LW Browning - Krystile Warriors 01 - Warlord's Honor (25 page)

C
laire woke in stages as if she surfaced from a great depth. She opened her eyes to find she was in the cabin on the craft. Koda was with her. She opened her mind to read him and – nothing. She received nothing. Had he muted her abilities again?

She struggled to sit up on the bed, but flinched away when Koda tried to help her. He held a bottle of water for her to drink. 

Claire tried to remember. Koda had a whip. She had been tied and, he was going to help them kill her. Panic ran through her. She tried to crawl off the bed to get away from him. 

Koda held her forearms in front of her and moved closer to her, trapping her with his body. 

"Be calm, I will do you no harm. I would know how you feel," Koda asked while holding her in place. 

Claire searched for words. 

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked.

"I-you were, y-you were going to help end me," she whispered.

Koda frowned before speaking into the com. "I need some food in here." He pulled her closer to him. "No, pita. You are safe."

The door opened and Var came in with a small tray of food that he set on the bed before backing up to stand by the door.

"Eat. You need to get your strength back," Koda said.

Claire was not hungry and eating with the two over-sized warlords staring at her was out of her comfort zone. She shook her head, her brain felt fuzzy. What had happened?

Someone had cleaned her up and put a sleeping gown on her. She had been beaten. Did she dream it? No, she was covered with bruises and contusions and everything hurt. Not a dream then, it had been real.

She closed her eyes and fought to remember. She was in the arena, Koda was coming toward her. He drew his knife. Destiny was there and some animals. A mind link with Destiny. Terror. Panic. Death. Memories of violence, whips, animals and people flooded her. There was blood in the sand. Claire opened her eyes.

"Where is Destiny?" Claire's voice was a hoarse whisper.

"She is resting. She suffered no harm," Koda answered.

He handed her a cup of hot chocolate. "Drink this. Do you feel well enough to talk to me?"

Claire nodded.

"I would know what you told the STS," Koda said.

"Where is Destiny?" Again, her voice croaked.

Koda tilted his head slightly to the side. "Destiny is fine. I would know what you told them of us."

Claire felt as if her head had been stuffed inside a giant pillow. Nothing was quite real. "Told?"

"Claire, I know you told the STS things about me, about my people, I need to know what you told them so we can be prepared," Koda spoke softly.

"I did not ... tell them anything.” Bits and pieces were there, but she was confused. “I do not think.”

"You were beaten and drugged. They wanted information about us. What did you tell them?" Var asked. A look from Koda made Var step back.

Claire looked at Koda. Understanding came to her slow-moving mind. "Oh. I do not think I told them anything." The hot chocolate soothed her throat.

"What do you mean you do not think?" Var asked. Koda stood up between Var and Claire. Var stepped back again and held his hands up in a hands-off gesture.

Koda turned his attention back to Claire.

"They gave me something," she whispered. "A shot I think, but I do not think I told them anything about you. I did not know the answers." Claire stared at no one with unfocused eyes.

"What do you remember about the questions?" Koda asked.

Indignation flowed through Claire. "I told them nothing. If I told them anything under the influence of drugs, I do not remember. If I did, then why did they keep on asking me? Keep on beating me?" Her voice trailed off as she tried to remember.

The STS had asked questions. She knew they were going to kill her, but she told them nothing about Koda, his people, his castle, nothing. Koda had sent her away from the Trade Council. He did not need her anymore and she stopped walking. No, she did not stop. She lost the ability to move. Something stung her neck. She lifted her hand to touch the sensitive place where the dart hit her.

Robare was insane. Now, he was dead in the arena. She saw it. Koda killed him. Robare was coming behind Koda, but she ran toward Robare to protect Koda. All those puzzle pieces fit into place, the rest followed soon.

The STS hurt her. Now she faced Koda and the disbelief in his eyes. Why did she feel hurt that he did not believe her? He thought she betrayed him, but he was the one who had sent her away when he was done with her, when he no longer needed her.

Memories continued to shuffle into place. Claire closed her eyes and sorted through events in an attempt to put them in order.

“What could I have told them Warlord Leader? You made sure I had no information that would be helpful to them. I had nothing to tell them.” A sob tore from her throat. She lifted her chin and sat up straighter. "I do not remember telling them anything about you. I will say no more about this." Claire moved back, further away from Koda.

***

K
oda lifted an eyebrow. She was telling him that she was finished talking. That was hard to believe. What had happened to her? Her green eyes blazed at him. 

Claire jumped when someone knocked.

Koda nodded to Var who opened the door to let Lodi and Destiny enter.

Destiny rushed to Claire and sat down beside her to hold her hand.

"What did she tell the STS?" Koda asked Destiny.

The shock on Destiny's face was replaced by concern. She looked at Claire, "I am so sorry. Can you receive from me?" Destiny's eyes filled with sadness even as she asked.

Claire blinked and frowned, then shook her head. "No, I receive nothing."

"I would know what is going on," Koda said.

"I get nothing from her. I do not read her as a normal or as an MX. She is blank," Destiny said.

"Can you find what she told the STS about us?" Koda asked.

Destiny shook her head, "I can receive nothing from her."

Koda turned his blue gaze to Claire. "What does this mean?"

"I seem to have lost my MX abilities," she said. Her voice was weak and shaky.

Koda wondered what was going through Claire's mind. She must have given up some information to the STS. It was imperative that he know so he could prepare and defend his people.

Since they had interrogated Claire before she was brought into the arena, whatever information she had given them had already been distributed throughout the STS network before they took her into the arena.

Koda directed Claire to sit on a chair in the middle of the room. She was shaky when she stood. He gently helped her into the chair. Claire took the blanket along to cover herself when she sat down. Koda stood behind her. She jumped when he put his hands on her shoulders. He stroked her hair and pulled it back while he massaged her neck and shoulders. He touched the mate mark. Although he felt the pull of the bond, he discerned nothing of her empath side.

She sat forward to break contact. Koda took a chair and straddled it in front of her. Propping his arms on the back of it, he leaned forward. He was close, his gaze intimate.

Destiny watched from her seat on the bed. Koda sent her a look meant to keep her quiet.

"What do you remember?" Koda asked, returning his attention to Claire. He kept his voice soft and patient. "No one will hurt you, girl. You are safe here, but I must know what you told them."

Fire blazed in Claire's eyes. "I remember that you sent me away from the Trade Center. I felt a stick in my neck before we boarded the craft. I was paralyzed. Then, I woke up alone in a cell, chained and gagged."

Koda flinched. Claire continued.

"Robare was there. He asked me questions about the Krystiles. I know very little about them. You have told me nothing." Claire leveled her unblinking gaze at Koda. "STS wards beat me. They gave me a shot of something and put me on a transport. I was moved to another place and chained and beaten again. Since I knew nothing of what they asked me, I had nothing to tell them. When they stopped asking about the Krystiles, they asked about your castle, I told them nothing. How could you think I would aid those who were planning my death, Warlord Leader? I spent the rest of my time while they weren't beating or questioning me either unconscious or meditating on my impending death."

Claire looked into his eyes. "I did not speak of you, or your castle or your people. I did not even tell them the names of your warlords."

"Why did you not board the craft with Lodi and Destiny at the Trade Center?"

"I told you, just now. Something stuck me, in my neck. I could not move. Then I was wearing a choke chain and something over my nose and mouth. I woke up in a cell."

Claire's eyes shot green fire. "Do you enjoy hearing that again, Warlord Leader? Do you want more details of what they did to me?"

Koda leaned forward, his face inches from Claire.

"Pita, I do not want to cause you distress, but whatever they know, they will use against me, against my people. You are doing well. What happened at the arena?"

"You want me to say it again even though you do not believe what I say?" Claire’s voice was barely audible.

Koda sat back and sighed. "Pita.” He nodded to Var. “Get the drugs." 

The look on Claire's face ripped his heart out. She stood as if to run. Koda caught her arms and placed her back on the chair.

"We have to do this, girl. If they gave you drugs to make you talk, you may not remember what you told them. The drugs will help you remember what happened."

“Get her out of here.” Koda gestured to Destiny.

Lodi restrained Destiny and carried her from the room.

"How can you let them do this?" Destiny flung at Lodi.

"We need to know what information she gave them," Lodi said simply. 

"What if she told them nothing?" Destiny flung at them.

It is impossible that she was able to withstand what they did to her," Lodi said. "The drugs will help her remember and tell us. We must be prepared for their attack. She will not be harmed." Lodi closed the door behind him.

Koda held Claire while Var put the needle in her arm. She relaxed. Her eyes closed and she stopped struggling.

***

W
hile Claire slept off the drugs, Koda waited anxiously. From what he could discern, she had told the STS nothing, even when they tortured her. She was unbelievable. Admiration for this small female filled Koda. She was his mate, strong and brave and... His.

He left Var to watch over Claire as she slept.

Koda stood over Destiny. “I would know what information you received from Claire when you joined your minds in the arena," Koda said.

Destiny frowned before she answered. "It is difficult to explain. When we joined our minds, we sought to avoid death, ours and those of you and your warriors. Claire was going to be killed. She had accepted that. I received from the people in the arena. Their insanity and lust for violence had taken them over. I passed that information to Claire. We joined minds to defend ourselves and your group from the STS and the spectators in the arena. The crowd would have killed us all, even after you stopped the STS."

Koda raised an eyebrow. "Claire ran away from me. She ran to Robare. Do you know why?"

"It was her job.” Destiny replied. “Anna told her."

Koda tilted his head. Was doing her job all that Claire ever thought of. "What do you know of Anna?"

"Anna joined minds with Claire, so I knew what she told her," Destiny said.

Koda was still trying to wrap his mind around the abilities of the empaths. They could all speak to each other without touching. "How did Anna know anything of what was to happen in the arena?" Koda asked.

Destiny mouthed a silent 'oh' before she explained. "Anna has the gift of foresight, she sees the future." Destiny waited for this to sink in to the warlords. She half smiled. "What I received from Claire was that when she and Anna parted, Anna reminded Claire of the first rule of chess. The queen's job."

"The queen's job," Koda repeated.

"Yes, the queen's job is to protect the king," Destiny said.

Destiny looked from Koda to Lodi. "You are the king, Warlord Leader. Claire's job is to protect you. Are you not familiar with the game of chess?"

It was as if a large boulder hit Koda in the chest. He forced himself to breathe to take in oxygen. Could this be true? Was Claire's sole intention to safeguard him? Did she endure everything the STS did to her and not give up any information at all in an effort to protect him? 

He had been a fool. He had seen only her frailty, never her strength, and he had hurt her with his assumptions. 

Koda returned to sit by Claire while she slept off the effects of the drugs. Drugs that he had ordered given to her. He sat down to watch her sleep and to think what a male might do with such a female. More important, how was he going to convince her to forgive him?