Upheaval (Rise of the Iliri #8)

by Auryn Hadley

One look at her reminded us all of what we were supposed to be.

Since she'd joined, they'd become so much more than just a military unit. They were a family, and they succeeded because they were no longer ashamed to be iliri.

That was the moment the Kaisae of all iliri decided it was time for our people to rise up. Humans were no longer the dominant species. This war was her problem, and she'd make sure the Emperor paid for what he'd done.

"I think your death almost crippled her for one reason and one reason only. You lied to her. You made her think she could save the world, then you let her fail at saving you. You almost destroyed her, and from the sounds of it, that wasn't the first time.

"She's over you, Blaec. You're gone, and I've almost healed the wounds you left her with. She doesn't need any more." "And I won't go away that easily," Blaec promised

"One, Two, Three, and then the time will be right. If he moves too soon, everything will backfire. She needs to believe in herself for it to work. She needs her past to convince her none of this is a mistake. She will need him, but patience is the key. Stability is the desire. Count to three and then she will pick him. Move too soon, and the horseman will be the answer."

Every time we fuck up, it's because we try to go behind their backs.

Tyr's response was almost immediate. Yes, sir. I'll do my best to perform miracles one more time.

And one of you had best get the first book. My mind might be stuck inside my pants right now, but even I'm smart enough to know that Sal's not going to be happy to hear you've been keeping secrets from her."

"Why does everyone think there's something between us?

Razor growled again, his eyes locked on Tyr's neck. "I will kill you if you touch her." "Fuck," Tyr hissed. "Razor? Bro? Thought I was welcome?" The Black Blade leaned back slightly. "No one is welcome. She said no. No means no."

"He doesn't understand," she tried again. "You both shared that girl, and I get the feeling he thought he might get the invitation again, like you had an agreement between you two, or something."

Then she patted the book. "You really think I should give her this?" "I do." He laughed once. "I think there's a lot of things in there most of us would rather she didn't see yet, but you can't keep it a secret now. You know. She'll touch you - or someone else - and that's all it will take."

"Dom and I decided that he's going to strike that law, instead. If they won't, then he'll stay single.

They are my ahnor and dernor. Not the kind with a capital letter, because only Sal gets those, but they're mine, so that's better."

"Shade will never be on the front line. No different than Roo. Ray, I don't have the right to tell her what she can and can't do like that. I could, but that doesn't mean I should."

The last night we were in Fort Landing, I asked him to be Taunor. He said to ask him again after I cycled so he could be sure it wasn't just his body I was after."

Like when he told Zep to hold on." "Zaqala," Rayna agreed. "But what did that change, except to save his life?" Sal's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I'm cessivi to a human. We started linking them. It's no longer about iliri against humans, Ray, and Zep was the final straw. He's the one that makes humans our allies. Every other Kaisae rebelled against a human. My fight is with an iliri. Oh, the Emperor may be nothing more than a man after I stripped his mind, but he's still in the pattern, whether he likes it or not."

We're going to change the world, Ray. Anglia's the answer, Terric's the problem, and the Conglomerate is the tipping point. I don't know why, but if we get Merriton right, it's going to make a big difference."

Pig looked up with a knowing smile. "You've been busy today." "The iliri," Dom said, glancing over at her lovingly. "Ray has a way with them, and right now, she seems to be the only one safe around them." "Tits," Rayna explained. "I've got 'em."

"You guys think it's weird at all that our army has kids in it?" "Not really," Pig said, surprising her. "I think a few women getting knocked up on a long assignment is kinda expected. Running around with wolves who talk in my head and friends who eat our enemies? I think that when we accepted all of that, we basically threw in the towel."

"Ran's supposed to be bringing Lightning Brigade. Dark Heart is coming down from the north, but estimates say they'll be here in about five days. Sal's Conscript units are moving into place along the foothills. I told the 43rd Mounted to drill Calix's guys and the 97th Pikemen under saddle while we wait."

"Never in my years of service did I ever expect that elite operations would be used to help a couple of guys get laid."

Fuck off." "Exactly," Ilija teased. "Kinda why most of us signed up, I think. Get rich, get laid, and see the world."

Sure, this whole break for estrus was annoying, but maybe it was a good thing, too. Maybe this was exactly what she needed to convince herself that the world really was changing. It was definitely what she needed to realize how lucky she was to have her mates love her as much as they did.

"And so far as I can tell, the only thing Blaec had to say about this mission was that I needed to look deeper than the surface - whatever that means. No dire warnings, though."

Then he kissed her again. They both heard their friends chuckle, but neither cared. He just felt so good and he smelled even better, like the place she was meant to be.

"Let's not talk about lasts. That's a big ol' no for me. Third I can do.

"But he's better than Blaec," she breathed, flinching as the words came out. Quickly, she looked over to Zep. "I'm sorry. Blaec was a good man."

Zep sighed. "Much as I hate to admit it, she's right, Kolt. Blaec was a great commander. He was a shit mate. The only fights he and I ever had all came down to one thing." He pointed at Sal. "Her. Blaec always put his pride before her. You don't. No matter how many times you fuck up, how often you act like an ass? Yeah, you never forget what's important."

Maybe my goal isn't to be like the other Kaisaes in history. They failed, Kolt. I want you to help me figure out how to find a way around that, and you can't do it if you're trying to be what the world expects."

"So you actually want me to be an ass." "Nah," Jase answered with a chuckle. "Yer already that. She wants ya ta be honest. She wants ya ta be you." Kolt smiled. "I can do that. What I can't do is figure out how we're all going to fit in this bed." "Closely," Zep told him. "And there's not a damned thing wrong with that."

Zep shrugged. "If she goes, I go. If she doesn't, I might even be able to hold the other. I mean, they did it with two. I figure three is that much stronger. Besides, we all know I'm just along for the ride." "To be ridden," Sal teased,

I know. I just get nervous when we start splitting up."

"I'll take care of him," Kolt promised. "And we all know Jase will take care of you." He cupped her face and bent lower. "And I can feel him, Sal. He won't even need to yell. I'll know if he's even nervous about something, and he'll be able to do the same. We're one, and it matters."

She couldn't handle losing anyone else, and she'd warned ayati. It seemed her threat might even be working.

"Blaec would've." It was hard to say.

Blaec had been his friend, one of the few he'd thought he could trust, and still he'd made a mess of things with Sal. Zep could understand why, but that didn't change the simple fact that it had happened.

When she first got in black, she did a damned good impersonation of sweet and submissive. Hell, she dropped her eyes to Blaec because she knew it was the best decision, not because she had to." Then he pointed at his own chest. "Human, and I could see it. He couldn't, but the rest of us knew."

Ya and I? We are ayati, and we are the ayati we made. Do na ever forget that."

Just want to make sure you know how much you mean to me, Sal. You're the best daughter an old man could find. I'm only a thought away.

"You know, I lost everything in this town." "I do." "But," she continued, "I think this time I'm going to get it all back. I have a dava." "Yeah, kitten," he said softly. "Ya do, and that man loves ya very much. Na a thing can change that. Na even what happened here. Now let's finish this."

We're the pattern, Kolt. We all revolve around her, but we're the ones leaving the marks on the world. Hers might be the biggest, but if you think Dom changing laws and Rragri helping humans hasn't started something that not even the Emperor can stop, then you're thinking about this the wrong way."

"One day, I hope I can be as iliri as you. I think you're what our people strive for."

But I have to admit, the bed is really soft. Yeah. I think that's the only thing I hate about being on the move. I wanna make sure I get a soft bed in Arhhawen. What's Sal want? Kolt teased. Soft, Zep assured him. With lots of pillows and plenty of blankets. She never uses them, but she loves it when the beds have them. It's pretty damned cute.

upheaval.

Title

Razor met them at the door, nodding acknowledgment

Jad Ivant.

With the Iliri fiancee

Sal just dropped her head to the desk with an audible thump. "Why didn't I think of that?"

It's what humans wish marriage was, and is irreversible."