wish to repay her kindness with an act of similar value.” Her head quirked to the left in a birdlike way, her teeth clicking again before she said, “It is part of the foundation rules of our Holy Empire to return life debts. Lady Lacey freed twenty of our people, both royal and common, that she won in the Baladium. She did this without asking for rewards or demanding treaties and sacrifices. She did it because she believed it was the right thing to do. Acts of honor like that are to be respected. We, along with the Moriscan and Cowtar people offer you safe escort to the edges of the Kadothian territory.”
Chel digested this, then ran his tongue over his teeth before saying, “Will this be a dangerous mission for you?”
The Battle Maiden chuckled. “No, but without us, it would have been a dangerous mission for you. Going off without an escort, thinking that no one would notice—are you daft? The various bounties and personal vendettas against you are enormous. We would be extremely disappointed if Lady Lacey’s bondmates turned out to be fools that got themselves killed before they could return to her side.”
He couldn’t exactly tell them that Gwarnon lay in the hold, mindless and sedated, and that every moment they spent speaking was a moment that might be Gwarnon’s last.
“We have our reasons,” was all Chel said in reply. “If you are ready, we need to continue on with our journey.”
“And thank you,” Orushel said pointedly, “for your protection.”
“No thanks needed.” The Battle Maiden gave an odd trilling chirp then said, “One of my nest mates were among those kidnapped by the slavers and sold to the Baladium. I am grateful for her return.”
The screen went blank and Chel shook his head as he said, “Full speed to Kadothia. Now that we’re no longer hiding, we can travel much faster.”
As Orushel and the rest of the crew set about their tasks, Chel made his way back to the medical hold, praying they would make it in time.
True to their word, Lacey’s allies left the as soon as the ship reached Kadothian held space. As the massive purple, gold, blue, and green ball that was their home planet appeared on the screen, Chel let out a sigh that many of his crew echoed. They’d all fought so hard for their world, sacrificed so much. Many of the people living on Kadothia had done so in peace for generations, forgetting the price paid by the Warriors and Matriarchs that kept them so safe. A new sight caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, an unfamiliar small planet that had pale golden clouds, dark earth, blue oceans, and tiny swaths of green here and there.
Madre Tierra, a newly born world, made specifically for the Earth Matriarchs. He had to admit, he’d never considered living there before. But now, the idea of being among the first to settle there, to make their home from the ground up, appealed to him.
He could see himself living a full life there…if Gwarnon managed to hold off the madness.
After sending instructions to the landing site, Chel went back down to the medical hold with his blood brother. Though he wished to wake him, he knew the protocol. If even a hint of the madness was detected, the Warrior had to be kept in a secured facility until his sanity could be assessed. Chel knelt by Gwarnon’s side, taking his hand in his own and giving it a firm squeeze as he whispered, “Fight it. Fight it with everything you have. We are home, and our alyah is waiting for us. Please, my mate, I beg of you, fight.”
Chapter 12
Lacey
Chills of anticipation raced over Lacey’s skin as her implant informed her that Gwarnon and Chel’s ship approached.
Leaping up from the grass where she’d been playing with Jillian and a couple of her daughter’s new friends, Lacey gave her mom a beaming smile, joy radiating from the inside out. All around them, their guards began to also smile at her, no doubt responding to her emotions spreading out from her on an invisible psychic wave. She unconsciously worked on strengthening her shields, something that was now becoming as automatic as blinking, and brushed the soft pink petals of the flowers Jillian had picked for her from her shimmering teal dress that matched the teal streaks in her hair. Jillian insisted that whatever her hair color was that day, Lacey had to have some