To Seduce An Assassin (The Omaja Series Book 2)(91)

He shook his head, bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss. “I will return to you, my love. I swear by Tejeshwar. By Zehu.”

She clung to his waist, and he caressed her back, her hair.

“We must go, my love. They are waiting for me.”

He led her out of the room and down the hallway. They crossed the garden courtyard, went up the stairs, through the main sanctuary portico, and through the entrance courtyard to where the horses were waiting outside.

Jiandra rushed forward to take Graciella’s hands in her own. “Sister. I will protect Yavi with the Omaja stone. Do not worry.”

Graciella released a sob and pushed herself into her sister’s arms. “Just please don’t let him die. Either of them.”

“I won’t, sweet girl,” Jiandra reassured her. “Don’t be afraid. Zehu gave me the stone for this purpose.”

Yavi pulled Graciella into his embrace. He hugged her tightly, kissing her temple and stroking her hair. “I will return to you, Sheir-zin.”

Yajna approached them and placed a hand on Yavi’s shoulder. He smiled down at Graciella. “I won’t let this bastard brother of mine make you a widow, Gracie. Don’t worry about that.”

She offered Yajna a teary smile. “I know you will protect him, like you always do.”

Yavi elbowed Yajna in the ribs. “More like me protecting him, like I always do.”

“Let’s go, you two,” Jiandra scolded. “The sooner we leave, the sooner we can return for Gracie.”

As Jiandra and Yajna moved away to mount their horses, Yavi took Graciella’s hands in his and held her gaze. “Hear me, my love. I will return victorious. Your love has only made me stronger, bolder. I will return to you, and from then on we will never be apart again.”

She nodded, swallowing.

“Be strong for me, sweet wife.”

“I will.”

He kissed her, then gave her hand to Master Volkan as the elder monk approached. “Keep her safe for me.”

Master Volkan nodded and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm, patting it into place. Graciella felt comforted by his presence, offering him a half-smile.

Yavi strapped a borrowed scimitar onto his back and mounted Sikar, then turned to look down at Graciella and Volkan.

Master Volkan raised his voice to address both twins. “Be courageous and strong, sons of Zulfikar. Tejeshwar guide you.”

They inclined their heads to Volkan. Yavi gave Graciella one last look, then turned to kick Sikar into a gallop. Yajna and Jiandra rode after him.

Graciella swallowed as Volkan patted her hand and pulled her toward the steps of the monastery. “All will be well in the end, my daughter,” he said.

§

Uman surveyed the abandoned streets of Darpan. He didn’t know whether to be joyful or disappointed that the Zulfikar usurpers had evacuated everyone from the city.

Behind him, one of his hungry Vyrkune growled, drool dripping from his sharpened teeth. “Where is the meat?”

Uman ignored him and climbed atop a stone wall so he could address his army. “The usurpers must have evacuated the city. Spread out and search every nook and cranny for stragglers. There may be a few inhabitants left behind. Ravik, Terijin, and I will head for the palace. The rest of you may feast upon whatever flesh you find, human or beast.”

There was a rumble of excitement in their ranks, and Uman motioned Ravik and Terijin to follow as he leapt down from the wall and sprinted with lightning speed toward the palace district. The three of them reached the tall white gates within moments, finding them locked but with no guards in sight.

“They must be hiding inside,” Uman growled. “Let’s head for the secret passage by the southern gate.”

At the southern guard tower, Terijin pressed the corner of a stone near the base of the wall, and a hidden door opened. They slipped through the small passage, finding the palace grounds inside vacant.

Uman motioned them to follow him to the back entrance to the palace, the one he and Terijin had used when they took the Stovy girl.

All was quiet inside the palace, but Uman soon caught the scent of human flesh. Male. He grinned over his shoulder at his comrades, motioning them to follow him along the darkened passageway toward the source of the scent.

They threw open the door to the guards’ quarters to find a guard peering out the window at the far wall.

The guard drew his sword. “Back, you foul creatures!”

Uman threw his head back in laughter. “Go ahead,” he taunted. “Take a swing at us.”

The guard lunged forward, but Uman shrank back and dodged the blade. From his right and left, Ravik and Terijin pounced as one. They threw the guard to the floor, ripped off his armor within seconds, then engaged in a bloody feeding frenzy.

“Save me his heart!” Uman snarled, shoving them aside from the half-eaten carcass.





Eighteen


Yavi’s heart ached as they descended Mount Solara and entered the icy tundra of the central plains of Nandala. Graciella’s pleading hazel eyes still haunted his vision, as did the beauty of her perfectly shaped and smoothly textured body in the firelight. Oh, he’d relished the creamy sweetness of her supple, curvy form, drinking her in like a starved man, like a thirsty desert traveler who had stumbled upon a lush oasis. His groin tightened even at the thought of it, of her plump pink lips, full, upturned breasts, and the honeyed-slick folds of her feminine core.