Page 67 of Warlord's Mate

He motioned to the forest again. Marcy stared into the darkness and knew he was right. When allok found out she had no magic, he’d kill her—if she were lucky. If not, he’d use her until she wished for death.

Her stomach twisted into a knot, fear making her sick in an instant. She couldn’t outrun these aliens. They’d find her and—

She closed her eyes. Did it really matter? Aris was right. She’d rather die trying to escape than sit here passively and wait for it. She nodded at Aris and gave one last look to rhino-boy.

“Don’t look back and don’t stop running.”

Aris’s whispered words filled her head as she jumped to her feet and ran. Unlike when they were dropped off by the aliens who’d kidnapped them, Marcy knew what waited behind her this time. The Chase, the game these aliens liked to play with the women they dropped off here, had been terrifying. She’d had no idea what the creatures that lurked on this world had looked like. Now she did, and she knew how fast some of them were.

She ran into the darkest part of the forest, pushing back limbs and praying she didn’t fall and had begun to think she’d gotten away unseen when she heard a cry go out behind her. She knew without looking they were coming for her. The voices in camp grew louder, the sound echoing through the trees and the ground seemed to tremble beneath her feet moments later. Heart in her throat, she tore into the darkness, panting for breath as she ran. It was so dark, she had no idea which way she was going. She didn’t know where to go had she been able to see.

You’re free now.

The words whispered inside her head as she jumped a small log but where did she go? The warlord’s camp was destroyed. She didn’t have to run back to him at all. She could head to the red mountains, search for Sara and Toren, and live with them in seclusion for the rest of her days.

But what about Jorrick?

The moment she thought of him, something in her chest pulled tight. She’d been waiting for him to rescue her like some gallant knight until she realized this wasn’t a fairy tale. Despite what Aris said, she didn’t think Jorrick’s feelings ran as deep as his brother thought they did. He’d never led her to believe they did. Sure he fucked her until she felt weak and unable to walk but sex wasn’t love and she didn’t see him risking his life to come get her despite how much she wished him to. She may want him despite him being so barbaric, but that didn’t mean he wanted her in return, so where did she go? And could she get there before she was caught?

Chapter Twenty-Four

It took until nightfall to get close to Allok’s camp. Something had happened that had everyone in an uproar. At first, Jorrick thought they’d been seen as Allok’s men had come running out of camp. He’d ordered everyone into the trees and climbed as high as he could and waited but it wasn’t their presence that had Allok’s men scrambling. They’d run past them, deeper into the forest while the noise in camp continued to rise.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been up there. Allok’s men had roared in triumph when they finally returned and Jorrick didn’t dare move closer until he could see what was going on. When the sun rose the following morning and lit the camp with bright light, he knew. And he was going to rip Allok’s heart out and eat it while he watched.

His mate was covered in bruises. Jorrick clenched his fists, searching her face for signs of pain. He saw none but as scraped up as she appeared, he knew she had to be feeling some sort of discomfort.

She was tied to a pole in the center of camp, her arms extended above her head. She was awake, her head turned so she could see those around her.

“What’s the plan?” Wyvind whispered from the next tree over. “Do you want us to pick them off one at a time or just rush in?”

“Both.” Jorrick looked at the surrounding trees at the others. There were so few of them. They didn’t have a chance in hell of coming out of this alive but he’d not sit by while his Mar-see was harmed. “Let’s split up,” he said. “Look for Allok’s sentries along the perimeter of camp and end them quickly and quietly. As long as we're not spotted, we have the element of surprise.”

“And what about you?”

He looked back at camp. “I’m going to get what is mine.” He didn’t wait for them to ask more questions. He climbed down the tree, landing soundlessly after jumping the last few feet and started for camp.

Allok’s sentries were worthless. He was within shouting distance before one of them saw him. He tossed one of his knives. The tip plunge into the sentries throat and Jorrick watched him fall, stepping over his body when he reached it.

He debated on just circling the camp with the others repeatedly until he’d taken Allok’s men out one by one but he didn’t have the time to waste doing it now. Not with Mar-see injured. He stopped beside a large tree, scanning the camp. Not a single person looked his way. Had anyone been paying attention, they would see him plain as day.

There were a lot of females here, but unlike those in his camp, these looked haggard. They were filthy and bone thin. He turned his attention back to Mar-see. She was looking at something off to her right but from where he stood, he couldn’t see who or what she was looking at.

He counted six sentries scattered around camp. Any other day, he would have been able to take them all on without a worry. Now, he had his mate to think of. He couldn’t protect her and fight off so many.

Anger filled him to the point of rage a moment later. If those dragons had come, this would all be over with by now. He’d have Mar-see and the others far away from here and safe.

A shocked gasp drew his attention. One of Allok’s men had finally spotted him. Jorrick started into camp as the sentries yelled and ran toward the only wooden structure he could see. Everyone else stopped what they were doing to watch the sentries. As voices grew, Mar-see turned her head. Her eyes widened the moment she saw him, her mouth opening as if shocked. It wore off quickly, a smile covering her beautiful face a moment later. Her entire body seemed to slump against the binds that held her as she looked at him. As if seeing him made her so weak her legs would no longer hold her. The sight made something in his chest pull tight.

He had no idea where Allok was, nor did he care. He headed across camp toward Mar-see and had nearly made it to her when a spear landed at his feet. He stopped and looked in the direction from which it was thrown.

Allok and the sentry who had seen him were walking his way. Of all the warlord’s on Prison Moon One, Allok was the least imposing. To look at him, one wouldn’t have thought him capable of doing much harm but he knew better. The Salitorian species was known for mind control and he’d seen Allok bring down men twice his size with nothing more than a glance.

Jorrick turned to face him and crossed his arms over his chest. Allok stopped a few feet from him and glanced at Mar-see who still hadn’t said a word. He looked at her too. There was a knot on her forehead. Her left eye and most of her cheek was varying colors of blue and black. Someone had hit her—hard. Scrapes and small cuts, and even more bruises were scattered across her skin from head to toe. If he had to guess, he’d say he knew what Allok’s men had been doing the night before. They’d been chasing her. His little mate had run away. She’d escaped and had paid the price for it once they’d caught her.

“I wondered if you’d come.”

Jorrick faced Allok when he spoke. “You should have known I would.”