Divine Charity

Chapter Nineteen: You Did What?

"Nay," said Fiadn as he stared at Lena.

"You owe me." Lena leaned over him as he sat at his cluttered desk. His entire office was cluttered as, despite his military training, Fiadn was a messy man.

"It is not safe, Lena. They will turn against you."

Lena waved the concern away and sat in the seat opposite him. "They already have, and that's exactly why I need to do it."

"You are mad."

A dimple appeared on her cheek. "Thanks to you."

"Kravan'n will kill me."

Lena smiled wider and spoke in Ka'al. "Not my problem. You're running out of excuses, Fiadn. I speak the language now. There's nothing left to keep me from moving forward."

Fiadn rose from his desk and moved to the door of his office. "Veena, to me."

The human woman who acted as Fiadn's secretary offered a smile of polite inquiry. "Yes, master Fiadn?"

"Elgin, Melissa, and Da'lan will all need ice baths this eve. See they get them. Inform Mord, he will have two new apprentice pilots under his charge on the morrow. And," Fiadn settled his eyes on Lena fatalistically, "assign Lena to the newest class of recruits. She will train as Verserka'al."

Veena's mouth formed an oh as she glanced at Lena. "She hasn't even become true Verserk! 'Tis suicide to strive for Verserka'al."

The big, opalescent alien shook his head. "The only suicide in question will be mine own. Go on and settle my affairs as well. My clan will thank you for it later when Kravan'n has my head."

Veena left as she shot Lena a suspicious glance from under her lashes, but Lena ignored her and faced Fiadn. "I've got this."

Fiadn heaved a dramatic sigh. "Now that your bloodlines are no longer secret, there will be many who turn against you. They may use the training to end you."

Shrugging, Lena reached over to tidy his desk as she had done many times for him before her imprisonment. She hated clutter. "All the more reason to ensure I'm trained properly. I'll be better able to protect my girls." Her eyes swirled black and green. "No one will ever rip my girls from my arms again. Besides," she said, her chilling tone suddenly changing to a purr. "You promised me my training as a warrior would continue. And before my imprisonment, you told me you would convince Krav-Khamuel to allow me to be trained with the upcoming recruits. Are you going back on your word?"

"You do not fear retribution from those who would act against you?"

No. She didn't. The only thing she feared was losing her daughters, and the only person she feared was herself if she failed. These aliens wanted to come for her? Well, they better come hard and fast because she was done being malleable.

***

Despite Fiadn's initial concerns, Lena made friends. She found her place within the Ka'al and was no longer some floating entity everyone had to treat deferentially. Though she got flak for who her father was, it was no different from any hazing on Earth, and Lena could handle hazing with the best of them. She stood up for herself when needed, clapped back when warranted, and dug her heels in to earn her place. She knew she was becoming one of them and they were accepting her when they dubbed her Devil Spawn.

The Ka'al didn't take their soldiering lightly, but she didn't regret her decision to be formally trained as one of their warriors. There were days she doubted herself and didn't think she would make it. Everything was fast-paced and recruits were dropping like flies. Not everyone who signed their names to the warrior contracts were accepted. The Ka'al demanded their warriors be the best of the best in every sense of the word. Only the smartest, toughest, and most resilient individuals were granted the honor of earning their title.