Free Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

royal house has had some pretty powerful warrior women in the past."
    "Maybe their leader is a McGregor woman,” Dorrie suggested. “Could this be the ship your brother mentioned?"
    "Demissie said it was a man with whom he dealt,” Zainabu insisted. “He would not deal with a woman. You saw how reluctant he was to deal with me and I am family."
    "If the StarRaider docks on Rysalia Prime, they will be inspected, not just scanned. You and I both know the Rysalians aren't going to allow even a single male anywhere near the Titaness,” Dorrie said. “If the Serenians are mounting a rescue they'd know that and it stands to reason they'd send only women. I imagine the scan is accurate where this ship is concerned. Try opening a channel, Deon,” Kahmal ordered.
    Deon did as she was told. “Unknown Serenian StarRaider. This is the LRC the Alluvia captained by Major Akkadia Kahmal on route to Rysalia Prime. What is your destination?"
    Silence met the hail.
    "They are gearing up their weapons,” Aegean said quietly.
    "Expecting us to attack them?” Kahmal inquired, her eyes wide.
    "So it would seem."
    "Put me on screen,” Kahmal ordered.
    "Unknown Serenian StarRaider, I am...."
    "We know who you are, ‘Kadia."
    An image settled on the vid-com screen and Kahmal slumped back in her seat. She stared at the young woman who was glaring at her. “It's been a long time, Raphaella,” Kahmal said.
    "Not long enough,” the daughter of the Domestic queen stated. “Turn your ship around and go back to Amazeen or we will blow you out of the sky. Believe me when I tell you we have the capability and the desire to do so."
    "I am on a mission to Rysalia Prime,” Kahmal stated.
    "It doesn't matter. Turn back or suffer the consequences of your failure to do as I command,” Raphaella snapped.
    Cree walked onto the bridge at that moment. He stared at the beautiful woman on the vid-com and wondered why she bore Kahmal such hatred. He switched his gaze to Sern.
    "She is the Princess Raphaella, daughter of the Domestic Queen. She is Terran born so that accounts for her rudeness," Sern sent to him. "And she is a traitor to our people. There is a bounty for her capture."
    "What did she do?"
    "She helped a Reaper escape Amazeen, taking four members of his crew with them. If she's caught she will be executed for her crime."
    "Which Reaper did she aid?"
    Sern frowned. "Why don't you ask her? She is priming her weapons to annihilate us and I've got my hands full here, Cree."
    The Reaper walked over to Kahmal's command chair and laid his hands on the Amazeen Major's shoulders, feeling her tense beneath his touch. “Princess Raphaella,” he said. “I am Kamerone Cree."
    Raphaella gasped, the sound loud over the vid-com. “Cree,” she whispered, the word said in awe. “That is your mission, Akkadia? Taking the Prime Reaper to Rysalia Prime for execution?"
    "I understand there is a bounty out for you,” Cree continued. “As one who knows all too intimately the feel of an Amazeen noose tightening around his neck, I can sympathize."
    "Why are you not restrained?” Raphaella asked.
    "There is no reason to shackle him,” Kahmal said. “He's a free man."
    "You are not a prisoner on Kahmal's ship?” Raphaella asked, her gaze locked on Cree.
    "It started out that way,” he admitted.
    "But no longer?"
    "Attribution was declared by me, Lt. Melankhoia Chanz and Lt. Cirolia Sern,” Kahmal said, reaching up to cover one of Cree's hands with hers. “Our lives belong to him as does the loyalty of my crew."
    "Attribution,” Raphaella said. “That is an honorable act, indeed, and deserving of your loyalty, ‘Kadia."
    "It is a loyalty he has richly earned and we mean to uphold,” Kahmal said. “That holds for my entire crew."
    Raphaella seemed to relax. “Reapers are not what we were led to believe, are they, ‘Kadia?"
    "I only know this one and he is nothing like the way he was portrayed to me,” Kahmal responded.
    "We would appreciate it if