“Me,” Zahnin answered again instantly.
I heard her soft intake of breath and let out my own when her hand tentatively lifted, then settled lightly on the bandage at his stomach as she whispered, “Dohno.”
At her word and touch, with his gaze warm on his wife, his face soft, Zahnin lifted his hand and her body didn’t move or even tense as she allowed her husband to cup her cheek.
Then she did something that proved I was right about how sweet Sabine was.
She slowly and carefully dropped gracefully to her side and curled up next to him, her head on his shoulder, her hand light on his bandage. As she moved, Zahnin’s fingers slid through her hair so when she was settled, they cupped the back of her head.
My eyes went to his to see his were on me.
And they were communicating.
I nodded, getting the message loud and clear.
His fingers started sifting through his wife’s hair.
“Everybody out,” I ordered softly and I didn’t need to ask twice.
Jacanda quit wiping, grabbed her bucket and scurried. The healer and Bain moved to the tent flaps that Claudine had exited and Diandra was currently moving through. Gaal was already gone.
I wanted to look back but didn’t, it wasn’t right, but I really, really wanted to.
I didn’t need to.
I heard Zahnin mutter, “Thank you for coming to me, my beautiful one.”
Before I dropped the flaps behind me, I heard Sabine’s soft sigh.
And as the flaps settled, I heard Sabine ask with cute, quiet surprise, “Oh my, Zahnin, is that a tiger?”
This was followed by a quiet manly chuckle.
Hmm. It seemed I never shared about Ghost with Sabine and it occurred to me I’d never hosted her at my cham.
I walked toward Diandra and Claudine thinking I was going to have to do that. I’d had lunch or dinner at all my posse’s chams. I was falling down. It was way my turn.
These thoughts were wiped from my brain when Diandra’s eyes came to me then drifted the length of me.
Then they filled with tears.
“Oh, my Circe,” she breathed, I stopped moving, looked down and saw I had blood all over me.
I hadn’t even noticed.
I looked up to assure her I was fine when suddenly the air changed and I heard the thunder of hooves.
My head turned to my left just in time to see Lahn on Lahkan clear the cham closest to us. I had no time to experience shock at his early return, or delight. I didn’t because he was coming at a full gallop and he wasn’t slowing.
I registered vaguely he was followed by a number of other horses but I didn’t pay much attention because suddenly his body was swinging off his horse while Lahkan kept galloping!
“Lahn!” I cried, frozen stiff in panic when his feet solidly hit ground and Lahkan zoomed by me so close, I felt the breeze of motion and a whisper of touch from his tail but I couldn’t concentrate on that either.
Lahn was on me.
Or, his hands were. Travelling over my limbs, my shoulders, my breasts, my belly, my waist, drifting over the dried blood, he jerked me so my back was to him and did the same.
It finally hit me what he was doing and I tried to turn back, saying, “Lahn, I’m okay.”
I didn’t turn around. He jerked me back around and my body swayed with the force of it and only remained standing because his hands clamped on either side of my jaw.
Then he stared into my eyes and I held my breath because his spirit was there, right there, right at the surface, burning golden, bright and brutal more than it had even after Dortak called out his threats.
He was not pissed. He was not angry.
His spirit was filled with wrath.
Oh shit.
“I’m okay, honey,” I whispered, my hands lifting to curl my fingers around his wrists and his fingers pressed in so hard they caused pain. “Honestly, I’m –”
I didn’t finish because he released me but threw back his head and roared with rage. No words, just a primal shout he thundered to the heavens that came straight from his gut and was filled with a fury unsurpassed. I took a step back in shock and surprise at this uninhibited, savage display as he dropped his chin and roared again, thumping his fist on his chest and turning his massive body toward the phalanx of warriors on their horses who had crowded thigh to thigh in the limited space.
He thumped his fist on his chest again and roared, “We ride on Maroo!”
Oh shit!
The warriors on horses, those standing around, others standing sentry and all of those guarding our cham roared in response, punching fists in the air or thumping their own chests.
“The blood of our enemy stains the gold of my queen!” Lahn kept bellowing, thumping his chest on the word “my” then swinging a powerful arm around to point at me. “They closed on her in my cham,” another thump, “shattering the safety I provide her,” another thump, “and spilling the blood of our brother!” He beat at his chest with both fists. “In return, we will create rivers of Maroo blood. The stone of our earth will weep with it and we will know vengeance!” Another thump and another returning roar from his warriors, now, their numbers were growing as more were joining or closing in.
I felt Diandra and Claudine move in on my sides, Diandra’s hand finding mine as Lahn turned but he didn’t look at me.
He looked beyond me and ordered, “Bathe their blood from her golden skin. Remove our possessions and burn this cham, now. Order a new one made, I want it up and sheltering my golden bride in a week.” He paused, leaned forward, I turned my head and saw Gaal and Beetus staring at him, frozen, and he roared, “Move!”
They moved and they did it fast.
Lahn again didn’t look at me when he turned back to his warriors and kept thundering, “My seed has been planted in her womb and she carries my child. They attacked my tigress and your golden warrior queen. They attacked all that is the beauty of Suh Tunak and my unborn. They will know a vengeance that their grandchildren will understand and knowing it through the ages to come they will still quake in their beds!”
Okay, he wasn’t calming down, like… at all.
“Lahn,” I whispered, for some reason my voice not able to get any louder but Diandra squeezed my hand.
“No, Circe, not now. Not at all,” she murmured in my ear. “Even a normal warrior’s wife is off limits and the enemy knows it. The Daxshee is never penetrated, ever. In times far past, this happened and in that past, Suh Tunak has ridden just like our Dax now describes and the brutality of their vengeance has not been forgotten… until now.” I looked up at her and she finished quickly. “To invade a cham is akin to them taking you by force. It is symbolic. It is the safety he offers you as your husband and it was violated. He will taste vengeance and the Maroo will bleed for it.”
Oh God.
My eyes snapped to Lahn when I heard him ask, “She is taken?”
I saw he was glowering at a warrior who jerked up a chin.
Then Lahn ordered, “Bring me the traitor.”
Oh no. No.
No.
My body got tight.
He wanted Teetru.
“Still, my friend, still. Be strong. He will know vengeance,” Diandra murmured, her arm going around me and Claudine, at my other side, did the same.
I was glad for it for I was suddenly shaking and not just a little.
“Send messengers, my brother,” Lahn barked at another warrior. “They ride out tonight. Suh Tunak amasses.”
