Furcho’s eyes were kind. “Yes, but he died a hero, saving hundreds as the mountainside collapsed and buried half the town.”
Somehow, she had known her brother was gone. Her father’s anguish was too great for it to be a lie. She didn’t know how to ask the next question. “Mom?”
“Alive and well when I saw her last. Your father was so overcome with grief that he was sedated and hospitalized, so I stood with her at your brother’s funeral pyre.”
The great weight lifted from her, and Kyle made no attempt to brush away her tears. “Father said they were both dead and that he’d buried their bodies.”
Furcho clasped her shoulder. “No. Your mother and I saw to it. Your brother’s soul has many incarnations yet.”
She nodded, then gathered herself to cast about for Alyssa. Stars, she was supposed to be guarding the First Advocate, but she was standing here blubbering. She relaxed when she saw her going into the temple. “I have to leave,” she said, squeezing Furcho’s hand and then gesturing toward the temple. “I’ll see you around?”
“Looks like we’re going to the same place,” he said.
Only then did the flash of silver where his shirt was open at the neck register with her. “You…you’re—”
He grinned and nodded. “Furcho, Third Warrior of The Guard.”
“You have, you have a—” What did you call those beasts?
“Yes. I’m bonded to Azar, a dragon horse.”
“Amazing.”
He laughed at her breathy exclamation and nodded. “Yes, it is amazing. I’ll introduce you later, but we need to hurry. The others have already gone in.”
Kyle glimpsed Alyssa in the temple and trotted to follow her down a hallway, but when Alyssa turned to enter the room where a handful of people were gathering, Tan stepped into the doorway, cutting Kyle off.
“This is Guard business, Sparkler. You wait in the hallway.”
“Let her in, Tan.” Jael’s voice came from inside the room.
Even with her war paint washed off, Tan’s glare was still intimidating. Kyle lifted her chin and met Tan’s stare as she slid past.
Alyssa sat at the head of a conference table. Jael, First Warrior and commander of The Collective’s dragon-horse army, stood behind her. They were a striking contrast. A crown of dark, fiery spikes framed Alyssa’s fair features, and though her emerald eyes bespoke a young soul, the room seemed filled with her calm presence. Jael radiated a deadly, coiled power. Kyle found everything about her imposing—her tall, battle-honed frame, the contrast of her wheat-colored hair against her tanned skin, and especially her eyes that were warm summer sky one minute and searing blue flame the next. She would’ve thought Jael completely intimidating if not for the tenderness she’d witnessed between the couple and the devotion on the faces of the elite Guard seated around the table, awaiting her debriefing.
Among the others, she knew only Tan and Furcho. Three more stood around the long table—a stump of a man with dark features and a goatee; a woman who looked like a rubber stamp of Jael, blond and tall, except for eyes that were brown; and another woman whose tattoo on the left side of her face and neck identified her as an Advocate like Alyssa.
“Sit.”
Jael’s call to convene the meeting was simple, but Kyle didn’t think it included her. She stood as unobtrusively as possible against the wall near the doorway and carefully made mental notes. She ignored Tan’s gaze boring into her as if she were counting Kyle’s every breath.
“Although our new army is still untrained and last night was our first battle, we obtained our immediate objective. We reacquired the food and medical supplies, and they’re being distributed to their intended destinations. Many children will go to bed tonight with full bellies for the first time in several months. Our new warriors and their mounts performed well. We had no fatalities and only a dozen or so injuries, none critical.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “However, several civilians died, including Chief Advocate Camila.” She paused for a few seconds of respectful silence. “Also, we did not realize our prime objective. Cyrus, the man who calls himself The Prophet, escaped with the help of his core group of men and apparently some locals lured by his ranting.”
The woman who looked like Jael shook her head. “I just don’t understand how anyone with a conscience could buy into that survival-of-the-strongest dogma. How can the women with them swallow the servitude that cult espouses? They basically view women as housekeepers and breeding stock.”
“They’re desolate people in desperate times,” Furcho said. “The human instinct to survive is strong. This latest series of weather disasters has hit our food-producing regions hard. People are afraid of going hungry, and fear often overcomes reason. This self-proclaimed prophet has convinced them that to feed their children during this food shortage, they must join his group and keep the food we do have for themselves.”
Kyle tensed as Jael’s piercing gaze raked the room and settled on her.
“Kyle lost her brother and mother when a mud slide buried their town, and she’s known hunger,” Jael said. “Yet she stands with The Collective.”
Kyle’s insides went cold. She’d given her thoughts to Jael but hadn’t stopped to consider everything she’d see. She didn’t want Jael to know her shame for giving in to her hunger and pretending to go along with Cyrus until she could escape. Everyone turned to her, and she deflected her embarrassment with an update. “Furcho told me a few minutes ago that my mother is alive. He stood with her at my brother’s pyre. I…I don’t know where she is, but she’s alive.”
“That’s wonderful, Kyle.” Alyssa’s face lit up at the news, and a wave of emotion washed through Kyle—something she hadn’t felt in many months. Joy.
Jael rapped her knuckles lightly on the table. “Second, report.”
Jael’s near twin responded. “All rations have been divided and are on their way to the various distribution centers. Word’s traveling fast about The Collective victory, and people are already gathering to receive the supplies they need.”
Jael nodded and moved to the next. “Diego.”
The man with the goatee spoke. “Cyrus has gone underground. We rounded up only two of those who escaped with him. Apparently, they’ve split up and are disguising themselves as locals to leave town in pairs or alone. It’s easy enough to slip out that way. The roads are crowded with people packing supplies back to their villages. They probably plan to meet somewhere else in a day or two.”
“Bring the two you’ve captured to me. I’ll probe their minds for a rendezvous point.”
“One put a gun to his own head when we confronted him, rather than being taken prisoner. A couple of the local peace-keepers took the other to clean him up.” Diego chuckled. “Tan spotted the rifle he carried sticking out from his poncho and jumped out of an alley to grab him. That war paint of hers scared the dung out of him…literally. The peace office is only a block away. They’re holding him in a cell for you.”
“Anything else?”
“Did you learn anything from the women left on the train?” Second asked.
“Nothing useful,” Jael said.
“What will you do with them?” Furcho asked.
Jael looked each of them in the eye. “Judgment is mine on the battlefield. Outside the battlefield,” she said slowly. “Outside of battle, the First Advocate and I will rule together for The Collective.”
Tan shrugged. The rest nodded agreement to this new division of authority and looked to Alyssa for an answer to Furcho’s question.
“We’ll leave them with the peacekeepers here to complete a sentence of community service, helping the people hurt by their misguided beliefs,” Alyssa said.
“If they are judged to be unrepentant at the conclusion of their retribution, then they’ll live the rest of their lives in captivity until their souls can be properly released at death,” Jael added.
Alyssa stood. “Fair to all.”
“We have a little more than fo
ur hours until dark. I want everyone to catch a nap,” Jael said. “We’ll meet at dusk in the field across from the train depot.”
Finally. The room was too warm and Kyle’s eyelids were heavy. She was beginning to think these people never slept.
“Advocate Emilia has lodging for us here in the temple.” Jael gestured to the Advocate Kyle didn’t know.
“Farther down the hallway, a room with bunks has been prepared for you,” Emilia said. “You’ll also find food and drink. The accommodations aren’t fancy but should be adequate.”
Kyle was sure she could sleep anywhere, even on the bare floor, at this point.
“What about the sparkler?” Tan had been silent until now.
“I’m putting you in charge of her,” Jael said. “You and Phyrrhos can give her a ride tonight when we all return to camp.”
Tan stood and stomped toward the door, then back again. “That’s not a good idea.”
Kyle didn’t think much of it either. She didn’t know why this warrior had taken an instant dislike to her, but she’d rather walk alone to wherever they were going than have Tan as her traveling partner.
“Phyrrhos has been a bitch lately, sort of like her bonded,” Diego said, glaring at Tan. “She kicked Bero yesterday when we were gathering for last night’s raid.”
Wait. Were they talking about riding dragon horses to their camp?
“Kyle can ride with me,” Furcho said. “Azar never minds carrying two.”
Yes! She was going to fly on a dragon horse. She’d never be able to sleep now.
“Very well.” Jael stared at Tan, her expression flat. “But starting tomorrow, I’m assigning Kyle to you.”
Tan threw her hands up. “Be reasonable, Jael. I can’t track Cyrus and wet-nurse a sparkler at the same time.”
“She’s going to help you find Cyrus.”
Kyle tensed, a small kernel of fear knotting her gut. She’d just escaped him. She wanted to stay with the army and become a dragon-horse warrior. She and Tan finally agreed.
“Do you really think she has more information about The Natural Order than the female prisoners whose brains you’ve already dug through? Men run The Natural Order. Why would they discuss anything of importance in front of women, in front of her? When I track, I track alone.”
The muscle on Jael’s jaw jumped. “You’ll follow orders.” Her words were a low growl, her glare a blue laser aimed at Tan.
Alyssa closed her eyes, her face a study in concentration as though she was meditating or maybe just trying to shut out the ass-chewing that would surely follow if Tan didn’t rein in her insubordination. Then Kyle felt a sudden sense of calm. Though their gazes still locked, Jael’s glare lessened and Tan’s defiance melted away. Kyle relaxed, too, when Tan inclined her head and saluted, her right fist thumping again her left shoulder. “As you command.”
“Stronger together.” Alyssa’s gentle reminder of The Collective mission salved all of their battle-raw emotions.
Tan turned to Kyle. “At least tell me why you think you can help me find him.”
Her own objections forgotten, Kyle realized she could help. She could identify the people her father kept close if they saw them, and, if she thought carefully, she probably had other useful information in her head. She looked into Jael’s eyes, a calm swath of clear sky, to answer Tan’s question.
“Because Cyrus is my father,” she said softly, realizing that only Furcho and Jael, who had searched her thoughts before trusting her with Alyssa, already knew this fact. Her relationship to Cyrus was Kyle’s secret to reveal or keep. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. “The Prophet of The Natural Order—the man we’re hunting to exterminate—is my father.”
Chapter Two
Jael slipped into the darkened room, pausing to let her eyes adjust so she wouldn’t have to strike a flame to find the air pallet where Alyssa slept. The probe of the prisoner’s mind didn’t take long. The rendezvous point for the fugitives had been too easy to extract, which made her suspicious that Cyrus and his bodyguards were headed for a location not shared with the larger group. She pulled off her boots at the door to soften her footsteps and padded toward the dark shape in the center of the room.
“Take off those smoky clothes before you get in bed with me.”
She smiled. “I thought you’d already be asleep.”
“I need more than sleep. I need you.”
Jael gripped the collar of her battleskin and yanked open the Velcro closure that ran down her back, then quickly pushed the fire-retardant suit and her briefs to the floor and stepped out of them. She slid under the light sheet and pressed her overheated body against the cool skin of her lover. “I need you, too.”
Alyssa’s hands were soft against her face but her lips fierce and possessive as they took hers. Though the clash between The Natural Order and The Collective’s warriors had ended just before dawn, the residual battle lust still burned in their veins.
Jael rolled over to cover her, urging Alyssa to open to her. Alyssa spread her legs wide and pulled her knees up. Jael nearly ignited as Alyssa’s swollen sex, despite the dim lighting, glistened with arousal. Jael’s own flesh throbbed almost painfully.
“I want to feel you against me,” Alyssa said. “I want to feel how wet and hard you are.”
She spread her own sex, her clit distended and firm as though straining to meet Alyssa’s. They fit together perfectly as she thrust and rubbed, slick and hot.
“Yes, like that.” Alyssa pulled her knees higher, against her breasts. “Oh, yes.”
“Not…going…to last.” The pressure gathered in her belly and grew with each tantalizing stroke of her hips.
“Oh, stars. Oh, baby.”
Alyssa softly keened as she came, her nails biting into Jael’s arms. Jael thrust hard, again, again, then let go to ride out their orgasms together.
“More,” Alyssa panted. “I want you inside.”
She flipped herself over and Jael groaned at the familiar position they both enjoyed. She stretched over Alyssa’s back and sucked at her throat as she slid two fingers easily into her and pumped.
Alyssa trembled beneath her. “Feels good, so good, but I need to come, I need to come again now.” She reached behind, her hand open, fingers reaching. “Give yourself to me.”
Jael already had given herself, heart and soul. Now she gave her flesh, shifting so that Alyssa’s fingers found her still-hard clit. She pulled her fingers out and thrust inside with her thumb, curling her fingers so they stroked Alyssa’s clit as her thumb massaged the right spot within. Alyssa’s fingers were firm against her need, stroking with each pump of Jael’s hips and hand. She rode Alyssa’s hand and crested on the wave of pleasure Alyssa projected as she screamed her climax into her pillow.
She collapsed onto Alyssa, the sweat of their exertion slicking their naked bodies. Her hand twitched with the after-spasms that grabbed at her belly, and Alyssa groaned with the movement against her sensitive flesh.
Jael gently pulled her hand from between Alyssa’s legs. “I love you,” she whispered into Alyssa’s ear before rolling off to face her.
Alyssa moved onto her side and pulled Jael’s hand to her lips to kiss it. “And I love you.”
She entwined her fingers with Alyssa’s and they both stared at their joined hands, silent for several long moments. Normally, they lowered their mental and emotional shields when they were alone, but it wasn’t possible to do that while they were still in a city with the voices and emotions of thousands swirling around them. So, Jael, a telepath, and Alyssa, a unique empath who could project as well as sense emotions, ironically had to communicate like any other couple.
They hadn’t been alone to talk since Alyssa had seen Jael pass judgment and instantly execute a spy in a fiery inferno on the night of the army’s chaotic mass bonding with a wild herd of dragon horses. Alyssa knew the nature of their mission. She knew the role of the First Warrior to lead an army of pyros, and they both had hoped she’d come to
terms with the use of force to break up The Natural Order cult and hurl its leader to a fiery exit from this life so that he might make restitution in the next. But Alyssa, an empath whose very core fed on peace and light, faltered when faced with the righteous darkness Jael summoned to carry out her duty. Alyssa had fled their camp—fled Jael’s darkness—and nearly fell into the hands of The Natural Order.
The silence between them now, the struggle for words was deafening. After a few minutes, Alyssa sat up and placed her hand between Jael’s breasts. “Open a little? Enough so I can feel you.” With her other hand, she lifted Jael’s and pressed it to her lips in a brief kiss. “I’ll open my thoughts to you, in turn, because I know you won’t listen in without permission.”
Jael nodded. They needed to talk about the bonding night, but warriors didn’t talk about their feelings. Never in her many lifetimes had she found any reason to compel her. Until Alyssa. And, since she seemed incapable of conversing like a normal person, she would try to do as Alyssa asked. She unconsciously began to sort her feelings as she slipped into Alyssa’s thoughts.
Filtering. She’s filtering what she doesn’t want me to feel.
Alyssa’s sharp thoughts of disappointment sliced through Jael. She sucked in a breath and tried again. She covered Alyssa’s hand with hers and pressed it tighter against her breast as she exhaled and let Alyssa experience everything as she had the night of the bonding—
Grief, heavy and suffocating, grew with each of the twenty-five pyres torched for the warriors who didn’t survive the perilous bonding. They burned all around her, searing her skin and scoring her soul.
There were so many. Too many, Jael.
The deepest rend belonged to her young protégé. Irreparably injured, she had begged a warrior’s death. It ripped out a piece of her as she and Specter granted the request and incinerated the mangled young woman to release her spirit.
Bast was so young. This shouldn’t have happened to her, or to you.
Tracker and the Spy Page 2
