Nikhil (Kaliszian Book 1) (2 page)

"What are you talking about?" Treyvon demanded.

"Ganglian and Zaludian seem to be the only languages they understand. I spoke with the one that seems to be their leader, and he says the Ganglians captured them on their home world. A place they call Earth. Those were the only languages they were taught. I don't recognize the language they speak among themselves."

"That's impossible. Our educators are programmed with every known language. For it to not recognize theirs can only mean..."

"That they are a previously undiscovered species," Gryf finished for him.

"Take me to them."

“Yes, General." Gryf nodded then turned and led the way to the cave. "There's one more thing, General."

"What?" Treyvon demanded.

"There was an injured female that Warrior Kozar discovered in one of the outer caves. I ordered him to take her back to base for treatment. In your transport."

"In mine?"

"Yes, it is the fastest, and she seemed in bad shape."

"Alright, so what is the problem?"

"It seems the female is one of the unknown species, and they have been demanding to know where she is."

"What did you tell them?"

"That she was being treated for her injuries. It's this one." Gryf gestured to the cave opening to his left.

Ducking down, Treyvon stepped into the cave Gryf had indicated and was grateful he was able to stand to his full six-foot, eight-inch height once inside the room. The Kaliszians created these caves as they mined the powerful and abundant energy crystals that Pontus once contained. The crystals began to disappear five hundred years ago until only very weak crystals remained. They stopped all mining on Pontus hundreds of years ago as there was no market for the weaker crystals. It seemed the Zaludians had found one.

Before him, huddled together in a corner, stood the males Gryf had mentioned. They were just as Gryf described, only he left out how filthy they were or that the coverings they were wearing would be considered rags on the best of days. There was no way they could evacuate them with what they were wearing. The Pontus sun was setting, taking with it the heat of the day, and he didn't know if these creatures’ bodies could compensate for the temperature change as the Kaliszians could.

"Have capes brought," Treyvon ordered over his shoulder.

"Yes, General." Gryf pulled his comm from his belt relaying the order.

"I am General Treyvon Rayner, Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses," Treyvon spoke in Zaludian, his gaze moving over the sorry-looking group. "Who speaks for you? Who is your leader?"

A thin male with dirty, matted hair on his head and face separated himself from the group. "I am."

"What do you call yourself?"

"Craig. My name is Craig Collins."

"And your species?"

"Human."

"How long have you been here, Craig Collins?" Treyvon knew it couldn't have been long, not with how small and weak they appeared. The amount of work the Zaludians would have demanded of them would have killed them within days.

"We have no idea." Treyvon saw the others nod their heads in agreement. "Where is Mac? What have you done with her?"

"You speak of the injured female we found?" Treyvon asked.

"Yes."

"She is currently being transported to our base so our Healer can better treat her injuries."

"Why should we believe you?" another male demanded.

Gryf's deep growl had all the males moving fearfully deeper into the cave. As it should. The insult the small male had just delivered to his General brought into question the honor of a Kaliszian Warrior. No one did that and lived. Treyvon put a restraining hand on Gryf's arm as he went to draw his sword, and then Treyvon turned his head toward Gryf.

"It seems you were right, Commander, they know nothing of us. Just as we know nothing of them." Treyvon's gaze returned to the group. "They do not understand that insulting a Kaliszian Warrior's honor in such a way is tantamount to challenging him to a death bout." He watched as the males sank even deeper into the cave.

"We shall be generous to them, this
one
time," he stressed the word 'one.' "That it was the male’s ignorance that had him speaking and not that he was issuing a challenge." When no one spoke, he continued. "Good. Now as I said, your female is being transported to our base. Is there one among you that is her mate?"

Silence reigned for several moments before Craig stepped forward again and answered. "No."

"Then after our Healer has cleared her, if she wishes to rejoin you, it will be allowed. Now," Craig's mouth snapped shut at the General's glare, "outer coverings are being brought for you. They will protect you from the conditions here on Pontus. Once you put them on, you will be escorted to the loading area where the other survivors are waiting. You will be taken to our base," Treyvon paused, letting his gaze travel over them. "Unless you wish to remain here."

"We don't," they immediately responded.

With a nod, Treyvon spun on his heel and left the cave.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"What do you think, Jen?" Craig asked quietly.

Jen carefully stepped out from where she'd been hiding since they'd heard the unmistakable sounds of battle. She hadn't been able to see who had come in, but she had been able to hear them.

"I don't think there is much we can do, but what the General says. He seems to be the one in charge here."

"But..."

"We can't stay here, Craig. You know what Mac and I discovered outside this mine. We'll never survive such harsh conditions, and besides that, we can't just abandon Mac."

"What about you? What if they discover you're female too?"

"We'll deal with that if or when it happens. Right now we need to get to Mac." The sounds of someone coming closer had the men turning as Jen ducked down so as not to be seen, but she could still peek out between the bodies.

"Humans," the male seemed to sneer. "I am Warrior Parlan. General Rayner has put me in charge of making sure you get to the transport. These," he lifted his arm before tossing what he held on the floor, "are coverings. Put them on." He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at them.

Slowly Craig moved forward, keeping an eye on Parlan as he picked up the coverings, then stepped back to hand them out. What they discovered was the 'covering' was actually a cape with a large hood. It would be perfect for disguising Jen.

"Hurry up!" Parlan ordered angrily. "Everyone is waiting!"

Jen pulled the heavy cape on as quickly as she could. It was obviously made for a Kaliszian, as its sleeves hung a good distance past her fingertips and there was, at least, an extra foot of it pooling on the floor. But it had a hood and she quickly raised it, letting it fall forward covering her face. Lifting as much of the excess length as she could, she nodded to Craig that she was ready.

Craig and Paul flanked Jen as they followed Parlan through the tunnels, each gripping one of her elbows helping her keep up even though she knew the fast pace was hard on them too. They finally slowed as they passed through the mine's entrance and into a rapidly darkening landscape.

"Parlan!"

"Yes, Commander." Parlan turned to Gryf who was standing a few feet away.

"Get them on the transport! There's a ground storm coming in!" he ordered then turned to speak with another warrior.

"Yes, Commander!" Parlan turned back and began shoving them along. "Move!"

Jen sat as far back in her seat on the transport as she could, with Paul and Craig's thin shoulders doing their best to block others from seeing her. Looking across the room, she saw several Jerboaians huddled together against the opposite wall. She wasn't sure if they were the same ones that had arrived with them because large patches of their fur were missing. When Kaliszian warriors began to file in, she pulled her hood down even lower, hoping to go unnoticed.

"Is everyone accounted for, Commander?" Treyvon demanded.

"Yes, General," the Commander answered.

"Then get us out of here."

"Yes, General."

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"How is she, Luol?" Nikhil asked, still on his knees beside his True Mate.

"Better than I expected. The good news is that the repair unit was able to scan her and diagnose what she needs to recover."

"So what is not good?"

"What's not good is that she is severely underweight. While her overall health seems good, her body has been severely stressed and depleted of some very vital nutrients. It will take time for the unit to replace what she has lost."

"What about her other injuries?"

"Don't worry, Nikhil. The deep repair unit will easily fix those. How long did the Zaludians have her?"

"I do not know."

"Are there more like her?"

"I do not know that either. I left as soon as I discovered her."

"It probably saved her life. She wouldn't have survived much more abuse."

"Abuse? She was abused? By who? The Zaludians can't..."

"No, Nikhil! Not that kind of abuse! I'm sorry that my words caused you to believe your True Mate had been sexually abused. The deep repair unit found no evidence of that."

"Then what did you mean?" Nikhil sucked in a harsh breath trying to calm his pounding heart.

"I meant she would not have survived another beating. Her small body had reached its limit in being able to repair itself."

"She is small, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"She's... She is full grown, isn't she, Luol?" Nikhil’s stomach sank at the thought that he might have found his True Mate while she was still young. He had heard tales of Suja beads doing this, and while he would willingly wait for her to come of age for claiming, he knew it would be torture.

"All my findings show that for her species, she is fully grown," Luol reassured him.

"Thank the Goddess."

"That doesn't mean you can immediately claim her, Nikhil. You will need to handle her with great care. For not only is she a great deal smaller than our females, but her body has been stressed beyond any I have ever seen. If she survives..."

"If? What do you mean if?!!" Nikhil rose to his full height, his anger easily heard.

"Warrior Kozar..." Both men froze when the female between them suddenly cried out.

"What's wrong?" Nikhil desperately looked to Luol. "Is she in pain?"

Luol checked the read out of the machine and shook his head. "No, I don't believe so. It seems your True Mate is reacting to your anger, Warrior Kozar."

"What?"

"It is well documented that over time True Mates will pick up on the other’s emotions. It is part of the bond, but I have never heard of it happening so soon or being so strong, but that also may not be what we are witnessing."

"Why not? Do you think I'm not worthy enough to deserve a True Mate?!!"

"No, Nikhil, I don't think that at all," Luol quickly reassured him. "I know you are more than worthy of a True Mate. All I was trying to say was that we know nothing about her and her kind. Her reactions might not mean what we think."

"But you have heard of the bond being this strong before?"

"Yes, but as I said only with True Mates." He gave Nikhil a considering look. "Let’s test it. Are you calm right now?"

Nikhil frowned. "Yes."

They both looked to Mackenzie and saw she was resting comfortably.

"Good. Then I order you to leave this female and never return."

"What?!!" Nikhil roared out, and as he did Mackenzie began to thrash violently in the repair unit, crying out.

"Calm, Warrior Kozar, or your True Mate will harm herself."

"But..."

"That was the test, Nikhil. To see if you could have bonded so quickly. I never expected such a violent reaction from her. I'm sorry... and I congratulate you, Warrior Kozar. You have found your True Mate."

"But..." He fingered the bead that remained in his braids, the one that he must offer and she must accept.

"Give it time, Nikhil. You are a worthy male, a noble warrior. She will need time to adjust, time to get to know you, but I have no doubt you will win her over. I have never heard of a True Mate not accepting her mate's Ashe bead. Congratulations again, Nikhil. The Goddess has blessed you with a True Mate."

"I..." Nikhil paled slightly. The greatest gift the Goddess could give a male was to have a True Mate. He felt his world shift.

"She is going to need a great deal of understanding and care," Luol warned.

"I can give her that."

"I hope you can, Warrior Nikhil. Because if you can't, I fear more will be lost than just your True Mate."

M
ac knew she was dreaming, but she couldn’t bring herself to care as she watched her life play out. She was just too tired. It was all there, right from her first memory of her mom smiling down at her giving her kisses. Of her being handed to a man that was smiling just as broadly, her dad. Love and safety surrounded her.

Then it was gone.

Mac was six, and grief ravaged her mother's face. Her mother’s eyes were red-rimmed from tears, with deep, dark pits of anguish filling them. She didn't acknowledge the confused little girl tugging on her arm her eyes remaining fixed on the casket being lowered into the ground.

They had told her that Daddy was in that box, but they wouldn't let her see him, and she didn't understand why. She didn't understand why he was going away, didn't understand why they couldn't go with him, and her mother wouldn't tell her. All her mom would do was cry.

Then Mac was crying, watching her mother walk away without a word, without a kiss, without a single look back. Mac tried to run after her, screaming for her, telling her she'd be a good girl, that she wouldn't cry anymore if her mom would just stay. But, two hands gripped her shoulders, keeping her in place. Then those hands lifted her up into strong arms and carried her away.

Her grandpa, her father's dad, had come for her after her father's death and taken her home with him when her mother had been unable to care for her. He'd taken her to the place he had raised her dad. A place she had only visited before on summer breaks.

Her mother never returned.