Star's Storm(35)
Now, he thought as he leaned his head back against the jagged wall, I have my own alien warrior.
How his ancestor dealt with having a mate who was in constant danger was beyond him. He could feel his gut twist at the thought of anything happening to Star. A small smile tugged at his lips as he thought of her mutinous glare after he had returned to his House with her. She was constantly trying to sneak out or do things he felt were too much for her. Her blistering curses still stung his ears whenever he would catch her just as her heated kisses warmed his soul. A chuckle escaped as he remembered.
No, he thought, I wouldn’t want her any other way. I love her so much. I don’t remember if I ever told her that. I have to live so I can tell her just how much she means to me.
He pulled a pain patch he had hidden from under a loose rock and slid it into place on his neck. If what Jarmen said was true, others knew where he was and would be coming for him. He would need to do what he could to help. He focused inward, trying to focus his mind and body on gathering the strength it would need when the time came. Hope blossomed inside him as he realized he would not die alone in this unknown prison. A fierce burning rage began building with that hope. He would return home. He would not let his people down. He would not leave them vulnerable to attack. He was Jazin Ja Kel Coradon, the third son of the ruling House of Kassis, descendant of the Goddess and the great warrior Jazin. He would rise to protect his people as was his right as a Lord of Kassis.
He rose slowly, steadily as he felt the spirit of the warriors of old return to his mind and body. With concentrated effort, he began moving in a focused pattern. Slowly at first, before he increased the speed as his body responded to his commands. He ignored the torn flesh on his chest and back, he ignored the pull on the cuts or the ache from the bruises. The pain patch was doing its job of blocking most of his discomfort. He turned, striking out in the age old dance of the warrior. He would be ready when his mate came. He would fight beside her as long as he could.
*.*.*
Star paused as she waited for the gust of wind to finish its twirling, shifting flow around her. It wasn’t bad but there were occasional gusts that threaten to unbalance her. She stood straight until it passed, the long staff in her hands tilting ever so slightly when she needed the additional balance on one side or the other. The shoes she had on were softer than the boots in the bag on her back. She kept the small crossbow and arrow tucked securely under the bag. She stared straight ahead, feeling carefully with her toes as her eyes focused on the image of the end of the wire that she had in her head. She had descended from her hiding place just after dark and stepped onto the wire. She estimated she had just under a hundred meters to the tower. She had paused four times as gusts gathered and danced around her, trying to unbalance her slight form. She refused to bend to it. Now as the end approached, she focused on it. She was close enough to see where the wire was bolted into the heavy stone fortress. A search light danced under her briefly but it was scanning far lower than where she stood.
She breathed out a silent sigh of relief as she stepped on the slanted roof of the tower. Leaning forward, she gripped one of the iron rings used as a foot and hand hold. She twisted and sat down, pulling the backpack and crossbow off her back. She tucked the backpack around one of the iron rings higher up before loading two arrows into the crossbow. She clenched another arrow between her teeth before she climbed down to the last ring. Turning, she slid her feet under the ring and did a slow back bend. She would be hanging by her feet from the ring and firing the crossbow upside down. It would be similar to when she was doing some of her acts. She just needed to focus on the fact that the targets were a living, moving entity. Arching her back, she slowly lowered her body using the muscles she had perfected over a lifetime of training. She barely reached pass the edge of the roof. She remained still, her muscles straining as she carefully took aim. One warrior came around the corner to talk to the other man. She would have to be quick to kill them both.
“I need refreshments,” the one warrior was saying to the other. “Do you want anything?”
“Bring me some food,” the other grumbled as he moved the light in a slow arc. “I didn’t get any dinner. Tai Tek’s new Captain of the Guard ordered me up here instead. This is the third shift I have had without a break,” he complained. “I am going to catch a few hours of sleep later.”
“Might as well,” the first warrior replied stepping forward until he was in the way of the other man. “Nothing happens here. I don’t mind, just don’t let the Captain catch you,” he muttered darkly. “He slit two of the warriors throats for complaining earlier.”