Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2)

by Stephanie West

  "If I could have done differently." Madhava said then turned away from the women looking conflicted.

  Providence didn't know the details, but some sort of difficult dynamic was at play among these people.

  "Sorry." Giselle turned to Providence. "When I arrived on Cadi I was sold by the Jurou Biljana as a pet."

  "Are you kidding me?" Providence asked in shock nearly choking on her sip of water.

  The thought that they could be viewed as something so demeaning was like a punch in the gut. It painted a picture of Cadi that wasn't very encouraging. Here she thought Kagan referring to Giselle as 'Pet' was perhaps an endearment. Obviously she had been wrong.

  "No." Giselle shook her head. "I was bought by Madhava for the leader of the Scelus Cadi, and then stolen by Kagan. It was a good thing because Vigdis was a vicious tyrant who abused his people. I watched him murder his own, just as easily as he murdered the enemy. He used his warriors' families to keep his men in line." Giselle looked at Madhava's back with a frown.

  Madhava stood rigid looking out of the tent as Giselle spoke.

  "Anyway Cadi was in the middle of violent civil war. They were so focused on the centuries long war that it made simple tasks difficult. That is why they use the Toufik slaves for everything. You've seen the hairy people right?"

  "Yes." Providence nodded grimy as she tried to follow along.

  "Well the Toufik, amazingly enough, are willing to put up with even the worst treatment because their planet is dying. The Cadi assumed the Toufik were docile because they never fought back. It wasn't until the final battle where Kagan's men were overwhelmed that we learned the Toufik could fight and fight well. Kagan defeated the Scelus army, but I was captured. Madhava killed Vigdis, his own leader, before he could hurt me, and now the brutal war is thankfully over."

  "He had to be stopped." Madhava murmured.

  Well that explained some of why Madhava worried about Giselle, and also why she forgave him.

  "Now Cadi is working towards unification. Kagan is also trying to free the Toufik as well as form relations with better alien allies."

  It was a lot to get a grasp on. The Cadi held slaves that came from a dying world. Giselle was a pet and Madhava had been part of the enemy under a tyrant.

  "So are you still a slave or pet?" Providence asked in confusion.

  "No, but in the eyes of many Cadi citizens we are not equal. I am Kagan's mate, so that helps. Much of Cadi is still trying to deal with unification, much less Kagan's decree that the Toufik are to be freed. The transition is difficult much like it was in our own history."

  Providence nodded. She'd also heard Kagan refer to Giselle as his bonded, which must be the same as mate. It seemed odd considering how different Giselle and Kagan were. It wasn't as much the physical differences, which really only amounted to a tail, fangs and skin color. It was the sheer size difference that seemed insurmountable. These people were positively huge.

  Providence wondered what all this meant for her. Giselle wasn't a pet or a slave because she was mated to the leader, Kagan. What did that mean for her though? If Kagan freed the hairy Toufik, did that mean she too was free?

  "It’s a shitty situation but going in the right direction. Groups of Toufik are being divided into clans throughout the planet that answers to the regent of the province they inhabit. They still work in their old capacity, but now they have the ability to refuse dangerous tasks and the right to report crimes against them. My hope is that the regents take this seriously. Although the Toufik are mostly gentle giants, I've seen them fight. A Toufik rebellion would be nasty indeed."

  Just as Providence was considering how she fit in to this odd equation, and Giselle explained the Toufik's plight, one of the hairy creatures entered their tent.

  "Oh hey I'll introduce you to Petal. She is Stone's mate. I met her on the Jurou Biljana ship. They don't speak, instead they use sign language. I think that was another reason they were underestimated."

  Giselle made hand gestures to the hairy female who approached with a sharp toothed smile. The female had a giant round belly and sat with a groan.

  "She's pregnant?" Providence asked. She didn't know, maybe they were just rotund. She hadn't had an opportunity to study them too closely yet.

  "Yep, so am I." Giselle said.

  Providence looked at Giselle with an open mouth.

  "Yes we are compatible with the Cadi." Giselle smiled.

  Madhava whirled around.

  "Your warrior brought you on this mission carrying young?" Madhava growled looking ferocious.

  "Nope he just found out today. Why do you think I'm sitting here instead of playing out there?" Giselle retorted smartly.

  "We should take you directly home." Madhava groused.

  Now she knew why Kagan had been so bossy. These men seemed to treat women with kid gloves. It was a bit of a shock going from being seen as one of the guys to being a tiny foreign female in less than a week.

  "I'm pregnant not ill Madhava." Giselle insisted. "They're a bit overbearing, but it hasn't stopped me yet." Giselle cast Providence a wicked smile.

  Petal sat contentedly with the woman peeling fruit and popping it into her mouth as she listened to their discussion. The hairy Toufik offered Providence a piece which she accepted with a nod of thanks.

  "Enough about me and all this. How did you get here?" Giselle asked with a wave of her hand.

  Madhava

  Madhava stood by the tent flap watching the activity outside blindly as he listened to the females talk. He couldn't believe Dagaa had left him to deal with the females knowing full well how he was around them.

  Giselle wasn't frightened by him, but she had been harmed by his hand. Madhava shook his head in shame at the memory. He had been forced to hold her as Vigdis had fondled her against her will.

  Giselle acted like she owed him her life for killing Vigdis. But in reality, Madhava owed her his life. If it wasn't for the small human, he would likely be dead. She had been the one to suggest Kagan reprieve him and all the rest of the surrendering enemy that final day on the battlefield. Giselle kindly forgave him, but he couldn't seem to forgive himself, for one of the many things he regretted.

  Giselle knew how Vigdis manipulated his warriors, even though Madhava never told her about the sister he protected. Madhava frowned as he thought on the sibling that refused to see him. Kore blamed him for their parents’ death. If she only knew what he put up with to keep her and her family safe. He did not expect her gratitude, but it might be nice to have ties to family, since it was doubtful he would ever have one of his own. All he desired was to have a chance to watch his nieces and nephews play, and not just from afar.

  Madhava was pulled from his reverie by Giselle's gasp.

  "They pale ones are building a human colony?!" Giselle exclaimed.

  "Yes. They're called the Miran Sona. They think we're going to kill ourselves off or some sort of mass extinction might occur in the future."

  "Well that explains what I remember hearing, but that's still shitty."

  "Yeah, but I feel awful for Cila. She was forced by her own people to help. Once we made it through the wormhole those overgrown lizards attacked." Providence explained. "They looked at me like I was made of gold."

  "I bet it was because of me. I'm so sorry." Giselle frowned. "The Jurou Biljana probably thought they'd get a pretty penny when they sold you here."

  "It's okay. I hope Cila and Zer made it safe with the others." Providence grimaced.

  Madhava didn't like the fear he saw on Providence's face as she recalled her experience at the hands of the Jurou Biljana. When the medic had told them what she suffered, he'd been beside himself with rage. A stunning blast from a disrupter could stop a charging metcor, it was a wonder Providence's nervous system didn't shut down.

  "So how did they get you?" Giselle asked.

  "When the Jurou Biljana broke into the ship, I couldn't let them hurt Cila or Zer, our people needed them. So I took Zer's weapon
and demanded he stay and protect Cila, while I defended the control room." Providence said.

  Madhava listened in awe. Dagaa was right she was a fiery little warrior. These human females amazed him with their bravery. He completely believed they would fight for the honor to defend their people. They didn't seem to realize or care how delicate they were.

  "I killed two of them before I was shot." Providence said. "I thought I was dead till I woke up on their ship. Apparently they didn't like the fact I killed them or my attitude because they kept stunning me till one of them threw me into a cell. Dagaa was the next person I saw."

  Madhava was stunned the female had killed two of the Jurou Biljana. That was quite a feat.

  "Wow, that is so wild." Giselle replied.

  "You are safe now. No one will harm you here. You have my word." Madhava said as he placed his fist on his chest and bowed to the little redhead.

  The female needed someone willing to look out for her. She shouldn't have to fear for her safety, it wasn't right. It angered Madhava that Providence had been stolen from her world, then forced to protect her abductors, just to save her kind. The Miran Sona should have been better prepared. Providence should have never been forced into that position. Then on top of that the Jurou Biljana tortured the delicate little creature. The fact she didn't break down as she told her brave tale amazed him. If she were a Cadi female, she would be cowering in fear.

  "Thank you Madhava." Providence replied.

  Providence did not cringe as she looked at him. Instead she smiled. Her blatant gaze as she looked him in the eyes again shocked Madhava. She didn't divert her unusual stunning green eyes, the way females usually did when they looked at him. Madhava was instantly enthralled.

  He'd offered his guarantee that Providence need not worry innocently enough, as any honorable warrior would do, but her sweet smile and gratitude nearly had Madhava contemplating the crazy notion that he might formally petition Kagan to become Providence's protector.

  Madhava shook his head. Providence needed a protector but what made him think he was in any position to do such a thing? He was as bad as a young warrior falling for the first female who looked his way. It had clearly been way too long since he'd sought out the attention of the fairer sex.

  Dagaa entered the tent and his eyes instantly homed in on Providence. Obviously his brother in arms found her intriguing as well.

  "We're ready to move the ships back to the capital, Sargon. Are you all ready?" Dagaa announced.

  "This will be a quicker trip than how we got here." Giselle said with a yawn. "Sabin will be excited to see us so soon. Sabin is my adopted son." Giselle explained.

  Madhava followed the females and Dagaa to one of the vessels where Kagan stood waiting. Kagan scooped Giselle up and strode on ahead.

  As they boarded the ship Providence paused and looked around hesitantly. Madhava could see she was reliving the abuse that had happened to her on the ship. Now that she didn't have the strength of her human friend beside her, she seemed more tentative. Madhava could only imagine how it must feel for such a creature so far from home, among giant warriors. To feel like it's you and you alone, against the universe.

  Madhava leaned down and Providence hesitantly looked up at him meeting his gaze.

  "Never again. On my honor I promise you this." Madhava encouraged her.

  Maybe he was a fool, but he couldn't help but make the promise, and he intended to keep it.

  Providence nodded and continued walking.

  Dagaa

  Dagaa watched Madhava's exchange with the fiery little female. He didn't know what Madhava promised Providence but his friend's words seemed to put her at ease. It was odd because Madhava rarely put any female at ease. He was too rough around the edges.

  Dagaa felt a little jealous by the fact Providence was so comfortable with Madhava after such a short time. Perhaps he should have stayed with her and Giselle.

  "Providence we can find some place for you to rest or you could come to the control deck while we travel to Sargon and see a bird's-eye view of the planet?" Dagaa asked.

  "Is Giselle joining us?" She asked looking down the corridor where Kagan had carried Giselle.

  "No, I overheard her say something about a nap. She's been sleeping a lot lately." Dagaa commented.

  "I would imagine she is." Providence cast a hesitant smile at Madhava, who actually smiled back.

  Dagaa raised his brow at the male. He didn't know what was so amusing but clearly they did.

  "I can see you all had a chance to get acquainted. Come, you can tell me about yourself as we travel." Dagaa coaxed.

  Providence seemed nervous to be alone with them. He couldn't blame her. This was a frightening new situation, and she'd already suffered more than anyone, let alone a female should.

  Providence gave him a small nod and Dagaa couldn't help but grin.

  Madhava also followed as they traveled to the control room. In the past he would have tended to business leaving Dagaa to deal with the females that crossed their path, but not today. Dagaa smiled at his friend. This was good thing, Madhava needed to loosen up a bit.

  "The same people that took Giselle, took Providence, but this time the Jurou Biljana broke into the ship to get to her. She defended her kind and killed two of the reptilians. Then they tortured her because of it." Madhava growled.

  Dagaa gestured Providence to a seat in front of the control console, then he and Madhava sat on either side of her.

  Dagaa couldn't imagine such a small thing being tortured. That must have been what Madhava meant when he spoke encouraging words to Providence as they entered the ship. Dagaa agreed. If he had anything to do with it, no one would lay a finger on her in malice ever again.

  Providence was nervous enough. Perhaps asking her to rehash the recent past wasn't a good idea.

  "Well thanks for the succinct report, you grim bastard, but I was hoping to hear about Providence, in her own words, and not about this mess." Dagaa gestured to the reptile's former vessel as he maneuvered it up to about a thousand feet and aimed for home.

  Madhava shrugged. He reported things just like a soldier, short, sweet, and to the point.

  "See what I deal with." Dagaa lamented as he shook his head.

  "Hey don't act like Ismat is going to give you some sort of special martyr status for putting up with me." Madhava looked serious, and then he cracked a smile at Providence as he leaned into her. "Besides the monk already awarded me that prize for dealing with him."

  Providence smiled at the jest, looking more relaxed, her brow no longer furrowed. It was a good thing.

  "So you were saying." Dagaa encouraged her to speak.

  "Well that's pretty much what happened, in a nut shell." Providence said.

  "Wait a second all this happened in the shell of a nut. I thought you were on this vessel." Dagaa said looking confused.

  "No it's a figure of speech." Providence explained.

  Dagaa cast her a wide grin.

  "Oh you were teasing me." The redhead smiled unrestrained, the lingering nervousness dropping from her expression entirely.

  Providence was lovely when she smiled. It lit up her green eyes making them twinkle. Dagaa liked the sight. She shouldn't ever have reason to frown.

  "Don't encourage him." Madhava rolled his eyes at Dagaa as he looked at the ceiling. "The warrior thinks he's funny."

  "I'm hilarious. You just don't have a sense of humor." Dagaa said. "That's why I call him a grim bastard."

  "Tell me Providence how hilarious is it to tie another male's tail to the center support of their tent and then yell fire?" Madhava asked.

  "You looked pretty amusing when the tent collapsed as you raced out." Dagaa countered. "Plus you got me back by putting the bane root in my wash water. I itched for a whole week."

  "You two do nothing but antagonize each other, huh?" Providence asked.

  She looked back and forth between them, a stunning grin on her lovely face. The acrid scent of fear tha
t clung to her, to varying degrees, since Dagaa had found her huddled in the cell, dropped away, easing his own nerves.

  Dagaa was glad they'd distracted her from the awful things that happened to her on this ship. If he had known what those bastards had done before they took off, they wouldn't have lived to see their home. And he and Madhava would have enjoyed the task.

  "Well we gotta do something since we're not fighting anymore." Dagaa replied.

  "We still spar, and I kick his tail." Madhava boasted.

  "Is that so?" Providence asked.

  "Don't fill her head with lies. I knock you on your tail too." Dagaa added. "So tell me Providence, what did you do on Earth?"

  "Well you heard I was part of the military. I was trained to rescue people. My crew would fly into an area and either land to assist or parachute out of the plane."

  "What is a parachute?" Dagaa asked since the word didn't translate.

  "It's a thing that opens up to slow your fall after you jump out of the flying vessel."

  "You did this?" Dagaa asked in awe.

  Providence nodded.

  "What happened if the parachute failed?" Madhava asked looking horrified.

  "If no one latched onto you mid-air, you hit the ground and either died or wished you died." Providence said seriously. "One of the guys in my squad got tangled up in his chute. Thankfully I was close enough I was able to swoop in and grab him before it was too late."

  "Holy Kali female! And I thought Giselle was too brave for her own good." Dagaa declared.

  "Well the main point was to rescue those who were in dire situations. They called us angels which was actually my nickname."

  "What's an angel?" Madhava asked.

  "It’s a mythical flying deity. Some people believe they help god and rescue people in need."

  "So Angel did you also know how to fly the Earth vessels?"

  "Yes and I learned a bit about flying the Miran Sona spaceship before the Jurou Biljana attacked. The controls weren't that different from this ship."

  "Really." Dagaa said. "Well be my guest."

  Providence gave him the broadest smile yet as she swapped seats and took control of the ship. Dagaa watched Providence as she relaxed while concentrating on the task at hand. He too liked flying, so he understood the thrill. Dagaa pointed out a few controls, but beyond that Providence was a natural and quickly got a feel for how the large starship handled. Dagaa sat back along with Madhava and watched the tiny human in her element.