The Illegitimate Claim (19 page)

head. They weren’t visible and that was what little reassurance she had at the moment

that they would be safe.

Branches broke nearby and she realized there was someone coming—and they were

very close. Oh Crator, please, please let me live to raise my children. She took off running,

but loud thumping sounds grew louder as someone ran behind her. They were gaining

on her quickly. Whoever it was, they were big…and fast.

“No!” she screamed into the pouring rain as a large body jumped through the air,

landed on her back, and crashed to the ground on top of her. The wind flew out of her

lungs, but she wasn’t able to even groan from the extreme weight on top of her.

A large hand grabbed what was left of her muddy braid, and she felt herself

literally being lifted backwards off the ground. Meah turned sideways, ignoring the

intense pain when she was sure that her hair was literally ripped from her head.

Although blinded from the rain, and the mud that smeared across her face, she swung

anyway. Her fist hit a chest but it might as well have been a brick wall. The grip on her

hair wasn’t relinquished but instead a gloved hand squeezed her knuckles, causing

intense pain.

“Meah, that’s enough.” A low growl spoke closer to her face than she anticipated.

She spat mud from her mouth and shook her head, what little she could with her

hair imprisoned behind her. Blinking several times, she managed to look up at the

black-haired brute who held her tightly, smashing her breasts against muscles of steel.

“I haven’t done anything wrong.” She struggled with her upper body, but realized

Gilroy had her immobilized, so she took advantage of the fact that he held her tightly,

and jumped from the ground, kicking him hard in the leg.

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He threw her down as he stumbled backwards, but he recovered immediately. She

sprawled on the ground and attempted to take off running. He pulled her backwards

by the neck, and she wrapped her fingers around his gloves but knew there was no way

she could release him or, for that matter, defeat him. He was stronger, and twice her

size five winters ago. She had no doubts that his skills had improved during that time.

Instinct took over, though, and she continued to struggle as he pulled her up to a

kneeling position while his hand formed a vise grip around her neck. She heard more

footsteps from behind her and instinctively tried to turn her head but he held her fast.

“Gilroy, I haven’t done anything wrong.” She repeated her plea.

Cold metal from a laser pressed against her temple.

“Do you have any rank in this nation?” he growled, as he pressed the laser against

her skin.

“No…my lord.” Meah relaxed her body under his grip, and lowered her head to

look at the ground.

“Do you address the first commander of the Gothman army by his first name?” His

voice was brutal…cold.

“No, my lord,” she said clearly, realizing now he would humiliate her.

“Did you speak with Rog of the Neurian nation earlier today?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Did he tell you he planned to attack Gothman?”

“He said—”

“Did he tell you he planned to attack Gothman?” Gilroy screamed at her, and

pulled her braid down hard, forcing her head to look up toward the sky. Rain splattered

on her face, and she closed her eyes tightly and spat more dirt from her mouth. His

mouth was now close to her ear, and she realized he kneeled next to her. “Answer the

question—yes or no.”

“Yes.”

“Did you agree to help him?”

She didn’t answer him right away. Why was he trying to trick her? Someone

slapped her hard across the face, and it wasn’t Gilroy. He continued to hold her neck

with one large gloved hand, and pointed his laser at her temple with the other. She

blinked hard as the stinging spread quickly across her face. The rain made it hard to

look up at the second person but she did anyway. She ignored the rain as it pounded

her face, and didn’t look away from the steel gray eyes that glared down at her.

“Did you agree to help him?”

“No,” she said, and then closed her eyes quickly, as Andru slapped her so hard

across the face that she flew from Gilroy’s grasp and felt the metallic taste of blood as

her cheek hit the rocky ground.

Gilroy pulled her to her feet like a rag doll, and she noticed then that Ana stood off

to one side while Andru approached her from the other.

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“You’re lying,” Gilroy spat in her ear as he lifted her off the ground.

“You’ll not accuse me of treason. I have no plans to attack Gothman.”

“Did you agree to help Rog of the Neurians?” Gilroy searched her mud-stained face

as he tried to determine her loyalties.

“Yes.”

“And you knew he planned to attack Gothman?”

“Yes.”

“Did you report this potential attack to anyone?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“There’s a mark on my head. I was scared. I didn’t know who to trust.”

Gilroy slammed her to the ground again, and a crushing pain slammed through her

middle.

“What’s your name?” Gilroy squatted down next to her and reached around to grip

her jaw. He twisted her head so he could see her face. Excruciating pain shot through

her, and she grimaced but forced her gaze to his.

“Meah,” she sputtered, as rain pounded her face.

“Where are you from?”

“The Red Star clan.”

“The Meah of the Red Star clan I knew doesn’t get scared.”

“It wasn’t fear for me.” She gritted her teeth as his knee dug into her back. Her

body was twisted so all of them could see her face.

“Who do you have fear for?”

She didn’t answer.

“Who are you protecting?” Gilroy forced his knee farther into her back and

tightened his grip on her jaw.

No one heard him approaching. He moved through the trees quietly and there was

no fear in him. His mama was flat on the ground with a large black-haired man

kneeling next to her. One of his knees pressed into her back. He wore a brown leather

jacket and he was bigger than any man he’d seen before. He had his gloved hand on her

braid, and he was pulling it back so hard that her torso was off the ground. His other

hand was holding her face and turning it toward him. The makeup Paleah put in her

hair had rinsed to the end of her braid making her wet inky hair look a lot like the man

who restrained her. She braced herself with her hands on the ground and he could see

blood and dirt smeared across her face. There was a man and a woman standing over

them, but he didn’t focus on them. Instead, he found a big stick on the ground and then

ran toward the man on his knees.

“Leave my mama alone,” he screamed at the surprised man, and swung the stick,

hitting the man hard across the face.

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Gilroy took the blow to the face and jumped off Meah in complete astonishment.

“Tory, no.” Meah pushed herself onto her knees with effort and reached for her son.

“He’s the first commander of the Gothman army. You can’t interfere.”

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride as her son put his hands on his hips and

stuck his chin out in silent defiance. The bushes behind her son moved and Tia slowly

walked out from her hiding place and walked over to her brother. She looked at her

mama then at the three adults who stood stupefied, staring at her and her brother.

“My lord, this is what I must protect.” Meah spoke with effort as she rubbed her

neck and knew her lip was swelling from being hit. She then gave her children a hard

look and spoke quietly but severely. “What kind of warrior does not follow orders?”

Tory opened his mouth to respond, but then Tia put her hand on his shoulder. He

looked up quickly, first at Andru then over at Ana.

“Tia wants to know if they are the great twins you told us about in your stories.”

Tory pointed toward Andru and Ana.

“Oh Crator,” Ana mumbled from behind her.

“Yes, my children, these are the twins I told you about.”

Gilroy looked at his claim. Her hand went to her mouth and he could tell she was

trembling. He then looked over to Andru. The heir to Gothman was staring at the twins

in complete bewilderment. Gilroy pulled his comm out quickly and started barking

orders.

“I need this area secured. No one is to come or go within a quarter mile radius,” he

said as he walked over to Andru. “I want to know if anyone approaches from any

direction—and I do mean anyone.”

Andru looked at Gilroy then over to his sister. It was one of the few times Gilroy

had ever seen the lord appear to be at a loss for words.

“My lord,” Gilroy said quietly.

“Does the interrogation meet with your satisfaction?” Andru looked at the welt that

slowly appeared across his friend’s cheek.

“Yes, my lord.” Gilroy glanced over at Meah who had moved to stand next to the

children.

“And what will you report to Lord Darius?” Andru continued to stare at the little

boy and girl.

“She’s not guilty of treason.”

Andru nodded but didn’t take his eyes off the twins. Meah let go of her children

and clasped her hands behind her back.

“My lord, you were either misinformed, or Torgo didn’t hear the entire

conversation.” Meah took several steps to stand in front of Andru. He was frowning at

the two children. “Rog does wish to attack you, but it’s only because he believes you

have someone who belongs to him.”

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Andru simply nodded again then pulled the muddy, bruised woman in front of

him into his arms. He closed his eyes tightly and looked up toward the sky, letting the