Page 53 of Mated to the Alien Warlord

"If we're lucky, we can make it to the mountains over there; that's where my village used to be until the Udruns attacked us," the scout continued.

"Kendryx?" Gryck asked because Kendryx had also grown up not far from here. As a second son, he had never been meant to inherit the title of warlord until his brother was killed by Vandalls.

"The outpost where I grew up is a few days' ride from here, further south, but kar, I have heard tales of steep weather jumps in this area."

"You think we will make it to the forest?" Gryck asked the scout.

"Kar, Khazar. It might be tight, but if we ride fast, we can make it," the scout said with so much confidence, I took another look at the male. He might make a good addition to my army.

"Can you ride fast, Lady Damaris?" Gryck asked Damaris and proved once again why I had sworn to defend him and his title with my life. He was a great leader, and he took all his subjects into consideration.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you, Khazar," Damaris mumbled from underneath her fur coverings.

"Let's ride!" Gryck rolled his fist into the air, and we all turned our horses, ready for a mad gallop to the forest.

"I will stay with the wagons and make sure they catch up," Kendryx yelled and changed direction.

"I got you," I promised Damaris as I kicked Mordakay into a full gallop.

Damaris was an excellent rider. Her body moved in perfect harmony with mine and Mordakay's while she held on to the saddle horn, and I had one arm protectively slung around her hip. My hand rested on her belly, and even through all the layers of fur covering her, I could have sworn I felt my son kick, announcing he would make an excellent rider as well.

It didn't even take an hour of breakneck speed before we reached the first dead looking trees. Even though they had shed their leaves weeks ago, their thick trunks would still make excellent shelter. The scout had been right about that.

During our ride, the wind began to pick up, proving the scout right on that too. The wind had been icy, and I couldn't wait to get Damaris into the shelter of our tent.

"Stay on Mordakay," I told her. The horse's body temperature would keep her warmer, and the tree I selected blocked most of the wind. "I will come get you as soon as the tent is up."

My eyes assessed our surroundings. It would have been safer to get deeper into the forest, but the wagons would have never made it through the thick underbrush, and there was no road in sight.

I picked a spot between two macay trees growing close to each other, and waved at my servants who were just arriving with the other wagons. Among them were Damaris's new friends, Lynette and Syseann, who Damaris had insisted we take into our employ. Surprising me, the two former pleasure workers had turned out to be hardworking kallinies, nearly putting my other servants to shame.

I wasn't a male who held somebody's past against them, or judged someone by their occupation, but the notion that these two kallinies had given my czira company and kept her safe had made me think highly of them.

Even Guydo, the male responsible for my wagons, was taking orders from Lynette, as she now yelled at the servants to get my tent ready.

"How is Lady Dan—Damaris?" she asked, and hastily added, "Warlord."

I suppressed a small grin, even though she wouldn't have seen it under all the furs covering the lower part of my face. "She is doing well, or at least she says she is."

Lynette shook her head. "Stubborn that one. Her baby should be coming soon. I saw how she carried herself last night."

"Hopefully not in this storm," I prayed to the gods, lifting my head and staring at the darkening sky. The scout had been right. Dark gray clouds were moving in fast, pushing out the little light the Carmac sun—the sun Thyre was turned to during the cold season—emanated.

"If it pleases you, I will have our tent put up close to yours. That way, you can send for me anytime," Lynette offered.

Damaris told me that Lynette had experience with birthing, and since our healer was more familiar with cuts and broken bones, I was more than relieved having her close by.

"That would please me and Lady Damaris very much. Thank you, Lynette."

"Not there, you fool," she yelled at a servant putting a trunk down and rushed away from me without another word.

I stared at her retreating back, not affronted but making a note that if Damaris wanted Lynette and Syseann to stay with her, she would need to work on their manners. Not all warlords were as understanding as me and many servants might take offense to her gruffness, especially the ones at the stronghold who were more… pampered than the ones with us.

Satisfied that Lynette and Guydo would put up a shelter for Damaris, I walked back to where I left my czira. Damaris had gotten off Mordakay, somehow managed to take his saddle off, and was rubbing him down, while leaning into him to keep warm.

"You need to rest," I chided, pulling her into my embrace.

"Mordakay needed to be rubbed down," she mumbled against my chest, and I didn't like how hard her little heart was beating against me. The slight exertion had exhausted her.

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