Betrayal's Shadow (44 page)

The room was packed. Thirty plus warriors were scattered about the rising amphitheater seating. From the bored frowns and crossed arms, Salvatore must have been deep in a lecture. True to form, the leader in charge, flanked by six of his robotic guards, was engrossed in a delivery read from a densely populated plasma panel.

Heads turned with Leonis’s entry. Eyes widened and bodies shifted at the sight of Turen and Mia. Fixed stares locked on the bundle and tiny head tucked at Mia’s breast.

That was when Salvatore stopped his diatribe.

Mechanical whirs signaled the shift and lock of weapons. Turen palmed his sword and elongated his blade, shifting Mia’s body farther from Salvatore’s gaze.

“It’s a little late to bring the woman in for questioning, Turen.”

Leonis frowned and moved between the closest guard’s weapons and Mia. “Salvatore. The guards need to stand down. This is a peaceful discussion.”

“She is an enemy of our people, Leonis. She will be dealt with as such.”

“She is my mate, Salvatore. Those weapons had better retract from her and my son, now.”

A rumble of comments worked across the rise of seating.

“She’s a human.” The cold clinical voice rebounded from the council chamber walls. “Our people are not compatible with humans. Such a pathetic lie is an insult to everyone here.”

“Mia was human. As was Isabella’s mate, Marco. As was Maitea. But then, you’ve known this for some time, haven’t you?” Turen’s anger escalated in response to the increased clicks of the robotic weapons levered toward his family.

“Guards,” Salvatore commanded, and the machines rolled closer.

“Wait.” A series of calls came from several in the stands. Saladin and Kaax preceded the group down the steps to stand before Turen. “We deserve to hear what Turen has to say. He has come in good faith without violent intent.” He glanced at Turen’s sword and then to the charged barrels of the guards’ munitions. “Until threats were raised against the woman and child he protects. We are a civilized people. We can handle open discussion.”

“And the Archives make no reference to a requirement that a mate be a Guardian.” Briet moved forward through the open doorway, Ansgar at her back, amid startled comments from around the room.

“You’ve defied our order,” Salvatore stated without the blink of an eye. He stared over her shoulder at Ansgar. “It was too much to trust each pod was checked. That will be remedied.”

A sick twist in Turen’s gut morphed to relief. Ansgar wouldn’t be here if the women’s revival from the cryo pods hadn’t been successful, which was timely, because Salvatore’s intense gaze toward Briet was ripe with the promise of retribution.

Turen moved closer, attempting to pull Salvatore’s attention from her. It didn’t work, so he offered distraction. “The order for cryo was a convenient confinement for women, Salvatore. Was drugging them as you did the rest of us in this room not sufficient?”

Salvatore’s cold glare swung back to Turen and his eyes narrowed in calculation. Turen hoped Briet would proceed with caution, for Salvatore was closer to the edge than he’d ever witnessed.

Unfortunately, Briet was all too ready for this confrontation. “That would only have served to dampen the mating call, not sever their ability to access the Archives, correct? You needed to restrict access to the only mechanism we had to dispute the limitations you’ve set on our people.” Her angry words inspired even louder grumbles from the warriors.

“A weighty accusation given the burden of responsibility I’ve carried to ensure safety for our people these many years. It is beneath you, Briet, and not without serious repercussions. Your accusations have no connection to Turen’s contemptible claim.” Salvatore moved closer to Briet.

Ansgar shifted, blocking his sister from Salvatore’s line of sight and the guard’s direct line of fire. Turen noted several weapons had shifted toward Briet during the discussion. Kamau closed in at Briet’s other side, but their positions still left several weapons with clear shots to both women.

“Your claim against my family is contemptible.” Turen ground out the words, surprised at the lack of response in Salvatore’s eyes.

“Maybe Mia and I should bring up the Archives and check,” said Briet with a smile in Mia’s direction.

Mia’s lips tightened with resolve. “Archive, show me the descendents of Turen.” The gold shimmering screen flickered in the air next to Mia’s shoulder. The scripted names of Turen and his son glowed beneath a faded line headed by Turen’s father. Murmurs and gasps circled the group.

With a quick look at Salvatore’s face, Turen pulled Mia closer.

“Archive release.”

“You’ve allowed a human access to the sacred Archives. I hold you responsible, Turen. But you, Briet, you shall suffer the consequences as well.” Salvatore’s voice reverberated from the high walls.

A worried look passed from Ansgar to Turen as additional lights flickered to active on the robot guards. Additional panels slid open to reveal more options for attack.

“She’s a mated female, with the capabilities of a female Guardian,” Briet persisted. A quick murmur filtered across the room. “With strong abilities to search and access the Archives. She was able to save her mate through that knowledge.”

Salvatore’s focus on Briet was unnerving. “Such a vivid, rambling imagination. Perhaps you’re infected since you’ve disobeyed those rules of the Sanctum meant for your protection? Perhaps a taint from exposure to Turen’s human?” He cocked his head. “I am not without compassion, Briet. First we can get you help, and then we can work through the muddled logic you’ve created.”

“There is nothing wrong with her logic,” Ansgar snapped.

Turen pulled Mia closer to his side, trying to move before Briet as well. Ansgar and Kamau shifted beside Briet just before Tsu appeared in the doorway from the darkened hall outside the council room.

Salvatore didn’t stop. “There is if she considers this woman to be mated. Do you have proof she is your mate, Turen? Proof this child is even yours? Proof she even gave birth to him? Humans are known for deceit and temptation.” Salvatore spouted the litany of questions to Turen but glanced at the group, in his arrogance assuming none would step forward and refute him.

Turen considered his brethren also. He had proof, but he wasn’t going to expose Mia and Marcus like a sideshow. This was the pivotal point. The proof needed to come from others. The trust needed to be given freely.

“My mate and son are not accountable to you for proof or sanction.” Turen’s hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. He leveled a look of open defiance toward Salvatore.

Leonis let out a breath and stepped closer to Mia, almost sandwiching her inside a ring of male protectors. “The boy has his father’s mark.”

The rumble of comments swept from warrior to warrior. The men stood, arms crossed in disgust at the obvious contradiction between their long-held dictates and the new revelations. All disbelief directed toward Salvatore.

Salvatore shrugged. “What proof do you have the human female is actually the mother? Ah, yes, you were there for birth?” Salvatore’s eyes narrowed with assessment at Marcus.

Turen kept silent, reining in his anger toward this man who’d caused so much destruction and pain. Murder was against their covenant, and while it would be justifiable now, to draw first blood in retribution would be without honor. Then again, if Salvatore made another move toward Mia, all sense of right could go to hell. “My word should be enough for this council. My honor is not up for question.”

Many of the warriors shifted to palm and extend their sword arms, weapons
folding
into view as they mentally solidified their allegiances with the promise of violence. Salvatore’s grip had cracked in a quick, ugly wave. Turen processed the commitment, glad to garner support before the women showed up from cryo.

Salvatore nodded. “Your attendance at the birth would be sufficient for me.”

Grimm pushed by Ansgar and walked around Turen, moving to plug the last hole of Mia and Marcus’s vulnerability. He turned, stroked the baby’s head, and swung back. “I was present for the birth while you were holding Turen imprisoned in our own walls. If you can’t trust the word of a loyal sentinel of our people, will you take mine? Surely as the healer for our people, I carry some small weight. I delivered this child from his mother. They both carry Turen’s mark. Whether you acknowledge him or not, they both fall under this Sanctum’s protection, by right and by God’s will, not yours.” He shifted beside Leonis, his hand clenched on the pommel of his sword.

“How dramatic, Grimm. Do you see yourself in the role of the child’s personal guardian? Or perhaps you covet the mother?”

Grimm gave a tight smile. “Their protection is the definition of my existence. I am very clear on my role in life, whereas you have forgotten yours.”

“It isn’t our role to save every little human.” Salvatore’s face remained passive, but his tone carried venom. “Fine, then she will serve her sentence on the charges of assault on our people first.”

Turen squeezed Mia’s hand and narrowed his eyes. “Charges leveled by whom?”

Salvatore glanced at Grimm. “She attacked our fearless healer. Charges are not needed to assess her crime. There were witnesses.”

Leonis cleared his throat. “Those present the night Turen was brought back levied no accusations.”

“I have made no charges.” Grimm stepped forward. “There is no proof of an assault.” He played with Salvatore’s own words.

Turen watched a quick ripple of calculation flicker across Salvatore’s face and disappear. Mia’s body shifted at his side. He rubbed his fingers along her arm, hoping his touch could provide more comfort than the five warriors who surrounded her.

“Quit playing games with this council, healer.” Salvatore’s voice rang out in anger. “This woman poses a serious threat.”

Grimm gave a snide laugh. “Because she might bear a second child? Or because she’s smart enough not to be beguiled by the deceit we’ve been fed, and fight for her family.”

“Imbecile.”

“Why the lies, Salvatore?” Turen’s question carried across the room. “Why all this effort to stop our matings?”

“Lies? You fabricate a lie by announcing to all that your relationship with this human is of worth. It is a sacrilege to our potential and a disgrace to the measure of our great people. You desecrate all we could be.”

“We deliver the souls for the human’s race. Our children provide the healing so humanity can survive. What value could you conceive beyond the weight God bestowed upon us? Without our mates, we cannot function in this life to fulfill our covenant or realize our own souls.” Turen’s voice rose to a roar.

Salvatore laughed. “Can your limited imagination only conjure what you are told to do, Turen? Loyalty, mating,
love.
” Salvatore spat the words like a disease from his mouth. “All to create more progeny, to release precious souls, which humanity will only squander. We breed and lose our destiny. And you, so rooted in minutia, too weak to even take up the mantle of leadership.”

“There is a purpose in what you consider
minutia
. Our purpose provides hope to billions.”

“We have the intelligence, the power, the vision to grow beyond those limitations. To evolve beyond humanity’s petty needs.” Salvatore’s cheek twitched as he ground out his delusion.

“You have decided this for us, and our penalty for staying true to our path is death and madness. Your desires, over those of your people, authorize you to murder our mates and threaten our existence?”

“When we no longer choose to be sequestered because we have knowledge you wished to hide, what then?” The soft comment came from behind Turen.

A robed and hooded figure moved forward, followed by several dozen more, the doors sealing behind them. The group was shielded in front by Ansgar and Kamau, and from the side by Tsu, as he adjusted his position with that of Turen’s team. The hood dropped. Blue-black hair framed soft ivory skin and dark, almond-shaped eyes.

Quan.

More hoods dropped and women circled to align beside her.

Salvatore’s eyes narrowed as the women, no longer ensconced in the cryo tubes, stood in a unified front, swords gripped. Warriors descended from the rise of seats to surround and protect their sisters.

Salvatore stared at her. “Quan, you presume to speak for all?”

“No. I imagine each of us can step forward and present our own issues.”

Briet spoke from her brother’s side. “Mine is the issue of murder.”

Another figure stepped forward and dropped her hood. “Mine is of betrayal.”

Turen watched Sagari glare at Salvatore, her gaze as hot and hard as the conviction in her voice. To awaken and find their leader had betrayed Xavier, her brother, and his family, was a visible burning anger in her expression, one that matched the anger in Turen’s heart and showed on everyone’s face except Salvatore’s.

Tension in the room had spiked with Sagari’s remark. Salvatore moved backward and snarled in contempt. Disdain he no longer bothered to shield radiated from his silver eyes. “My patience has worn thin. You speak nonsense.”

“Do not think to threaten her, Salvatore.” Ansgar’s harsh voice brought Salvatore’s gaze to rest on him. Ansgar pulled Sagari gently back.