by Jaid Black
But before he could do aught else, before he could allow himself to find the answers, he needed to hunt down the key to his redemption, the woman whose very existence gave his purpose. He needed Kari. And when he found her, he would never let her go.
* * * * *
“We were told your people might be willing to help us.”
Kara gulped a bit nervously as she, Jana, and Dari spoke to the Galian woman on the receiving end of the holo-communication. “We need help the soonest, before the bridal necklaces are clasped about our necks and—”
“Bridal necklaces?” the Galian woman murmured. “Are you speaking of those necklaces warriors wear with colorful gems threaded through them?”
Kara glanced toward Jana. She found the question a bit odd, having incorrectly assumed that all peoples of Trek Mi Q’an understood the ways of Trystonni mating. “Aye.”
“What do these necklaces do?” the Galian inquired softly.
Dari’s nostrils flared. “They chain you for life to a warrior uncaring of your feelings, to a warrior who sees you as naught more than a receptacle of his lust and a breeder of his heirs.” Her eyes narrowed. “She who is clasped will know naught but grief, sadness, and a lifetime of having her every dream and desire denied her. She will be given no independence, granted no choices, for verily she is reduced to the status of possession.”
Kara’s eyebrows rose. A bit dramatic, mayhap, yet effective.
“So will you aid us?” Jana asked. “We can pay you for your trouble, for we’ve bartered qi’kas for credits.”
The Galian glanced at her sisters before turning back to the princesses. “You are royal, are you not?”
Kara nibbled on her bottom lip. “How did you know that?”
The Galian smiled. “I used to share the same name as you, but when I came to Trek Mi Q’an I had to change it because it’s forbidden by the Holy Law for a non-royal man or woman to share the name of a member of the emperor’s direct line. If your name is Kara, it’s not a giant leap in logic to figure out just whose daughter you are.”
Kara sighed. “He will hunt for me, my sire will. I cannot lie to you when you think to show me a kindness. If you are to aid us, we want you to know the truth in full that you might understand the forces we would all be up against.”
The Galian inclined her head. “Your honesty is appreciated.” She smiled, showing off two dimples that further reminded Kara of her mani. The resemblance between the two women was nigh unto spooky. “But to be honest,” the Galian continued, “my sisters and I welcome the challenge.”
“So you’ll aid us?” Jana asked excitedly.
The Galian nodded her head. “We will. However long it takes you to escape your respective prisons, feel secure in the knowledge that Galis will be your salvation.”
Dari’s eyes lit up. “Even if it takes us a year or mayhap two to escape, you will truly not forget us?”
“No. A promise made by a Galian woman is a promise kept.” She grimaced, thinking about a certain promise she’d made and then deliberately broken to a warrior she couldn’t stop thinking about. But that had been different, she reminded herself, vastly different.
Kara smiled. “Thank-you ever so much, kind mistress. Might I inquire as to the name you now go by?”
The Galian smiled. “Kari,” she said. “Kari Gy’at Li.”
* * * * *
Dari swiped at the tears that tracked down her cheeks as she turned around to wave goodbye to her mani and papa. Her sisters stood upon the conveyance launching pad of the Palace of the Dunes huddled together and crying. Even Dar, the bedamned brother she loved regardless to everything, looked as though he might shed a tear for her leave taking.
But she didn’t want them to be sad, not even Dar, so she raised her hand and attempted a forced smile as she waved to them. They waved back, however half-heartedly, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.
Dari’s gaze flicked towards her sire. He was crying softly, trying to pretend that he wasn’t. But she knew him too well, could read his emotions almost as well as her mani could. He felt grief for her leave taking, not to mention powerfully guilty for spanking her, and she didn’t want him to feel that way at all. She didn’t blame her sire, and truth be told she wasn’t even angry at him anymore.
Nay. If there was one to blame it was the warrior holding onto her elbow just now trying to prod her along.
Tearing her elbow away from Gio Z’an Tar, Dari flew towards her father and into his arms. “Do not grieve for me,” she whispered, choking back her own tears. “I love you, papa, and I shall prevail.”
Dak closed his eyes and held her tightly, smelling her scent as he had so many times when she’d been a tiny hatchling. “For a certainty you will come home soon to visit, ty’ka. ‘Tis a vow.”
Dari didn’t know if that were true, for the course had been set and the appointed day would be soon. But she hugged him back tightly and smiled against his chest. “Take care of mani, aye? Do not let her keep a temper with Auntie.”
Dak smiled. “Aye,” he said roughly. He set her down on the ground, his eyes locking with his future son-within-the-law’s who awaited Dari patiently a few feet away. “Go on.” He gently nudged his daughter towards her betrothed. “’Twill all work out, pani. Gio will care for you well.”
She doubted her father’s logic, but said nothing more on the subject. She kissed his cheek instead, then offered the same to her quietly crying mother and siblings.
“Let us go,” Gio said gently as he took Dari by the arm.
She obediently left with him, her head held proudly as she walked towards his high-speed conveyance, but she would not look at him, which pained him more than he cared to admit.
No matter. She belonged to him now and would never be far from his sight again. And, he reminded himself, when at long last they were joined she would never desire to leave him again for ‘twould hurt her just as much as him in the doing.
Nevertheless, Gio Z’an Tar was no fool. As he lifted the princess into his conveyance and took the seat next to hers, he conceded that the next eleven Yessat years might be very difficult indeed. Dari was determined not to like him, determined even to hate him, and penetrating her icy façade would be no easy feat.
But he could do it. Given time and patience he knew that he could.
* * * * *
Dari’s glowing blue eyes found Jana’s as the conveyance prepared for take-off. Her elder sister’s gaze was fiercely determined and Dari blew out a breath of relief at seeing it. Jana might carry the look of their sire, but ‘twas their mani’s unrelenting personality that made up who she was.
Aye, her sister would show on the prearranged day for a certainty. ‘Twas naught to fear on that score. Dari settled back into her seat and closed her eyes, pacified in the knowledge that all would be well.
From beside her Gio said nothing, though he had seen the odd look that the sisters had shared between them. They were up to something for a certainty.
Gio glanced down suspiciously at his sleeping betrothed. He would have to keep an extra close vigil on Dari until he knew what that something was.
* * * * *
If you have not yet purchased this title and would like to support this author’s work, please visit http://ellorascave.com/honorbox.htm to contribute to our Honor Box. We thank you for your support.
Next in the Trek Mi Q’an Series:
Ellora’s Cave
www.ellorascave.com
