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  Kratos

  “Report,” I said as I walked onto the command deck, my voice booming. My crew to jerked to attention, clicking their heels.

  Bron looked up from his standing console, wrinkles creasing his forehead. “We’ve reached the planet you wanted to investigate, Raas. It was not far from the colony we assisted.”

  I focused my gaze out the wide viewing screen. The small, blue planet lay ahead, along with what looked to be a fleet of gunmetal-gray Zagrath ships massed between us and the surface. I knew my own horde of warbirds was flanked behind my lead ship, and from the faint purple glow of the command deck, I could tell we’d activated our invisibility shielding.

  “It was a trap,” Corvak said, his voice dark and deadly as he approached me. “This pointless search has led us straight into a Zagrath snare.”

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “As you ordered, once we left the colony, we resumed our course. When we reached the planet, we activated our sensors.”

  I knew our sensors would alert ships to our presence even if we were hidden from view. “And you located the fleet?”

  “Not until they appeared from behind the planet.”

  So, Corvak was right. They had been waiting for us. The planet had been a lure, and they had flown ships to it with enough regularity that we would suspect it to be of importance.

  I let a low rumble escape my lips. “Damage?”

  “Minimal,” my battle chief said, his voice now steady. “But they know we’re here. Would you like to call the attack, Raas?”

  I rocked back on my heels, appraising the Zagrath fleet and wondering how many more were behind the planet, waiting to emerge. I was used to taking my enemy unaware. I did not like to have the element of surprise used against me.

  “Raas,” one of my warriors said, turning from his standing post to face me and clicking his heels together. “There is an incoming hail.”

  “From one of our ships?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “From the Zagrath.”

  This was new. The empire rarely deigned to acknowledge our existence, considering us more of an irritation to be ignored than an enemy to be negotiated with. To communicate with us would be to acknowledge that we were a viable threat and a formidable foe.

  “Should I put it through to your strategy room?”

  I felt the eyes on me. “No.” I inclined my head to the wide screen. “Put it through here. Let them see our warriors preparing to destroy them.”

  Corvak grunted in approval next to me, pivoting to face the screen and holding his battle axe in front of him. Bron also came to stand on my other side, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. I set my feet wide, bracing my own hands on my hips with my biceps flexed. I knew we made a menacing trio. Exactly what I wanted the Zagrath to see.

  The screen flickered, the view of the enemy fleet replaced by the view of a well-lit command deck and a single Zagrath officer in a smoke-blue uniform. Other Zagrath were in the background, sitting at gleaming-white consoles, their eyes fixed on us.

  “I am Commander Quijon of the Zagrath Empire,” the Zagrath officer said, his hands clasped behind his back. “To whom am I speaking?”

  This Zagrath was everything I was not, with his close-cropped, fair hair and crisp uniform. I narrowed my eyes at him, hating everything he stood for and everything his empire had done. “Raas Kratos of the Vandar.”

  The commander cleared his throat. “As you can see, your ships are outnumbered and outgunned. At least, they will be shortly, once our second fleet arrives.”

  I did not respond. I only glared at the screen, although I felt Corvak shift by my side. I suspected the thought of being flanked in the rear by the Zagrath did not sit well with him.

  “We do not wish a battle today,” the Zagrath commander continued. “We only wish you to return what you took from an empirical ship.”

  I tried to keep from flinching, but I could not prevent the sneer that curled my upper lip. “What do you think the empire has that I want?”

  The man let out an impatient breath. “You took a woman off a ship transporting Zagrath supplies, which makes it a Zagrath ship, and I am to understand that she is living on board your ship as a prisoner.”

  “There is no one on my ship who has not agreed to be here.”

  The commander took a step closer. “Look, Vandar. I know you used threats to get this girl to come with you. Release her back to us, and none of your crew need to die.”

  I snorted a laugh. “You think my warriors are the ones who will die?”

  He flinched noticeably, readjusting his clasped hands. “You will not be so sure once our other ships arrive. I am giving you a chance to give up the girl and go, before we’re forced to board your ship and take her from you.”

  A dark murmur passed through my command deck, and my warriors tensed at the threat. Even Corvak emitted a low rumble and shifted his grip on his battle axe. He might disagree with my actions of late, but no Vandar took threats to their ships lightly. Especially not from a Zagrath in a uniform that had never seen battle.

  “You can try,” I growled, giving the enemy a menacing smile.

  The commander frowned. This was clearly not going like he’d intended. He turned and walked back to a large captain’s chair and sat down in it, stretching his arms to the tips of the armrests. “You refuse to surrender your captive?”

  “She is not a captive,” I said, my heart beating faster as I thought about Astrid. “But I do refuse to surrender her. She belongs to the Vandar now. She came with me of her own free will and agreed to be mine if I let her ship go. I upheld my end of the bargain. Now she is fulfilling hers.”

  “You can’t fly around the empire, raiding ships and taking our women to be your whores,” the commander spat out, his placid face reddening.

  I felt Bron’s gaze flick to me for a moment. “She is not my whore. But the Vandar can and will continue to raid your ships until you cease trying to bend the galaxy to your will.”

  The enemy commander pounded a fist onto his chair’s armrest. “The Zagrath Empire controls this sector. That is not up for your input, Vandar.”

  “My name is not Vandar.” I took a step forward, my voice low. “I have told you. I am Raas Kratos of the Vandar. Or in your language, the warlord Kratos of the Vandar. I am the son of Raas Bardon of the Vandar and brother to Raas Kaalek and Raas Tor. I do not take orders from a Zagrath, and I will not return the female to you. She is the property of the Vandar, and you will have to go through me to get her.”

  Corvak pounded the end of his battle axe on the floor, the sound booming through the command deck and even causing the Zagrath commander to jump.

  “Have it your way, Vandar.” The Zagrath sneered at me, shaking his head. “Prepare for battle.” His face vanished and the screen returned to the view of the enemy fleet.

  Blood roared in my ears, as I watched the Zagrath ships light up their weapons systems. “I always do.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Astrid

  I clutched the side of the bed as the ship rocked again. After Kratos had thrown on his clothes and run from the room, the firing had paused for a merciful lull, but it had quickly resumed. As I glanced around the room that was pitching back and forth, I understood why the space was so spartan, and why the few pieces of furniture were bolted to the floor. At least nothing was sliding across the floor as we were being attacked.

  I still didn’t know what exactly was going on, but I guessed it was the Zagrath. They were the only ones brave enough to engage a Vandar horde in battle. Even though the far glass wall looked out onto space, I could see little but flashes of laser fire and gray-hulled ships in the distance.

  I braced my feet on the floor to keep from slipping. I’d heard about the fights between the Zagrath battleships and the Vandar warbirds, the skies filled with explosions and laser fire. I’d never imagined I’d be in one.

  Over the wailing sirens and the incoming weapons fire, I heard a th
umping on the door. I managed to pull on a dress and made my way to the door by walking with my arms outstretched for balance. I pressed the panel to the side, sending the doors gliding open. Krin hurried in. The guard outside glanced back at me, then resumed staring straight ahead. I guessed even with a battle raging, Kratos had told him to stay put.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked Krin, although I was happier to see him than I wanted to let on.

  “I know the last battle wasn’t fun for you, so I thought I’d make sure you were okay.”

  I was touched that the boy had been worried for me. “The majak didn’t send you?”

  He shook his head. “He didn’t have to send me. I know the Raas would want me to make sure you aren’t scared. He seems to like you an awful lot. I’ve never seen him look at any of the ladies in the fancy houses like he looks at you.” He blushed as soon as he said this, dropping his gaze to the floor.

  “It’s okay,” I told him, swaying slightly as the ship shuddered. “I know he’s gone to pleasure houses, but I’m glad to know he likes me more than the ladies there.” I pulled him into a quick hug, ruffling his hair. “Thanks for that, and thanks for checking on me.”

  When I let him go, his cheeks were splotched with pink, and I could tell he was attempting to look like he hadn’t enjoyed the hug, tugging at his kilt as his tail swished.

  “Do you know what’s going on?” I asked him, waving a hand to the door. “I can’t leave this room.”

  He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, clearly feeling important getting to impart the information to me. “We shouldn’t leave. The Zagrath are attacking, and everyone’s busy preparing for a battle on the ship.”

  “Why would there be a battle on the ship?” I glanced at the wide glass and the laser fire crisscrossing the black sky. “I thought space battles were fought in, well, space.”

  Krin smiled at me like I was the child and he was the grownup. “The fastest way to bring a battle to an end is to board a ship and take it.”

  The Vandar were called raiders for a reason. They almost always boarded ships, stripping them of anything valuable before destroying them.

  “So, the Vandar are getting ready to board some Zagrath ships?”

  The boy nodded, his eyes going to my door. “I saw a bunch of warriors getting on a boarding vessel. If they can take the lead Zagrath ship, we win.”

  That seemed a little simplistic to me, but then again, I wasn’t well-versed in space warfare. “What about Kratos? Is he going with one of the boarding parties?”

  Krin’s gaze darted to mine then away. “Not this time, at least from what I can see. He’s leading the fight from the command deck.”

  I felt a rush of relief that he wouldn’t be leaving the ship and risking his life to board a Zagrath battleship. I knew he was a seasoned fighter, but I hated the thought of him being injured and me not being able to get to him. It was a strange sensation, and one I couldn’t completely explain.

  “How long do these battles last?” I asked, as another hit made us both stagger to one side.

  “Depends,” he yelled over the noise. “We don’t usually fight so large a fleet.”

  My heart stuttered slightly. Was there chance the Vandar would be defeated, or the ship blown up? I didn’t like the thought of either option, but I wondered what would happen to me if the ship was taken by the Zagrath. Were they really trying to kill me, or would they consider me a prisoner they were liberating? Regardless, if the Vandar lost, I wouldn’t be staying with Kratos. If he even survived.

  A hard pit formed in my stomach. I wasn’t sure when it had happened, but I’d gone from hoping with all my heart to be rescued to wanting nothing more than to stay with the Vandar warlord who’d taken me as his captive. I’d grown to welcome his hard body moving on top of mine and his deep, claiming kisses. And being desired by him had given me a confidence I hadn’t known before. Lying next to him and advising him on his crew and his strategy, I finally felt like I was somewhere I belonged.

  Something hard hit the ship, sending both Krin and me to the floor. I caught myself with my hands but as I lay on the cool floor, they stung from the impact. I raised my head to see the boy sprawled close to me.

  “Are you okay?”

  He looked up and moaned. “I think we’re being boarded.”

  “What?” I pushed myself to standing, and then pulled him up beside me. “Are you sure?”

  He rubbed his shoulder where it must have hit the floor. “It felt like a ship clamping on to us.”

  That wasn’t good. I’d already dealt with one boarding party. I did not want to do it again. “Okay, what should we do? If they’re coming for me, I need to get the hell out of this room. The last group that came on board looking for me seemed to know where to find me.”

  Krin’s small brow crinkled. “We still have a guard outside.”

  I’d almost forgotten the hulking Vandar warrior armed to the teeth and standing right outside the door. “Right.”

  I walked to the door and pressed the panel again, wanting to see the guy and reassure myself that he hadn’t run off to take part in the battle. When the doors swished open, I was staring at empty space where the warrior had been. Then my gaze dropped to the floor, and the huge Vandar lying dead in front of the door.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Astrid

  “Is he…?” I stared down at the guard as blood oozed from his chest.

  Krin grabbed my hand and jerked me forward as a blast hit the wall where my head had just been. “Vaes!”

  I ducked as I scooped up my skirts and ran behind him, the sound of blasters firing behind us. Were they really trying to kill me, or were they just shooting at anything that moved?

  We rounded a sharp corner and ran straight into a Zagrath soldier. I’d never seen one so up close and personal. They were tall, and their uniforms were a steely blue, with chest armor of the same color that made them appear wider. Black helmets covered their heads with an eyepiece that snapped down over one eye, making them look a little like automatons.

  Even though the Zagrath soldier held a massive laser rifle, Krin didn’t hesitate to whip his blade off his belt and jab it up and into the enemy’s neck. Blood spurted out, making me stagger back to avoid getting splattered, but Krin grabbed my hand again and pulled me forward.

  “We’ve got to keep moving,” he said, holding his dripping knife out as he ran.

  I was stunned he’d been able to kill so easily, and wondered if this was the first kill he’d made, or if this was par for the course for Vandar raider apprentices.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, after we’d made several more turns.

  He paused, looking back at me. “I don’t know. Just away from the fighting.”

  That sounded good to me. The sound of screaming and blaster fire echoed throughout the ship, making my blood run cold. I didn’t know how many Zagrath were on board, but it sounded like they were everywhere.

  “Wait,” I said, pulling my hand from his and stopping. I snatched his blade from him. “I need to do something.”

  Grabbing the bottom of my dress, I slashed at the fabric until I’d removed everything below my knee. Then I handed him back his blade. “That’s better. Now I can actually run without falling.”

  Krin frowned at my legs, bare from the knee down. “The Raas is not going to like this.”

  “The Raas isn’t here. Would you rather stay alive, or have to run slow to keep up with me and my stupid, long dress?”

  “Stay alive.”

  “Me, too.” I took his hand again. “Lead the way.”

  We hurried down a winding flight of stairs and past the battle ring. Krin jumped over a pair of dead Vandar raiders, but I stumbled when I saw them lying on the floor. I didn’t recognize them, but they were muscular and dark-haired—like all Vandar—and made me think of Kratos. What would I do if I saw his body, lifeless on the floor?

  I shook my head hard, forcing the thought out of my h
ead and trying not to dwell on just how heartbroken I knew I’d be.

  He’s fine, I told myself. He’s not dead. He’s definitely not dead.

  Krin tugged at my hand but his voice wasn’t harsh. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded, looking away from the dead warriors and stepping over their bodies with care. “Do you think the boarding party reached the bridge?”

  Krin met my eyes. “The Raas will not be killed. He is a fierce fighter. No Zagrath can defeat him.”

  I loved Krin’s blind confidence in his leader, but I knew that no one was invincible. Not even someone as huge and ferocious as Raas Kratos.

  We went down another wide set of iron stairs, as we descended farther into the ship, dashing down a corridor and smack into a pair of Zagrath. Before Krin could stab at them, one of the soldiers grabbed him, pinning his arms to his side. Krin struggled and kicked and even slapped at him with his tail, but the enemy soldier was bigger, and obviously much stronger.

  “Don’t hurt him,” I cried. “He’s just a boy. He’s not a warrior.”

  The other Zagrath twisted to face me, his laser rifle trained at my chest. “It’s the woman.”

  “We found her,” the other solider sounded triumphant as he held the still-wiggling Krin off the floor. “Call it in to command.”

  “Don’t worry, citizen. We’ll get you off this raider ship.” The soldier in front of me lowered his rifle and pulled a small device off his belt. “Patrol three to command. We have the woman prisoner. Repeat. We have found the human prisoner and are bringing her back.”

  “Is that why you boarded the ship?” I asked. “To find me?”

  The Zagrath holding Krin nodded. “If we didn’t have to get you off, we could have just blasted it apart.”

  The other soldier eyed me and my torn dress. “You must know someone pretty high up to get this kind of rescue.”

  More like my sister had made some kind of deal with some Zagrath commander. I cringed to think what Tara had offered him in exchange for sending in the cavalry, and hated the ungrateful thoughts swirling through my head.