Page 104 of Game on Askole

“Uh-huh. Just admit it. You realized you had made a mistake in claiming me. So you ditched me.”

“I did not abandon you,”Tihar bellowed.

“Really? It sure feels like you did. You couldn’t have taken a few minutes out of your busy schedule to let me know you were okay? Or tell me you still loved me?”

“In war, many things are not possible, but I did help you defeat the naugers.”

“That’s true. You saved my life and the lives of my family. For that I’m eternally grateful. Then you vanished again. Your father, the High Commander, didn’t have a problem contacting me. Do you know what he said?”

“I am sure you are going to tell me.”

“Damn right. Your father said I was inferior, child-size, and weak. I lacked tentacles. I didn’t have the skills to survive in your culture. He happily informed me that you had found an appropriate, full-blooded Askole female to bear your children. And he saved the best for last. Our bridal contract had been nullified.”

“That is not true. There was no communication between us, nor did I nullify the bridal contract,”Sariel interjected.

My internal radar went on red alert an instant before a hoarse male voice said,“But, I did.”

I spun around. In the doorway stood a huge Askole warrior. The flesh on half of his face and scalp appeared to have been melted off. The other side of his face was untouched. Behind him, a Coletti warrior smirked at Zarek. Man, were those crystals messin’ with my psychic abilities. “Who’s the freak?”

“Snoor,” Detja whispered.

I whispered back, “His face fits his aura. Who’s the other guy?”

“Diar.”

“Ah, the soon-to-be-dead Coletti traitor.” I caught fleeting glimpses of Adan snagging Snoor’s warriors. “Do you think the evil mastermind knows Adan is eating his troops?”

“Be silent, females,”Snoor barked.

I glanced down at the timer on my bracelet. Rats. We still had two minutes until our big, noisy diversion started. I needed to stall a little longer. Doing my best Debbie Sunshine impression, I gushed,“But, my lord, I’m still waiting for you to tell me how you fooled the Overlord and his pathetic minions.”

The Overlord and his pathetic minions eyed me with a distinct lack of favor.

Snoor, the vain fool, bought it, hook, line, and sinker. The few tentacles he had left perked up.“It was simple. I used a holograph of Sariel to trick you. I wanted to take everything Tihar loved from him. His planet, his people, and his female. He destroyed my family, and now I destroy his.”

I put a hand to my forehead and gasped like a drama queen.“He killed your entire family?”

Kaylee sniggered.

Snoor bared his fangs menacingly.“He murdered my brother, Shandev.”

“You mean Shandev the assassin?”I dropped my act.

“Yes.”

“I was there. It was a fair fight. Your brother lost his head. Literally,”I replied sweetly.

Snoor’s furious roar reverberated off the metal walls.“You, I will kill slowly, painfully.”

I shook my head.“Nah, don’t see that happening, but you, on the other hand, will die painfully. I absolutely guarantee it. Tick-tock.”

“Tick-tock,”Bree echoed.

Zoey repeated,“Tick-tock.”

The warlords suddenly had anoh craplook in their eyes.

Kaylee clapped her hands.“Boom!”

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