Feral Fever Read online

  "There's your Rosetta Stone," Goro stated.

  The whisper of the commander's voice didn't carry that message well.

  Aisling's body seemed to freeze where she watched her commander, her heart racing as if she wanted to run.

  Maybe she wasn't keen on confrontation?

  "I can try," she said. "But I don't understand how you can rationalize how a thousand years of cultural evolution translates into the key of what will end the conflict between these cultures. My resurrecting a memory that certainly has been passed down generation to generation through oral history seems a waste of time. Oral history is a powerful tool that preserves anything of cultural significance. With oral history, we don't need a Rosetta Stone."

  "See why I chose you. The others know computers, weapons, or have psychic powers that can gain their mates quite an upper hand in political battles. You, Aisling Bjorn, you can change history."

  Her eyes rolled as she obviously struggled not to cross her arms over her chest defensively.

  Like a good warrior attempting to react emotionlessly. Not even a mask would help her with that eye roll.

  "So my psychic power is a joke." She threw her arms up, her heart quieting. "We shouldn't hold up Prince Borun any longer. I can study these writings later. Much later. And I assume the intention has always been for me to work with this planet's last scholar."

  Goro chuckled and turned back to the passageway. "We are finished," he said in mindspeak.

  The female didn't appear to be. She seemed to want to stay with the fleeting stories. Or hide how disturbed she was. Poor thing. A Royal Guard understood the weight of manipulation. She could have a few minutes to collect her thoughts if she wanted them. What better place than the Hall of Wisdom. I pushed out my mind to find Goro's. "We'll follow in a moment."

  Goro's crunching footfalls quieted until silence echoed in the cavern.

  The female walked to a chunk of wall that had fallen from high in the shadows overhead. She squatted and traced a fingertip through a groove created by a scholar ages ago. "Who is this warrior who reads the Luvks' lost language?" She didn't look at me when she asked.

  Would answering her questions gain me anything? By the frustration I'd just witnessed her experiencing, it couldn't hurt the Luvks to finally have an outside presence working in their favor. "A Royal Guard."

  She rose and took a step toward me with long slender legs. In her black leather pants and white shirt, she looked like a Luvk. Like the Queens. "And you are a Royal Guard?"

  Those eyes studied me with more than simple intrigue.

  My heart hitched.

  She almost blinked, but dropped her eyelids as she turned to another chunk of Luvk history blocking her path.

  Could lost history stop the sky demon raids? I'd be a fool to inhibit that process in any manner. But where were her thoughts? "Yes, I am a Royal Guard."

  "Well, you've heard everything Goro wished to share with me. I need information on life here, or I'll just be wasting your people's time."

  Anything if the information would help her aiding the Luvks. "What do you wish to know?"

  "I studied culture as a scholar. And I realize there are taboos to subjects. But I'm about to be slaughtered for the greater good of your people."

  How right she was. I gulped back a chuckle.

  Her gaze turned to me where she squatted beside the writing she was commanded to descry. "Can you explain how the marriage system works? I'm supposed to mate with a Royal Guard. I'd appreciate it if you clarified what I'm getting into."

  A hint of fear glinted in those ageless blue eyes. If I told her the truth about the Royal Guards from the seven realms lurking to abduct her in order to bypass the selection process of a queen, she'd panic. "I promise, Aisling, tomorrow you will know everything there is to know about marriage when you meet my mother. But now, we must hurry or we risk a far greater danger."

  She stood, wiped the dust from her hands on her pants, and stepped toward the passageway where Goro had disappeared. "Very well. I'm trusting you on that. You apparently know what's going on."

  Time will reveal if she truly trusts me. She was here to infiltrate. Whether or not she could would be the question. One way or another, she was going to marry regardless of what she understood about the process. I could help her, educate her, feel out her loyalties. And doing so would assist in ending the sky demon raids. Anything to help the Luvks sleep at night.

  A presence pushed into my mind. "I heard something, Borun," Clor warned in mindspeak.

  I caught Aisling by the upper arm.

  Her brow furrowed as she stared at my grip.

  "Wait here, Aisling. I'm checking the passageway." I pushed my thoughts out to my half brothers. "Eyes and ears alert. There might be vermin in this cave." Then I focused my heightened hearing toward the ancient corridor.

  * * * *

  Aisling couldn't help but watch the prince's wide striped back disappear into the shadowy corridor. The darkness engulfed his markings as he passed into shadow, the stripes blending into the murkiness until there was nothing left to see. I'm alone, she thought.

  My gut flopped.

  Goro would leave soon and where will I be? At least Borun had finally said more than do this and that and my dog kills for me. Since these warriors don't say much, I'm going to have to confide in someone here. Borun seems like the best choice at the moment.

  A rock ticked off twice in a rattling fall behind me.

  Was something there? I turned to where the noise sounded off.

  Nothing but shadow and walls of stone.

  "Marshal?" a male voice called softly from behind me.

  That wasn't Borun.

  My heart raced.

  Maybe it was one of his men sent to find me? She turned to the warrior.

  He was almost as tall as Borun. But Borun's men were a good six inches shorter than him. And this male's stripes were black and white. At least that's all I could tell by the shadow he chose to stand inside with his back to the wall next to the exit.

  "You're the Marshal?" he asked again.

  Carefully as if he checked his tone. What did he want? "Yes."

  "I heard everything. You've come to unite the clans? This is true?"

  Well about as true as I can prove given they can't read my mind. I nodded.

  He pointed to the side of his mask where the chin runs up to the cheek. "Remember this."

  I squinted hoping to gain a better view through the shadows but all I could see were the three standard horns jutting off the top of the mask. The same damned mask Borun wore.

  He sprang into life, running toward me.

  God, I'm dead.

  ?

  Chapter Three

  The warrior slid to a halt at Aisling's feet and stared down at her with blue insistent eyes. "Remember," he said.

  With my heart pounding like the world was ending, I studied the edge of his mask decorated with three round holes lined up along the edge. "Alright."

  He leapt around me.

  What for?

  He raced into the darkness of the Hall of Glory until only silence echoed in the space. His white blond queue swinging at his broad shoulders.

  "Aisling," Borun blurted, bursting back into the chamber. He covered the space between us in five strides while scanning the chamber. "Your heart is racing."

  Probably because you left me here. I gulped down the knot choking my throat. "Your guard didn't do anything to me. He just spoke."

  He turned his mask until his concerned gaze met mine. "My brothers aren't anywhere near the Hall of Glory."

  Oh shit. "Is that bad? I mean-" What in the hell did I mean? "Should I be worried about meeting people from other clans?"

  He inhaled so deeply that I didn't need a reply. "Oh little one, you have no idea what's in store for you."

  Not what I wanted to hear. He had to help me. "Please, Borun." I laid a palm on the warm corded muscle of his lower arm.

  Something akin to a jolt of aw
areness shook his golden eyes. "A woman should never touch a warrior."

  "I need you to prepare me for what is to come. Just tell me what in the hell they want." He was noble. He had to take pity on me. "I can't help your people if I'm unprepared." And God, were the others even close to being as honorable as him? "You can tell me which ones are the bastards."

  "We shouldn't talk here. Or anywhere until you're back at the Queen's palace where there are private places to speak. The forest is crawling with Royal Guards from the seven realms who want nothing but to abduct you to empower their clans through this marriage you are so concerned about."

  * * * *

  A wave of realization washed over the Marshal's delicate features as Borun struggled not to rudely rip his arm away from her gentle touch. But her heart fearfully thundered. And her hand shook a bit. Those symptoms of fear outweighed my fear of being infected by her touch. A stupid fear.

  By the expression on her face, I could tell she slowly began to understand what transpired around her. She would have to stop asking about marriage when everywhere one turned hid another pair of ears. "We should go," I tried to speak as softly as possible to jolt her out of the spell of her thoughts.

  Her gaze slid left and back to mine. "He went that way. But it shouldn't matter because he didn't do anything to me." She sucked in a deep breath and withdrew her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break any cultural rules."

  Blessed stars, her touch was too accursedly addictive. "Come now." I pivoted to the passageway.

  One by one, we were joined by my half brothers who stepped into the corridor before or behind them, covering their retreat until the blessed sunlight finally produced the forms of the other two Marshals, their war mounts, and the five guards left outside.

  I pushed out into my brothers' minds. "Take heed. We encountered a foreign guard in the ruins. We must go quickly before the female is lost."

  All the warriors hopped onto their mounts. I snatched up Aisling's light frame and swung her into the saddle. The guards were setting out toward the setting sun, to Mother's Starry Sky realm by the time I pulled Aisling against my chest and booted Jonner into a trot.

  Riding with her was becoming too normal. Almost intoxicating with the scent of her hair. Her rounded ass tucked into my groin. And the curves I had to reach around to hold Jonner's reins caused more pain than the thousands of two-inch thorns of a Thwarnok bush.

  By the time we made it to the ridge, the sun had almost set and a chill lurked in the air. The luxury of a warm campfire was dangerous. So, I threw my sleeping skin on the ground, almost dead center of the encampment, in front of all my watchful half brothers squatting with their gear and sleeping skins, and ushered Aisling to the spotted fur. "You'll sleep here."

  She wagged her head. "I'm fine. That's yours."

  With all the nobles watching, this was not the time to argue about his and hers. "You'll do as you're told. I'm keeping watch most of the night. I don't need a bed."

  Goro stepped into the last beam of sunlight at Aisling's shoulder. "We're fine, Borun. Take care of your duties. We appreciate your assistance."

  So the commander put his Marshal in her place. Or was the commander trying to send me off on an errand? Goro had no right ordering a Royal Guard around. Only the Queen had that luxury. "She stays here, among the guards." And that was all I would say on the subject. I pivoted to check the camp's peripheral ring of war mounts.

  Her heart raced the minute I stepped into shadow.

  Was that a plea for help in that she feared my brothers? Or was she just terrified because I had revealed every Royal Guard in the seven realms was after her. Neither reason should have mattered. Especially when losing her after that last encounter in the ruins would certainly end my life. Mother would have my hide to hang in her great hall if I didn't personally monitor our defenses throughout the night.

  The uneventful night crept along until I switched out the guards so everyone could sleep and leaned my shoulders back against Jonner's side. The beast shifted and whined. But nobody cared to rise without something dangerous demanding attention.

  Sunlight tickled my eyes open too soon. Or was the alarm set off by Aisling's form looking down at me with my sleeping fur in a tight bundle?

  "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. But the others were breaking camp." She shot me a meek smile.

  "It's alright." I shoved my aching shoulders off Jonner's warm fur and grabbed the saddle to prepare for the day. Hopefully today proved more sympathetic than yesterday. The last thing we needed was a skirmish.

  * * * *

  Well, I'd better relieve my bladder if I'm going to get back on that dog-horse, Aisling thought, and extended the sleeping fur to her guardian. "I, uh, need to take care of a few things this morning." Maybe smiling might help get the message across.

  He took the fur and scanned the group of milling Royal Guards.

  Two approached. Both black and white but otherwise absolutely identical and unidentifiable.

  "They will guard you, Aisling." Borun shot me a hurry-up-and-get-back stare. "I need to saddle up Jonner."

  Well if he thought it safe to send me off with these warriors, fine. Hopefully, these nobles would give me the privacy I wanted, or I'd have to hold it all day.

  The guards led me into the trees beside the milling camp.

  Just in case something might happen, I counted off seven steps. It was a trick I used in Central America when working in the rainforest. A person never knew when something bad would happen and getting back where you needed to be was but a certain number of steps through the trees.

  The black and white warrior twin to the left nodded at a clump of bushes.

  Apparently, Borun understood my dilemma.

  The other twin skirted the shrubs.

  Both turned their backs to me. Fine. I can't think of a reason not to urinate at the moment. Bladder screaming it would burst. I stepped into the shrubs, shoved down my leather pants, and took care of business.

  Thank goodness, somewhere along the line, I learned to just go with things. Like urinating in front of two big hunky tiger guys who were my potential mates. Ugh. Why did that have such a weird ring to it? Probably because my father was a bastard who impregnated my mother and ran. Probably because I had a little issue with just spreading my legs for anyone. Although, these males were kick ass. Totally leg-spreading worthiness. But I was operating blind here. However the Luvk marital system worked, Borun hadn't bothered explaining much. But he had a lot on his plate protecting me. He really deserved some kudos for doing an excellent job. Unless this was all some display of power. I finished up and stepped from the bushes.

  Neither warrior looked my direction.

  Nice guys, I suppose. Maybe Borun was just a worry wart.

  Movement burst from the left through the trees.

  A leaping dog-horse landed beside me and snarled a ferocious sound.

  The creature's rider sat tall, like Borun, wearing the same mask, but it wasn't my guardian given the male's golden stripes.

  The nearest of my guardians lunged at the intruder.

  Hell, I've got to get out of here. I turned one-hundred-and-eighty degrees to count off the seven steps back to camp.

  Another tall warrior with black and white stripes blocked my path. His mask had four slashes along the chin.

  Nobody among Borun's warriors wore masks with those markings. Just like the holes on the warrior's mask in the Hall of Wisdom. Where's Borun? "Borun!"

  A black and white warrior jumped in front of me, growling some deep threat, the stripes on his back blocking my view of the man with the slashed mask.

  Pinned in from the front and back. I've got to go somewhere. I darted right. Either way, I'm heading away from the camp. Not good. But the racket the wrestling growling warriors made shrank into a more pleasant tone with my footsteps.

  A loud crash thundered behind me.

  Something enormous. I've got to hide. I stretched my stride toward two tree trunks.
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  Where is Borun?

  The crashes kept coming.

  What ungodly thing made that sound? I glanced over my shoulder.

  A black and white warrior charged his leaping war beast but spaces away.

  That guy also wore a mask with the slashes on the chin. Shit. Where can I go? I leapt to the right, toward some low vegetation between two tree trunks, and tripped.

  The ground hit my side and stilled the world.

  Hands grabbed my waistband and back of my shirt, pulling my clothes so tightly the fabric could have sliced my throat. The warrior swung me through the air until I saw his dog-horse waiting beyond the trees.

  So Borun's concern was well-founded. "Put me down." I kicked my legs wildly trying to hit some part of him with a stiff heel of a boot.

  He growled a threat and heaved me onto his saddle.

  I struck with such force that I feared I'd cracked a rib. I hung across the saddle with my nose stuck in the dog-horse's smelly fur.

  Pain ebbed through my ribs.

  The warrior flew into the saddle behind me and kicked his mount into a trot.

  If I go with him, I'll probably never fulfill my Marshal duty. Or, in the least, wouldn't be in as productive a relationship from the forced marriage. Life with someone who'd kidnap me had nothing to do with anything but gaining power. And probably wouldn't allow much for bringing the Luvk clans together. Just another bastard like my father… I've got to escape. I shoved my head off the dog-horse's smelly fur, craned my neck, and saw an orange striped warrior plowing through the army of tree trunks toward them on his mount. A huge warrior.

  The mask he wore held no markings. Borun. "Borun," I screamed.

  The warrior who held my body in place with one steely arm turned to Borun's approach.

  What could I do? I need a goddamned weapon. But what? Goro confiscated my knives. And. I'm just a bloody healer. I scanned the saddle.

  Nothing. And nothing on the warrior's hip. But I might be able to rip off his mask and ram a horn or two into his skull. The things we do for the sake of duty. I twisted around.