The Iriduan’s Mate by Susan Trombley
Thirty-Five
Uthagol’s death was gruesome. Shulgi had been unfazed by the goriness of it, though he’d insisted Molly and Briana turn away as the evil female’s screams rose in intensity, just before Nemon pulled her apart in full view of all her minions.
Molly had protested his command at first, but he saw the paleness of her skin even with the dyes and ended up covering her eyes and pulling her into his embrace to muffle her hearing. Briana had turned away as well. She then fell to her knees, retching at the sound of Uthagol’s limbs tearing.
Since both mouthpieces were unable to speak at the moment, Shulgi spoke for “Sha Zaska,” letting all Uthagol’s beaten minions know never to defy the powerful under-tier boss again. Then he announced that Zaska and his army would soon retake the under-tier, and he would pay well to any of Uthagol’s minions who joined his side.
Nemon was having far too much fun playing the gang boss, Shulgi decided later as they stormed the under-tier. Nemon and Shulgi led a large group of Uthagol’s defectors—mostly former slaves but also some of her minions who’d seen sense and had accepted “Sha Zaska’s” generous offer of employment. Urbarra’s people had decided to join in on the fun, though they blended into the background, moving like ghosts around Zaska’s little army, seeking the best opportunities to put their skills to use.
The contingent of Iriduan mercenaries and Ma’Nah remnants who hadn’t the sense to flee after the destruction of the company and a good portion of the dreg formed up in a belated attempt to meet the invasion pouring off the public lift. Nemon decimated a good portion of the front line before Shulgi and the rest were even able to fire upon them.
He was certainly grateful he was on Nemon’s side instead of fighting against him. They made a good team, and the Iriduans and those minions of Zaska’s who’d switched sides and knew they would pay for that traitorous choice didn’t stand a chance. Many fled the battle, racing for the docks in the hopes of hijacking some of the ships to get off Za’Kluth.
Shulgi smiled grimly, knowing that Urbarra’s men were already heading towards the bays to lock down the forcefield, which meant no one was leaving the under-tier unless they went into the vents.
Though he hadn’t liked Molly’s suggestion that she and Briana be allowed to head to the under-vents to rally those still loyal to Zaska who would have used the bolt holes in the vast maze of tunnels, she’d convinced him that her efforts would give them a distinct advantage. She knew the territory far better than he did, and certainly better than the Iriduans did. The under-vents had been the haven of the escaped slaves long before Sha Zaska was invented to keep the bounty hunters out of them.
His only concern as he and Nemon and their small army of Uthagol’s defectors took back the docks was for Molly and Briana. They were both exhausted, weakened from their captivity, and dehydrated—though Urbarra’s medic had given them both IVs and combat stimulants at their request. The last thing they should be doing was heading into battle.
Molly wouldn’t hear of sitting on the sidelines, waiting for someone else to take her territory back for her. She was determined and far stronger than even Shulgi had realized. She endured when so many—regardless of their sex—would have given up and begged for mercy. His respect for her only grew even as his desire to protect her nearly overwhelmed him into making a mistake by forcefully keeping her from joining in on the battle.
He hated letting her out of his sight but sensed that he would be doing them both a disservice to deny her the right to fight for her people and her cause. Thus, his sole purpose was now to keep the bulk of Ma’Nah’s invaders occupied and distracted on the docks while Molly and her people took back the under-vents.
They were to meet at Zaska’s offices, and it felt like it took an age for Shulgi and his forces to make it there, though the battle was actually over very quickly. The dock defenders barely had the chance to ready their weapons before Nemon and Shulgi fell upon them. Uthagol’s former slaves and minions proved effective in their offense, and most would end up being good long-term additions to “Zaska’s” forces.
They encountered the heaviest resistance outside Zaska’s offices, where Ma’Nah’s forces had entrenched and set up a variety of deadly traps, including reactivating the purge system that Molly’s people had in place as a last resort. That system was one thing Molly and Briana intended to disable before it could put an end to Shulgi’s offense. Given the fact that they were all still alive, Shulgi had to believe that Molly had succeeded.
Their forces hammered the troops entrenched around Zaska’s offices, which were a fortress in their own way, having been reinforced when Molly and her people were in charge to hold off just such an invasion as this from the surface.
They clearly weren’t expecting to be invaded from beneath the offices. As the snipers and their turrets kept Shulgi and his people pinned on the docks, chaos broke out from within the shipping offices. Shouts of alarm quickly shifted to screams of pain and terror. The snipers and turrets were forced to turn their attention to their own fortress, and that momentary distraction was enough for Urbarra’s people to get through, followed by Nemon in full camouflage, visible only to those who knew where to look as he moved.
Shulgi remained on the docks, peppering the offices with a volley of rounds to shift the attention of the snipers and turrets back to him and the forces with him rather than have them pursue the infiltrators.
He managed to take down one of the snipers with a stray shot, but the others were pulled down by the mob of Zaska’s loyal minions that poured onto the roof of the office building, cheering in victory, raising fists holding the heads of slain Iriduans by their hair.
The troops with Shulgi sounded their own cheers as they rose from behind their cover, recognizing that the battle was over, and Sha Zaska was the victor.
Then Shulgi’s heart thudded harder than it had been even with all the combat stimulants flowing through his veins. Molly and Briana, their skin dyed violet and green, stepped out onto the roof, moving like two small and delicate flowers swaying in a warm breeze. They were both graceful and elegant, but Shulgi only had eyes for his petite Molly as she and Briana lifted Uthagol’s head between them.
Then Molly lifted her other hand to reveal that she held an Iriduan head dangling from its hair in her raised fist.
No doubt that Iriduan was the leader of the invaders. The battle had truly been won.
The cheers that rose up around the docks were deafening as the two small females stood with their grisly trophies, clothed in dresses that were stained with blood, looking like the fierce and cunning warriors they were.
When Nemon joined them on the roof, whipping his tentacles around in an exaggerated fashion so that everyone below got a good look at them, the volume of the cheers rose even further, and it took a long time for it to die down.
The show was a good one, as far as such displays of power went, but it got even better when the noise of the crowd finally died down, allowing Zaska’s “mouthpieces” to speak. Once Molly opened her mouth to shout her cries of victory in Sha Zaska’s name, everyone on the docks fell silent, listening expectantly.
She was a natural, her voice ringing out with power and conviction despite her small stature. As she spoke of Zaska’s victories and his vengeance, she and Briana tossed Uthagol’s head off the roof. The crowd cheered again when it tumbled to the ground below with an ignominious splat, the cruel face of Uthagol splitting upon impact.
Once that cheering died down, Molly held up the head of the Iriduan, displaying it in a slow sweep to everyone watching as Briana took over the speech, reveling in Sha Zaska’s victory over the Iriduans both here on the under-tier and in the dreg, claiming the leveling of Ma’Nah as Sha Zaska’s doing.
Shulgi knew the truth wasn’t what mattered. It was the stories people told about those truths that created legends, and Sha Zaska’s had grown exponentially. In time, his people would likely face too much scrutiny from the city bosses, but even then, they could end up allied with the most powerful people in Za’Kluth if they played things right.
His smile of admiration for Molly fell when he realized that now that Sha Zaska had returned, she would want to remain here, to continue her mission of freeing slaves. That also meant she would continue to serve as Zaska’s mouthpiece, because she was a natural at it.
He would give everything to remain at her side. He would fight for her until no breath or blood remained inside him. If it meant he would have to endure the thought of other males touching her, then he would endure even that.
For Molly, he would do anything.
Her cause was important to her. This legend she had built meant so much to her. It would be selfish for him to take her away from this place now.
Briana fell silent as Molly impaled the Iriduan’s head on a pike handed to her by one of the minions. Then Molly handed the pike off to Nemon, who wrapped his tentacle around it, then slammed it into the roof’s surface, which was concrete. The steel pike ended up buried in the rooftop—a reminder and example that would stand there until the flesh rotted away and the skull was retrieved to make another grisly trophy, no doubt.
The message was what mattered—the show of force and lack of mercy that would strike fear into the hearts of any who dared to defy Sha Zaska or stand in his way. It was impressive, their ceremony. Shulgi felt almost jealous of Nemon being so close to Molly—and being such a huge part of her victory speech.
There would be time for Shulgi to be beside Molly later. Time for him to finally tell her exactly how much she meant to him, and how much he wanted to be with her.
Then her eyes swept the crowd below until they found him. He lifted both hands to remove his helmet, tossing it to Urbarra, who stood nearby, fully encased in stealth armor. A broad smile crossed her face as she stepped closer to the edge of the roofline so all could see her clearly. Her gaze remained fixed on him for a long moment, as if she wanted to take in the sight of him.
He wanted everyone, including all the Iriduans in the crowd, to see that he wore no mask. To know that he belonged to a queen.
“My generous master, Sha Zaska, is greatly pleased with the loyalty of his minions.” She tapped her chest, then gestured to Briana. “Especially his mouthpieces, who have always served him well.”
A seductive and secret smile tilted her lips that made Shulgi burn with jealousy despite knowing for a fact that she’d never been touched by a single tentacle of any “Sha Zaska.”
The crowd responded to her thinly veiled implication with cheers and whooping. They fell instantly silent as Nemon waved an imperious tentacle in the air.
“Because of our unflinching service to our beloved master,” Molly continued, the volume of her voice carrying without her having to shout, “he has granted us our freedom.”
More cheers met that announcement and Shulgi caught himself nodding in approval reflexively. This was a wise decision by Molly and Briana. They wouldn’t be quite as constrained in their behavior if they were free minions of Zaska’s instead of his slaves.
“My fellow dyed flower has decided to remain in the service of Sha Zaska,” Molly continued, gesturing to Briana, who stepped up to the edge of the roof beside her.
Then Molly’s eyes met his, her smile less certain. “But I have accepted my master’s generous offer of retirement.”
The breath left him as the rest of the crowd cheered again. Shulgi wasn’t even sure now that they knew what they were cheering for. They just seemed caught up in the ceremonious feeling of the moment. But he knew why he felt like cheering. He had no doubt about his feelings on the matter.
Molly didn’t want to remain here. She didn’t want to continue being Sha Zaska’s mouthpiece. Was it because she wanted to leave this world with him?
Without thinking, his wings flared, then buzzed as they lifted him off his feet. He flew quickly towards the roof, the entire crowd falling dead silent. He alighted on the edge of the roof beside Molly, his eyes only for her. Her hesitant smile grew broader as she met his gaze. He took her hands in his, then tugged her closer.
“Our master has given his blessing to his most loyal of minions and his most loyal of slaves,” Briana said to the crowd in a well-projected voice as she gestured to Shulgi and Molly.
Nemon curled his tentacles around the two of them, pushing them into a closer embrace, much to the amusement of the crowd.
“Nice save,” Molly murmured to Briana, her smile never wavering.
Then she lifted her arms to lock her hands around the nape of Shulgi’s neck. He made no effort to resist her gentle tug, gladly lowering his head to claim her lips with all the hunger he felt for her openly on display.
This time, the roaring cheers of the crowd did deafen him, his sensitive ears ringing, but nothing else mattered save the feeling of Molly’s lips under his, the heady taste of her as her tongue wrestled with his. The delicious scent of her nearly overwhelmed him, despite the odors of blood and sweat and grime that clung to her after her ordeal in the under-tunnels.
The crowd continued to cheer even after they broke the kiss. Molly stared up into his eyes as if no one else existed.
“I will follow you anywhere, Shulgi,” she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear her above the cacophony of noise from their audience.
He caressed her cheek, reveling at the softness of her skin and the delicate curve of her face. “I would stay right here with you, if that is your wish, Molly. As long as we’re together, I don’t care where we are.”
“I love you, Shulgi,” she said.
“I love you too, my Molly.” He cupped her chin and lifted it so he could claim her lips again.
The crowd went wild, and Nemon’s amorphous form rippled with pleased laughter as Briana looked on with a wide grin.
