Page 66 of Arresting the Warlord

“I would have loved to have seen that.”

“There are some old vids in the archives you can watch. The academy instructors showed them when I was in training to become a warlord. Once we find Jia, I’ll let you watch them.”

“It’s a date, and I’ll even bring the popcorn.” I said, bringing the shuttle in for a landing. “Don’t forget to pack some tourist gear. We need to blend in with the other sightseers.”

“Yes, my lady.” Jake teleported away.

I linked with Uncle Jesse.“I’m gonna need the sweat lodge, do you have time to heat up the stones?”

“I do,”UncleJesse replied.

You’re the best, and I’ll be piloting a fancy black shuttle. Do not shoot us.”

“And here I’ve been wanting to try out my new surface-to-air missile,”UncleJesse quipped.

“Does Father know you’re buying things from the military surplus store again?”

“Hell, no, but Samuel say you and that Coletti warlord are mated.”

“He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“Do you love him?”

I rubbed my forehead. “Maybe. He’s growing on me.”

“Once I saw his aura, I knew the Coletti wouldn’t stop until you were his,”Uncle Jesse said.

“Why didn’t you warn me?”

“It wouldn’t have stopped him from claiming you.”

I let out a long sigh.“True. Jake’s very persistent.”

“You’ve been alone for too long.”

“I have Father and you.”

“We’re not enough. You need to open your heart to love.”

I rolled my eyes. “Have you been trolling those online dating sites again?”

“Yellowhorse needs a car towed. I’ll talk to you later,”Uncle Jesse said and broke our link.

Crap. He was. The last time he went on the Everlasting Love site he got conned out of three thousand credits.

Jake popped in with a duffle bag. “Let’s go commune with the spirits.”

Chapter Twelve

Our sacred place was deep inside Canyon De Chelly. The towering red sandstone cliffs held the remains of an ancient Anasazi cliff dwelling. At the base of an overhang of rock was a traditional cedar log hogan.

Carefully avoiding the cottonwood trees, I set the shuttle down on the bank of Black Rock Creek and shut off the engines.

Jake stared up at the cliff dwellings. “Amazing. Are those petroglyphs?”

“They are. Father has been studying the Anasazi’s rock carvings for years.”

“The tourists must love this place,” Jake said.

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