Warlord's Mercy - Cynthia Sax Page 0,45

regarding them.

Lea touched one of the ass coverings. “I could add more pockets to this if—”

“Oh shit.” Har gazed over her shoulder. “Someone must have told him about your Chamele warrior.” Her selling partner stepped backward, moving deeper into the shadows. “Leave quickly. Now.”

She spun around and her internal temperature dropped.

Daisun and four of his brutes swaggered toward them. Each male was weathered and scarred and hard. They clasped swords, whips, and daggers.

Their leader was positioned in the middle of the pack. His bald head was fixed directly to his torso. A series of markings covering his four arms represented how many beings he’d killed. The number was so high, the black ink appeared to run together.

Trepidation filled her. Her Warlord was skilled, but the two of them couldn’t defeat five foes. “Tolui—”

“Stay behind me.” Her male shifted until he stood directly in front of her. He extended his claws.

“The human female is mine, Chamele.” Daisun held swords in all four of his hands. Sunlight reflected off the blades. “This isn’t your fight. Walk away from the garment-fabricating cunt, and we’ll allow you to live.”

“Do as he says, Tolui.” Lea extracted daggers from her sheaths. “Walk away from me.” She might die, but he would live. Knowing her Warlord would be alive somewhere in the universe would give her a sliver of peace before her lifespan ended. “Save yourself.”

His name was repeated, echoing through the trading space. Beings in the gathering crowd murmured about clone armies, the resistance, and freedom.

“Is that truly Tolui?” The smallest brute in Daisun’s gang asked that question. Lea called him Baggy because his garments were always too big for him.

The male beside him shrugged. His wide forehead creased with lines.

Everyone stared at Tolui.

They had heard of her Warlord. Lea blinked, surprised. “You’re known to others, my Warlord.”

Warlord was also repeated. The beings around them scanned the area as though looking for more Chamele clones, for her male’s brothers.

“The garment-fabricating female is mine.” The ownership in Tolui’s voice cut through her fear. “I would kill for her.” He spread his deadly claws. “I’ve been hunting you, Palavian. You disrespect me by threatening her. Prepare to die.”

Lea tightened her grip on her daggers. She would fight with her Warlord, would defend him until she took her last breath.

“You should prepare for death, Chamele.” Daisun smirked and turned to his brutes. “Bring me his head.”

The males hesitated.

Baggy, the smallest male, juggled his sword between his right hand and his left. “But, Boss—”

Daisun lunged to his left, swung his swords, and with one smooth motion, decapitated Baggy.

Blood sprayed from the male’s falling torso. The male’s head rolled along the sand. His eyes were wide open, lifeless.

“Stars.” Lea gasped, surprised and horrified.

She suppressed the instinctive impulse to shrink backward, to run from the scene. That response had served her well in the past. It had kept her alive.

But her circumstances had changed. She was stronger, more skilled than she’d once been, and she had a Warlord to defend, to fight beside.

She wouldn’t leave him.

Tolui lowered his stance more and more. His muscles flexed.

She did the same.

“Kill him now or you’ll be next.” Daisun yelled that threat at his brutes.

“He dies.” The other males surged forward, brandishing their weapons.

Her Warlord bellowed with rage and leaped toward them.

“Go. Get them.” Unable to move and fight at the same time, she remained where she was. “I’ll help from back here.”

She aimed at the brute in the lead. “You can do this, Lea.” Her heart pounded and her palms grew moist. “Don’t fuck this up. He’s counting on you.” She snapped her wrist, releasing her blade.

The dagger flew through the air.

Her aim was true. It pierced her target’s right eyeball, popping it, and lodged with a loud whack in the socket. Guck streamed down the male’s face.

He fell backward. His arms and legs twitched violently and then gradually became still.

Lea’s stomach churned. “I killed a being.” She dry-heaved. “I ended a lifespan.”

“You’re skilled, gerel.” Her Warlord’s voice pulled her back to the present. “And you’ve done enough. I’ll kill the rest of them.”

The rest of them. “Oh fuck.” They had more beings to battle.

She pushed away her horror and aimed a dagger at the next male. Her hands shook. “Focus, Lea.” She threw the blade. Her aim was off. She missed her target.

“Again.” She grasped more daggers.

Her Warlord confronted the brute she’d failed to kill. He ducked as a dual bladed ildu whizzed over his head and counterattacked, running his claws over his opponent’s