Page 87 of Lhora
Lhora whirled back around. The Coltrosstian troops had retreated to the point where they were too far away for her to reach. But the battlecruisers were within range.
She raced toward the armada in order to position herself directly underneath them. One swing, one aim, one song. That’s all it would take for her and the others to defeat these ships.
Lifting her weapon again, she took aim as she waited for the other shurr-lova to join her.
Less than a hundred vares away, the rope ladder hit the ground, and the first figure jumped down. It began running toward her, giving her no choice but to turn and face the Coltrosstian, and engage him.
Her body froze when the figure got closer, and she recognized him.
“Lhora!”
“Duren!”
39
Ultimatum
They embraced tightly but only for a couple of seconds. Holding her at arm’s length, Duren checked her for any obvious wounds and noted the splashes of blood on her clothing. Lhora quickly reassured him.
“I’m all right. I’m just surprised to learn it was you firing on your own people!”
“They’re not my people. They’re my father’s acolytes,” he bitterly told her. “This war is no longer between Beinights and Coltrosstians and Tra’Mellians. My people are divided now into two camps: those who follow the Sarpi, and those who are coming over to my side.”
He glanced up to see the group huddled in the distance. Separating himself from her, he took a stance, sword outstretched before him.
“Give it up, Sarpi Sov! Our people have been informed of your little plot with the Tra’Mell! Their response has been swift! As of today, they’re rejecting you as their Sarpi, and throwing in their allegiance with me!”
Sov barked with laughter. “Let them! They’ll be labeled traitors, along with you and the rest of your men! And you’ll all be punished for your actions!”
“Don’t be so sure of that, Sarpi,” Duren called to him. “It’ll be an impossible task when you discover how many Coltrosstians have taken up my sword!” He made a broad sweep with one arm to include those who were gathered around his father. “Do they know you made a pact with the aliens? I know your closest confidants do. They may even have been there with you when you told the Tra’Mell they could have anything and anyoneon this planet, just as long as you remained supreme ruler over all that was left when they were done with this world. You sold out our lands, our people, and our entire world in order to gain dominance. But you failed to see your own utter stupidity on display!”
Already Lhora noticed how many of the men standing with the Sarpi were beginning to show signs of… She closed her eyes to catch whatever emotions drifted to her. Regret. Worry. Indecision. Growing anger.
Sov whirled around, apparently to address a comment he’d heard. “He’s lying to you!He’sthe one who made the deal with the Tra’Mell! Because of his treachery, I’ve stripped him of his heritage! He has no power!” The Sarpi turned back around to face his son. “I have disavowed him as your Sarpen. He no longer represents me or Coltross.”
Duren held up a hand. “Uhh, you might want to walk that back. Just because you announced it doesn’t make it so. Not until the High Council accepts your petition. And last I heard, you haven’t presented any sort of petition to them. So until you do, I’m still the Sarpen.”
Sov’s face went a fiery red, and the man pointed his sword at Duren. “Look at him! He’s taken up with that Beinight tokko! Their supposed Esstiss! He’s collaborating openly with the Beinights! So who do you believe now? Me? Or that plugging traitor?”
Whether it was because of their fear of the Sarpi, or the fact that they were more willing to believe what they could see with their own two eyes, Lhora could tell the faction standing with Sov were beginning to bend toward his testimony. Swords were raised in preparation for an attack.
“Duren, do you have a way to pad your ears?” she whispered, bringing her sword in front of her and gripping it with both hands. She saw Duren eye the weapon, then take a step back. She took a quick glance around them and noticed the others from his crew coming up behind them to join them. “Better pass the word for them to protect their hearing,” she advised in a low voice. She vaguely caught his nod from the corner of her eye, and he moved farther to the rear to give her room. As she kept her gaze on the Coltrosstian regiment waiting to strike, she wondered who’d make the next move when she heard Duren call out.
“Sarpi Sov! You have ten seconds to drop your weapons and surrender! Otherwise, we will have no choice but to declare you an enemy on Beinight soil, and you will be dealt with accordingly!”
Lhora caught a faint drift from her father. He and the others would catch up to her any moment now. If the Sarpi and his men would be nice enough to wait for them to arrive…
Sov replied by waving his sword above his head and giving a loud whoop. Duren jerked to attention. Lhora felt the sudden rush of alarm go through him and glanced back at where he stood. His face had gone pale, his eyes were wide with disbelief. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he launched himself at her.
He tackled her at the hip, knocking her into the dirt, then shielded her with his body. Lifting himself up with his arms, he yelled at the men behind them.
“Spread out and get down! Take cover!”
Lhora stared past his shoulder, up above them. The Coltrosstian ships suddenly came awake. They’d moved their sails into position without drawing attention to themselves while the Sarpi kept everyone focused on him. With their engines roaring in full throttle, the warships dove toward the Beinights. She saw the gunports open as the vessels came straight at them in an indisputable sweep meant to mow them down.
“Duren, get off of me!” She elbowed him in the stomach. At the same time, she rolled to the side. He started to protest, when she shushed him with a hard look. “Shut up and cover your ears!”
He blinked but stuck his fingers in his ears.
