Lacey's Warriors (Bondmates #6) - Ann Mayburn Page 0,1
grown up with Lady Casey on Earth.
So many connections, so many coincidences. Chel’s High Priest uncle would have said the hand of the Lord of Life was busy moving his pieces into place. Chel sent up a silent prayer, asking the Lord of Life to bless his search for his bride and keep her safe. Losing a Matriarch twice, even if the first time was a hoax, would destroy Gwarnon and Chel would not survive his blood brother’s loss.
Lord Rell stopped next to him at the railing. His breath fogged in the snow filled air as he said, “Senior Healer Chel, I would like to discuss a few security matters.”
Bowing his head, Chel kept his features even. “Of course, my Lord.”
Pressing a button on his wrist, Lord Rell activated a privacy shield. It not only kept anyone nearby from overhearing them, but it also blurred their images.
Once the bubble fully formed, Lord Rell exchanged a much warmer greeting with Chel, clasping his forearm. “It is good to see you again, my friend. How are you faring?”
Lord Rell was one of the few people who knew Chel and Gwarnon were blood brothers, but Chel trusted him not to say anything. Not because Chel was ashamed that Gwarnon was his mate, but because Gwarnon’s mother was hands down one of the most manipulative, sadistic, and brilliantly vile women the Lord of Life ever created. It still boggled Chel’s mind that someone as foul as Lady Melissi could have given birth to someone as honorable as Gwarnon.
“Chel?” Lord Rell asked with concern in his deep voice. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, sorry, my Lord. I fear I have much on my mind.”
In a rare show of empathy, Lord Rell gave Chel’s armored shoulder a brief squeeze. “Finding Roxy is a priority, but not only because she is Lady Casey’s sister and key to you finding your bride. I’m afraid the reasoning is much grimmer. Rumors claim the Hive is trying to acquire all the Earth women they can then bringing them back to their home planet. Afterward, they plan on…experimenting on them and have been using slavers to try to raid the Earth behind our backs. If the Hive gets hold of Roxy, we’ll never get her back. Because of Gwarnon’s extensive connections among the smuggler princes, I need him to search for any records of Roxy being sold.”
More snowflakes whirled around the privacy dome, and the view of the orchard became obstructed by snow. “He is working on that now, my Lord.”
Lord Rell gave an absent nod. “Tell him to be very discreet. I don’t want our enemies alerted that there is an Earth bride somewhere in the galaxy.”
“How—?”
Chel was cut off as an emergency message alert chimed through his mind from Gwarnon.
“Chel,” came his blood brother’s mental voice. “I have found Lady Roxy. I need you to get to the spaceport in Moldune as quickly as you can. I’m sending the coordinates now.”
“Lord Rell is with me. What should I tell him?” Chel’s heart thumped as he sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Lord of Life.
“Put me on holo.”
Holding up his wrist, Chel activated his armor and the holographic image of Gwarnon’s sharp and deadly features surrounded by his blue-black hair appeared.
“My Lord,” Gwarnon quickly said. “I have found the women, but I am afraid the news isn’t good.”
“The women?” Lord Rell asked.
“Yes, Lady Roxy and another Earth woman are being held by the NevShoo. They…” The holo image of Gwarnon shook his head. “They are being entered to fight in the Baladium.”
“What the fucking fuck?!” Lord Rell roared, the Earth curse words mixing with a blend of other language’s foulest phrases.
Chel gripped the edge of the carved ivory stone baluster at the edge of the platform. His brain raced as he checked with the Baladium betting sites through his implant. There, plain as day, he found proof of Gwarnon’s words—two Earth women, with heavy betting and large sums of money being placed on their odds of their surviving the Baladium.
The Baladium had been around for centuries, a fight club of sorts where the winners were awarded with the Bel’Tan Galaxy’s greatest treasures and the Baladium’s protection. Kadothian Warriors were strictly prohibited from taking part in the contest, as the Baladium itself was on the edge of Hive Territory, in a region where Kadothia had no influence. It was one of the worst possible places Lady Roxy could end up, and Chel tried to fight off the sense of defeat