Defiance (Rise of the Iliri Book 3)

by Auryn Hadley

  "The grauori," Ricown said, finally speaking up. "Gramma always said I'd never believe the things she grew up with. She talked about them, but I never... Maast." Ricown looked up at them. "We need Rragri. She can get Viraenova for us."

  Ilija looked at all of his men. "Which of you does the best with the grauori?"

  "That's me," Caein said. "Made some friends over there."

  "Ok. Run over and explain the deal to her. The whole deal, man, Sal and all of it." Ilija glanced up at Dom to make sure he wasn't out of line. The King nodded his approval. "See if she can get Viraenova to support what we want to do. She should have an answer for you before you'd expect it."

  "Got it, sir," Caein said, saluting before he ducked out of the tent.

  "And you, sire, had better figure out how you plan to work the government of this new thing you're making," Ilija pointed out, "because this is going to get very confusing, very quickly.

  "I already have that figured out. Three people, three rulers. I'd planned it with two, but adding the iliri won't be much different."

  "And if any of you even breathe a word of this to any of those damned Blades, I'll demote you to private and put you in the archers," Ilija threatened.

  The Verdant Shields grinned at him, shaking their heads in promise.

  "Ok. Then we're good. Vanja, go find Dom's girl and tell her to get back here. The rest of you, tell the men we're breaking camp in the morning and heading back to Dorton. I'll make sure the Blades and grauori know."

  "Yes, sir!" the men replied, scampering to do as they'd been ordered. When they left the tent, Ilija turned back to the King.

  "I thought you knew, Dom. I'm sorry. I should have known better, but I thought you knew and just didn't care."

  Dominik shook his head. "No. She explained that we couldn't become like Terric, but I had no idea what they were doing. How'd you figure it out?"

  "Jarl. Your page I mean. Sal gave him a weapon. She said he'd earned it for his bravery today, but she gave him her offhand weapon. The kid said when he grew up, he wanted to be a Verdant Shield, and I said I'd train him how to use it." He paused. "Jase told me later – when Sal and the page were gone – that it's a pass, not just a reward. The kid's part iliri, sire. Sal gave him a free pass into the Black Blades, and he's wearing it on his belt."

  "Shit," Dom whispered. "Shit, she told me. Before the first battle, she told me I had some iliri. The page, that's my sister's boy, so he has it too."

  Ilija chewed at his lower lip. "When he's older, sire, I'd be happy to have him in the Shields, but he'll have to earn his way in. The Blades don't work like that, but if he joins them, they'll change him. He'll never be a human again. Jase made that very clear."

  Dom tapped his fist against his lips. "Sal knows who his dad is. If I could figure that out, it'd make things so much easier."

  Ilija turned his eyes to the floor. "I know, sir. There must be a good reason you don't know."

  Dominik seemed to ignore that. "He's my heir. Well, he would be, I mean. Shit, Ilija. None of us are perfect, and Nica's always been a hellion." Dom laughed, and Ilija shifted awkwardly. "I could believe she's as bold as Sal. Nava will be the same. Fuck, I'm going to have to keep a close eye on that one."

  "Yes, sire." Ilija muttered.

  "When I saw the Terran holding him today," Dom continued on, unaware of Ilija's awkwardness, "I thought I was going to lose it. I thought I was going to lose him. I love that kid, ya know? I wish I knew who his father was. I'm sure he has a good reason for not claiming him, but damn. I'd do anything to make it work."

  "It wouldn't help them much unless he was a noble, sire," Ilija muttered.

  "I'd fucking ennoble the man right now! I have lands to bestow. I have titles to give out. Fuck, Ilija. It makes so much sense now that I've met Sal. Nica's part iliri." Dom laughed. "She chose her mate, she refuses to tell us, and she doesn't give a damn what happens to her. My title protects her and the kids. I wouldn't have it any other way, mind you, but damn. The man that she's got her eyes set on, he's got one hell of a fight on his hands to tame her."

  "Women like that don't get tamed, Dom."

  Dominik had opened his mouth to continue, and closed it slowly, looking at Ilija. "You know too, don't you?"

  The Colonel shrugged.

  "Sal said it's an iliri thing. She said she can't tell what she's learned by chance. What's your excuse."

  Ilija reached out for the bottle Dominik was still holding, and the King passed it to him. He took a long swallow before leaning back into the chair. First, he looked at the King, then took another long pull at the neck of the bottle, his throat bobbing as he gulped the liquid.

  "Something happened today, didn't it?" Dom asked.

  Ilija rested the bottle on his thigh. "Sal put the Shields into a link. They showed us how it works and even prepared us for what they call a battle meld. Sal beat the shit out of their human, Zep, and she frenzied in our heads. We all share it. When the linker opens us up, we share everything that happens."

  Dominik's eyes narrowed. "So something came across the link?"

  "Yeah, you can say that. When that man held the sword to Jarl's throat, it just slipped."

  "What are you saying?"

  "I was terrified, sire," Ilija breathed. "I thought they'd kill him. I saw him laying there across the pommel, and before I could do more than scream his name in my head, they locked me down, but that's all it takes in a link, you see. A hint of a thought from one person is shared with all of them. Every one of them knows."

  Dom leaned over his knees, refusing to look away. "Ilija?"

  The Colonel took another drink from the bottle, sucking back the last dregs of liquor. He looked at it and shook it to be sure the bottle wasn't hiding anymore, then sighed. "I thought I was about to watch my son get killed, sire."

  The silence hung between them. Ilija stared at the bottle hoping it would magically find more liquor to hide his shame, and Dominik stared at Ilija. Without a word, he rose from his seat and crossed the small tent. The King opened a crate beside his desk and dug inside. A moment later, he returned to his chair and pressed a black glass bottle into Ilija's hand.

  "You gonna tell him?"

  Ilija shrugged. He looked up at Dom and wiped away a tear. "I can't. Sire, it's a hanging offense, you know."

  Dom smiled gently. "I have a feeling that offense will be pardoned. Keep trying, soldier."

  "That's the other part. When Nica told me, that's when I enlisted. I grew up there, you know? My dad was one of your dad's guards."

  Dominik nodded, gesturing for him to open the bottle.

  "When Sal came here, I was a Sergeant. I didn't even have enough rank to warn you about the Terran envoy. The damned guards at your door outranked me."

  "And then Sal happened," Dom said. "She has a way of doing that."

  "Yeah, she really does," Ilija agreed, working at the cork. "When we get back, Sal's promoting me and stepping down. You know that, right?"

  The King nodded.

  "Yeah, well to celebrate, I wanted to see if that would be enough for Nica. I mean, I'm not a noble, but, it's as good as it gets, ya know?" The cork popped out of the bottle, giving Ilija's words an exclamation point.

  Dom leaned back and let out a hearty sigh. "I always thought you looked familiar. So you grew up with us. You can't be more than a few years younger than me."

  He shook his head. "No, sire. Two years."

  "So you've been a soldier for fifteen years. Damn, Ilija, I don't want to lose you as the Sergeant at Arms."

  Ilija looked confused. "Why would you, sire? I've worked hard to get here. I don't plan to give it up anytime soon."

  Dominik just chuckled. "Then who is going to oversee your lands?"

  Ilija's eyes widened.

  "I was serious. If I just knew who it was, I'd ennoble him. You're getting a damned title. All I ask is that you claim the boy. Marry Nica, don't marry her, that's between you two, but claim the boy."

  "B
oth of them," Ilija agreed. "I've wanted to for so long. Dom – I mean, sire – you don't know how much it hurts to have your son call you Colonel."

  Dom patted Ilija's knee. "No, I don't." Then he smiled. "Pass that bottle, man. If you aren't going to drink it, I sure am. I can't believe it's you. All these years, and it's you. Damn."

  "I am sorry, sire."

  "Oh stop with the Kinging already!" Dom said. "You've been fucking my sister for fifteen years. I think you can leave that be already."

  Ilija finally chuckled. "Fair enough. I'm still sorry. I was just a stupid boy, and I didn't think beyond the moment."

  "That's how we all are. You did the right thing, though, as much as you could. How can I hold that against you?"

  Ilija shrugged. "How do I tell him?"

  Dominik countered by changing the subject a bit. "You gonna marry her?"

  "Yeah." Ilija smiled at the King. "I want to. If she'll have me, I sure want to."

  "Ah, she'll have you. Jarl's been hoping his dad would be someone like you or Blaec, ya know that?"

  "No. I figured he'd want someone like you or one of the nobles."

  "Nah. Said when he grows up, he's going to be a soldier. He's sure that his dad was a soldier. Kid's right, too."

  Ilija's head snapped toward Dominik. "Do you remember his exact words?"

  "Not really. Why?"

  "Try?"

  Dom leaned back, thinking. "He said, 'my dad's gonna come, you'll see, and he's a great soldier. The greatest. No one will be laughing when my dad comes."

  "When did he say this?" Ilija pressed.

  "A few days ago. He was trying to impress the other pages outside the tent, and I could hear him through the walls." Dominik leaned forward. "Why?"

  "Fuck," Ilija grumbled. "They knew. Dom? You know how the Blades all seem to do amazing things?"

  "Yeah? You're jumping around on me again, Colonel."

  "You know they can hear each other's thoughts. That's the link. Sal can change shape, Jase reads people with a touch. You know about that?"

  Dominik nodded, hearing the urgency in Ilija's voice.

  "Do you know what LT does?"

  "No. Should I?"

  Ilija nodded. "He can see glimpses of the future. He said it never really makes sense until after the fact, but sometimes he gets enough to change things. In Sal's first mission, he warned her about choosing a horse or something. If she took one, she'd die, but if she took another, things would work out fine. She took the other. LT saw it and warned her, and it made sense to her when it happened."

  Dominik bobbed his head, still confused.

  "Jarl's part iliri. Sal gave him the damned dagger, and he's foretelling the future. They know. The iliri know about him. How does that fit into your three kingdom plan?"

  Dominik paused for a moment, then chuckled. "A lot better than you think. I'll make you a deal, Ilija. You claim the boy, and I'll name him as my heir – and change the laws. Nava can be yours. They're as human as any Anglian, and if they're showing it, who knows how many more will? It's hard to hate a people when you share blood with them." Dominik grinned. "I'm so glad it's you. Damned Ilija. I'm really glad it's you."

  A scratch at the tent startled them both. Ilija and Dom traded glances. "Come," Dom called. The woman from before walked tentatively into the tent.

  "I was told you wanted to see me, sire," she said, glancing at Ilija.

  "You're ok. Don't mind my brother, he was just having a bad day," Dom told the girl.

  "I didn't know you had a brother, sire." She forced a giggle at him.

  Dom smiled back at her. "Yeah, I didn't either. Ilija, go find something to do and leave me alone for a few hours?"

  Ilija tipped his head respectfully. "Yes, sire. I'll put some men at the door, but I won't promise anything."

  Dominik groaned, but it sounded joking. "Sal's trained you all too well. Ok. Just," he flapped his hands toward the door, "just get out of here."

  Ilija was laughing as he ducked out of the tent. Vanja and Ricown stood outside the door.

  "You still here?" Vanja asked, glancing at the flap.

  "Yeah," he patted his soldier's shoulder. "And I'm going to be staggering soon."

  "You get your ass chewed?" Vanja asked. "I mean, that was pretty ballsy screaming at the King like that, but we got your back, man."

  Ilija smiled at him. "Yeah. I know." He sighed. "I told him. It just came up, and I told him."

  "Yeah?" Ricown asked. "Things ok, sir?"

  Ilija nodded. "He's fucking thrilled."

  Vanja looked between them. 'I'm lost."

  Ricown chuckled. "Drink less, man. Jarl's mother is the King's sister."

  "Oh fuck. Damn." Vanja grinned at Ilija. "Man, I so want to be you right now."

  Ilija staggered back a step. "You have no idea, man. No fucking idea." He was grinning as he walked away.

  Roo? Ricown sent.

  Ya?

  Tell them that Ilija told the King. He's happy and said all is well.

  He gets his pups? Roo asked.

  That's what it looks like – and his mate, too.

  Chapter 47

  The next morning, Sal heard the flap of the tent open and someone slip inside. Grumbling, she snuggled closer to her lover as she opened her eyes. Across the room, Jase leaned his hip against the saddle rack, the corner of his lip tilting up. She glanced down quickly.

  Do na do that, kitten. He is Dernor, it's ok.

  She looked back up to see a soft smile on his face. I thought you didn't care to know about what I do with him.

  Nah, I did na say that. I just did na wanna hear that ya loved him more than me. He shrugged as if that should be obvious. I could na take that, loving ya like I do, but ya do na, so it's ok. And we're moving today. Ever'thing else is packed, but ya had a long night so we left ya for last. Ya have ta wake him.

  Sal looked at Blaec's bare chest, then at Jase again. You gonna stand there while I do?

  Yeah. Jase's smile turned devious. Unless ya plan on screwin' him again, but we really do na have enough time fer that. Arden's tacked up.

  Thank you, love.

  Jase pointed at the bed. That's yer lover. I'm yer killer. He grinned at her. One of these days ya'll get it right. Wake him, Sal. It's a lot nicer when ya do it than when I do.

  "Blaec," she whispered. He tightened his grip on her but refused to rouse.

  Na like that, kitten. Ya know better. Will it help if I close my eyes?

  She giggled and tried again. Leaning over Blaec, she kissed his sleeping lips gently, then whispered his name against them. "Blaec, it's time."

  His eyes opened as he pulled Sal to him, kissing her while his hands slid down her bare back. "What are we doing today, Kaisae?"

  Sal glanced across the room pointedly. "Moving, it sounds like."

  Blaec's eyes followed hers and found Jase's silent form in the corner. "Damn it, Cyno. Give me at least a few minutes?"

  "I can na. I let ya sleep instead. Ya can have her tonight ta make up fer it if she lets me live that long. LT, we saw ya drag her in. She needed the sleep more than ya need her love." Jase shrugged at his commander. "The horses are tacked, and all we have is yer place ta take down."

  "Yeah," Blaec muttered. "You're right. Go on, Sal," he said, pulling her across his body. "Kiss him, then get dressed. You did bring clothes this time didn't you?"

  Jase grinned and held up a pair of blacks. "She did na, but I remembered."

  Sal crawled out of the bed, snatching her clothes from Jase's hands, but he caught her wrists and pulled her to him. "Ya heard yer commander," he teased, pulling her closer for a long and deep kiss.

  Behind her, Blaec sat up in the bed. "This is going to sound very strange, but I can get used to this." He gestured at the three of them. "You're a good Ahnor, Cyno," he said around a yawn.

  Sal flipped through her clothes, finding her shirt, then pressed the rest back into Jase's hands while she pulled it on. "I think I'm the one the most confused
by you two," she admitted. "I'm never quite sure when I'm being rude."

  Blaec waved that off. "Simple answer, you're not."

  "He's right," Jase agreed. "If I do na wanna know – or see – I will na ask – or look."

  Blaec threw his blankets off and staggered to his pack, rummaging in it for clothes while Sal pulled on her pants. "The way I see it, Sal," he said, "I'm pretty sure I know how your parts work, and his can't be that different than mine. I know you're sleeping with him, and he knows you're sleeping with me. I think we both know you love us, and you know we both love you." He dropped a shirt on the floor and dug some more. "Can't really say that I want him judging my performance or anything, but I know that he gets some good reads from you when we're done. I'm betting he knows I get visions of him." He dropped pants beside the shirt and reached in the packs again. "So, acting like it doesn't happen is pretty silly. You've been fair to us. We're pretty clear on where we stand with this." Blaec pulled out socks, then grabbed his clothes from the floor and walked back toward his bed.

  Jase passed her the next piece of clothing. "When ya choose a Taunor, we'll be jealous again, but it will na last long."

  "Ya think she's gonna?" Blaec asked.

  "Ya have na seen it yet?" Jase asked.

  "Nah, not yet. Shit's a bit fucked in my head lately."

  Sal looked at him. "What do you mean?"

  "I got visions of grauori in combat. Lots of them, and lots of iliri faces, and that's about it. None of it makes sense, but that's usually how it goes."

  Sal hobbled toward her boots in the corner. "Let me know when it does?"

  Blaec looked up. "Thought you were giving up leadership, sweetness?"

  "You're right. Not my problem anymore."

  Jase just chuckled. "If either of ya believe that, yer more foolish than Ilija. He told Dom last night, by the way."

  "How'd that go?" Sal asked.

  "Good. Ricown sent Roo a message. It did na tell a lot, but things are good, we know that."

  Sal nodded, but Blaec brought the topic back to leadership. "We're going to have to meet up with the Conglomerate, you two realize that, right?"