Page 57 of Mated to the Alien Warlord

"That scout deserves a reward," Gryck remarked when I checked on my khazar, and I agreed full heartedly with him.

"I will do that. Damaris gave birth during the storm. I don't think we would have made it had he not warned us of the coming storm," I filled my khazar in.

Gryck clapped me on the shoulder. "Well, I'll be damned. Some kallini you found yourself. Congratulations, Vandor."

"Thank you."

"They won't be able to travel for a day or so, will they?" Gryck asked, and I read the need to ride after Grobhan on his face.

"I can stay back with her here if you want to go after him," I offered.

Gryck considered my offer but shook his head. "We can wait a day. This storm will have Grobhan delayed as well as us."

Even worse, as it turned out two days later.

To my relief, Damaris agreed that it would be safer for her and Murtagh to travel in one of the wagons, until we reached Grymburg, Warlord Brogan's stronghold, which was the closest to us.

Gryck, Kendryx, Brogan, and I would then leave to finally hunt Grobhan down, while Damaris would be safe at Grymburg. Gryck would be assured of Brogan's loyalty, and I was sure Brogan would welcome the opportunity to stretch his legs after being cooped up at his stronghold for so long.

The only one not happy with this plan was Damaris, but that couldn't be helped and even she was coming around, understanding that life on the road, especially during the cold season, was just too dangerous for Murtagh.

However, all our plans were rendered moot when, later in the day, we came upon the most gruesome sight even I as a warrior had ever seen, and I was grateful for Damaris being in the wagon and not laying eyes on it.

Whatever was left of Grobhan's army must have encountered the same storm we had sheltered from, but unlike us, they hadn't been lucky enough to protect themselves from it in time. One lone tent, in which we found a frozen Grobhan, had been erected haphazardly, the rest of his warriors lay huddled in groups on the ground, or next to their also frozen horses.

"Well, I can't say I'm not happy to see him dead," Gryck said next to me with a somber expression on his face. "But this," he shook his head, dismayed, "I wouldn't have wished on anybody."

"At least it's over," Kendryx remarked not as affected by the sight as us. Then again, after losing his brother to the Vandalls, not much seemed to affect him.

Lost for words, we stared at the frozen bodies as if hoping one would show a sign of life, but after a minute or so, Kendryx called us back to the present. "I don't imagine we're going to make camp here, so we better move on before we're caught and freeze to death like them."

"Wise words my friend. Callous, but wise," I smirked.

"He's right, let's move on," Gryck agreed and signaled for our convoy to keep moving.

The ground was so frozen that there was no sense in trying to dig graves for all these males. Their bodies would have to wait until the end of the cold season before somebody, mostly likely Brogan, would send warriors out here to give these males a decent burial. A task I didn't envy them for.

"Excuse me," I nodded at my khazar. "I want to see after my mate."

I didn't wait for his approval. I didn't think he would object and moved Mordakay around to get to Damaris before she laid eyes on the frozen bodies. I didn't think she was squeamish, and she did have a bone to pick with Grobhan, but still, this wasn't a sight one easily forgot.

The wagon was covered in wood with small slits for windows and an entrance door in the back as well as up front by the driver. To make it easier, I jumped from Mordakay's back onto the bench next to the driver, trusting Mordakay to trot along.

I knocked before I opened the small hatch-like door and was greeted by a loud squeal from my son as he was getting his soiled linen changed and didn't seem to appreciate the cold air hitting his bare bottom.

"Vandor," Damaris exclaimed with a happy smile.

"I came to advise you and your kallinies not to peek out the window for a while."

"Oh?" Damaris said and, of course, her glance moved automatically to the, thankfully, covered window.

"We found Grobhan and his army. They must have been caught in the same storm we were. Unfortunately, they weren't able to put up shelter in time."

"They are all dead?" Lynette asked, and Syseann let out a choked sob. I cursed myself. I had forgotten that the two kallinies had been part of Grobhan's wagon train and part of his household.

"I'm afraid so. I'm sorry," I added belatedly, ducking out of the wagon to retreat from the ensuing aftermath of my thoughtless announcement. I felt a bit like a coward, but there was one thing in this world that I was helpless against, and that was distraught, crying kallinies.

Thenextdaywasmuch nicer, as if the ice storm had been the height of the cold season and the weather was now getting warmer. We weren't truly fooled into believing it, but I did talk Vandor into letting Murtagh and me ride with him instead of being forced to sit in the stuffy wagon that made me sick with its swaying and lumbering over the rocky ground.

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