Warlord's Mercy - Cynthia Sax Page 0,65

floor. “Like honorable Chameles.” He glowered at Lea.

A warning rumble rolled up Tolui’s form. He wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect to his gerel.

“I won’t end your lifespan.” The Chamele misunderstood the source of his anger. “But you will hurt. You killed some of my best warriors. They deserve retribution.”

“I can take the pain…if it ensures I spend more moments with my gerel.” Tolui widened his stance, bracing for whatever wounds Berke decided to inflict upon him.

“No. I won’t stand back and watch him hurt you.” His gloriously stubborn little human spread her arms as though to absorb the strikes meant for him.

“You’ll allow this to happen, gerel.” His tone was firm. “I—”

“Does no one believe I have honor?” Berke’s face darkened.

Lea opened her mouth.

“Don’t answer that, human female.” The Chamele shook his head. “This is to be a fight, not a beating. Natural weapons only.” He extended his claws. “There will be no fatal wounds, nothing we can’t recover from. We fight as we would fight in training bouts against our own warriors…or our own brothers.”

They would fight as brothers would? Tolui’s gaze snapped upward to meet Berke’s. Was the Chamele implying what he believed…what he hoped he was?

“You are my father’s clone.” The male’s head dipped slightly, his expression blank. “Let’s see if you inherited his skills.”

He was acknowledging their connection. Tolui straightened.

His gerel turned to the side and, looked at him. “My Warlord.” Her tone, her small smile relayed she’d reached the same conclusion. She knew what that recognition meant to him, might be the only being in the universe who did.

It didn’t mean Berke was no longer his enemy.

Tolui didn’t trust the Chamele. Not yet. Not fully.

It might take solar cycles to reach that point. Or that might never occur.

But the male had accepted they shared genetic material, and that was a start, was more than he previously had obtained.

“I’ll fight Berke, gerel.” Emotion thickened his voice. “As brothers would fight in the training rings.” He handed her his daggers and guns.

“I’ll cheer for you, my Warlord.” She beamed at him.

“I’ll cheer for you, Berke.” The Chamele’s bounty hunter gerel grinned. “Kick his ass.”

“That won’t happen.” Lea scowled at the female, her loyalty to him warming Tolui’s chest. “Tolui is the best warrior in the universe.”

“That can’t be.” Berke’s gerel walked with her to the side of the tunnel. “I’m the best warrior in the universe.”

“You said you were cheering for me, Ellie.” Berke spread his claws.

Tolui extended his and did that same.

“Go, Berke.” The female lifted her arms. “I am cheering for you, the second-best warrior in the universe.” She gestured to Lea. “Come closer to me, Tolui’s gerel. While our two males gouge the shit out of each other, we’ll have a nice long talk.”

“Say good-bye to your secrets, clone.” Berke rolled his eyes. “My gerel’s interrogation skills have no match.”

Tolui winced. “My gerel’s sharing skills have no match.”

“You are, to borrow a phrase from my Ellie, fucked.” The Chamele’s eyes glinted with amusement. “Stay within the light. That’s our fighting ring.”

They circled each other while their gerels chattered. The sound of Lea’s voice soothed Tolui, allowing him to focus on the battle before him.

She was safe. She was near.

She loved him.

“You healed from the wound my Ellie inflicted on your thigh.” Berke waved his claws toward the scar. “You have a Chamele’s recuperative powers.”

“Clones are engineered to heal faster than Chameles.” That secret would be uncovered soon. “Are we fighting or are we chattering?”

Berke shook his head. “You are my father’s clone. He was equally impatient.”

It hurt to hear about his source. But not as much as it once did. Tolui bent his knees, lowering his torso. His muscles coiled tighter and tighter and tighter. “I’m my own being.” He sprang toward his foe.

Berke rushed to meet him, and they collided mid-air, chest smacking against chest, claws catching claws. They landed with a thud. Neither of them retreated. Tolui pushed using all his might, grunting with effort. The Chamele did the same.

But his strength hadn’t been enhanced. Tolui slowly dragged Berke backward. His biceps strained. Sweat formed on his skin.

“Zondoo.” The Chamele glanced to the left.

Skilled warriors would never look in the direction they planned to move and Berke was one of the best warriors he’d ever faced. Tolui veered to the right.

His foe twisted to the left, swept his claws over his stomach.

Lea sucked in her breath. “My Warlord.”

Tolui hissed, drawing back. The pain was intense, but it was only skin deep. He would