Viking Claimed (Triad Series Book 4) by Kate Pearce Read Free Book Online

they want Ash ?”
    “ Because he’s the leader of the senate .”
    “ Like a king ?”
    “ Kind of.” Esca checked his weapon, his expression lethal. “ He is also my First Male. I will not allow him to be hurt. When I find out how the Etruscans targeted our plane despite supposedly the highest security level on the planet…. I will frakking kill someone. ”
    Aki nodded. “ I do not sense any of our enemies around us yet. Perhaps we should do a final circuit and then head back to the others .”
    “ Agreed .” He slapped Aki in the shoulder. “If you hadn’t picked up on those Etruscan raiders, we’d probably all be dead by now.”
    Einarr crouched beside Frey. “The fire is out, and the alarms have been silenced.”
    “That’s good.” Elli forced a smile. “You and Aki probably saved us all.”
    Einarr shrugged. “That is only because we have inadequate shields and heard what you all managed to keep out.” He shuddered. “I would rather not have to experience the screams of the dying. Who are these raiders?”
    “They are probably Etruscans. They are supposed to be our allies, but they hate telepaths and think it is their solemn duty to erase us from the universe. They tried to kidnap the Oracle recently and now this…” Elli glanced over at Ash who remained unconscious. “They probably want Ash.”
    “Because he is a powerful mind talker?”
    “Yes, and because he is the current leader of our Senate—the body that makes the laws for all Pavlovans.”
    “Ah.” Einarr nodded. “A very important man indeed.” He glanced over her shoulder. “Here come Aki and Esca now.”
    Esca paused to talk to Roberts and the crew, and Aki loped toward her. He’d stripped off his shirt, leaving him in just low-slung black pants and thick boots. His blond braid was coming undone, allowing his fair hair to flow over his tattooed shoulder, and he carried his heavy axe easily in one hand.
    His blue gaze fastened on her. “You are well, Elli?”
    “I’m fine.”
    He looked over at Ash and frowned. “He is still not awake?”
    “I think he must have hit his head quite hard.” She paused. “I can’t bring him out of it.”
    Aki knelt by Ash’s side and placed a hand on his throat. “He is still breathing, and I feel the pump of his life blood. All is not lost. Do you think we will find help out here?”
    “It’s hard to tell. This isn’t a very populated area, and they don’t like to use technology. There are two local tribes, the Neveks, who tend to keep to themselves, and the Hakron, who supply the Oracle with the majority of her bodyguards.”
    “Then we will find one of their villages and get you all to safety.”
    Esca arrived and almost pushed past Elli in his haste to get to Ash. “Why isn’t he conscious yet?”
    “I need to access some of the equipment from the medic station to find out exactly what’s going on. Is it safe to go inside the wreckage?” Elli asked.
    Esca grimaced. “The right side of the plane is smashed into the ground. There’s not much left to find, but you can go ahead and search.”
    “Thanks.” Elli hesitated before she rose. “Have we sent out a distress signal?”
    “That happens automatically if a Senate-registered craft goes down. They’ll find us eventually—although Roberts already told me that he chose one of the remotest spots in the preserve to set down so that he wouldn’t take anyone out. That means our communication links are very weak.”
    Aki came with her to the plane and helped her get back inside. Unfortunately, Esca had been right, and there was little left of the cabin that hadn’t been compressed into a sheer tangle of metal. After a careful search, she located one mediscanner and checked to see if it was working.
    “Thank the Gods,” she murmured as it lit up. “At least we can check everyone out and relay the information back to the nearest medical facility.”
    Aki held her hand as she stepped out of the wreckage and returned to