Read Online Warlord's Mercy: 4 (Barbarian Claims) by Cynthia Sax - Free Book Online

oversized boots tapping on the metallic floor tiles.
    Tolui’s vision adjusted to the darkness. He extended the
claws on one of his hands and stripped the cables from the ship’s communicator,
disconnecting it from the main system, decreasing the likelihood of their
experiment killing them.
    Lea returned, huffing and puffing, a huge pack in her small
hands. “I have tools.” Pride edged her sweet voice. She dumped the contents of
the pack onto the metal floor. Tools from multiple cultures and multiple time
intervals spilled over the space. “Do you see what you need?” She waved at the
pile.
    “Yes, I see what I need.” Tolui’s voice lowered. He met her
gaze and her breath caught, that small sound enthralling him. She cared for
him, loved him, his beautiful, spirited female, and he dreaded leaving her but
he had no choice. He couldn’t risk her safety and he wouldn’t abandon his clone
brothers.
    He selected a fastening tool and focused on making the
communicator functional. Lea kneeled on the floor and sorted the tools into
different sizes and shapes, working diligently, clearly having no concept of
what the tools were used for.
    “When I return, I’ll teach you about craft construction.”
Tolui twisted the cable around the power converter outlets. A spark singed his
fingertips, the pain sharp.
    “If you return, I won’t need to construct a ship.” She
frowned, her gaze on his fingertips. “You hurt yourself.”
    “The burn will heal in heartbeats and I will return to you.”
He pressed his palm against the power converter’s reset panel. The communicator
hummed. The small viewscreen flickered and then illuminated fully. “It works.”
Tolui filled the captain’s chair, laid the communicator on the console and
grinned at Lea, pleased.
    She grinned back, choosing the seat closest to him. “You’re
a clever warrior.”
    Her admiration warmed his chest. “I’ll find the
communications channel.” He scrolled through the space chatter and located the
right setting. “Tolui to Four, Five, Six, Eight.” He spoke directly into the
device.
    “Four to Tolui.” His best warrior’s voice crackled. “Five
has gone to the final homeland, master.”
    Tolui bowed his head, sadness shrouding his soul. “He fought
well.” Five had been a good male, a great warrior, and a close friend. Lea
placed her hand on his shoulder, her touch comforting him. He pushed his grief
aside, unable to deal with it now. “Do you have my coordinates?”
    “I have located the source of your signal, master.”
    “The entire planet is to be monitored, Four.” Tolui looked
at Lea. “It is…special.” There was a long pause, his warrior not responding.
“No hostiles are to attack the planet, do you understand?” Tolui barked.
    “I understand…my lord.” His normally taciturn warrior’s
voice lilted as though with excitement. “We will protect the planet with our
lives.”
    Tolui frowned. Only a Warlord, a master of a planet, was
addressed as my lord. “You are to rendezvous at these coordinates as quickly as
possible.” The Chameles could intercept the communications, locating both
himself and Lea. He would delve into his warrior’s peculiar behavior later.
    “Yes, my lord.”
    “End transmission.” Tolui hooked his arm around his female’s
waist and pulled her into his lap. “The ship will arrive soon.”
    “When it arrives, you’ll leave me.” Lea traced a scar on his
cheek with one of her fingers. “Four sounded happy to hear your voice.” She
skimmed her fingertip over his bottom lip.
    “He sounded too happy.” Tolui nipped at her calloused skin
and she yipped, drawing her hand away.
    “Perhaps the war is over.” Lea’s eyes lit with a hope he
didn’t have the heart to crush.
    “Perhaps.” He tucked her into his body, savoring her curves,
her softness, her scent.
    “Then you could stay here,” she mused. “You wouldn’t have to
leave. You could lead the people of this planet. Teach them how