The Barbarian's Captive (Warlords 0f Farian Book 4)

as we settled down into the meadow just west of the military compound. We had decided, after hearing that, to buzz along the passes, in hopes that we would scout Cartari on his way to the military base, wayward bride in tow, as a goodwill offering, hopefully, but we hadn’t seen them. Our goal was to find Cartari, but we were also to complete his mission. If our route estimate was right, he would be arriving any time to the military base. Assuming he followed along with the mission, and I had no reason to suspect he wouldn’t, no matter the girl he had freed from the prison. It’s not like he would have any loyalty to her. He was always fairly cavalier with his heart, but he wouldn’t fall for a local. Not a Valistoran. They were beneath us. They weren’t even telepathic! How would they be able to connect about anything?

Of course, both King Kajo and Alpha Jase had discovered an even more intense connection with their Destins from non-telepathic planets… but I just couldn’t believe that would ever be worth it.

I beckoned to my crewmen. We were six total Farians, but with our telekinetic power and supreme fighting skills, we were surely worth at least forty.

“Let’s reach out telepathically. See if anyone picks up. Cartari will be nearby soon. I’m sure of it. At the same time, Modifi and Kala, I want you to go down to the military base and see what you can pick up from reading minds around there. See if there’re any reports of Cartari being seen, or if they have him already.”

“Yes, Bravo.”

I turned to the scanner. There were plenty of infrared signatures coming in, but they all looked animal-shaped, nothing Curan, so far. Hopefully, Cartari would be open telepathically, for some reason, and we could get in touch with him before he entered the military base. From what we could discover in the southern city, he would most definitely not be welcomed by Blatson. We had cornered a guard that had spoken with the military unit that had left in search for him, and it seemed Blatson had identified Cartari as the Curan emissary sent by Farian, which made him very contrary to any negotiating with us.

That meant our mission was likely to be adjusted, as well. We would still make the offer to Blatson, but we were prepared to depose him and insert Truloy.

One thing had been clear from Commander Axis and King Kajo: we weren’t to leave Vailstor without a trade deal and we weren’t to leave without Cartari’s body.

Hopefully both of those things would be alive and well when we took off. And hopefully that take off date would be soon.

I shivered as I looked out the spaceship window. It was cold here. I missed the sunny Bristola shores…

Seventeen

Cartari

We were almost to the military base. We could hear the muffled sound of its speaker blaring orders to troops and we had skittered numerous broken down military vehicles and guard towers for the expanded base, if they needed it, when under attack.

We crested a rise and I pulled Zaya down quickly beside me. The rise gave way to a snow-covered foothill that led directly to the compound entrance gates. It had a medieval wall surrounding it, stables, buildings, and barracks on the inside. We could see within the compound walls from this vantage point. There was a small toolshed to the left on this rise, hidden from the compound by the tall redwoods.

I watched the pattern of guards before the gate and was surprised by their relaxed demeanor. They seemed to feel under no pressure or threat. From what I understood, relations between Truloy and Blatson were tense, but Truloy had not officially challenged Blatson for rule, yet. However, it still seemed strange that “on alert” meant leaning back against the walls with crossbows looped over your chest, chatting to your comrades, hardly glancing at the surrounding territory.

I had been hoping to go in as a friend, but they would make it easy to go in under power and demand entrance, too.

I didn’t really have a plan, yet. I just knew it was time. It was officially time to ask my Destin the question I had been dreading.

I managed to get the stuck, hardly used door, of the relatively empty toolshed open and walked inside with Zaya. We were both sweaty, yet frigid from traipsing for so many miles in the snow. It had taken us a couple days, but we had made it.

“I am going to go down there,” I said. “It is important for you to remain here, for you to remain safe. Communicate with me telepathically if anything happens.”

I picked up an old leather cord from the workbench and twirled it between my hands, shuffling my feet, looking out the small window toward the compound, delaying, delaying, delaying…

“Who are you here to see, Cartari?” Her eyes were misted with tears as she asked the question, but I immediately loved her more for taking away the pain of me having to open the conversation.

“I’m here as an emissary from Farian to request a trade deal with General Blatson.”

Zaya reached behind her and clutched at the wall.

“The General?”

“Yes.”

“Cartari, I… I have to tell you something.” She stood up from the wall and took my hands. “As we got closer to the military base, I worried it was something like this, but I didn’t want it to be true… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t say anything, but…”

Warning bells sounded in my head. My heart was roaring in my ears, my breath coming quick, as if I were afraid, running from something, running from her words, into the place of safety I knew best: her love, her hands, her tongue.

So, I kissed her. I kissed her quivering lips. I wrapped my hands in her hair, feeling the smooth skin of her neck, the curve of her shoulders, her breasts, her ribs, her waist, her hips. Her hands