by L M Lacee
Jarrod assumed they were finding Peyton’s shield harder to penetrate than they had expected. He knew eventually they would find another way, he could almost feel them searching for an opening somewhere else.
And that meant the weakest of them: the babes within their mothers were going to be the next likely point of attack. It was a weakness he would have exploited as a Master. He realized he had no choice the threat to his unborn children and the children of his world had to be removed. His hearts sank as he saw the lines of power feeding the Elders. They snaked along the floors and walls from the two other Elders who were drawing power from Masters situated around the city.
Behind him, soldiers fell under the blades of the Elites until Kardan and Wolf stood before the outer ring of soldiers.
‘Jarrod what now?’ Kardan inquired as he wiped his blades.
‘Take the soldiers out and then you must take the heads of the Masters and I will nullify the Elders.’
Kardan got his first look at the ring of soldiers and Masters protecting the Elders. ‘They seem to be very committed.’
Wolf nodded. ‘Dedicated to the cause as it were.’
Jarrod smiled at the light-hearted banter. It was hard to believe they were the same two males who had decimated the ranks of soldiers lying dead behind them.
He heard himself say. ‘It is what they do, because they are just that stupid!’
Wolf and Kardan laughed, recognizing the Terran term.
Kardan said. ‘As our mates would say, let us put the trash out. Brother make me an opening.’
Jarrod and Kardan moved two feet from Wolf as he smiled like the wolf he was. He finished wiping his blades, then sheathed one and said. ‘Pleased to be of service, be ready my friend.’
Jarrod rotated his head and said strongly with none of the trepidation he had felt earlier in his hearts or voice. ‘I am.’
Wolf grinned at both males and before Jarrod blinked had taken the heads of the three closest soldiers with one swipe of his blade. Their bodies dropping like puppets whose strings had been cut. Kardan jumped over the lifeless bodies while their heads rolled across the floor and took the head of the first Master. Within seconds, the next eleven lay dead. Wolf had not remained idle, he had taken the head of every remaining soldier.
Jarrod ran across the blood-soaked floor and slammed a hand on each of the Elder’s foreheads. At the same time Jarrod touched the Elders, the other two Elders were killed. Causing the power from them and every Master within the city to surge unexpectedly back to the remaining live Elders and through them to Jarrod who suffered the entire backlash. Sparks flew as he was lifted off his feet and thrown halfway across the room. His eyes filled with blood as his hearts literally burst apart, it was so fast he had no time to regret his actions.
Kardan and Wolf both yelled in surprise and ran toward him, only to discover there was nothing they could do. Their friend was dead.
FIFTY-NINE:
The gates to the afterlife called for him and without fear Jarrod moved toward their beckoning warmth, only to be halted by two silver orbs.
He bowed and almost laughed as he realized he was still in his own body. ‘Amazing!’
The orbs agreed. We think so.
‘With whom do I speak?’
We would assume someone as dedicated as the Kail would know who it is you call on.
Jarrod tipped his head to the side and guessed. ‘Higher Powers.’
Yes, we who are former Kails and Sevnas.
Jarrod bowed deeply. ‘I greet you.’
As we greet thee Kail Jarrod.
‘Why are you here?’
To deny your entry to the afterlife.
‘Is there a reason I am excluded?’
The mantle of the Kail cannot so easily be put aside. We see a long productive life for you, filled with many challengers. Maikonia is to become the birthplace of the gifted. And as with the Star Daughter, they will require your wisdom. For these reasons, we deny you passage to the afterlife.
‘What do you wish of me?’
It would be... Oh, we are too late!
Hey! Who are you and what are you doing to my Jarrod? Demanded a bright, shimmering star that could only be Peyton. Do I know you? Jarrod could see she was vibrating with anger. He quickly explained. ‘These are the Higher Powers, Star Daughter.’
Oh, greetings.
They sounded a little offended as they assured her. Greetings Star Daughter. We are doing nothing to our Kail. We halted his progress through the gates to the afterlife.
I thank you.
Now the Higher Powers sounded annoyed as they stated. He is our Kail!
Peyton’s light vibrated and Jarrod could see she was annoyed again. He is my heart-brother and is greatly loved. I am thankful you were here to stop him going through the gates. It would have been tiresome if I had to go and get him.
They are the gates to the afterlife! Protested the Higher Powers, sounding bewildered by her casual reference to going inside the land of the dead and out again. They qualified their point by telling her. No one leaves from behind the gates of death. This is why we stopped the Kail before he entered.
Sounding interested now, Peyton said. I think I could do it, if I wanted too.
Jarrod quickly stated just in case she thought to show them she could. ‘Thankfully you do not need too.’
But Jarrod, there may be someone who wants to leave.
He could imagine her eyeing the gates as she spoke. Fear vibrated through his needar and he quickly said with a little sadness in his tone.
‘I thought you were here to guide me back to the world and to Trina.’
Well, of course I am.
‘You were late!’
Her light pulsed several times in what he thought was remorse as she mumbled. I was, and I am very sorry for that.
Jarrod tried not to smile as he bowed to the Higher Powers and said. ‘Thank you Higher Powers.’
She is a little intense. They told Jarrod as they started to fade or he did. However do you manage? She seems very screechy.
He heard Peyton screech. I am not, take that back right now!
He came back to himself with a smile on his lips and opened his eyes to see Wolf and Kardan kneeling next to him.
‘Thank the Stars.’ Wolf said with sigh of relief.
Jarrod laughed light-heartedly. ‘All is well. I met the Higher Powers, it was most illuminating also the Star Daughter was there.’
Kardan nodded. ‘She did say she would not lose you and we could have guessed you met someone other than our Star Daughter.’
‘Why do you say so?’
Wolf told him as they helped him up. ‘My friend, your eyes have turned silver and your hair the same color.’
Jarrod pulled a lock of his hair around so he could see for himself and sure enough it was no longer blond or white. ‘It seems they like to mark us.’
Kardan agreed. ‘That they do.’
Thoughtfully Wolf said as he wiped his blades. ‘I am amazed the Star Daughter has not.’
Kardan muttered. ‘Wait until she sees him, then all bets are off.’
‘We can bet on that?’
‘Sometimes you are so much like Reeve, it is frightening.’ Kardan said with exasperation as he sheathed his cleaned blades.
Wolf grinned. ‘I choose to take that as a compliment.’
SIXTY:
There was no more time for Kardan to explain that he was not giving him a compliment. Both Elites unsheathed their swords once more when they heard a stampede of feet ascending the stairs.
Hue hurried in bloody but unhurt. He came to a halt when he spied the three males and snorted when he saw the new-looking Jarrod.
‘Kail, she may like the hair, but the eyes will give her pause.’
An equally bloody Sarn walked in behind him and slapped him on the shoulder. ‘Females like that hair color, but I agree she is not going to be happy about the eyes.’
Jarrod grinned and asked. ‘What is
wrong with my eye color?’ He went to the unconscious Elders and placed a hand over each of their eyes.
‘Silver! They are silver!’ Sarn answered as he looked around.
Jarrod straightened and told them. ‘My Trina will love me, no matter what.’
‘We were not speaking of her.’ Hue told him with a grin.
With a laugh in his voice, Sarn told them. ‘We were speaking of our Madam.’ He looked at the two Elites and asked. ‘How do you feel about silver eyes?’
‘I do not know what to say to that?’ Jarrod said as Wolf grinned.
Kardan stated. ‘I do and no, silver is not our color. Is it brother?’
Wolf’s grin had disappeared as a thoughtful look came over him. Kardan could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he pictured himself with silver eyes.
Kardan growled as he nudged him with his elbow. ‘Brother, are you with me on this?’
‘Oh yeah, sure… sure. I was just wondering what my future mate will think. She may like silver.’
‘More like Reeve every day.’ Kardan growled as two air floaters sailed into the room.
Sarn and Hue helped by Kardan and Wolf went to work gagging and binding the Elders and then hefting them onto the floaters. Kent and Jorge entered as they finished.
Jorge was limping, Wolf looked him over, saw that he was not bleeding and watched as both males did a fast scan around the room.
Kardan asked Jorge. ‘Are you well?’
Jorge grimaced. ‘I am not as swift, as I once was.’
Kent chuffed out a laugh. ‘It was five to one. You were fast enough, you’re alive.’
Jorge nodded. ‘There is that.’
They looked at the two Elites, saw they were well, and then their eyes fell on Jarrod.
‘I am not sure what to say, other than its good look for you.’ Jorge said solemnly as Kent nodded but made no comment, although his eyes held a smile. Jarrod had the feeling that was going to be the response for a while.
Iaan, who had brought the floaters in, walked around the large room. He said in awe as he returned to where he had started from.
‘Seventy five… I counted seventy five.’
Kardan and Wolf grimaced at the count. Kent just stopped himself from gaping at the young Warrior, as impressed as Iaan was. He and the Warriors with him had dispatched more than two hundred soldiers and several Masters. But there had been many more with him, unlike the two Elites who had brought death to so many by themselves.
With a certain amount of awe in his own voice, Jorge asked. ‘Did you count the Masters and them over there?’ He pointed to the ring of headless bodies lying in blood by the windows. Iaan looked past Kardan and Wolf to where the bodies were. His eyebrows rose higher as he counted, then stated. ‘Ninety-nine.’
Kardan asked. ‘Jorge, are the attacks ended?’
‘Yes Amahka.’
Wolf asked. ‘Did we lose anyone?’
‘Heather reported that there are Warriors with injuries, which will require some time in the regen. Other than that, I have had no reports of any deaths.’
Harm walked in as Kardan asked. ‘Harm, how goes it elsewhere?’
‘The Elites took out their targets, Netta and Telfor killed an Elder. I and Rage brought down another.’
Jorge asked. ‘Netta?’
‘Is hurt but alive.’ Harm looked at Kardan and Wolf, and everyone braced themselves. They could see the news he was about to impart was not good.
Harm could think of no easy way to break the news he carried. So he just blurted it out. ‘Kardan, Wolf, Hawk is in the regen he is badly wounded. Dinas and Heather are unsure if he will survive.’
‘How?’ Wolf asked as his face turned to stone.
‘He was cut down from behind by an Elder.’
Jarrod asked. ‘His Mystic Gorin, what of him?’
‘I was told he fought well against the Elder. Hawk was battling three Masters and holding his own. Then the Elder pushed Gorin off the building. Hawk killed the Masters and managed to grab Gorin’s arm. It seems a Master knifed him, while he was helping Gorin to climb back up.’
There were furious growls from the Warriors for the cowardly behavior of the Master.
Jarrod asked. ‘What did you expect from cowards that attack the young and elderly?’
Harm wiped his face as he stared at the unmoving brothers. ‘Hawk killed the Master, and that is when the Elder saw his opportunity and raced across the roof top and stabbed Hawk twice through the back. Rage and I took his head just after his attack on Hawk. I am sorry we arrived too late to stop him.’
Wolf’s voice sounded robotic as he said. ‘No, you cannot blame yourself for Hawk being Hawk. He did what he did and knew the consequences. He would have calculated the odds, he is, after all Hawk, the thinker.’
The air seemed to be sucked from the building. Everyone there felt the searing anger come from Kardan. Wolf placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘Calm brother, let us go see to Hawk.’
Kardan snarled. ‘I have not spent all these yentas missing him to lose him now. He will not die.’ He looked into Wolf’s eyes. ‘We cannot lose him, to lose him is to lose Karen and the baby.’
‘Dearle stars no.’
Jarrod said as he watched Jorge’s face contort with suppressed emotions. ‘And Esther, she will not survive their passing.’
Jorge murmured as his knees almost buckled. ‘Amelia!’
Kardan clamped a hand on his shoulder, holding him on his feet. ‘Come brother, lets us go find out what has happened.’
Jorge nodded, almost too tired to utter any words. He needed to go to his Amelia. ‘Come, my heart needs me.’
Harm said as he looked at Kardan. ‘Peyton, will not recover if we were to lose them.’
‘The Universe my not recover.’ Jarrod let them know. ‘We must go now!’
Kardan asked. ‘Yes, where is Reeve?’
Harm assured him. ‘He is on his way there now.’
Jorge asked. ‘Kent, can you manage?’
‘Go, we will be there when we are finished here.’
Jorge nodded as he followed the others as they ran down the stairs to where Waseo and Frand were waiting in a vehicle.
When they arrived, Kardan snapped out. ‘How is he?’
‘Bad.’ Was Waseo’s brief reply.
‘Peyton?’
Frand said. ‘She has not moved from the suite and no one has told her about Hawk.’
‘Good, we have time.’ Kardan breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Wolf asked. ‘The Embassy?’
Frand smiled as he reported. ‘We flushed them out. Those Warriors from Earth are good, and Bendrix’s people are a nasty lot. They sliced them up without missing a beat, it was amazing. You will want to watch the recordings.’
Jarrod asked. ‘We will, what were they?’
Waseo answered before Frand. ‘Twenty-one Masters, and a mix of Earth and Coalition soldiers.’
Jorge finally asked. ‘How did they get in?’
Frand said. ‘Staff let them in last night or that was what one of them told Bendrix.’
Harm told them before they asked. ‘It was four, the manager and three staff members.’
‘I never liked him.’ Waseo muttered as Frand stated. ‘That’s what Larson said, I thought it was because he was interested in Helen.’
‘Sedeen is leading a team to gather them up now.’ Harm told Kardan.
He nodded, then ordered. ‘Tell him to execute, if they confirm they were responsible.’
‘Done.’
He turned and spoke into his link as they arrived at the Embassy and the Gravatron pulled them up to the foyer. Realizing Jax had not greeted them, Kardan asked Waseo. ‘How is Jax?’
‘Willian and Jean have found the source of the disruption to him. Jean is checking to see who discovered he was not an A.I or comp. She says it has to be an insider that found out.’
Jorge nodded. ‘It is not like we hid the fact, if it was someone on staff…’
<
br /> Frand said. ‘As in the Manager.’
Jorge agreed. ‘Yeah, he would know.’
‘That’s how Jean sees it.’
Wolf asked. ‘So Jax is alright?’
‘Willian said he still has no voice and is furious that it was able to happen. He is apparently busy checking and re-checking everything and is mostly back and will be fully back by late tonight, or so he informed Darby when she asked. Then he told her it would happen faster if they stopped interrupting him to ask when he would be back completely. Needless to say, they are not speaking at the moment.’ Waseo told them this with relish. He was amused at the squabbling Jax and Darby had indulged in. He knew it resulted from fear and relief, and as he told Sonia. For two intelligent life forms, they were behaving like children and should know better.
The doors opened, and all of them ran to the lifts. Seconds later they moved swiftly into medical, just as Reeve and Telfor were helping Netta from the other lift.
All of them looked as though the fighting had taken its toll on them. Netta it seemed sustained more damage than the males.
Jarrod asked Telfor, ‘Are you alright?’
He gave him a wicked smiled in return. ‘I am brother.’ He checked out Jarrod’s new eye and hair color. ‘And you look like you have a story to tell.’
‘That I do… that I do.’
Kardan asked the same of Reeve. ‘Are you well?’
‘I am, Netta got herself sliced across the back.’
‘Furin Elder olesho.’ She cursed then grimaced as she said while trying not to whimper as the wound begged for attention. ‘Truly, it is not that bad.’
Bendrix said as he and Marlo walked from the lift, causing her to cringe. ‘It looks bad from here, my Suula.’
Kardan looked over at them as Reeve passed Netta to her mate. ‘Bendrix, Marlo you are well?’
Marlo told him. ‘We are bloody and dented but no worse for wear, as our Melody would say.’
Bendrix reported. ‘We were attacked by sonic grenades, the Terrans and others were affected. Avana and her Senes are helping the ones affected now.’
‘No lasting damage?’ Kardan asked Bendrix, who shook his head.
