Daughter Of Ethos: The Ascension Book 7

by L M Lacee

  ‘Mama, you cry.’ Rayvan said with a little fear in his voice as the twins gently kissed Hope’s forehead.

  ‘Yes, Mama did. But now I am happy.’ Keylan held her hands out for Kardan, who let the boys down and took her in his arms.

  Kardan quietly asked Jarrod as he watched and Dana and Amelia slowly enter the room and stand by the far wall. ‘What should we do for the little ones?’

  Jarrod replied. ‘What you are doing, reassure and show your love for them. They will be clingy, as Peyton says for a little while. But that is to be expected and is why we are all here to help.’

  ‘We will do so…’

  Just then a roar was heard from beyond the walls of the Embassy.

  Helen asked. ‘What is that?’

  Fear was etched on her face as she moved to Kardan, who encircled her with an arm.

  ‘Are we under attack?’ Brenda asked fearfully as Wolf placed an arm around her.

  ‘Carrick!’ Esther whispered, knowing she had heard that sound before.

  ‘Carrick is here!’ Peyton said as every Warrior reached hands toward their weapons. ‘Warriors stand down, children stay still.’

  Darby reached for Keylan. Peyton urgently halted her action. ‘No, leave her, he will be alright with Kardan.’

  Kardan frowned. ‘My heart, are you sure, I do not want to hurt him?’

  ‘Yes, he is not our Carrick now, everyone understand this. He is now the Urnu and he will kill any who moves or gets in his way. He is protection and anger there is no reasoning with him, remain quiet and still.’

  Then he was there, danger and outrage filled his body, his eyes were those of a male on the edge of sanity. The room bulged with his power and Peyton quickly dulled the impact to the building. Melody and Coraan moved to stand in front of Darby and Esther.

  Kate shuffled behind and to the side of Carrick. Peyton gave Netta a nod and when Kate was within reach, she reached out and dragged her behind her and Bendrix.

  Kate’s hands shook as she clung to the back of Netta’s shirt. She laid her forehead against her bloody shirt as tears slid silently down her face.

  FORTY-THREE:

  Waidon sat in his usual chair in the large conference room the governors used when not holding official Coalition meetings.

  He frowned as he looked around and saw the room was almost overflowing with Ambassadors and Governors. To the point someone had brought in more chairs and extended the table.

  When an Ambassador rose and complained about the port being closed, he realized why so many were here.

  After fifteen minutes of fruitless discussions by various people on the ports closure. Waidon was thinking of leaving when Rupart’s link loudly sounded, stilling whatever inane comment another male rose to say.

  With a casualness that seemed forced to Waidon, he read the message and Waidon was positive he saw a smirk before Rupart marshalled his expression into one of concern.

  ‘Governors it appears the Star Daughter’s daughter has been kidnapped.’

  Waidon’s face paled and his eyes bled to gray nothing could have prepared him for this. He stood and in a voice that barely held his fear at bay, he demanded. ‘Rupart, what are you going to do about it?’

  Rupart Interkinn smirked as he eyed his nemesis. ‘Do, why do we have to do anything?’

  Waidon stared at the arrogant fool and said. ‘You have to send out the soldiers to look for her. This is our Star Daughter’s child!’

  Rupart leaned back in his chair. ‘I think that would be seen as overreaction. I am sure the child has just run off.’

  Far too many males nodded and agreed in mumbling voices. Taurene stood and asked.

  ‘Did you not say kidnapped?’

  Rupart gave him a look of dislike, which Taurene stopped himself from smirking at.

  ‘Yes, that was what was reported…’ He spread his hands wide. ‘Who is to say that is what has happened. Perhaps the Star Daughter has misplaced her.’

  Taurene shared a worried look with Waidon before Waidon said. ‘Rupart, the game you are playing is dangerous. It will not end as you think it will.’

  ‘I think your association with the Star Daughter has warped your common sense. You and Ambassador Taurene are excused.’

  Waidon was going to reiterate that Rupart was a fool, when the young Ambassador said. ‘Unlike you Governor Interkinn, I have met and talked with the Star Daughter. And I can tell you what you think you will achieve by doing nothing. Will only end by bringing hurt down on your world. She will not allow this to go unanswered.’

  Waidon agreed. ‘I agree with Ambassador Kassapi. As the Capital Governor you need to send out the City guard, mayhap you can mitigate some of the damage that is going to fall on the Coalitions head.’

  Uthar Jenerika stood and making sure to sound as patronizing as he could, he said. ‘Governor Haffee is once more overstepping his responsibilities in forcing procedures. Governor Interkinn is correct, this is none of our affair. One must ask if this female is the Star Daughter, why is she incapable of protecting her own young. Again this shows she is an Impoef and has fooled certain members of this council.’

  Forcefully Taurene stated. ‘You are wrong and by doing nothing you will bring the wrath of the Star Daughter to the Coalition!’

  Males rose and shouted at him and Waidon. Rupart allowed the shouting for a time, enjoying Waidon’s discomfort. Eventually he called for silence. ‘You, Ambassador Kassapi, are out of order. I expel you from this chamber.’

  In disgust, Taurene walked from the room as Waidon slowly followed. He wanted to speak but realized his words would only fall on deaf ears.

  Once outside, he found Taurene leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

  Waidon stood near him and said quietly. ‘You did well for your first confrontation with stupidity.’

  Taurene pushed off from the wall and ran his hand through his hair. ‘For all the good it did. It got me thrown out.’

  Waidon laughed then said. ‘Do you want me to tell you how many times I have been asked to leave? At least they never threatened you with banishment.’

  ‘I thank you Governor Haffee.’

  ‘Please call me Waidon.’

  To be on first names with one of the most powerful Governors in the Coalition was an honor Taurene never expected when he came to the Capital. ‘Thank you.’

  Waidon asked. ‘Taurene, what will you do?’

  Taurene shrugged. ‘I will comm the Star Daughters Embassy. To see if my Sargann can be of any help. What will you do?’

  ‘I will set my spies to find the child and also offer my assistance.’

  Just then there was an explosion that shook the building. Waidon said as he and Taurene jerked in surprise. ‘I fear we are too late.’

  The doors were flung open behind them and the Governors and Ambassadors poured from the room. Taurene whispered. ‘Nothing will save the Coalition now.’

  Waidon sighed. ‘You believe they are behind this?’

  As Rupart and Uthar exited the room, smiling and talking animatedly with Thanikis and Ian White. Taurene stared at him and asked in return. ‘Do you?’

  Waidon nodded. ‘Unfortunately, I believe there are those inside the Coalition who have crossed a line they can never crawl back from.’

  Taurene nodded. ‘I must comm my Ruler and tell her what has happened and then I will comm the Embassy.’

  ‘Yes, I must talk to my family and also comm the Embassy. I think you had better come to eve-meal tonight.’

  ‘Thank you, I accept.’

  Waidon smiled as he said. ‘Bring your sisters.’

  Taurene laughed as he realized he should have expected Waidon Haffee to know who his sisters were, and no doubt he knew his mother was the ruler of his world.

  FORTY-FOUR:

  Kate had asked Carrick for a few days alone, no one but the two of them. He had agreed, believing like her that the children were safe.

  Happier than she had ever been
in her life, she booked them into a Hutell in another part of the city. For the last two days they had watched vids, laughed and talked into the small hours of the morn. Eaten in bed from room service and made love into the small hours of the morn.

  Last night she had fallen asleep in the arms of the male she loved. Only to wake this morn, to find her mate standing over her with a knife at her throat. She had sobbed out his name several times until he had finally realized who she was. In a voice she did not recognize; he had rasped.

  ‘Someone has taken Hope. Dress we leave.’

  He had dragged her behind him as he searched the city and apparently traced Hope from the dress shop to the building where a great battle had taken place. There had been blood and many dead bodies, most without heads strewn over the floors. Walls had collapsed and large cracks ran the length of the building and still there was no sign of Hope.

  Before they left the scene, Carrick had placed his hands against the crystal walls of the large empty building and hummed. Then he pulled her after him, down into the tunnels below the city. She was sure she heard the building collapse in on itself. Finally, he had brought her back to the Embassy.

  Armed and deadly, his enormous body filled the room as he stalked toward Hope, snarling and growling as he demanded. ‘Who has had their hands on my charge?’

  Kardan answered quietly. ‘Urnu, males kidnapped her. We have captured them and others are dead.’

  ‘Who was responsible for her care?’

  A fearful Amelia and Dana said. ‘We were.’

  He snarled and advanced on the frightened females as Kate and the others tensed. His voice was as sharp as a new knife. ‘You allowed her to be taken and abused!’

  ‘One cannot guard against armed males who have no scent and have an insider’s help to take her away from their guardians Urnu. See how it happened?’

  Thankfully, he stilled at the sound of Peyton’s voice. She walked to him with Hope in her arms. He closed his eyes as he took the details from Hope’s mind. He snapped his eyes open as she placed her sleeping daughter in his arms.

  Her voice shook only a little when she said. ‘You will see to her now, but tonight she will sleep with her father and I. Lott is with Maya. The young all need you, they are frightened. I did not protect them as I should have.’

  ‘Star Daughter, forgive thyself or become what they desire you to be. Fight for justice, not vengeance. You as always are our Beloved.’ He placed his hand on her cheek. ‘I will see to the young, I am sorry you entrusted...’

  ‘No Urnu. If I cannot blame myself, neither can you. No one here blames any but those who perpetrated this heinous act. She is returned to us, so it behooves you to calm and return to our Carrick. We do not need Urnu now.’

  ‘As you say Madam.’ He sighed and took a deep calming breath as the tension in the room dropped several levels.

  The babies whimpered and the young who clung to an adult eased their grips on legs and clothes. His body softened fractionally and his eyes seemed normal once more.

  Carrick looked sadly at Kate, whose head was bowed and shook his own as he asked. ‘Madam, I have harmed my heart. Will you care for her?’ He whispered. ‘I do not think she trusts me now.’

  ‘We will care for her until you can, our Carrick.’ She reached up and laid her hand on his cheek and whispered. ‘Remember, she loves you.’

  With a nod, he and all the young disappeared. Peyton turned to Amelia and Dana. ‘Now you two!’

  They braced themselves for her wrath and instead Peyton hugged them both. ‘We are so sorry, it must have been terrible for you, the fear and terror you suffered. Now I want you to see a Mystic and get some help for this, otherwise it will eat you up.’ She released them saying. ‘Everyone of us knows you did everything you could. It was something out of your control and in fact we are to blame, if blame has to awarded. We became complacent, it will not happen again.’

  Amelia said, ‘Peyton, thank you, we are truly sorry little Hope had to go through that.’

  ‘I know you are. I could not have picked better guardians for our girls today.’

  Dana looked startled and blurted out. ‘Even after all that has happened?’

  Kardan asked before Peyton could. ‘Guardian Dana, what did you do when you found she was gone?’

  ‘Commander, I secured Amelia and the twins with guards. Called for help and flew to search for her until I was ordered back to the Embassy.’

  ‘Yes, and those are the reasons you are our children’s guardian, but if something like this happens again, you will wait. Never go off on your own again. Your death or capture serves no purpose.’

  Pain and regret filled her voice as she said. ‘Respectfully Amahka Elite, she was in my care. I was responsible for her.’

  Kardan stepped forward and as tall as she was, she had to look up into his eyes. ‘Dana, I am not your Madam or Warmaster or in fact any Commander you are used to. What I am is the Amahka Elite, and I realize you are young. So I will tell you this for you to think on and make better choices in the future. Hear me well, Hope was always tracked from the time she left Maikonia.’ He leaned down and looked directly into her eyes as his voice softened. ‘Imagine how she would have felt if they had taken you from us. How would Hope live with that? How would your Madam and your friends and Warmaster?’

  Dana gave a jerky nod as her eyes widened in realization of what could have happened. He stood and said in his new gravelly voice and looked at all who were in the room. ‘So we now learn from this. Remember all of you, we are the whole, not a single entity. This is how we will win.’

  Dana bowed her head. ‘I will, I swear Amahka Elite, Madam.’

  Jorge walked in and Amelia flew into his arms, love and worry filled his eyes. ‘Amelia, my heart, I came as soon as I heard, are you well?’

  She nodded her head against his chest in answer. He asked fearfully. ‘Madam, how is Hope?’

  ‘She is well Jorge, Carrick has her now.’

  He looked at Kardan and said. ‘I am sorry I was not here.’

  ‘What you were doing was as important. It allowed us to concentrate on what we had to do and stopped Peyton from sending out Warriors to bring the ladies back.’

  Peyton nodded and said. ‘Thank you Jorge for keeping them safe.’

  He smiled as he hugged Amelia tighter. ‘It is what I do.’

  Esther said. ‘Jorge dearle, take her to your suite, she needs to rest. Karen and I will be along shortly. Amelia dearle go with Jorge.’

  ‘Kay.’

  Dana watched her friend being led from the room, feeling a little forlorn. Coraan gently touched her shoulder. ‘We will speak later, for now go with Zenerra and Lucerra.’

  ‘Kay, Warmaster.’

  Lucerra said. ‘Come young one, we will show you how Terran’s get over near tragedies.’

  Dana nodded, her throat clogged with tears as Zenerra place her hand on her shoulder. ‘All is well. You made it right, come.’

  Together they left with their arms around each other, something the Draygons had never done before. Kardan was learning how important touch was to them all.

  Netta told Kardan and Wolf as they watched the trio leave, gently placing the unresisting Kate in Peyton’s soothing arms. ‘We hug, we touch, in time you will get used to it. Now I have to shower.’

  Bendrix said to the two males. ‘It is a delightful way to live.’

  He grinned at Netta, who grinned back as they moved from the lounge. Her sleeves were pushed up, showing her mating marks. Bendrix had been most amused when he saw his own, saying his Nanites had decided not to be out done.

  Netta thought it was more likely the Star Child had overridden his Nanites, but she kept that to herself. Knowing how touchy Bendrix was about anyone interfering with his Nanites.

  As the couple left, Peyton held Kate away from her and asked. ‘Kate, how are you doing?’

  ‘Not so good. It has so far been a very scary morn. I woke to find my loving mate, a raving lun
atic who held a knife to my throat, then made me dress and dragged me under the entire city. Who knew there were so many friggin tunnels, and I am fairly sure he collapsed a building with a lot of dead bodies inside.’ She was really shaken as she looked at Peyton while Darby was tapping away at her tablet, and after a second she nodded to Peyton. Sure enough, the authorities were reporting another collapse of a building.

  ‘I do not think I can do this?’ Kate mumbled as she slumped into a chair.

  Peyton nodded and said. ‘Oh Kate ...’

  Trina, who had walked in from Penny’s suite where she and Miko were staying with Penny. Heard Kate’s last words and marched over, lifted Kate’s head with fingers under her chin and sternly told her. ‘Now you listen to me, you are a Terran female, brave enough to get on a space ship. Travel billions of miles to face up to scary Prowlers who are hurt, and then mate a wonderful, loving, truly spectacular male that would die for you. So you stand up for him, grow some balls and get on the same planet as the rest of us. We live with dangerous scary males, in a friggin dangerous scary Universe. And are lucky to be loved by those same dangerous scary males. We are Maikonian females who love and protect our mates, even when they go nuts.’ She leaned over a little, her girth not allowing her too much movement, and said. ‘You are stronger than this weak female in front of me. So buck the fuck up!’

  Wolf found himself next to Jarrod. ‘This is a talk to make her feel better.’

  ‘Yes, it will work. Wait and see.’

  ‘You people are strange and intriguing.’ He gave a small smile as Jarrod said. ‘You have not seen the half of it yet, and it is our people remember.’

  ‘So it is.’

  Kardan at the same time asked Coraan, who had entered behind Trina. ‘Balls?’

  He replied with a twinkle in his eyes. ‘Yes.’ Then he leaned nearer and whispered what the term meant.

  Kardan looked stunned for a moment then asked loudly. ‘Do some have those?’

  ‘No, it is an expression.’ Brenda told him as her face split into a smile that could not be contained. Helen looked her way and let loose her boisterous laugh, which had every female there, including Kate and Trina laughing along with her.