Page 44 of Princess

Marinah had straightened out the problems with the island women, and things were running smoother than they ever had.

“Not exactly, but something was missing, and that something was having Rodrigo part of my guard,” she said.“And, so you know in advance, the next addition to my guard will be a woman.”

It was a promise, and I wouldn’t dare object.There was a knock at the door.

“Enter,” Marinah said.

Che walked in.Marinah was out of her seat and had him in her arms a second later.

“They hurt my mom,” he cried.

“I know,” she told him.“She wasn’t bitten or scratched, though.”She turned to me.“King will go check on her.The two of us will sit with your brothers so they are not afraid.”

“Okay.”

I crossed to them and wrapped both in my arms for just a moment before I walked out.

After receiving an update from Axel, I sat down quietly outside Maylin’s room.All we could do was wait.

Chapter Nineteen

Marinah

The following morning, I went to the indoor training facility to speak with Ruth, Julia, and Togg.

“I’m impressed with what you’ve done in only a couple of days,” I told them.

Alden entered.“Maylin regained consciousness,” he said.

I approached the med bay and heard Maylin crying.I had only seen her cry when her first Shadow Warrior husband, Boot, died.Her toddler, known as Baby Boot, was named after his father.The new baby was named Labyrinth, nicknamed Laby, which he would someday hate.

I stepped inside, and King’s eyes met mine.His tightly clenched hands and the burn in his eyes showed the rage he struggled to contain.He nodded at the door.I backed out, and he followed me.He placed a hand on my back and steered me farther down the hall away from the door.

“She positively identified Knet.He told her who he was.Maylin said his speaking ability was poor.”King took a breath before he continued.“He injected her with the hellhound serum and told her it was a present for you.”

I recoiled and took a full step back.

King wasn’t finished.“They took the Warriors as hostages.One will be exchanged for Mrs.Barnes.The other will become whatever the hell Knet is.There will be no negotiations.One Warrior for her.We are to deliver her to the shipyard tomorrow at noon.If we don’t, both Warriors will be turned into monsters.”

I needed a few minutes to breathe and absorb this horror.King pulled me into his arms and rested his head on mine.“I’ll hold you while you think,” he said.

King understood.Right this moment, I didn’t have a plan.Fury didn’t adequately describe my feelings.Maylin would become one of those monsters when she died.If she were around her children and it happened, she would kill them.I couldn’t begin to imagine what she was going through.And Nokita.

Yes, I wanted to kill Knet, but I wanted President Barnes even more.In my mind, he was the evil that permeated everything.Lesley Barnes wasn’t far behind because I could feel her hatred in every fiber of my being.She was as good as, if not better than, her husband at hiding her distaste for everything Shadow Warrior.

I also wanted my country back.It would never return to what it had once been, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.We needed a do-over, and we had to do better.

My people, the Shadow Warriors, also deserved a good life.The deep-seated anger I carried and the lives I had taken were not me.Killing had been forced on me by the Federation.I wanted my soul back.My child deserved to grow up in a better world.

Maylin.My heart ached.

I stepped back and looked into King’s eyes.“We give them Lesley.Once we have our Warrior back, we kill them all.I am done playing nice.”I took several deep breaths.“We need to be smart.I’ll meet with the guard in fifteen minutes.If Rodrigo is still at the citadel, notify him too.

I entered the argument room and found everyone but Eagle waiting for me.Their expressions said they knew what had been done to Maylin.They met my eyes, then glanced away.We were all on edge and knew that pushing Ms.Beast was not in anyone’s best interest.

“I’ll make this part quick.”I said, then stopped when Eagle entered.“Please sit,” I told him.“Rodrigo and Eagle have been added to the guard.The general consensus has been that Eagle should fill the spot Labyrinth held.I agree fully, but the island people need representation, and Rodrigo has earned a spot too.I want to be clear that he holds as much power as each of you, and his words hold just as much weight.”She met the men’s eyes before they looked away.Her heavy gaze stopped at Beck, and she waited for him to look up.

“Don’t look at me,” he said.“I’m currently in a new daddy state of bliss and agree fully with your decision.”He turned to Rodrigo, reached past Nokita, and shook his hand.“Welcome.”He then turned to Eagle and said it again.

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