Betrayal - Book 3 of Guardians Saga - EDITED

CH 5.3 Warpath

A/N:  Ingred Michaelson Warpath is a great song to listen to while you read this chapter!

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The early sun poured into the room, painting Razz's frame in a warm orange hue as he scribbled away at the desk. Gabe sat silently at the small table, nursing a steaming mug of tea. Rile lay still in bed, eyes wide open but unwilling to move until Alex stirred. Cale was tucked into the crook of Alex's knees, face peaceful and hands curled against his chest.

Alex slowly rolled onto her side, pushing the matted locks of hair away from her face. Her fingertips felt like sandpaper as she rubbed away the sleep in her eyes. As always, she scanned the room for danger. Only the presence and reassuring leathery scent of the others kept her from her usual awakening panic.

"What are you writing, Razz?" Alex asked groggily.

"My speech for the public forum outside the Council building," Razz replied, without looking up from her paper. "I will speak of your return and of our plans to free all Anolis males someday."

Alex sat bolt upright, causing Zilik to struggle to a sit and Rile to stand up with a sigh. Cale's head, dislodged from the back of Alex's knees, bounced on the crude mattress with the force.

"Razz! You can't say that in public! That's something we should plan here in private!" Alex exclaimed.

Razz spoke in a low voice, as if his words carried weight. "This is an excellent way to draw Cla out."

Gabe met Razz's gaze and shook his head. "It's an excellent way to have an arrow shot in your chest."

His brothers echoed the sentiment with slow nods of agreement.

Razz waved away the concerns like an annoying insect. "Alex can prevent that. She kept the Council President from a crossbow bolt in his chest."

Gabe straightened and clenched his fists. "My brothers and I took out three Anolis females with crossbows."

A smug grin slowly crept onto Razz's face. "And Alex saved the Council President from the Anolis female you missed," he replied.

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Alex said. "Let's not fight. Razz, can't you hold a press conference in the Council chambers?"

"What is a 'press conference'?"

Alex sighed so hard that her loose hair blew out of her face.

Zilik lightly brushed his claw against Alex's arm, sending a shiver through her, and he said, "This is how we announce our news. Representatives from each species are gathered here and will be the first to hear what we have to say. It will then ripple out into the nations."

Alex blinked rapidly, desperate for distraction from the impending chaos. "I can't process this without some sort of beverage to calm my nerves. Do you think there is any wine around? I mean it's five o'clock somewhere in the cosmos."

Zilik chuckled and gestured to an exquisite decanter of red liquid laced with floating slivers of fruit. "I picked up this fruity blend yesterday and placed it in my favorite wine. I thought it might replace your morning mimosas."

"Aren't you clever?" Alex said warmly. "How do you feel? Any, uh, strange dreams?"

Zilik considered her, tapping a claw on his muzzle. "You keep asking me the same question. But the answer remains unchanged: the ice which had been steadily growing in my core during the day had now receded back to a larger degree than before. Cale, did you dream of your family again last night?"

"I did," Cale admitted quietly, a warm smile blooming on his face. "It was my fourteenth dry season celebration and Father gifted me my first sword, along with an adult bow and quiver of arrows."