She paused, and her gaze stayed on Nokita.“Also, give one of your men a crash course in operating the small sub in case it’s needed.Then speak with Cabel.He’s in charge of taking out hellhounds underwater.Make sure he works away from where you’re using the jammer and away from the docks so the archers can warm up.”
Nokita gave a sharp nod.
Each member of our guard commanded two hundred troops.Nokita’s Warriors were often mechanically inclined, fitting perfectly into his area of expertise.He also included humans in his unit.Cuba, frozen in the 1950s for generations, was full of men, and surprisingly a number of women, who knew how to keep old vehicles running.Their knowledge was invaluable in the new world.We’d take all the help we could get.
Nokita shifted into a relaxed parade rest, a slight quirk lifting the corner of his lips.“I’d also like to report the dissemination of weapons has gone smoothly.”
“Of course it has.I put Attila the Hun and her sidekick general in charge.”
“Yes, my Alpha,” Nokita replied with a slight bow of his head and a small grin before leaving the room.
I had watched the entire exchange, transfixed.This was Marinah in her element.“Why did you put the archers on the docks?”I asked after the door closed.
She smiled and shrugged.“The humans are like Ruth and Che.They don’t want to depend entirely on us for their safety.It’s why they started the archery group.They need to feel like they’re part of the fight.We need hellhounds eliminated, and they are more than capable.”
“Someone told you this?”
She rolled her eyes, clearly irritated.“The women had no problem telling me how they felt.And notice the past tense.They haven’t said a word to me since my Nova fit.”
“Nova fit?”I couldn’t help but smile.
“Nova tantrum?”she muttered under her breath.
“How about Nova Queen who saved their lives and those of our Warriors?”I said, hoping she understood.
“Tantrum and fit sound less threatening,” she grumbled, but I caught the faintest twitch of amusement on her lips.
Her expression had me moving before I even thought about it.I rose from the chair and stepped into her space.She placed her fork down beside her plate, turned slightly, and rested her head against my stomach.Her slow, steady inhale told me she was wrestling with the part of herself that doubted her ability to lead.I slid my fingers over her soft braids, my touch lingering as I noticed a small twig tangled in her hair.I wisely chose not to mention it.
“Your Nova is pure beauty,” I said.“She’s made for war, and you need to embrace her.She will save this island if it’s asked of her.”
“You’re so sure,” she murmured against my skin, then tilted her head back to look up at me.“But what if she’s made for peace?”
The question caught me off guard, and I didn’t have an immediate answer.Our Beasts were created for war, and a Nova was the most fearsome of all.“Why do you ask?”I finally said, uncertain of her reasoning.
“It’s something I read in my grandmother’s journal,” she said quietly.“You need to hear it.”
I walked to her bedside, picked up the journal resting there, and carried it to the table.She flipped through its pages and began reading aloud.
War is the world of Shadow Warriors.For Shadow Women, this is unacceptable.We are mothers, nurturers, providers.That which is war will never touch our door again.I, as Nova Warrior, have suppressed that which weakened me.My Nova will stand guard as we walk a path of harmony.She is at peace with my decision.
“Who wrote it?”I asked as she gently closed the book and looked at me.
“My grandmother,” she replied.“Most of the words written are her writing what her grandmother told her, but this came directly from her.”
It made sense.Of course, the woman warriors had been Nova.Not all Novas stayed on the home planet as our histories claimed.The lack of records about female Novas now seemed deliberate, as if the women had kept their own secrets.
“My grandmother and her grandmother were Nova,” Marinah said, her gaze drifting thoughtfully around the room.“And they turned it into a gift of peace.”Her voice softened; the realization pressing down on her.“Endura told me my grandmother was revered by the women.Do you think Endura knew I was Nova?”
“I’m unsure,” I replied.“Have you read the entire journal?”
“No, only the first two sections,” Marinah said.“I’m translating as I go, and it’s slowing me down.”
She laughed at the look on my face.My uncle had made me study our texts until I thought my brain would explode, but thankfully, I never had to translate them.
“Have you learned anything else?”I asked.
A sad smile crossed her face as she shook her head.“I’m trying to understand why the women won’t fight with us.”
