The Nanny and the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips

Chapter Eighteen

Craxan slipped through the concealed door that Joanna remembered from when she and Tavi had escaped the Sodan compound. The lush gardens were quiet, but he could hear the sound of drunken laughter from the gatehouse and he shook his head. He paused for a few minutes to check for activity, but no one bothered to patrol the grounds.

T’paja was far too confident. Perhaps he assumed that his efforts to intimidate the occupants of Isokau had been successful. Instead, the opposite had occurred. The more he let his warriors roam unchecked, the more the townspeople had come to dislike him.

If he had simply stepped into Lord K’herr’s shoes and carried on as before, there would have been some disgruntled comments but little more. Instead, they had returned to find Isokau on the brink of rebellion.

They had arrived back on Alliko the previous night, and as soon as the ship had docked, he and Joanna, heavily cloaked, had gone to visit Opinnas.

The elderly scholar greeted them with a troubled frown.

“Your presence here worries me. But I think perhaps it is necessary.”

He told them what had been happening while they were gone, but Craxan had seen much of it for himself on the way to the scholar’s house. Broken windows, scrawled graffiti, and a restless, violent energy. Even the guards who had formerly watched over the spaceport were no longer present.

“Do you think the Tribunal will rule in Sultavi’s favor?” Joanna asked. They had spent much of the trip investigating the laws of Alliko. The Tribunal was the titular authority over the various Houses, and they had decided it was their best option.

“There are no guarantees, but Lord K’herr was popular. T’paja is not. The Houses have long memories and his family is not respected.” Opinnas adjusted the spectacles resting on his beak. “But it will not be a fast process. And once he receives notice that he is being challenged, he will leave no feather unplucked in his efforts to find Sultavi.”

“Maybe we should go back to Tyssia while we wait,” Joanna said anxiously.

Opinnas shook his crest. “I’m afraid you will need to be here to bring the action.”

It was because of that conversation that he was here now, investigating T’paja’s defenses. Which are minimal at best, he thought disgustedly as he strolled towards the building intended for the ruler of the House.

Two guards were stationed outside the main entrance, but since they were passing a bottle back and forth, Craxan had no trouble slipping past them and around the side of the building. Joanna had sketched out a rough floor plan, so he headed for the bedroom intended for the lord of House Sodan. Light spilled out of the long windows that opened onto a paved terrace. He edged closer but could only see a portion of the interior.

“There will be trouble, Lord T’paja,” a voice warned, clearly audible through the open windows.

From his hidden position, Craxan could see the speaker. An older warrior, his neat uniform a striking contrast to the slovenly guards Craxan had seen so far.

“Don’t be foolish, Ottan. Who’s going to challenge me? I am the ruler of House Sodan now.” The second voice practically purred with satisfaction.

Ottan cleared his throat. “Officially, the title remains with the child.”

Something flew past Ottan’s head, but he didn’t flinch, even when the object hit the wall and exploded into glittering shards.

“Because you were too incompetent to find her,” T’paja snarled.

“My information suggests that she left the planet.”

Craxan frowned. Did the guard actually know something, or was he just humoring the temperamental lord?

“Then she has no claim,” T’paja said.

“She would only have to return and establish her identity.”

“Then make sure you are watching the spaceport. Do I have to specify everything?”

“I am watching it,” Ottan said calmly, and Craxan jerked.

The bush that concealed him rustled, but he was more concerned with the implications of the older male’s words. Had the absence of guards at the spaceport been a decoy?

“Good. If she dares show her face, eliminate her.”

Every muscle in Craxan’s body clenched as rage swept over him. The bastard dared to threaten his daughter?

“I beg your pardon?” For the first time, a hint of emotion crossed Ottan’s face. “You said you wanted to bring her here so you could claim her as your ward.”

“I’ve decided that is no longer necessary.” T’paja’s hand came into view, heavily laden with rings, as he gestured dismissively. “No one is challenging my rulership. It would be easier just to eliminate her.”

“But she is just a child.”

“Then it shouldn’t be a difficult job. Now leave me. One of my males is bringing me a… visitor.”

Ottan stared at him, then bowed stiffly. “Yes, Lord T’paja.”

The guard didn’t leave through the doorway. Instead, he headed for the long windows. Craxan drew back into the shadows, his hand resting on his knife.

Ottan stepped out onto the terrace, then strolled casually towards Craxan’s hiding place. He stopped a short distance away to light a thin cigar.

“My loyalty has never been questioned before,” he said softly. “But I will not be responsible for the death of a child.”

The old guard moved away without another word, leaving Craxan frowning after him. Ottan obviously knew that he was there, but he had made no effort to stop him.

Tonight had only been intended to gather information, to identify T’paja’s weaknesses, but after what he had just heard, that plan had changed. T’paja had threatened his daughter. Unacceptable.

Craxan’s hand dropped to his knife as he headed for the open windows.

* * *

Once again,Joanna found herself pacing anxiously, this time outside the ship. When they landed on Alliko, Merios parked the ship in one of the ordinary slots allotted to cargo ships. It connected to a small warehouse designed for loading and unloading cargo, but since they weren’t doing either, there was plenty of room for her pacing and she didn’t have to worry about being seen.

“I’m just not cut out to be a mercenary’s mate,” she muttered to herself. Craxan had gone off to scout the compound and evaluate T’paja’s defenses. In theory, it seemed much less difficult than stealing a child from a dangerous criminal, but at least she hadn’t known about that one until it was over.

Suzanna had told her what Craxan must have done to get Adam, and it had made her blood run cold. She thought the girl was trying to be helpful, but it only made her more nervous to know the type of risks he was capable of taking. It was actually a relief when Suzanna went off to attend to her son.

Joanna was still shocked that the girl had decided to accompany them. She had expected her to be thrilled with the prospect of settling down on Tyssia, but she had asked to stay on board instead. Apparently, she felt safer with Craxan around. And even Jed, she had admitted. Joanna wasn’t thrilled about her continued hero worship of Craxan, but at least it never went further than a few doe-eyed glances.

“Mama!” Tavi came flying down the ramp towards her, Rissta a few steps behind.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart? You’re supposed to be in bed.”

“I was, but I woke up and no one was there.” A bottom lip pouted out. “Papa said he would see if I was awake before he left.”

“In the morning,” she reminded her. “And this is not the morning.”

“You see, Tavi?” Rissta added. “That’s what I told you.”

“But I don’t like it!”

“You can’t like every-” She and Rissta began at the same time, then they both laughed.

“Do you want me to take her back to bed?” the other female asked, but Joanna shook her head.

“No, it’s all right. She can keep me company for a while.”

“I’ll make some shoko. That might calm her down.” Those sharp blue eyes studied Joanna. “I’ll make enough for both of you.”

“Thank you, Rissta. For everything,” she said sincerely.

Rissta sniffed, but she was obviously pleased.

“Tell me a story,” Tavi demanded.

That put an end to her pacing, but she wasn’t ready to return to the ship yet. There was a small office attached to the warehouse and she remembered seeing some seating in there. She had barely started the story when Tavi jumped up and moved restlessly around the room.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“We’re back in Isokau, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And Papa is going to get rid of the bad man so I can go home again?”

“That’s the plan,” she said as confidently as possible.

“But I don’t want to go home!” The words burst out as a tear appeared on Tavi’s cheek.

Joanna’s heart sank. She had never considered the possibility that Tavi might not want to return. Were the memories too hard for her?

“Why not?” she asked gently.

“Because Papa will go away and you won’t be my mama anymore.”

Her heart ached at the pain on her daughter’s face. “Tavi, I am always going to be your mama, no matter where we are.”

“Really?” Tavi gave her a hopeful look. “But you weren’t before.”

Several explanations sprang to mind, but she settled for the simplest. “You may not have called me that, but I knew you were my daughter the moment I met you.”

“Your heart daughter?”

“Exactly.”

Tavi threw her arms around her neck, hugging her fiercely. She could feel the dampness of tears against her neck, and she had to hold back her own.

“I can still call you Mama, even here?” Tavi asked at last.

“Yes, sweetheart. Even here.”

“And Papa isn’t going to go away?”

“No. We’re a family now, and families stay together.”

Tavi gave a sigh of satisfaction, and her small body relaxed.

“I want some shoko now,” she announced, a few minutes later.

“Do you want to go and see if Miss Rissta has finished making it?”

“Okay.”

Tavi jumped up and started for the door leading into the warehouse, but as she did, the outer door opened and an Allikan male stepped inside.

It was Besu.

Joanna’s heart started to pound as she saw him look from her to Tavi, and his lips curled into a twisted grin.

“Well, isn’t this nice? The two of you are going to make me a very wealthy male.”

He tried to grab Tavi, and she kicked him in the shins. It was one of the moves Craxan had been teaching her, and although Joanna doubted it had hurt him, it startled him enough that he let her go.

“Run, Tavi,” she yelled. “Run!”

Her daughter darted out of the room, and Besu snarled as he turned back to her. “I’ll find her soon enough. But I guess I’ll just have to start with you.”

“Don’t you dare touch me,” she hissed. “My mate will kill you.”

“Mate?” His mouth twisted into a cruel sneer. “No one is going to mate a primitive human. You’re only good for fucking.”

He came a step closer, and she braced herself, ready to kick out as soon as he was within range.

“That is where you are wrong.” Craxan’s familiar voice was taut with anger as he stalked into the room.

Besu took one look at him, and his already ashy skin paled. “I… I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yes, you did.”

Craxan stalked towards him, and Besu tried to feint to one side. Craxan caught him, grabbed his neck and twisted. Joanna heard Besu’s neck snap with a sickening crack before Craxan tossed his body aside and rushed over to her.

“Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, even though tears were pouring down her cheeks. “Where’s Tavi?”

“With Merios and Rissta. They are just outside but I did not want her to see this.”

“What happened at the compound?”

“T’paja is dead,” he said in a satisfied voice.

“I thought you were only going to scout.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “I decided there was no purpose in waiting.”

“Does that mean we can take her home?”

“I will have to replace the staff first, but yes. She is once again Lady Sultavi of House Sodan.”

Relief washed over her. Craxan and Tavi were both safe and unharmed, and they would have a home together.

“I thought you would be happy,” he said, his tail coming up to caress her damp cheek.

“I am. I just can’t believe it’s over.”

“Only the bad parts,” he assured her. “Now we have the rest of our lives to be together, to enjoy our daughter, and to love each other.”

And as he bent his head to kiss her, she knew that he was right.