Read Online The 6th of Six (The Legend of Kimraig Llu) by J. K. (Keith) Wilson - Free Book Online Page A

they committed treason. She needed another, more subtle, approach.
    “My explanation has been arrogant at best, Hunter Kimraig. All these arrangements cleared the Wicca Council weeks ago. They thought it best to tell no one until this afternoon.” Okay, I can work with this. Breen continued, “They have requested you and I need your help.” There, the worst part is over.
    “You are exposing our troops needlessly.” There it was again, quick crushing emotion signaling loss when nothing was missing. Kimraig was, for the first time, overly protective of a female.
    “You must be prepared to sacrifice anyone for the good of this mission.” Breen steeled herself to ask her final question. “Can you do that?”
    “It makes little difference. If we must remain at One Nine, then we will all die protecting you until the Wicca sends reinforcements.”
    “Answer my question.”
    “I will not sacrifice another Queen or a Leader. That is the best I can offer.” He thought for a moment. “You should find another Hunter.”
    “That is not an option.”
    Why had she asked? It was academic but the women somewhere inside had to know if she was safe.
    “Viral-1 was a traitor. She deserved to die,” she said trying to fill the void.
    “Not by the hand of the Hunter sworn to give his life for hers,” he said.
    “Did you service her?” That question had nothing to do with anything. Why did she keep asking these stupid questions? It did not matter that Viral-1 did not like males as lovers. “I did not. I would have done my duty, if she had wanted that from me. It would not have been obligation but pleasure. We had a different bond, a bond of equals not Queen and consort.”
    “If she was your equal, then why did you kill her?”
    “You know why. You were there that day. The battle was not lost. If our group had stood down, the Wicca would have ceased to exist. Viral-1 chose to betray her government.”
    “How could you think I would know? You didn’t even see me that day.”
    “I saw. You, a novice Queen, had taken the high ground, the landing above the steps leading to the Council Chambers. Only a suicide attack would drive you from that position. Three Battle Groups and our commanding Queen lay slaughtered around you. They had taken twice again as many with them. The novice Troopers of your Battle Group pulled spears from their own flesh and threw them up to you. Weapons—so your remaining five could kill again. You were outnumbered; twenty one against your six, but the battle was still in doubt.”
    Kimraig paused and pointed towards Breen’s left shoulder and sword arm where he knew the puckered scars remained from that battle. “Viral-1 was not the only causality.”
    “I thought you were their rear guard.” Leader Breen fought back the old fear, as she was once again back on those steps. Wounded, fighting shoulder to shoulder, resigned to death when additional troops arrived to finish them; instead, reinforcements.
    “You killed the two Gender Leaders when they would have surrendered.”
    “It had to be. After killing Viral-1, the Wicca’s only course of action toward me was a death sentence. I had nothing to lose. We learned in the same classroom, you and I. ‘Gather your enemy’s weapons before you celebrate victory.’ Those two were weapons.”
    Leader Breen repeated the mantra all Troopers learned in the classroom. “No Trooper leaves the enemy’s weapons on the field of battle where they can be gathered and used against him!”
    They each took a quiet moment over a shared victory. Leader Breen sensed an opening.
    “Kimraig, please don’t speak until I’m finished.” For once, a new tactic for her, she waited. Receiving no response, she held the enlarged battle plan out to him, open at the fourth and final maker. “Reports from the Wicca’s security teams indicate there will be an attempt to terminate you, tonight.”
    He took the report from her and began to read. A low chuckle once, then twice