serving as an elite. Some assembly may be required, depending on where you want to live."
Their eyes widened, and they all looked at Pig.
"You fucking serious?" Rayna asked. "What's the pay for, then?"
Ilija chuckled. "You ever see the weapons and armor Sal carries around? That shit ain't cheap."
The Devil Dogs spoke with the King a while longer, and then Sal suggested they make their way around the camp, asking the soldiers anything they wanted. Pig thanked her, admitting that their words would do more to assure him than anything the leadership could say. As they slipped out of the tent, Vanja glanced at Ilija who quickly nodded. Vanja laid his weapons down and ducked through the flap.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant?" he called out.
Five of the Devil Dogs stopped and turned. He grinned. "I mean that one," he said, pointing with both hands at Rayna. "Could I have a word, sir?"
She looked at her brothers, then nodded. "I'll catch up. I have a feeling we're safe here."
The men moved away, and Vanja looked at her guiltily, saying nothing until they were well out of earshot.
"Sir, is there any way I could convince you to attend an Anglian dinner?" He grinned. "My partner's mate is cooking this evening. It's a small gathering, and casual, but your company would be greatly enjoyed."
Rayna pushed her weight back on one leg and crossed her arms. "You don't even know my name."
He ducked his head. "Rayna Mel, Lieutenant, Devil Dogs. You've served with them for almost six years, you specialize in mounted heavy, and you're one of the top respected lancers in the Conglomerate." He held out his hand. "Vanja Loka, sir. Verdant Shields, and most of the time, a complete idiot for a pretty face."
Rayna laughed. "You ran a check on me?"
Vanja tapped his head. "It isn't that hard, sir. I asked Sal when you came in. She gave me the basics, but that's all."
"While we sat there?"
Vanja shrugged. "Yeah. I did say I was an idiot, right?"
Rayna couldn't help but laugh. "So tell me about this dinner I'm thinking of attending."
"Um, hang on." His eyes went out of focus for a split second, and Rayna watched his lips move slightly. He gestured, his fingers barely twitching, then nodded. "Do you have a preference on the main platter? Naranna said venison and pork are easiest this season."
She giggled. "No, and I haven't agreed to it yet, either."
Vanja smirked deviously. "Well, then it will be a surprise. Fresh bread, tender meat, and Loryu has a fondness for cheese, so that's my job. They tend to be quiet companions, though, without a link. Neither can manage to wrap their tongue around Glish."
"That sounds an awful lot like a date," Rayna teased, looking at the man before her.
He shrugged. "I was hoping it might end up like that, sir."
"Then you should try dropping the 'sir' part."
He just pointed at his shoulder. "Chevrons." Then at hers. "Bars. Sorry, I got dumped on my ass and my throat chewed the last time I forgot it. It's a habit now."
Rayna's brows shot up. "Grauori?"
"No, Sal." He paused to let that sink in. "We really do need elites, you know. They're not telling you shit, either. Ever since that white bitch knocked me on my ass, this country's become one hell of a place to be proud of."
Rayna's head came up, and her jaw clenched. "Sal's a friend of mine, not a bitch."
Vanja waved her down. "Then you don't know her as well as I do. She's a bitch, but that doesn't mean I don't respect the shit out of her. My partner's a bitch too, and I'd die for her. Isn't such a bad thing around here."
"So you think we should come over?"
"I'm kinda biased, but yeah. Not to mention that we need some more pretty faces in the ranks."
"You do know we can fight too, right?" she asked.
Vanja looked at her blankly. "Yeah. You're an elite." Then he seemed to catch up, his face relaxing into the ever-present grin. "Let me explain something. Grauori soldiers are usually women, and I've been in a battle meld with Sal."
"And?"
"Right, you're not linked. Um, basically, I spent a few hours living in her mind. I saw how she views things. Not just her senses, but her mind. She looks at a group of soldiers and predicts their next move. She can sense the flow of battle, and she's always one step ahead of it. That, and the maast."
"What is that, anyway?" Rayna asked. "She fucking went berserk on us last night."
Vanja tipped his head. "That's what it is. It's bloodlust." He smiled at the memory. "Fear leaves and the desire to win consumes you. All of her senses heighten, and I swear she gets stronger. Jase, too. It's potent."
"That's what Valcor said this morning," Rayna admitted.
"Valcor?" he asked.
"Zep?"
"Oh," he said, then thought about it more. "Oh! Fuck me, that's why he's on her left." He glanced at the tent behind them. "That's awkward."
"What's the deal with her left?"
Vanja licked his lips. "That's where Jas
e stands. Damn." He looked at Rayna strangely. "I thought she didn't do humans."
This time, it was Rayna who shrugged. "He's iliri in his mind."
"Still don't know how she didn't eat him," Vanja muttered. "We smell amazing."
Rayna laughed at that. "Vanja Loka, you just got yourself a date for that comment. When and where should I be?"
He reached out and grabbed her hand, making a production of bowing over it. "Meet me at the flags out front at sundown?"
"And you'll know when I'm here?"
Vanja tapped his head. "I'll ask my friends to make sure I have enough time to make a good impression. You know that's part of the offer, right? The link? It's standard military training now. Just something to think about." He thumped his fist to his chest in an Anglian salute and grinned. "Have a good evening, Lieutenant."
Rayna was smiling when she turned to find her troops.
Chapter 31
Sal spent the rest of the day between the Anglian camp - officially, she was assisting Pig with international relations - and making sure the Viraenovans were being treated properly. When she was finally released for the day, she fell into bed with Zep. Thankfully, the room had been cleaned. This time, the awkwardness between them was gone.
She passed out against his chest and slept deeply. A rustle of cloth was the only hint of someone having slipped into the room. Sal wasn't the only one who heard it. Zep pulled her close to him, one hand sliding under the pillow for the dagger he'd hidden there the night before. He acted like he merely shifted in his sleep.
"Na bad, but I a’ready moved that before I woke ya," a rough but familiar voice said softly.
"He's full of shit," Sal murmured sleepily. "Good morning, Jase."
Zep's finger brushed the hilt. "Too early to be fucking with me, little brother. Why are you in my room?" He rolled onto his back and looked at the assassin leaning against the wall.
"Viraenova is pushing the issue. They would like ta have this alliance agreement done t'day. That means we need my cessivi." Jase shrugged. "Know I'd like it if someone woke me early enough ta appreciate what I have."
