Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
“I didn’t know you were alive either. I thought everyone was dead.”
“What happened to you? After they took you? How did you survive? Where did they take you?”
Maya hesitated. Gorya knew she was very conflicted. She glanced at Kyanite and then up at Gorya’s expressionless features.
You don’t have to give details.
She’s my sister. She deserves the truth.
His woman. So brave. He held her tighter, trying to give her courage.
“They brought me here, to this terrible place, where I was with several women. I was just a toddler, but it didn’t matter to Patva or his men. He delighted in brutally raping and torturing women and children.”
Maya turned her face into Gorya’s ribs. I can’t tell her.
She hadn’t given specifics. She made it sound like the trauma had happened to other children, not her.
Tanja was intelligent. She blinked back tears. Kyanite casually put his arm around her waist and pulled her into him, beneath his shoulder. Tanja allowed the familiarity, needing the comfort.
“I’ve seen what they do to women and children. Krylov must have learned from Patva. He’s attempting to spread that teaching by sending his brother out to other lairs and recruiting as many as they can to join their ring.”
“He’s dead,” Maya said abruptly, her chin going up. She met her sister’s leopard’s eyes steadily. “Albert Krylov is dead.”
Tanja frowned and shook her head. “We would have heard. Artur, his older brother, would lose his mind. He’d go on a killing spree.”
“He doesn’t know yet. But I assure you, Albert is dead. He was silly enough to challenge Gorya for leadership of the lair. Not that he would have lived if he hadn’t, but his leopard had no chance against Rogue. Albert tried to cheat and attempted to get to me. Rogue got a little angry.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Kyanite confirmed.
“It’s also one of the reasons we have to move on this lair tonight. He wasn’t the only one to die that night,” Gorya explained.
“Let’s go where we can be more comfortable talking. Your people can relax for a few minutes while I tell you my story and let you know how many fighters I have available to aid you. We can get word to the others inside the lair. I can show you our supplies and give you any information you might need,” Tanja said. “There’s an entrance not very far from here.” She gestured toward their right. “It’s just a little farther down the slope.”
Gorya had spent his entire youth exploring the region, including the mountains above the city. Even as a boy he had never found the opening concealed by rocks. Tanja deftly squeezed through a thin crack. It was much harder for the men to find a way to pass through. Timur really had to do some maneuvering and Mitya cursed repeatedly as he got stuck. His chest was thick with muscle, making it difficult for him to get through. Maya’s little giggle was shared by her sister as their army of men struggled to make their way into and through that narrow crack.
Once inside, the going wasn’t all that much better. The floor of the cavern was dry, formed of compact dirt, but the walls were narrow, so their wide shoulders brushed against rock and dirt on either side. They had to bend to keep from hitting their heads on the low ceiling. Fortunately, the winding trail led to a much wider set of chambers, one after another, until they were greeted by four women with very businesslike automatic weapons.
Tanja smiled at them. “Help has finally arrived. These men will be taking the lair from Krylov and shutting down the trafficking ring for good,” she announced. “Have the others prepare food and drink. They don’t have a lot of time. Jessica, contact Damir. Tell him to get ready, if possible, and to meet us here as soon as he is able to get free. Tell him his cousin has arrived and is anxious to give him news.”
One of the guards nodded, turned and went down another corridor of the cave. Looking around, despite the low ceilings, the caves were an extensive labyrinth.
“What a great find, Tanja,” Gorya said. “How long have you been here?”
“I escaped when I was a little girl.” Tanja continued to lead them past the guards, through another chamber to a larger one where there were tables and benches made from planks of wood. “This is as good as it gets, gentlemen. You can rest in here, and my friends will bring food. It’s simple but, I can guarantee, good for you.”
Timur groaned. “My wife, Ashe, has used that very line on me on more than one occasion and it was not a good sign of things to come.”
Ashe bumped his shoulder. “Unfortunately, that’s the truth. I’m the worst cook in the world, but he loves me anyway, don’t you, babe?”