Page 44 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

“About the Healer.”

Korben froze. “You heard of his kidnapping?”

“News like that can’t stay buried for long. Without the Healer, we lose our ability to survive.” Rune’s expression became firm. “I also heard the news about your brother and the fact that Clavas gave the Healer’s location away.”

Ice skittered over his back. “That is why you invited me here.”

“The Heronas have Clavas in their custody and you have a human in yours.” Rune folded his arms over his chest. “In fact, you have sent out four of your best warriors to retrieve more humans. It is not hard to put this puzzle together.”

Korben lifted his chin. “My brother—”

“Yes.” Rune raised a hand. “I know more than anyone the pull of a sibling and how hard it is to sever that tie.”

Korben read the darkness in Rune’s eyes and realization dawned. “So it is true. You did kill your own brother.”

“I chose Ga Eun.” He met Korben’s eyes. “I chose my female. And I must know that you will do the same.”

“I will not let my brother die.”

“Then will you hand Sah-ah over to the Heronas for them to drain her blood for their experiments? Or will you send one of her human comrades and make her the mate of her species’ murderer?” He peered into Korben’s eyes. “Answer me honestly.”

“Or what?” His spine dagger emerged fully.

Rune’s did the same. “My mate’s species is now my own.”

“As is mine.” Korben glared at Rune. “And I resent the accusation that it would be any different.”

Rune broke his dagger with a snap and tossed the weapon at Korben’s feet. “I do not wish to fight. I only want to know what your plan is. The Heronas say they will give Clavas up in exchange for a human, but my suspicion is their plan is far more intricate than it seems.”

“I have thought the same, but I know not what the Heronas seek. We need more information.”

“The bigger problem is that they have the Healer in their clutches. If they find out how to activate his powers, they will use him for their own means.”

“The Healer gets his power from the sacred dama.” Korben threw his dagger down as well. “They cannot touch the waters. And a Plutonian warrior would rather die than act as a delivery beast to the Heronas. Even those who have turned from our ways resent the Heronas for what they have done to our fathers.”

“You are right,” Rune said. “No Plutonian would ever carry water from the sacred lake. In fact, only the purest Plutonian can.”

“The Healer.”

“What if it wasn’t only limited to the Healer?”

“You think there is another way?”

Rune lifted dark eyes. “A Heronas cannot access the dama… but a human can.”

Korben went completely still. If this was the Heronas plan, then delivering a human to the Heronas would mean life for his brother… and death for his entire species.

Nineteen

Sara

Ga Eun usheredher inside a room boasting tiny windows covered with thin scraps of fabric. She stumbled along, her legs still shaking from Korben’s tender embrace.

She had been soannoyed with him for assuming that she needed his permission to goanywhere. But all he had to do was touch her a few times, kiss her forehead twice and she was as pliable as a lamb running to the slaughter.

Which was dangerous.

But uncontrollable.

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