Retribution (Kall Alien Warriors #3) - Sue Lyndon Page 0,12

her eyes. “Why-why haven’t you killed me yet?”

He snarled. “I told you why. I wish to keep you as my prisoner and make you suffer.”

“I-I remember what you said, but it’s very unusual. From what I’ve learned of your people, most acts of retribution occur in the courtroom directly after a judge’s ruling.”

“Who are you to question my motives?” He tightened his grip and shook her again. Her hands came up on his arm.

“Pl-please, you-you’re hurting me,” she said in a trembling whisper.

“Isn’t that the point?” He drew her closer, their noses nearly touching, and emitted a deep growl.

“How long will you keep me here? And why are we on a warship? Merokk told me you live here in DC, only a few blocks away from him.”

“My duties on Earth have come to an end. I am returning to planet Kall.”

A look of horror washed over her. “You’re bringing me to your homeworld?”

“The journey takes approximately forty days. I doubt you will live that long, pathetic human.” He released her with a jerk, rose to his feet, and backed away a few steps.

“Not that it will make a difference to you,” she said, her lips quivering, “but I didn’t know what Michael was going to do. He had a grudge against the Kall—his son died during the war—but I never imagined he might harm one of your females.”

Zamek withdrew his sword and swung it toward her neck in a rapid movement, only stopping just before the blade sliced her flesh. She paled further and pressed herself against the wall, but there wasn’t anywhere she might go. She was trapped and she knew it. One flick of his wrist and he could sever her head from her body.

“If your husband held a grudge against my people, you ought to have reported him for suspicious rebel activity.” Zamek increased the pressure of the blade on her throat, though not hard enough to draw blood. Yet.

“Forgive me, General Zamek, but you would be hard pressed to find a human who doesn’t hold a grudge against the Kall,” Layla said in a calm voice, her eyes meeting his. “Millions of us died during the war. Most of us lost loved ones and friends. Many of us lost our homes.” A look of acceptance had taken over her features, as if she expected he would lose control and kill her now, much earlier than he’d planned, and she was at peace with this knowledge.

“Your people attacked us first,” he countered, though the argument suddenly felt weak. Yes, humans had caused the destruction of Enta and Yomma, two mountain towns in Sumlin District, but even though an official Kall investigation had determined it was a deliberate act, Zamek doubted it actually was. After all, the majority of the human miners had perished in the attack along with most of the residents of the towns.

“I don’t wish to argue with you, General Zamek,” Layla said. “We’ve lost good people on both sides. It’s tragic and I truly hope peace between our worlds can be achieved. I hope the human rebels realize their cause is futile and abandon their fight, but I also hope the Kall occupation on Earth doesn’t remain so oppressive. If it does, and if the Kall continue their cruelty in the human refugee camps, you can expect the rebel cause to gain more supporters.”

Zamek removed the sword from her neck and put it away, sheathing it at his side. He gave her a sharp look. “You must have a lot of influence with Ambassador Merokk. He’s been trying to improve conditions in refugee camps. He’s also interceded in several court cases involving humans, requesting leniency for crimes that usually result in a life sentence.”

“I count the ambassador as a friend, but I wouldn’t say I have any sway over him. It’s his human wife, Fiona Lockhart, who has changed him. She suffered greatly during the war and in the aftermath of it while she and her mother lived in one of the Kall-run refugee camps. He simply sees what was done to her—someone he’s come to care about—and he wishes to improve conditions for all humans as a way of honoring her and making amends for her suffering.”

Zamek took a moment to ponder her words. While his warrior instincts told him to crush the humans and never show leniency, he could not deny that she had a good point—if his people continued to treat the humans badly, the rebel cause would likely gain traction.