Svar moved behind the Raas, his face twisted in concern. “This should not be settled here.”
“Agreed. We would not be here, if my female had not been brought here against her will and mine.” Bron barreled toward Corvak with his axe held high. “Honor must be defended.”
“I am defending honor.” Corvak grunted as he dodged the attack and stumbled away, hitting the glass wall. He swiveled and struck Bron in the back with the flat of his blade. “The honor of the horde.”
Bron staggered away, the hit obviously startling him.
This was not good. If Corvak won, I was going to be tortured and put out an airlock, for sure. If Bron won, I would have a lot of explaining to do. He knew as well as his battle chief did that I had not gotten lost and ended up on the hangar bay. He knew the truth, even if he couldn’t admit it.
“Stop!” I yelled, over the heavy breathing and angry grunts.
Neither Vandar paid any attention to me. Even Bron cut his eyes to me, and the hardness in them made fear ice my veins.
With a deafening roar, the Raas leapt through the air, his axe coming down hard on Corvak’s. The battle chief’s weapon clattered to the floor, and Bron kicked it away, looming over his opponent with his own axe poised to strike.
Corvak did not look away. Instead, he glared at his Raas. “Do what you must. I die with no regrets.”
The Raas’ chest rose and fell as he drew in ragged breaths, then he backed away. “I will not kill you.”
Svar swung his head to Bron. “Raas—?”
“But you cannot stay as my battle chief, or as part of my horde,” Bron continued, locking eyes with his majak. “Banish him at the first habitable planet.”
Corvak’s jaw tightened. “I would prefer death.”
“You do not get to choose,” Bron said. Without another word, he walked to the wall and unhooked me, his movements rough and jerky.
“Raas,” I began, not sure if I should apologize, or thank him, or both.
His cold gaze slid to me. “Unless you wish to be banished alongside my battle chief, it would be best if you did not speak.”
Then he threw me over his shoulder and stalked away from his gaping officers and out of the oblek. The last thing I saw, as I hung down the Raas’ back was the murderous glare from Corvak, before the iron doors slid shut on him.
Chapter Thirty-One
Bron
My body burned as I stormed through the ship, the female bouncing against my back. At first, she was quiet, but after I leapt down a few staircases, she slapped her hands against the bare skin of my back.
“You can let me down now. You’ve made your point.”
I stomped down a walkway, the metal trembling beneath my thundering boots as raiders scurried out of my way, their eyes cast down out of respect and fear. “I am not making a point. I am making sure you do not run off again.”
She started to argue with me, but I landed a sharp slap on her ass. “I suggest you cease your complaints, unless you want more of that. Make no mistake, female. I have no problem meting out the punishment you so richly deserve.”
I reached the door to my quarters, slamming my palm against the panel to open them and walking straight through the sliding steel to drop her onto my bed. She bounced a couple of times, after landing on her back, and then glared up at me.
“What the hell was that all about?” Her face was flushed, no doubt from hanging upside down.
I backed away from the foot of the bed and raked both hands through my hair. “I should ask you the same question. Why did I find you being questioned by my battle chief, when I left you in my bed?”
“You didn’t really expect me to lie here waiting for you like some helpless woman, did you?”
“I expected you not to attempt to steal a ship and run away from me,” I said, the tremor in my voice betraying the fact that I was attempting to remain calm and having a hard time doing it.
“Then you don’t know me very well,” she snapped back.
I dropped my hands to my knees and leaned over, breathing unevenly. I’d just battled my own warrior over her and exiled him from my horde, and she was claiming I didn’t know her? When I looked up at the female on my bed, her eyes flashing defiance, a wave of defeat washed over me, dousing my fury and quelling the heat in my body.
What did I know of her, aside from the truths she’d finally confessed under the influence of the ancient oils? I knew she ignited my desire and enflamed my body. I knew being buried inside her made me feel like a god. But I did not know what truly dwelled in her heart—the heart of an imperial assassin. And I could not understand how deeply the empire had twisted her mind and ingrained loyalty to them, despite abusing her and molding her into a killer.
“You are right. I do not know you.” Straightening, I backed away from her, turning and walking toward the bathing pools.
The red haze of rage had cleared from my vision, but my footsteps were still halting as I made my way into the chamber. I leaned my hands against the long counter and sucked in greedy breaths, the cool stone welcome on my scorched skin.
“What have I done?” I said under my breath, too afraid to utter the words any louder. A Vandar Raas did not doubt his actions or second-guess himself, but how could I not? I’d defended a virtual stranger over one of my officers, and cast him out of the horde. My mind whirled as I tried to recall when a raider had last
