“Run!” He orders.
Lisa turns at Ion’s shout and immediately follows his order. Grabbing the girls’ hands, they flee up the path, her mind racing. Grim said intruders had landed but he hadn’t said they were anywhere near Luanda, rounding the bend Miki’s hand slips from hers as she falls.
“Mommy!” She cries out. Skidding to a halt Lisa looks around, frantically trying to figure out where they are.
“Mommy?” Carly gives her a frightened look. Dropping to her knees, she pulls both her girls close.
“Shhhh, it's okay, we’re going to be okay.” Realizing the sounds of battle have ceased she knows they are in trouble. Ion would have called out if they were safe. Seeing a large rock, she suddenly realizes where they are and what she must do to protect her babies.
“Girls I need you to be very brave for me. Can you do that until Grim gets here?” They immediately nod. Rising, she quickly leads them to a tree.
“I want you to climb up this tree and stay there until Grim comes for you. Do you understand me?”
“Mommy?”
“Listen to me girls. Bad males are here. They want to take us from Grim. We aren’t going to let them do that. We want to stay with Grim, don’t we?”
“Yes mommy.”
“Then we need to help him. You two are going to climb up this tree.” She points up. “You are going to stay there. Being very quiet until you see Grim. Only Grim girls, no one else. Do you understand me?” Lisa won’t trust anyone else with her babies. “You will do what Grim says. He will always protect you.”
“Yes mommy.” They respond in scared little voices.
“Then up you go.” Lisa starts them up the tree.
“Mommy, come with us.” Miki pleads.
“I can’t baby, I’m too big.” She gives them a reassuring look. “I’ll find another tree to hide in. You do what Grim tells you, promise me.”
“Promise mommy.”
“I love you girls now stay quiet until you see Grim, no matter what and I’ll see you soon.” With one last look at her babies, she forces herself away from them, running up the hill. Once there she can see that the intruders are closing in on where the girls are, she needs to distract them.
“Grim!” She screams at the top of her lungs. Seeing the warriors turn, she waits until they zero in on her then runs for her life. Following the path, she runs deeper into the garden. Tripping, she slides on the rain-softened ground, looking up she sees the warriors are gaining on her. Scrambling around another bend, an arm shoots out snagging her around the waist, slamming her back into a hard chest. Struggling to get free she’s jerked off her feet.
“Cease!” Recognizing the voice, she looks up to see Farber.
“Farber!” Sagging in relief, she knows she now has a chance. “We have to move!” She struggles again. “There are four warriors heading this way!”
“Where are the young ones?” He demands, looking behind him.
“They’re safe. We have to move.” She tries to wiggle out of his grip.
“Where!” He demands, whipping her around, he holds her in a bruising grip, giving her a hard shake. Lisa’s eyes widen in shock at his handling of her.
“Where!” He shakes even harder before glaring at the warriors that have slowed their advance. “Where are the young females?” He demands of them.
“We do not know, we thought they were with the female.”
Lisa watches in shock as Farber talks to the warriors. Farber knows them…he’s with them…
”What have you done?” She whispers in disbelief, drawing his attention back to her.
“I’ve elevated my station. A station you compromised.”
“How?” Lisa can’t stop herself from asks.
“You complained to the King about my serving you. Now I patrol the walls instead being a member of his Elite Guard!” He fingers dig deeper into her arms causing her to cry out. “It is a station I earned!” He shakes her angrily. “You will pay for that!” The grin on his face tells Lisa she isn’t going to enjoy his method of payment.
“Enough Farber.” The new voice has Lisa’s head whipping around.
“Luuken…” She whispers, knowing she’s now in deep shit.
“Hello again female, you have caused me a great deal of inconvenience.” He advances towards her, another male behind him.
“Really?” Farber spins her around so she’s now facing Luuken. “That really upsets me Luuken, thinking you might have been inconvenienced.” Lisa glares at him, refusing to let him see her fear.
“It should.” Luuken steps close, so she’s sandwiched between two hard male bodies, his lips inches from hers. “It really should, Lisa, because I am the one who will decide how much you suffer.” Before she can turn away, his mouth crushes hers, leaving no doubt what he means. Whimpering she tastes blood when her lip splits, but she refuses to grant him access.
“Where are the young females?” He demands, pulling away, he smiles at the bruised lips and hint of blood, it quickly disappears at her reply.
“With Grim.” She tells him arrogantly, flinging her head back. “Safe. You’ll never touch them.” Growling his displeasure, he turns on the warriors.
“How did they get away from you?” He demands.
“We do not know my lord. We verified they were with her before we attacked. She must have hidden them.”
“Gee, you think?” Lisa sneers, knowing that every minute she keeps them talking is another minute for Grim to find her.
“Silence!” Luuken’s sudden backhand would have sent her to the ground, if Farber hadn’t been holding her so tightly.
“Luuken!” A shocked male voice has Lisa raising pain-filled eyes to find Korin standing several steps away.
“What’s wrong Korin?” Farber gives him an evil smile. “Not male enough to watch a master handle a female.” Ignoring him, Korin pulls his eyes from Lisa, to address Luuken.
“Luuken, we need to move, before our location is discovered.”
“Good point Korin, I knew you were worth something.” Yanking her out of Farber’s grasp, Luuken pulls her to his side. “Korin, Farber, lead us out of here.”
“Sire! The grounds of Luanda have been breached!” Carnot storms into the interrogation room.
“Where!” Grim demands.
“The gardens sire…sire the Queen and princesses are in the garden!”
Focke chuckle evilly. “You’re too late my King.” He sneers. “The female and her offspring are dead…if the Goddess has smiles on them and I doubt she has.” Alger watches Grim’s entire being still, his eyes going blank before they fill with a cold murderous rage that gives even him pause.
“All guards to the garden!” He orders, his tone deadly. “Lisa and our offspring will be found. It is death to any that harm them, to any who have assisted them.” He looks at Focke, who pales. Grabbing his weapons, he storms out to find his family.
Within minutes, they find two of the Queen’s Elite Guard, seriously wounded, surrounded by six, dead, unknown warriors.
“Where is the Queen?” Grim demands grabbing Ion.
“She escaped sire.” He coughs up blood as he tries to rise. “She and the little ones…deeper into the garden…we tried…four followed…” He falls back to the ground.
“Notify the healer.” Grim orders. “Reinforce the perimeter, no one gets out! No ship leaves the planet!”
“Yes sire.” Alger opens his comm, conveying the King’s order, when they all freeze.
“Grim!” Lisa’s scream cuts deep into every male that hears it. Grim spins around, trying to zero in on her location.
“Two stay with the wounded, the rest with me!” He takes off running in the direction of his Queen. Scanning the area before him, he can easily see where the warriors’ tracks have crossed Lisa’s and the girls. Stopping he frowns, suddenly he finds only Lisa’s tracks.
“Grim!” Two little voices call out, the entire Guard freeze, eyes frantically searching for them.
“Grim, up h
ere!” Looking up, Grim sees his daughters, tucked safely in the branches of their favorite tree, their young faces full of fear.
“Stay there little ones, I’m coming.” Quickly Grim scales the tree pulling them into the safety of his arms.
“Are you hurt?” He demands, his hands quickly checking them.
“No…”
“Where’s Lisa? Where is your mommy girls?” He asks as gently as he can, knowing they are scared.
“She went that way.” Carly points up the path. “She said she was too big to get in our tree and she’d find another. She told us to wait for you Grim. That we weren’t to get down for anyone but you.” Tear filled eyes meet his. “Four warriors ran after her.” Carly starts to sob. “Find mommy Grim.”
Grim’s quickly realizes what Lisa has done. She’s protected her children by leading the warriors away, putting herself in danger instead. Her scream was to draw their attention.
“I will baby, I promise.” He gives them both a reassuring hug before handing them over to their Guards. “I want you to go with Kirk and Basco. They are going to take you to your room in Luanda.” He looks at the guards seeing they understand him. “They and the remaining Queen’s Guards will stay with you until I return with your mother.”
“My King…” Kirk starts to protest.
“Protect our girls Kirk. It is what your Queen would demand.”
“Yes sire.”
“What is this about Luuken?” Lisa demands, purposely making Luuken drag her along, ignoring the growing pain in her arm.
“What this is about.” Luuken replies yanking her down the path. “Is Grim thinking you have secured his throne. When you are the key to destroying him.” He chuckles at the thought, missing Korin’s jerk.
“And how is that Luuken?” Lisa sneers his name.
“By proving just how unfit a male he is!” Luuken’s temper rises at this small female’s continued disrespect.
“You’re insane. Grim is what every Tornian male wishes he was.” All hear the belief in her voice.
“He is scarred!” Luuken jerks her to a stop, enraged that she would continue to defend Grim.
“He was the victor in a battle of eight against one! Every scar is a badge of honor, stating that not only is he the fittest warrior but he is a survivor. Anyone who doesn’t realize that is unfit!” Lisa rages back at him, refusing to back down.
“It matters not that he survived that attack…he will not survive you!” His evil smile has a shiver running down her spin. “When what he has done to you becomes known, not even the Emperor will be able to save him.”
“Grim has done nothing to me.” She denies.
“He has severely abused you.” Lisa cries out, as he violently throws her to the ground.
“You are truly insane if you think I won’t tell the Emperor the truth!” Lisa throws over her shoulder angrily, flinging her hair out of her face as she tries to rise.
“You have to be breathing to do that.” Luuken states, placing a booted foot on her back he presses her down onto the rocky ground, letting what he’s said sink in. “It will be fully documented of course, your injuries. Not just the external but the internal damage, caused by Grim’s blatant disregard of the harm he caused your body during repeated joinings.” Farber’s chuckle has fear skittering down Lisa’s spine. “We will, of course, do all we can enroute to save you but unfortunately you are small and weak and will succumb to your injuries just hours before our arrival. Wray will give me your young females for my efforts, securing my position.”
Lisa’s breathe catches as what Luuken is saying sinks in. He plans to rape her, repeatedly, so he can blame it on Grim. Her eyes flash to Korin before moving to Farber.
“Why?” She asks looking at the male Grim once trusted. “What’s in it for you?”
“You, first.” His smile is deadly as his eyes rake her body. “Then I will be Captain of Luuken’s Guard, when he becomes King of Luda.”
“Shut up Farber.” Luuken orders.
“Why? It is what was promised. It is what I have earned!”
“You…Captain…” Lisa doesn’t try to hide her contempt. “You can’t even clean windows properly. Who would trust you with their security? Especially when you’ve already proven you have no loyalty!” Snarling Farber drops to the ground, flipping her over, he to straddle her hips, ripping open her shirt.
“I will have her now!” Farber roars angrily.
“Grim!” Lisa screams before Faber cuffs her throat, squeezing, cutting off her cry. The world starts to dim as she struggles, trying to buck him off, but it is a losing battle. He is too heavy, too strong, she can’t stop him. Grim! She cries out silently, I’m sorry.
“No!” Korin dives at Farber, knocking him off Lisa. He’s has had to stand by too many times, has allowed too many things, that never should’ve happened. All to protect his brother but this, this he can’t stand aside for. He may not have much honor left but what he does have won’t allow this. Females are sacred, to be protected at all costs, especially this one, his true King’s Queen.
Grim kneels, carefully assessing the ground in front of him. Lisa had fallen further up the path before coming to a sudden stop here. Here, the other warriors had stopped, only to be joined by three more, seven warriors total with Lisa between them. She wouldn’t have had a chance.
Grim’s fear grows, his Lisa is so small, and delicate she would be unable to defend herself if these warriors had no honor. Rising he looks to Alger and can see his Captain feels the same. Turning to follow the seldom-used path that leads to a hidden perimeter door, he freezes at Lisa’s second scream.
This one is full of pain and terror before it is abruptly cut off, causing Grim’s heart to stutter. Disregarding any attempt for stealth he storms down the path, this scream is much closer. He is going to find his Lisa.
Coming upon the group Grim raises his sword, cutting through all who stand between him and his Lisa. Luuken, startled by his sudden appearance, stumbles back as Grim swings, his blade cutting across his chest.
Grim ignores Luuken and drops down next to an unmoving Lisa, his eyes quickly taking in her bruised and battered body, the state of her clothing.
“Lisa…” He whispers, carefully sliding an arm under her shoulders, pulling her to his chest.
Lisa jerks, gasping for breath and struggles against Farber’s hold. She’s not giving up. She’s not going down without a fight. She will not let Luuken use her against Grim.
“Lisa, shhhh little one, I have you, you are safe.” Terror filled eyes fly to Grim before they fill with tears.
“Grim…” She whispers, sagging into the safety of his arms, weeping.
“I have you my Lisa.” Carefully he tips her face to his, taking in the damage before moving down to her bruised throat, torn clothing and angry red marks marring her breasts. His eyes fly from where Luuken is withering in pain to the bloody Korin who has quickly surrendered to his Guard.
“The girls…” Lisa whispers, drawing his attention back to her.
“Safe in Luanda, surrounded by not only your Guard but the entire household.”
“Ion and Nairn?”
“Being treated by a healer, everyone is safe my love.”
“It was Luuken, Grim.” She starts to tremble. “He…he wants your throne, he was going to…to rape me, let his warriors rape me, then kill me so he could claim you did it.” Her voice breaks but she forces herself to finish. “That way Wray would have no choice but to remove you, to take the girls from you. Oh god Grim…” She buries her face in his chest as the full horror sinks in.
The gentleness of Grim’s hold belies the rage in his eyes as he looks to each of his warriors, seeing their horror at what Lisa has said. It is only then he truly understands what Alger has tried to tell him. Lisa might be his Queen but she is theirs as well. All eyes turn to Korin.
“You will pay for the insult to my Queen Korin. You will suffer, greatly.” Korin bows his head to Grim, accepting his punishm
ent, knowing he deserves it.
Hearing him Lisa knows Grim has misunderstood. “No Grim.” She pushes away from his chest, forcing him to look back to her. “It wasn’t Korin. It was Faber.” All eyes turn to one of their own. “Korin protected me when Farber tried to rape me.”
“She is confused my King.” Farber denies his anger eyes boring into Lisa’s, trying to intimidate her. “Korin was attacking her when I found them, I stopped him.” Grim carefully rises making sure Lisa’s steady before he stepping away, raising his sword. His Guard move to protect their Queen.
“Then why were Luuken’s warriors watching instead of attacking Faber?” He moves towards him. “How is it they were heading towards the part of the wall that you were to protect?”
“My King, I was on the wall, I only left my post when I heard your female scream. Korin is the one that came with Luuken. You can’t possibly believe a female over one of your own warriors!” Farber continues to deny his involvement as he glares at Lisa.
“Korin.” Grim looks to his former student.
“I came with Luuken sire, I do not deny that, he is Lord Bertos’ heir, it is my duty, but I did not attack your Queen. I was told she was to be delivered to Tornian, unharmed, so she could rejoin the other females. There is no honor in harming a female, you taught me that.”
Grim looks at the male whose early training he’d been honored to have a hand in and can see no lie in the eyes that unflinchingly meet his.
“You lie.” Grim’s eyes flash back to Farber as he raises his sword bringing it down quickly, cutting threw Farber’s sword arm. “You’ve plotted against your King.” He swings again, catching him across his chest. “But it is for harming my Queen that you shall die the death of dishonor.” Plunging his sword into Farber’s belly, he slowly draws the blade across, watching shock and pain fill Farber’s face before turning his back on him, letting he fall to the ground.
Lisa watches as Grim dishes out his brand of justice to Farber and feels the blood drain from her face. It’s too much. Seeing her sway, Grim drops his sword, barely reaching her before she hits the ground. Swinging her into his arms, he pulls her limp body close and turns to Luanda.