Betrayal - Book 3 of Guardians Saga - EDITED

CH 18.1 Gabe, Meet Your Son

Alex awoke to hands roughly tearing her away from Na. Before she could respond, there was a dagger at Na's throat.

"None of your tricks, mammal," Cla said. "Or we will slice Na's throat before your eyes and you will watch his life-blood drain into the dirt."

Alex glared but didn't fight the hands holding her, terror for Na slicing through her usual awakening fog.

"Surrender now and I will let Na live," Cla told her.

Alex glared at her defiantly before tearing her gaze away to look at Na with panic-stricken eyes, fear coursing through her veins. "Live? You call that living? To be treated worse than the burden beasts? It's worse than death."

"Don't bluff me, creature. You care too much for the little one to risk him."

Alex took a deep breath and met her icy stare. "Why should I believe you? You'll kill him anyway."

Doesn't mean I won't try everything to save him.

Cla laughed a harsh laugh that sent shivers down Alex's spine. "You stink of defeat, but I'll tell you. Na will be valuable breeding stock."

Alex dropped her head in surrender as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. "I surrender."

"No, Tia, no!" Na screamed and thrashed against his captors, desperate to reach out to her.

"I'm sorry, Na," Alex said without looking up. Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

Cla sneered and backhanded Na across the face. "Tia? You dare call that—that warm-blooded hairy freak Tia? You are no son of mine."

"Heard and witnessed," a deep voice echoed from the forest nearby followed by the sound of crunching leaves as Razz stepped out of the trees.

A group of well-armed Anolis males emerged as well, surrounding and outnumbering the females. "Heard and witnessed," they all repeated.

"Razz, thank the Portal Guardian," Alex said.

Razz didn't flinch. His voice was even and commanding when he said, "Drop your weapons. Release Alex and the child."

The female warriors around Alex stepped back nervously and dropped their swords and spears. Cla, who was within the circle of females and still facing Alex, did not drop her dagger. The female holding Na at dagger point also did not move.

"You did not think we would abandon the symbol of the revolution, did you?" Razz asked.

Cla shot Razz a menacing glare. "You think you can defeat me with a handful of scrawny males? This hairy beast has handed me victory in the Council. The price of her kidnapping my son will be high, very high. The Kuni will demand that you be returned to me and I shall dismember you slowly, claw by claw, toe by toe, finger by finger. You will hold each egg I clutch from you as it hatches, and I will force you to hold the hatchling as I slice it open, as it bleeds to death, in your fingerless palms, over and over again."

Razz trembled and stepped back involuntarily.

"Screw you, Cla!" Alex yelled to draw attention back to herself. "Spineless egg-sucker using a child to force me to surrender. Face me in battle or show all these males what a crawling dung insect you are."

I wish I knew more Anolis insults.

The armed males strode forward, their weapons held steady and aimed at Razz. "Females and their threats and claw clanging," one of them jeered. "Tiresome as always. Razz, drop your weapon as well."

Razz complied, black eyes flashing anger. "Explain."

"We must remove the stain of Alex's crime of kidnapping the child. Cla killed her own child rather than have him taken by Alex. Alex will face Cla in retribution for his death. Regrettably, both will die in combat. This will save you, Razz, from re-possession by Cla. The death of the child validates Alex's actions and the Kuni cannot demand satisfaction. The males will be mobilized and we can overthrow the Kuni. This time a male government will be established."