Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

“Of course I’ll come!” Valen exclaimed. “The High Court—why didn’t I think of that?”

“We were so sure she’d been taken to the dungeons,” Tolern murmured. “We would have wasted valuable time trying to find her while she was dragged off to prison.”

“She still might be,” Valen said grimly. He turned to the old, one-eyed woman. “You say that Selena was already sentenced?”

Moll nodded.

“She was—to a hundred thousand lifetimes of hard labor. Magistrate Harsher handed down the sentence at today’s noon session of the High Court—though he suspended it for a day because the young lady asked for her own Defender—which I reckon must be you.”

“Yes, that’s me,” Valen said distractedly.

“A hundred thousand lifetimes?” Jessica gasped. “What kind of a sentence is that?”

“A life sentence, fine lady,” Moll answered promptly. “Or a death sentence more like, if you’re talking about Hammerdown, which we are.”

“It’s not that unusual in the Ma’shorkan High Court,” Valen told Jessica. “Thought it’s more regular for the sentence to be a thousand lifetimes—not a hundred thousand. Selena must be accused of doing something really heinous,” he added unhappily.

“She’s accused of stealing from Royalty,” Moll confirmed. “Word at the High Court is that she was caught trying to board a shuttle at the spaceport whilst hiding some of Empress the Third’s diamond nipple jewelry in her luggage.”

Tolern snapped his fingers excitedly.

“That’s what the little shiny thing we saw the guard slipping into her violin was!”

“And he planted it on her at the spaceport, too!” Valen growled. “Making it a double crime—stealing from Royalty and attempting to lessen the mass of the planet! No wonder Magistrate Harsher gave her such an extreme sentence!”

“She’ll be in prison for the rest of her life!” Jessica exclaimed, aghast.

“No she won’t,” Moll said. “That little Missy ain’t never going to see Hammerdown. Not if Big Horn has his way with her.”

“Who?” Jessica demanded, looking worried.

“He’s an enforcer for a Ma’shorkan gang—the Pain Makers.” Valen felt sick with fury and fear for the little Elite. “I’ve seen several of them prosecuted and sent away.” He looked down at Moll. “Are you telling me that he’s taken an interest in Selena?”

“Sure he did.” The one-eyed woman nodded. “Only she didn’t have no interest in him. Refused to service him, so I heard. So now he’s got plans for her—and believe me, they ain’t very nice,” she added darkly.

“I’ll kill him—I’ll fucking kill him!” Valen growled. A red veil dropped over his vision, just as it had at the beach, when the Ma’shorkan male had grabbed Selena by the wrist. He could envision himself ripping the bastard who was trying to hurt her limb from limb, tearing out his throat with his fangs…

“Easy, Brother.” Tolern put a steadying hand on his shoulder and squeezed firmly. “Going into Rage won’t help the situation. We must think how to get Selena out of this and you can’t think if your mind is overtaken with murderous fury.”

“True…true…” Valen took a deep, calming breath and felt his fangs—which had grown long and sharp—recede a bit. “Thank you,” he said to Tolern, when he felt more like himself. “It’s just…the thought of anyone hurting her…”

“You love her,” Tolern said simply. “That’s clear enough, Brother. And it’s easy to see why the thought of the female you love in danger would trigger your protective instincts. But we must be logical about this.” He looked at Moll. “Is she safe from this, er, ‘Big Horn’ for now?”

Moll tore her single eye from Valen—she had been watching him warily while he struggled with his Rage—and nodded.

“She’s safe enough—at the moment. The male and female holding cells are separate. But the minute she climbs onto the transport for Hammerdown tomorrow just after noon, she’s done for. Word has it, Big Horn isn’t even going to wait until they get to the prison—he’s gonna go for her right on the transport. And you know the guards don’t care, as long as there’s not too much blood,” she added, callously.

Her words fired the Rage in his heart again and Valen had to take deep breaths to try and calm down. The thought of the big Ma’shorkan threatening Selena—hurting her…it was almost too much.

“Oh, poor Selena!” Jessica started sobbing again.

“We can’t let her get on that transport,” Tolern said grimly. Gathering his wife close to his chest, he stroked her hair tenderly. “There, there, sweetheart—Valen is an excellent Defender. He’ll sort this out.”

“I’ll do everything in my power,” Valen gritted out, still struggling with his Rage. “But if the Magistrate has already handed down the sentence…” He shook his head.

“What? Why does that make a difference?” Jessica demanded through her sobs.

“Well, once a sentence is handed down, there’s hardly anything that can change a Magistrate’s mind,” Valen explained reluctantly. “Radical new evidence would have to come to light to stop the sentence from being carried out.”