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  She wrapped her arms around him and learned every inch of him as he learned her. When they moved to the bedroom, she learned that there was something about this Kozue that matched what she had learned about his people. He really knew how to use his weapon.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Your meal is ready.” Khivon was whispering it against her neck.

  She trailed her fingers across the scars on his chest. “I am not the least bit hungry. You?”

  “I think I could find something to nibble on.” He started to move down her body again when a harsh beeping broke into the room. “Damn.”

  “The alarm?”

  “The alarm.” He got to his feet and put on his trousers.

  She triggered the Masuo and was soon dressed in her flying gear, complete with robe.

  He eyed her covered body wistfully. “I have to get one of those.”

  She grinned, “The Masuo or me.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his hips to hers. “Yes.”

  “The alarm?”

  “Right. Come on.” He raced down to the lab and activated the large screen.

  A nervous-looking man with an iridescent complexion was sitting, and he was relieved when he saw Khivon.

  “Master Seer, have you been watching the skies?”

  “Not today, Mayor Urgal. What is the word?”

  “Raiders. Their heading is the city of Eranian. What is going on?”

  Khivon gave her a look, and Ikari headed for the stairs. If the Raiders wanted Eranian, she would have to stop them.

  She ran out and up, closing the door and taking to the skies. The mayor had not been kidding. She could feel the ships entering the atmosphere, and she used all the power she could muster to get to the city before they did.

  Ikari flew to the edge of the city and rested on the ledge. With her back to the solid surface, she surrounded the city with a windstorm of hurricane proportions.

  The ships came at the city with determination, and one by one, she gripped them in a whirlwind and dumped them into the ocean.

  Six ships tried to gain Eranian, and she destroyed each one. The oddity to her was that none of the ships had fired on the city. Each one had approached the lock that she guarded with deliberate focus. They wanted something inside the city, and she had no doubt that it had something to do with the virus killing all inhabitants.

  When the attacking ships were sinking in the slurry that passed for an ocean, she sat for a moment, trying to get enough strength to return to the outpost.

  “Ikari, are you all right?”

  She almost jumped off her perch when her suit talked to her with Khivon’s voice. “Khivon? How can I hear you?”

  “There are still sensors and communicators embedded in your Masuo. Your blood pressure took a dip, and you are barely conscious. Do you need help?”

  She blinked. “I just need to rest a moment. I will take it easy on the way home. In the meanwhile, try and figure out why the Raiders would want something from inside a dead city.”

  “What?”

  “I was able to pick them off, because they were after something within Eranian.”

  “What did you do with them?”

  “I sank them in the ocean. They went down, and there was a rupture of atmosphere. I have not seen any survivors.” She watched the area where she had downed the ships and nothing appeared except bubbles.

  Large creatures slowly cruised past, and every now and then, they lashed around under the surface, and she could only imagine that the few who survived were being dispatched by the natural inhabitants of Dorali.

  She felt a second wind take hold. Ikari lifted off her perch and flew to the outpost using the natural wind as much as possible. She staggered when she landed and quickly got out of the wind and the setting sun. She gave a final glance to the nine moons in the sky and quickly tucked herself back in the outpost.

  She was just entering the kitchen when Khivon caught her in his arms. “Come with me. You need medical treatment.”

  Ikari wobbled, and he scooped her up.

  “Fine, take me where you will. I am just in need of a little rest.”

  “Don’t fall asleep. Your body is in shock. You need a doctor, and I just happen to be available.”

  “Tramp.” She giggled weakly into his shoulder.

  “Only around you.”

  He carried her to the medical bay and scanned her excessively. Once the scanner began, he gave her a series of injections that the Masuo conveniently moved aside for.

  She felt better as her chemical balance was restored. “Can I sleep yet?”

  He chuckled. “Yes, now you can sleep. I will start a fluid drip, and by the time you wake, you should be as right as can be. I have some news about the Kozue on Resicor, so you might want to get up as early as you can.”

  Ikari wanted to hear all about it, but her mind fluttered into darkness.

  Waking in Khivon’s lap in the rec room was a bit of a surprise. “What?”

  “This is the original vid from Resicor.” He showed her what every school child on Resicor was exposed to, the murder of the physical talents by Kozue warriors.

  “However, this is the Kozue recording. I found out which ship had been in your planet’s area at the time.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “The Kozue keep extensive records, but this ship and crew were special. They all committed suicide within two months of their stop on Resicor.”

  “What?”

  “The Iron Dagger was the name of the ship, and this recording was found on board by an Alliance warship, fifty years after the attack.”

  The images started to play out, but instead of hundreds of talents, there were only fifty, and all of them were women. They were shackled to each other, and as the attack commenced, a few fought back with fire, ice or wind. It didn’t matter, the Kozue killed them all.

  “That is still horrible but not as bad as what we were shown. Where were the others? I mean there are records of the physical talents disappearing at that time. Where did they go if the Kozue did not kill them?”

  “That is an interesting question. My question is who is this?” He zeroed in on a figure standing and watching everything with a focussed expression on his face.

  “It looks like a convincer, but they don’t let them run around loose. Convincers are closely guarded at all times.” She frowned as she watched the man who stared at the carnage until all the female talents were dead.

  “What do they do?”

  “They alter perceptions. According to our ancient records, they were sought after to make armies seem more impressive to invaders. It is a perceived illusion.”

  Khivon sighed. “That would explain the records on the Iron Dagger. They were told they were fighting a well-armed force. They came in expecting a fight, and they thought they had had one until the recording showed what we have seen. They struck down unarmed women who were chained to make them easy targets. There was no honour in that and much shame. They killed themselves in an effort to expunge their guilt.”

  She frowned. “Guilt does not seem like a Kozue-like trait.”

  He scowled. “You are right. It isn’t. They should have sought some kind of explanation rather than simply killing themselves. Something isn’t right here.”

  She sighed. “Well, this is ancient history. Now, what were the Raiders after in Eranian?”

  “A deadly virus. The mutation in Eranian was the most virulent and had a one-hundred-percent kill rate. They were trying to harvest the bodies in an effort to synthesize a weapon.”

  She rubbed her forehead. “What can we do?”

  “I have called in an order for a scorcher. They will come in, burn the entire city and destroy every trace of the virus.”

  “Won’t they be stuck here?”

  “Scorchers are exempt from quarantine. There is one on the way who will be here within the next seven days.”

  Khivon was rubbing her back, and his fingers care
ssed her hip.

  She rubbed at her forehead and pushed away thoughts for the future. “Wait, how is it that you didn’t foresee any of this?”

  “My sight isn’t close range, it is long range. We will be together six months from now and five years beyond that. The future is fluid. The smallest change in today can cause a shift in next month. My accepting of this post brought you into my future, and I must admit, I am enjoying the present.”

  She frowned and rubbed her head. “Once my head stops aching, I am sure that I will be able to catch up with that, so in the meantime, we are on the alert for Raiders trying to catch the dead city?”

  He laughed, “Yes, but for now, we can enjoy the longest time before more attacks.”

  Khivon leaned down and nibbled at her shoulder. Her suit obligingly left her naked on his lap.

  “I think my suit is on your side.” She chuckled and reached for him. “It is getting a little cold around her.”

  He grinned, “I believe I will have to exert myself to warm you. Oh what shall I do with such a burden before me?”

  Laughing, she arched to his touch. “I will find a way to compensate you.”

  “Of that, my dear Ikari, I am sure.”

  * * * *

  The days and nights on a wind-lashed Dorali took on a routine that Ikari embraced as often as she embraced her partner.

  No Raider ship made it to Eranian before the scorcher did, and once the city was clean, the interlopers stopped coming. Whatever they were seeking died with the eradication of the remains, and it only left one question.

  Who had told them about the city to begin with?

  Author’s Note

  Welcome back to the newest instalment of Tales of the Citadel.

  Ikari was a fun character who always did what needed to be done despite the risk to herself. This is a laudable personality trait, but I am glad that she is a work of fiction as that kind of thing is hard to compete with.

  The next instalment is Call the Moon. The woman is a charmer who can calm planets with her wit and skills. Her new instructor is going to have his hands full once she decides to call the moon.

  Viola Grace

  [email protected]

  www.violagrace.com

  www.extasybooks.com

  www.devinedestinies.com

  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

  Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.