“What did he do that everyone wants to kill him?” she asked sympathetically.
Skars recognized the compassion in her voice and gave her a disgusted look. “Xioarius is responsible for eradicating our planet from the galaxy. Thousands of lives were taken; many of them our women and children.”
Chapter 9
Raine
Her marriage had just departed the honeymoon stage and entered rocky territory. She didn’t even have the extra benefit of experiencing a courtship that she had always read about and dreamed of having one day to smooth over the damage she had done.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I wasn’t aware of the situation.” Raine looked up at the bright sky. “Mars blew up?” What she knew about astronomy could be written on the back of a postage stamp, but wouldn’t Mars exploding affect Earth’s atmosphere?
From the way Skars looked at her, she had dipped lower in his estimation.
“Not Mars; Raum.”
“Oh … My mistake,” she apologized again. “Ol …” Raine corrected herself. “Ulf said you were half-Martians. I assumed that Mars was the planet that was destroyed.”
Skars’ hard expression remained unmoved. “We have not the time for me to explain further. This can be discussed once we are on my ship.”
Her husband pressed a hand to his shoulder. At his movement, Raine heard a short whirling sound that sounded like a hummingbird. She looked up, and her lips parted in a gasp as four objects that looked like some type of motorcycles on the inside were surrounded within a clear circle like a balloon. Each circle hovered next to each of the Vikings.
“What are those?”
“These are our small transport vehicles. They are called nejims.”
“We could go after my friend …” Raine started to suggest excitably.
“The Ferajorin are too close. We must return to our ship.” Skars motioned toward where Tayla was getting out of the destroyed car. “Once both of you are safe on board, you can show me where the remainder of your group are hiding, and I will bring them to the ship also.”
Raine had two big problems with what he wanted her to do. She wouldn’t be able to go after Piper, nor was she willing to show the Vikings where the others were hiding.
Looking pleadingly at Tayla for inspiration on what to do and say, Raine was relieved when the other woman took over.
“We have to get him back. Piper isn’t well. He’ll become sick without his medicine.”
Skars stared her in confusion. “Medicine?”
“Something he needs to take regularly, or he could die,” Raine tried to explain as simply as she could.
Piper had been diagnosed with neurally mediated syncope, a malfunction of her heart. She could pass out when triggered by changing positions too quickly, being stressed, or in pain. Finding a big blue alien holding her could be a death sentence to her. She knew it would scare her to death, and Raine didn’t have a heart malfunction.
“The Olggans take care of their own. The boy will be put in his household. What he needs will be provided. King Jurzed will make certain he is in good health. The boy will be useless to him dead.”
Raine flinched at the callous way he spoke of Piper’s death, as if Piper was an inanimate object.
She wasn’t about to entrust Piper to a blue dude she didn’t know. What if he wasn’t nice to her? Piper had been overprotected by her brother, then the group in the vault as they had drawn closer to her. Even Milly liked the girl, and that witch didn’t like anyone.
Tayla wasn’t any happier than her. “Do the Vikings not protect their household?”
Skars’ expression grew thunderous at her question. “We do. The boy does not belong to my clan.”
“He does to ours,” Tayla spat out. “His brother is the only reason Raine, your wife, is still alive. Are you her husband or not?”
“Já, but it is unnecessary to lose the lives of my clan when his return can be accomplished without bloodshed.”
“Fine!” Tayla snapped, turning to the Viking who was standing next to Skars. “What is your name?”
“I am Njal.”
“Njal, do Vikings divorce each other?”
The Viking didn’t immediately answer Tayla’s question, looking toward Skars and her.
Raine remained silent, letting Tayla do all the threatening for her. The loan officer was better at it than she was.
Skars’ jaw jutted out in irritation.
“My brother will not condone a divorce without cause.”
“Why would your brother be given a choice?”
“He is our chieftain.”
“So, you’ll be given preferential treatment?”
“Preferential?”
“It means, because you’re his brother, she won’t be able divorce your ass?”
“Neinn, Thorsen will make no difference.”
“Good. Then take us to him. Raine wants a divorce.”
Skars looked to her questioningly at Tayla’s claim.
“He is searching for Xioarius; I cannot take you to him,” he refused.
“How convenient.” Rudely, Tayla gave a sarcastic snort.
“I do not know what convenient means, but I do not care for your tone.” Skars pinned her with his gaze. “Nor that my wife lets you speak for her.”