All for One

A Cerridwen Press Publication

www.cerridwenpress.com

All For One ISBN #1-4199-0258-X ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All For One Copyright© 2005 Lorie O’Clare Edited by: Sue-Ellen Gower Cover art by: Syneca Electronic book Publication: September 2005

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Cerridwen Press, 1056 Home Avenue, Akron, OH 44310-3502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously. Cerridwen Press is an imprint of Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.®

NUWORLD: ALL FOR ONE Lorie O’Clare

Lorie O’Clare

Chapter One “We’re going to be missed if we don’t return soon.” Cali came up alongside her charge. “Go back if you want. I’ve never been this way before.” Ana veered her glider to the right and accelerated. The vehicle, similar to a motorcycle, hovered ten feet above ground before launching across the plateau. Cali groaned. She had a thin black wire wrapped around her ear that came down to her mouth. Ana heard the groan through the similar device she wore, and couldn’t help but giggle. The devices, known as comms, were linked so they could talk as they flew across the countryside outside the town of Bryton. “Cali, you’re too young to have lost the desire to explore. Come on.” Ana threw a glance at the woman nine winters her senior. For as long as Ana could remember, Cali had helped care for her. She and her twin brother, Andru, had spent more time with Cali over the winters than they had with their parents. There were no resentments, however. Her parents ruled the largest nation in Nuworld. As winters passed, they’d created a powerful nation, and Ana would rule one day. That was a thought she kept to herself though—at least for the time being. Andru, her twin brother, was more than excited to one day rule Gothman. But ruling the Runner clans took more work, and she wouldn’t admit to anyone that she was a little apprehensive about it. “We’re almost to the border.” Cali focused on the incredible range of snow-capped mountains that crept closer as they flew across the countryside. “Ana, I must insist. We can’t have you breaking your papa’s laws.” “You’re such a spoilsport.” Ana felt confined, a sensation she hated. She wanted no barriers, nothing to close her in. “Next time, I’m leaving you home.” “You do and your papa will have your hide.” “He is a royal pain in my ass,” Ana muttered. “Like you could protect me. More than likely, if something were to happen out here, it would be me protecting you.” Ana pulled her viewer out of her side pack and held it to her right eye. She adjusted her vision as the round tube gave her a closer view of the forbidden mountain range. Her glider slowed as she took in the huge rocks and packed snow. “I know what you’re doing,” Cali said into Ana’s comm. Ana turned to look at the older woman who rode alongside her. Her nanny wore the traditional Runner garb—black leather pants, a long-sleeved, shiny black shirt, and the traditional black face cloak. All Ana could see were Cali’s eyes. She stared innocently at them.

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Cali grunted. “I should have known you’d use the excuse of an idle drive across the countryside to look for him again.” “I’m not looking for anyone.” Ana tossed her head, allowing long, silky blonde hair to fly over her shoulder. She refused to wear the face cloak once out of range of the Bryon house. Her parents insisted she maintain the Runner tradition and wear the headgear even though she was only half Runner. Actually, she was a quarter Runner, since Tara, her mama, was half Runner and half Gothman, although raised as a Runner. Ana’s comm beeped in her ear. She hit the switch, grateful for the excuse to continue toward the mountains while talking to whoever was calling. “Ana, where are you?” Her brother’s voice brought a smile to her face. Until a few winters ago, the servants had teased her by saying that if she cut her hair, there would be no way to tell her and her brother apart. “I’m east of Bryton—out on the plateau.” Ana increased her speed, not daring to look at Cali. “Well, you better get home. Uncle Torgo just told me Papa is on his way home. He’ll expect us to be there.” He paused. “And dear sis?” “Yes?” “Your headscarf is on your bed.” “Damn, I’m on my way.” Ana slowed her glider and turned. Cali followed suit, not questioning her sudden change of heart. Ana knew she’d been listening.

***** “Excuse the interruption, m’lady.” “That’s fine, Fulga. Come in.” Tara leaned back in her chair, staring across the conference table at the housekeeper, who stood in the doorway. The view outside distracted her. Large windows overlooked the rugged hills to the south. She and Darius had built the addition onto their home several winters ago, allowing her more room to work, and the twins to have their own rooms upstairs. “M’lady, a traveler from the north wishes to see you.” The hefty housekeeper swished as she walked, stopping when she reached the middle of the room. “Do I have an appointment?” Tara glanced at her landlink, which sat in front of her on the table. “Tell the traveler that Lady Tara schedules her appointments in the morning. He may see her tomorrow.” Jolee, Tara’s first assistant, had learned the sometimes

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valuable, sometimes annoying trait of speaking for Tara. Jolee looked at Tara, bright green eyes alert as usual. “And no, you don’t have an appointment this afternoon.” “I know when her lady has her appointments, I do. My entire day is scheduled around the lord and lady’s morning appointments, it is.” Fulga’s Gothman accent thickened with irritation. Jolee opened her mouth to protest, but Fulga beat her to the punch and continued talking. “I told the traveler all that, I did. I told him he could transmit a message to Lady Tara and she would respond quickly enough, she would.” Fulga crossed her arms, pushing her ample bosom out in front of her. “He told me he’s traveled a great distance and hasn’t the means to stay over, but instead has instruction to deliver a message.” “Did he say where he’s from?” Tara raised her hand when Jolee would have responded. Fartha and Trev, Tara’s two other assistants, both looked up from their landlinks. “No, m’lady, he didn’t. I mean, he said he’d traveled from the north, and that is it. I daresay I didn’t go about questioning him. Should I have?” Fulga looked uncertain and glanced around the table. “No. You did fine.” Tara grinned when the older housekeeper smiled triumphantly at Jolee. “Jolee, go talk to the stranger. Find out what his business is. If he can’t afford lodging, and needs to get back to wherever he came from, then maybe I should see him.” Jolee nodded, scooting her chair back. Tara’s comm beeped at the same time. She grabbed the communication device and wrapped the curled end around her ear. “Yes.” She adjusted the tiny wire to her mouth while dismissing Fulga with a wave of her hand. “Tara.” The masculine baritone purred into her ear. Warmth spread through Tara, making her smile, while she looked across the table at Fartha and Trev. “What are you doing?” “Just going over a few things with my assistants.” She had no desire to offer details. Seventeen winters of being claimed hadn’t made it easier to discuss politics. Darius sounded amiable, and she didn’t want lectures and advice on how to rule the Runners. It was best to keep her answer vague. “Our landlinks show a small camp to the northeast of us, just outside of Bryton. I thought we’d return within the hour, but we’ll check this out first, we will.” He would never ask her permission, but she had to admit, he’d come a long way in letting her know what he was doing. Tara looked at Fartha. “Do you see a small camp just northeast of Bryton?” Immediately Fartha began typing on the landlink in front of her. Trev did the same. “Yes, I do,” Fartha said after seconds. Trev punched keys on his keyboard. “They don’t appear to be moving.” 6

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“They’re not too far from the Blood Circle Clan site,” Fartha added. “Keep me posted, Darius. And come home soon.” “My lady, I’ll do both.” “Tara, I think you should see this man.” Jolee entered the conference room as Tara took the comm off her ear. “Who is he?” “He says he’s a messenger sent from over the mountains. He’s from a race called the Tree People.” Jolee moved to her chair, grabbing the back of it with her long thick fingers.

***** Minutes later, Tara reclined in her ornate wooden chair in the appointment room. She and Darius spent most of their mornings listening to proposals and grievances from their people in this room. The messenger entered slowly, glancing at Tara, and then at the empty chair next to her. He pulled his hat from his head, and began twisting it in his hands. Tara kept her face expressionless, studying him while he studied her. He was tall, with a wiry frame, light red hair curling around his gaunt face. Thin straps of leather had been braided through several strands of his hair, giving it somewhat of an unruly look. A full beard, several shades darker than the hair on his head, covered half his face. His clothes hung loosely, a relaxed, comfortable look. Although not an attractive man, he had the most intense green eyes she’d ever seen. “Lady Tara, I’m honored that you would meet with me.” He bowed his head, and then looked carefully at her blank expression, as if memorizing her features. “I am Jeth of the Barringswood tribe. We are the largest tribe of the Tree People, and have come in a small procession to pay homage and extend a greeting of peace.” “I’m not familiar with the Tree People.” Something inside Tara cried caution. Jeth relaxed, as if some prepared speech had suddenly returned to him. “The Tree People and the Runners have not crossed paths. Although we share the same sun and walk the same ground, we are strangers. We are not hostile, but can defend ourselves. Our mission is simply an introduction.” Tara took a moment. Their mission was simply an introduction? An introduction to what? “What land do the Tree People claim?” “We have come from the other side of the mountains to your east—the Grathing mountain range.” Jeth stared at her, not blinking once. He anticipated a reaction from her. But what would make him think his homeland might impress her?

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Tara fought not to show any emotion although her insides lurched with sudden panic. This man was from a people who lived on the other side of the mountains. It had been thirteen winters since she’d been across those mountains. She’d seen no sign of a race of people living there then, although her reason for being so far from her home had been to protect her people, their very means of survival, not to explore the land for inhabitants. Horrible memories from a time she’d hoped to forget ever happened ransacked her thoughts. A time when they’d fought for freedom. A time when they’d destroyed the deadly race of Lunians to prevent themselves from becoming breeding stock. An even worse memory surfaced its ugly head. The face of a sleeping baby appeared before her mind’s eye—a baby who looked like her own children, but who was not her child. “You’re here for an introduction to what?” Tara couldn’t hide the coldness that seeped into her tone. “An introduction of our people—yours and mine.” Jeth smiled, but began wringing his hat again. “We are neighbors. As our technology grows, a mere mountain range isn’t as much of an obstacle as it was for our fathers. The Tree People would like to extend a formal greeting of peace. Our small assembly consists of the chief of the Barringswood tribe’s son, Sorg. He waits now for my return in hopes of formally being invited for an introduction.” Tara listened closely as the messenger spoke. He had a unique vocal inflection, as did most new races she’d encountered over the winters. She found it interesting that he spoke with a similar accent to the Gothman, not quite the same, but similar. He was nervous, but who wouldn’t be in his position? Runners weren’t a race to seek out other races and ask for friendly relations. Other races in the northern continent made it clear they didn’t trust Runners and wanted nothing to do with them. Of course, when Tara and Darius united and therefore combined their races, Runners began receiving more respect. They were still viewed with suspicion, but now there was respect. They were no longer gunned down on sight, but instead viewed with a distant reverence. She wasn’t opposed to the idea of meeting new races and learning from them. Something deep inside her demanded caution, however. The Lunians had been left on the other side of those mountains, and although she hadn’t heard from them in over thirteen winters, she didn’t believe they had left Nuworld and returned to the moon. “I see,” Tara said after moments of contemplation. “So you have studied our technology and decided we are a people whom it would be advantageous to know?” “Studied?” Jeth looked unsure how to answer. “We know you are a large race.” He paused. “But your people and my people are strangers.” He twisted his hat vigorously.

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These people had the technology to determine a large number of people lived on the other side of the mountains. Yet, this messenger just implied that the Tree People knew nothing else about the Runners and Gothman. Did she believe him? His nervousness definitely increased when she asked him what his people knew about her people. “Certainly you know something about us if you’ve ventured this far into our nation.” Jeth hesitated. “Lady Tara, I’m just a messenger sent to you to announce our presence and request an audience.” He held his hands out in front of him helplessly, his green eyes appearing to glow. “Jeth,” she said without hesitation. “I fear your leaders have sent an ill-equipped messenger. I won’t allow an audience until my questions are satisfied.” Without cue, the glass doors opened, and two guards stepped forward. “Escort this man back to his assembly.” When Jeth looked like he’d object to the armed escort, she allowed a small smile. “I look forward to our next visit when you’re enlightened with more information.” The guards closed the front door behind them, and Tara jumped up immediately, heading for the stairs. Upstairs, she bounded down the hallway until she reached the small landlink room. Two runners looked up questioningly when she entered the room. “Where’s Torgo?” she asked. “He’s taken Rayla to see Reena. He should be here soon.” The Runner reached for some papers that began spewing from the printer. “I’ll have the financial report from Taratown ready in a few minutes.” Tara nodded. “Is Rayla with child again?” “They think so. Torgo never misses the appointments she has with their doctor. What is this, their fourth child?” “Yes, it would be.” The last thing she wanted to do was gossip about Torgo and his Gothman claim. “Tell Torgo to find me when he gets here.”

***** Darius led his troops across the plateau north of Bryton. The large gliders flew several feet above the rough terrain with incredible speed. The small assembly they had detected on their landlinks appeared, and Darius slowed, his troops following suit without instruction. A tall thin man, with a red mop of hair and beard, appeared from one of the small white tents and approached them. His dark green shirt and trousers hung loosely on him as he sauntered forward.

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The wheels of a motorcycle appeared from underneath the metal of the glider, bouncing the machine slightly when they hit the ground. Darius brought his glider to a stop. The stranger paused several yards away, two others from the campsite joining him. “Identify yourselves, and tell of your mission, I say.” Geeves, Darius’ first man, could sound threatening with his raspy bark of a voice. “High day to you, sir.” The man had an unfamiliar dialect. “I am Sorg, of the Tree People, and son of the chief of the Barringswood tribe. We come on a mission of peace, and introduction.” Darius studied the man. He was shorter than Darius and at least fifty pounds lighter in weight. Darius could annihilate him, and his companions, single-handed. When after a moment’s silence, the Tree Person didn’t offer more information, but stood motionless, as if aware he was being inspected, Darius sensed intelligence. The man respected the Gothman in front of him. He answered the question, and waited for the next. “I haven’t heard of the Tree People, no.” “We are from the other side of the mountain range to the east of your borders.” Darius knew nothing about these people, but ignorance was a weakness, and a sensation he didn’t enjoy experiencing. He studied Sorg, and the surrounding camp. There were no weapons of size. Their vehicles were small and domed. But they were gliders, a Lunian technology, which meant the Tree People had somehow obtained the knowledge from them. Had they also had contact with the Lunians? He wondered about this since it had been the Lunians who had brought the technology of the glider to Gothman. These Tree People had learned how to build gliders from someone. The vehicle appeared too similar not to be shared technology. “Why have you camped here?” Darius redirected his gaze to Sorg. “We have sent forth a messenger to announce our presence and request an audience.” Sorg spoke loud enough for all in the camp to hear. “Who is it that you wish an audience with?” Darius asked. “I wish to address Lord Darius and Lady Tara.” Darius realized the messenger would request to see Tara. She’d be curious, and agree to see him, but what would she think when she learned where he was from? He knew the answer to that one. She’d be horrified. He knew more than anything that his claim would want nothing to do with anyone from the other side of the mountain range. Darius’ comm beeped in his ear. He reached up to turn it on, and spoke quietly. The distance between him and the Tree People would make it difficult for them to hear what he said. Sorg cocked his head, watching him as he spoke into his comm.

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“Darius?” Tara sounded concerned. Oh yes, she’d already talked to the messenger. He could tell by her tone. “Have you reached the strangers camped north of us yet?” “I’m right in front of them, I’d say.” “I want them sent out of here. Make sure we have an army twice their size to escort them all the way to our borders.” He sensed her worry, but could tell by her tone that she meant business. Seldom did she give him a direct order, and she knew better than to try and tell him what to do. She was his claim, and she knew how to address him. However, she was obstinate, and over the winters he’d never been able to tame that in her. Truth be told, he found it one of her more appealing qualities. In this particular incident, however, he disagreed with her order. And he knew there’d be hell to pay!

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Chapter Two Ana parked her glider next to their large stone and mason garage. Cali pulled in next to her and headed for the house. Ana made it to the end of the stone structure, when Andru stepped out of the shadows. She held back until Cali was gone, and then joined her brother. “One of these days, you’re going to have to learn how to take care of yourself.” Her twin brother scowled, while pulling her scarf over her head. She braided her long hair, then tucked it under the black material. Andru often berated her for her spontaneous adventures. It was the one difference between them— Andru didn’t have the passion for life she possessed. She glanced up into eyes the color of her own. “I know, dear brother, what would I do without you?” She laughed when he grabbed her by the arms, giving her a quick shake. “Be in trouble with Papa more times than not, I would say.” Andru released her, and then turned to the house. “Andru, there’s something I want to talk to you about.” Ana caught up with him. “I want to take a short journey, not quite a day’s length.” “Where do you want to go?” Her brother frowned, already appearing to disapprove. “I want to go to the mountains.” When he showed his surprise, and then looked ready to chastise her for such insubordination, she continued before he could speak, but lowered her voice. “Andru, three times now I’ve seen a man up in the mountains. He stands there with an eyepiece looking at me while I look at him. The last time I saw him he waved.” “And you’ve told no one about this?” Andru pulled her back toward the shed and looked about them. “Of course not. There’s no law saying he can’t look at our land, is there?” Ana pulled her arm from her brother’s iron grip and rubbed it. “And Cali, what does she know of this?” Andru crossed his arms, looking just like their papa. “She’s been with me all three times, but I never mentioned seeing him to her.” There were no secrets between them. She could see deep into her brother’s soul, and he could likewise see into hers. Her expression softened, and she placed her hand on his chest. “Tomorrow, I’ll plan a day journey to Taratown. That will keep questions down as to my absence all day.” She paused as his eyes narrowed. “Andru, come with me if it worries you so.” 12

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Andru took her hand in his, and pulled it to his heart. “My dear sister, I do believe you got all one quarter of the Runner blood offered to us. Your desire for adventure and new places baffles me. Go, have your day. But take your comm, and make sure you’re armed. I’ll pace the house until you return.” Ana reached up and wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck. She respected her brother’s blessing. He was the heir to all of Gothman, as was his birthright as firstborn son. They worked well as a team, though, and he encouraged her to be at his side—in fact, he usually insisted on it. Her cry to explore annoyed him at times, but he would protect her secret and wait expectantly until she returned.

***** “Papa, I wish you’d let me go next time.” Ana leaned forward, grabbing another roll. “We chased that pack of wild boar all the way to the northern mountains.” Darius chuckled, gesturing with his fork, while the twins and Tara listened. “I’m sure I wouldn’t disappoint you.” Ana’s expression glowed with talk of an adventure. “No, you wouldn’t at that, I’m sure.” Darius laughed, and reached for another roll. Although it had been Tara who’d insisted their family always meet for their midday meals, he had to admit he enjoyed the time with his children and his claim. “Your aim compares to your mama’s.” At that, Darius glanced toward Tara, which was when he realized she wasn’t following the conversation. He watched her scoot food around on her plate before his daughter grabbed his attention with her excited tone. “Then invite me next time,” Ana shot back, indifferent to her mama’s distracted look. “Unless you fear I might put your aim to shame.” Darius had grown accustomed to his outspoken women. He insisted upon obedience in the public eye and around the servants, but they all relaxed when they found themselves alone as a family. He wagged a finger at his daughter. “Ah, little one, make sure you can back a challenge if you make it, I say.” Ana grinned, and pushed herself away from the table. “I’ll challenge you right now, unless you’re too tired from your day’s events.” “Ana, I need to speak with your papa before you two go play.” Tara surprised Darius by showing she had in fact listened to their conversation. “I’ll challenge you,” Andru said, pushing his plate away from him. “I can’t eat another bite.” “At least not for another hour.” Ana giggled, and joined her brother as he got up to leave.

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Darius waited until his children had left the table, before sitting once again. Tara leaned forward, studying him with her beautiful sapphire eyes. He didn’t rush her, knowing her mind worked for the right words, in order to have him in agreement. He would wait for her attack, and was ready with his rebuttal. “That look has never worked on me. You’d think you’d know that by now. You cut me off earlier today…” “Tara, I will cut you off again, I will.” Darius leaned forward, realizing he needed to help her think clearly. “We know nothing about these people, and I’ll not send them running to make an enemy out of a potential ally.” “We can’t be their allies.” Tara stood up quickly. “I’ll have nothing to do with them until we know where they stand with the Lunians.” “And what if they have nothing to do with the Lunians?” “How could they not? We left those people virtually in their laps.” “That was a long time ago. We haven’t encountered the Lunians since. Our nation is powerful and covers most of the northern continent. If they had contact with the Lunians, it could be part of their history as well.” “That could be.” Tara walked behind Darius, running a finger from his shoulder to the nape of his neck. “These are things we must find out before we say friend.” Darius stood quickly, grabbing the hand that had just stroked him, and brought it to his mouth. “Is this your only hesitation with these people?” He studied her beautiful face, clouded with worry. “You know it’s not,” she whispered. He thought he saw a chill pass through her momentarily, and tried to pull her into his arms, but she resisted. “I’ve asked Torgo to see what kind of landlink system these people use. Since obviously they’re still camped outside Bryton.” She paused, and he noted she attempted to chastise him for not heeding her words earlier. “Possibly they will be easier to investigate.” Darius released her hand and moved toward the door. “I will give this son of a chief an audience tomorrow and see what he has to say.” He walked toward the front of the house with Tara at his heels. “You agreed to see him?” At the top of the stairs, she grabbed his arm, pulling so he would turn and face her. When he did, he noted rage creating clouds in her blue eyes. The woman still expected him to consult her on his every move. “Of course I agreed to see him, I did. As you would have, if you’d think clearly about this, and not let emotions run rampant.” She didn’t cower. He liked that about her. But instead, braced her fists on her hips, and glared back. “I am thinking clearly. I will not have history repeat itself.”

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Darius turned and walked a few paces down the upstairs hallway. Tara hurried after him, and then ran into his chest when he turned and grabbed her arms, catching her off-guard. His squeezed her arms, wanting to lift her from the ground, and give her a good shaking. “We lead the most powerful nations on Nuworld, we do. How would it look, what would people think, if we were to turn away the offer of friendship from a neighboring people? We’d have no explanation, nothing to back our decision to turn them away, other than to say we’re not interested.” He held her firmly, watching her blue eyes darken with her stubbornness. “Tara, what reason could I give them for not extending an audience?” Tara bit her lip and he watched the small action, knowing his words hit home. She was scared. He saw the emotion enter her eyes briefly before she suppressed it. They’d left nightmares behind on the other side of those mountains. They were his nightmares as well as hers. Winters had passed and the fears had subsided—but they still existed. His claim seldom let her guard down and showed any vulnerability, but he saw it now, pooling in her sweet blue eyes, and across her face like a shroud she silently bore. “Tara, I’ll hear what they have to say, I will. I will give these people an audience.” “Okay then,” she spoke quietly. “But we will meet them at their campground. They’ll not enter the city.” He realized later that she’d said we.

***** Tara sat lazily in one of the chairs behind Torgo while he wheeled his chair from one landlink to another. She stared at him idly, barely aware of the mere duplicate of her claim. Darius’ younger brother stood just as tall with broad shoulders and welldeveloped muscles. His blond curls fell to his shoulders. He had a beard trimmed close, not hiding the strong jawline. He had his older brother’s good looks, and carried himself with enough confidence to show that he knew this. There was a strong difference in the two, however. The first, and most obvious, was Torgo’s long fuse. He seldom raised his voice and usually posed as cheerful mediator in all discussions. The less obvious though was that Torgo’s heart didn’t lean toward the military. He was the intellectual. Certainly, his large size and fighting skills enabled him to defend himself. But Torgo had a knack for not allowing himself to be put in a situation where fighting was necessary. It was a difference Tara enjoyed. He was, and always would be, her playful Torgo. It wasn’t Torgo who preoccupied her thoughts however, which would have been a relief to Darius, who had parked himself on top of the desk facing the wall. No, Tara couldn’t quit thinking about the Tree People, and why their presence bothered her so much. She knew nothing about them, other than the brief conversation she’d had with

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Jeth, the messenger. Yet, for some reason, she felt compelled to keep them out of their city, at arm’s reach, so to speak. Urgency weighed deep inside her that caution was due. She searched for its source, but to no avail. What should I do, Crator? Who are these people and why do they approach us? She popped a grape into her mouth and pondered the possible answers. “I think I have something here, I do.” Torgo’s voice brought her back to reality, she and Darius moving to stand behind him at the same time. “Yes, look here. There it is…a transmission.” Hesitant anticipation crept through her while Torgo opened a site from the other side of the mountains. He continually jumped from one landlink to the other, ensuring a camouflage program ran smoothly, so they wouldn’t be detected breaking into the Tree Peoples’ transmissions. While he worked, Tara read the contents on the screen. Some of their words were odd, but they used the same alphabet and spoke the same language. She read about tribal activity and predictions of weather. She also discovered why they called themselves Tree People. Their homes were in the trees. She remembered the huge trees she’d seen when she’d been there. The trunks were so wide she couldn’t wrap her arms around them. There was a forest with trees larger than any she’d seen before on the other side of those mountains. Did all the Tree People live there? She didn’t dwell on the forest for long. An image of a sleeping baby crept into her thoughts, making her shudder. “I dare not push this program, no.” Torgo printed off the information he’d obtained, then closed the site. “Let me check and see if they ran any detecting devices while we were linked. Then we can search some more, we can.” “How long will it take to run your checks?” Darius turned his attention to her. “Not long.” Torgo stood and stretched, then reached for his coat. “I’ll do it first thing in the morning.” “Do it tonight, I say,” Darius ordered. “Darius, Torgo has a family to get home to.” Tara could tell Torgo was anxious to leave. “The servants were gossiping about you today.” “And you ignored all of it.” Torgo’s expression danced with amusement. “Well, let me give it to you from the source. Yes, Rayla is pregnant. She’ll have her baby after the new winter.” “So this will be your fourth child in three winters? The twins put you one up on yourself.” Darius grinned, and slapped his brother’s back. But then he turned a taunting look to Tara. “I’m glad to see the Bryon name will flourish due to you, I am.” Tara recognized the meaning of his words immediately. “If you’d wanted lots of children you should have claimed a Gothman woman.” She feared he would never stop hounding her about the anti-conception pills she took. Tara had never desired a large family, and had no regrets on her life decisions.

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“I didn’t want a Gothman woman or I would have had one. I wanted you,” Darius growled. “No, you don’t want me,” she teased. “You want someone who looks like me with all my power but does whatever you say.” The two men both laughed. Tara narrowed her gaze on them, although she knew their humor was in fun. Darius slapped his brother’s arm, and held on as he continued to laugh. “I admit, that is one appealing thought, it is.” He reached for her, trying to pull her in for a hug. Tara jumped back, slapping his hand away. “More than likely, it will be you doing as I say before it is the other way around,” she laughed, and then dodged his advances again. “Well, I’ll leave you two to your foreplay, I will.” Torgo smiled at Darius’ failed attempt to capture Tara. When Darius grew serious and turned to his brother, Torgo spoke quickly. “I will be here at dawn and you’ll have more information by breakfast, you will. But Tara’s right, I should get home to my family. They need to know their papa, they do.” Tara grew serious too and walked around the chair she’d used as an obstacle to avoid Darius. “I’m glad you’re happy, Torgo.” She didn’t miss the quick look Torgo gave his brother. “You are happy, aren’t you?” “Yes, of course I am. I have the best of all worlds, I do.” He ruffled her hair and smiled, but when she searched his eyes, he looked away. “She’s making sure that Bryon blood of yours doesn’t run too thick, she is.” Darius teased about his previous infidelity, and simultaneously wrapped his arms tightly around Tara’s waist and pulled her backside to his front. “Her and Rayla both,” Torgo muttered, and waved his goodbyes as he left the room. “The man is whipped, he is,” Darius muttered with disgust, and began nibbling her neck. She fought the sensations Darius had the power to create in her, and struggled for freedom. His muscles locked like iron around her, heat swarming from his body, saturating her and fogging her mind with need for him. His body could have been a steel wall behind her, with his arousal pressed against her backside. Darius’ sex drive had never been a minor contribution to their relationship, and Tara loved that about him. But she also knew that his needs could get the better of him, and had gotten him into trouble more than once. “He’s a good man who suffers from his brother’s reputation,” she pointed out, and struggled some more to free herself. Darius flipped her around so she faced him, and tilted her face upward with one large hand firmly planted on her neck.

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“The reputation is ancient history, it is. Gothman is bored and therefore forced to continually drag out old stories. Our people need some excitement, they do. It will challenge us to encounter a new race.” He lowered his mouth to hers, demanding she submit with a kiss that was hot and breathtaking. She opened her mouth to his and let him feast. Both of his arms reached around her, while he controlled her mouth with his tongue. “You would spill your people’s blood for the excitement of it?” she asked through gasps, when he finally pulled away. “I said nothing of blood spilling, although Gothman will fight if provoked, they will.” His eyes undressed her, and she feared she’d have little luck with this discussion if they continued with their play. “I don’t like this, Darius. We need to be very cautious.” “We’ll talk about this in the morning. There are times when you will do as you’re told, yes.” He breathed the words into her face while lifting her and attacking her breasts with his mouth through her clothing.

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Chapter Three “You can’t risk being seen by anyone,” Andru lectured, while securing a small bag to her back. He’d packed a change of clothes for her, just in case. It wouldn’t do for her to return home messed up after a day’s adventure. He also packed a meat and cheese sandwich, along with fresh fruit and a tube of cold water. “You’re acting like an overprotective mama,” Ana teased, as he re-secured the long braid she’d wrapped on her head. He’d often braided and styled her long locks when they were younger, before one of his father’s guards made him aware that it wasn’t a manly act. After hugging his sister and reminding her to think responsibly, he secured a Runner tracking device to the underside of the seat on her glider. It was common knowledge among the Bryon family that Ana removed any bugs from her glider when she cleaned it. Andru informed her this one was for her protection and it better remain where he put it. Ana had discovered that her mama had often left her clan without protection at Ana’s age. Her mama was a great warrior stifled by the man who’d claimed her. Tara had bitten off more than she could chew with the great Lord Darius and would never admit it. Ana saw this fact clearly, however. She would be just like her mama, but she wouldn’t let a man tell her what to do. She put all thoughts of her family behind her as she left Bryton and headed east toward the mountains. Ana flew across the plateau at incredible speed, thanking Crator she wasn’t noticed. Usually she loved flying her glider across the open high land. Its waving hills called her to explore them, to learn about every blade of grass and every tree and every running brook. Today, she didn’t notice her beloved land. She sought an adventure. She’d set her mind to finding out who that man was and that was what she was going to do. She pushed the glider to even higher speeds. Her stomach leaped when she first noticed the mountain range spread out east of her. She turned the accelerator on her glider forcing it to travel faster than it had before. The naked eye would have had difficulty following her across the open land. She flew up to the large mountain where she’d seen the man previously. Gracefully, she maneuvered her glider in and out of large rock formations as she searched the area for any sign of life. Who was this man who had watched her the past few days? Ana felt no concern that she might be putting herself into danger. She was a Runner with sixteen winters behind her, she knew how to defend herself. Not to mention the fact that he

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waved at her yesterday, he had already extended a form of greeting and today she simply would carry through on that. Ana jumped, however, when her comm beeped in her ear. The excitement of her adventure had her on edge. She certainly wasn’t scared. “Ana, where are you?” Her brother’s tone indicated his concern. “I’ve reached the mountains but I haven’t seen any sign of the man I saw the other day.” She narrowed her gaze trying to search every inch of the rocks as she glided through them. “And what are you going to do with this man once you find him?” “Andru, he’s probably part of a race that lives over here and we know nothing about. I could be the first Gothman to meet these people.” “Ah, dressed like a Runner.” Andru laughed but then stopped quickly. “Ana, they’ve realized you’re not here.” “It took them this long?” Ana snorted. “Damn, I’m sure missed around there.” “I told them you went to the Crator temple with me this morning. I had no more excuses for you after that. Uncle Torgo just told Mama that you’re in Taratown. She’s furious.” “And you’re taking the brunt of it for me. I owe you big time, Andru.” Ana caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye and turned the glider around to inspect a large row of boulders. “That you do. What will you tell them when you get home?” “The truth,” Ana said stubbornly. She lowered her glider into the boulders and moved slowly up a rugged path. “I don’t know if you’re incredibly brave or desperately foolish,” her brother groaned. “I think I’ll conveniently be out with the guys tonight. I want you home in two hours. That’s plenty of time to say hello.” “Yes, m’lord,” Ana taunted. “Ah, someday you will say that,” her brother shot back. “Just remember, you’re the younger.” “You’re the only one who remembers that. And we live under Gothman law. I’m the firstborn son.” Her brother laughed. Ana flipped off her comm and maneuvered around an exceptionally large group of rocks. What happened next was so sudden Ana had a hard time explaining it in detail to Andru later. Something tugged her backwards, like the air suddenly decided not to let her ride through it. The tug turned into an invisible barrier and her glider literally came to a stop. She spun herself around quickly, looking above and below for what might have stopped her. Before she could focus on the net that enveloped her, several tall men surrounded her glider pulling it to the ground.

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She wasn’t sure how they did it, but somehow the three men pulled the net off her glider and then managed to pull up her dome. She threw her leg over her seat and attempted to jump at the man to her left. His balance faltered momentarily but the other two helped in restraining her. “Let me go!” she screamed, and fought violently under their grasps. Large hands held her by the shoulders, arms, and legs. She contorted her body and could have flipped free of them, if they’d only let go. Much to her surprise—they did. Ana jumped several feet away from her captors only to realize she was surrounded by boulders and therefore trapped—the only feeling in the world that caused panic inside her. Ana turned and faced the three tall men who watched her carefully. She pulled her laser and aimed it at the man in the middle. A calm voice spoke, and she jumped. “Don’t fire your gun.” The order came from a fourth man she hadn’t noticed until now. He sat on one of the boulders with long legs pulled up to his chest. His arms rested on his knees, and he looked like he would pounce to the ground on a moment’s notice. “Who are you?” She turned to face him but kept her laser pointed at the man she’d initially singled out. Her mama taught her long ago that in combat, if someone told you not to shoot, they probably didn’t want to see the person you were aiming at killed. It wasn’t good strategy to change your target. She realized that the man sitting on the rock was the man she’d seen through her viewer. Ana caught herself studying his features. She had thought the man had dark brown hair, but red locks, darker than a setting sun, fell in loose curls to his shoulders. Wisps of chest hair peeked out from a low-cut V-neck shirt. His face wasn’t shaven, but the hair on his chin seemed fine like a first beard. The man wore dark green clothes, his pants the same color as his shirt, and he wore a brown leather belt around his waist. The clothes fit him loosely, making it hard to see at first scrutiny how big he might actually be, but she guessed him not the equivalent of her brother and his friends, although he appeared to be older. The man’s eyes met hers and she felt a jolt inside her stomach she hadn’t experienced before. She didn’t feel nervous, but the quickening that settled in her gut made her giddy. He had the most intense emerald green eyes she’d ever seen. They were pools appearing to have no depth, and he seemed to look right through her every thought sorting through them one at a time. She forced her eyes away from his and instead focused on his mouth as he spoke, wishing the opening in her head cloak was adjusted better over her eyes. “I am Roth of the Barringswood tribe,” the man said, and cocked his head as if trying to get a better look at her. She remembered she wore her headscarf and that he couldn’t tell what she looked like. There was no indication of her long hair with the scarf around her face and head. Her large leather jacket made it difficult to detect her figure. She could feel the

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penetration of his gaze as the emerald green eyes swept slowly over her body and then back up to her eyes. Again, she couldn’t meet them. “Please, no one here wishes to hurt you. You can put down your gun.” He waved an arm toward the three men. “Back off, give the lady some room.” The three tall men stepped backwards toward the edge of the mountain allowing her clear escape to her glider if she wished it. At the moment, she didn’t. This man, Roth of Barringswood tribe, had just called her a lady and his eyes were on her again. Slowly, she lowered her gun but kept it in her hand. “Now, tell me who you are and what you’re doing on the mountain. I am sure you know you’ve crossed the borders of your nation.” His voice remained calm and she thought his accent remarkably similar to Gothman’s. “I am Ana, daughter of Darius and Tara Bryon,” she said carefully, and watched for his reaction. His eyes narrowed, and then he smiled. “Darius and Tara? If you refer to Lord Darius, leader of all Gothman, and Tara of the Blood Circle Clan and leader of all Runners, then you certainly downplay your heritage.” So, he knew something about her people. “How do you know so much about my people yet I know nothing of you?” She cocked her head and dared to meet his gaze. His eyes were beautiful and they sparkled like fine jewels. “As we speak, my brother meets with the leaders of your nation—your parents.” He offered the information easily. “Your brother and not you?” Ana assumed Roth must be the younger. “So, you sit and watch for his safe return?” “No, not exactly.” His grin turned mischievous. “I actually watched for a beautiful young lady who played on her glider while long golden hair flew out behind her.” Ana was eternally grateful for her headscarf when she blushed deeply at his flirtatious comment. Many Runners as well as Gothman had made sexual advances toward her. But this was a man…a good-looking man. “You were watching me,” she said boldly, although she didn’t feel too confident. For some reason, she didn’t wish to indulge in her usual cockiness that she displayed around her peers. “I saw you watching me when I looked through my viewer. That’s why I came here.” His eyebrows raised but his smile didn’t disappear. “You came here to find me?” “I wanted to know who you were and what you were doing up here.” “Oh, I see.” He almost sounded disappointed. “We are Tree People and the Barringswood tribe is the most powerful in our nation. When my brother returns we will fly to our home on other side of the mountains.”

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“The other side of the mountains?” Ana looked at the rocks hovering above her. “What’s it like over there?” She almost whispered the question and it brought a wide smile to Roth’s face. “You are an adventurer, aren’t you?” She turned and smiled at him in spite of herself. “Do a very large number of people live over there?” “A very large number. Maybe you would like to see it some day.” He jumped off the rock at that moment and she automatically braced herself defensively. “You are an adventurer and a trained warrior.” He spread his arms out, palms up, as if approaching a wild animal. “I have no plans to hurt you.” She looked up at the tall man standing in front of her. He was definitely tall, she was sure the top of her head might possibly come to his chin. His chest was broad, but he wasn’t built like her father, or brother, or even her uncle. He was lean, not large, but somehow still looked powerful. Ana’s comm, which still hung around her ear, beeped and when she flipped it on. Roth took a step to the side as if trying to see through the small holes in her face cloak where her eyes were. “What is it?” she spoke quietly. “You are talking to one of your people?” Roth asked as he took a step closer. She nodded her head and listened as her brother spoke into her ear. “Ana, you need to come home. The guards sent to bring you home from Taratown have found the bug that should have been on your bike. Uncle Torgo just finished bombarding me with questions. If you hurry, you might get here before Mama and Papa get here.” Her brother spoke quietly and she knew he chanced contacting her. Oh, she owed her brother a very large debt. “Where are they?” Her eyes once again locked with Roth’s. “They’re having an audience with people from the other side of the mountains. They call themselves Tree People. More than likely, your man is one of those people.” “He is.” “You’ve met him?” “He’s standing right in front of me.” “I look forward to hearing of your adventure…if you live long enough to tell me of it.” When Andru spoke with authority, he sounded dangerously like their papa. “Come home now.” Ana laughed and Roth gave her a questioning smile. “You worry like a woman. But I’m in your debt, and I’ll leave now.” Ana turned off her comm, and looked at Roth. “I have to go now.” “Is there a problem?” Roth sounded sincerely curious.

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“Only that no one but my brother knows my true whereabouts,” Ana admitted, suddenly feeling like a very young girl in front of this handsome man. “Ah, I see. You have a brother who will lie to protect you. And you, most likely, would defend him to the death.” Roth nodded understandingly. “You are right. I wish I could stay and share stories of our people and hear those of your people.” Ana glanced at her glider parked by his guards. Roth waved a hand and immediately one of the men grabbed the handles and guided it to where Ana stood. “I’d like that, to share stories, that is. Will you come back?” Roth took another step toward her so that he was a few feet in front of her, towering over her. “Would you like me to?” She looked up with what she hoped for some strange reason was a rather passive look. She couldn’t explain how she felt to herself, but she very much wanted to see Roth again. “I would, but could I make one request?” She looked at him without responding and then froze as slowly he raised his hand toward her face. “Why do you wear this?” His fingers brushed her headscarf and her skin tingled under the material where he had touched her. He flirted with her, she knew it, but her body had never reacted like this before. “It is a Runner headscarf. It protects in battle and is part of our heritage.” She looked down at his chest, focusing on the fuzzy dark red hair that teased her from the collar of his smock. “But you didn’t wear it the other day.” “My blood is also Gothman.” “And Gothman women don’t wear this cloth over their heads?” he asked. “Gothman women do what they’re told to do,” Ana muttered with more disgust in her voice than she’d planned. When Roth literally laughed out loud, she looked up in amazement. “And you don’t like to be told what to do, am I right?” He smiled down at her and the intensity of those piercing green eyes overwhelmed her. “I must go.” She turned from him quickly, wondering if he’d just made fun of her, and quickly jumped on her glider. “Meet me here tomorrow. I promise—no nets.” She looked up and realized he’d moved with her and now stood by her glider. “And if I may humbly request, tomorrow don’t wear the scarf.” She wasn’t sure what compelled her. In fact, later, as she shared her adventure with Andru, she was embarrassed to tell him what she did next. But as she looked up into those beautiful emerald eyes, she pulled off her headscarf and handed it to Roth. He accepted it without a word and smiled gently as he studied her face.

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“You are beautiful.” She heard him whisper the words and they vibrated through her as she quickly flew away from the mountain and toward her home.

***** Ana had devised a very good version of the truth that she would share with her parents when the inevitable occurred. She made excellent time with the wind behind her, aiding her speed. Once again, she didn’t seem to notice her beloved homeland as she gracefully flew over its curves. This time it wasn’t the taste of adventure that distracted her. Incredible green eyes caressed her insides and whispers of praise distracted her. A warm sensation, similar to the one she’d experienced when she and Andru obtained a bottle of Gothman wine one time, crept over her body. Roth of the Barringswood tribe so completely absorbed her thoughts that she hardly noticed the small camp until she was nearly on top of it.

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Chapter Four Darius and Tara flew away from the small group of white tents where the Tree People had set up camp. The two leaders were surrounded by six of their men, three Gothman and three Runner guards. Lord Darius wore the brown leather of the Gothman warrior, with a purple sash crossed over his broad iron chest. His expression appeared alert, yet calm. Tara rode next to him and although she chanced a glance at him as they pulled slowly away from the heir to the Barringswood tribe, he didn’t return her look. Jolee flew on her glider following Tara, and Geeves followed Darius. They’d agreed to each bring their first assistants so discussion, when they returned, would be easier. Tara desperately wanted to talk to Darius or Jolee about the Tree People. They flew too slowly for her taste and she felt frustration grow with their ceremonial pace. She wanted to get home so they could share their feelings and reactions to this strange, new race. Sorg of the Barringswood tribe had been civil. In fact, he’d welcomed them into his humble camp as royalty. Jeth had escorted Darius and Tara, with their assistants following, into a large white tent. Inside, they’d been offered large pillows to sit upon and servants appeared to offer sweet-tasting wine and plates full of a variety of nuts, and fruit similar to apples. Sorg sat at the end of the tent on a gloriously adorned pillow. He’d stood as they entered and although tall, he was not the muscular giant that Darius was. The conversation had been polite and formal. Sorg told them they’d been aware of Gothman for many winters now but hadn’t possessed the technology to reach them until after their battle with the Lunians. Oh yes, they’d encountered the Lunians—in fact, lost a fair number of their people to them. He shared that the war with the Lunians went on for several winters. They’d worn them down, though. The Tree People believed that since the Lunians had no sense of military strategies, having had no reason to develop them while living on the moon, they fought only out of desperation and not for the glory of victory. Sorg announced no victory could ever be obtained if warriors weren’t trained to fight together and die for each other if needed. The Lunians fought as many individuals and not as a nation. Tara noticed Darius nod silently in agreement with Sorg’s words. And why wouldn’t he? Sorg just described the basic belief of all Gothman. They were warriors who were part of a whole. Sorg eventually turned his attention to Tara, giving praise to the stories he’d heard of her great warrior abilities. One of the few facts he knew of the Runner race was how their leader defeated many great warriors in the Test of Wills.

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“I can only imagine how you obtained such information,” Tara said politely, although she felt guarded toward this man and couldn’t say why. Crator, shouldn’t I introduce You to as many races as possible? Her question went unanswered as all of her questions to Crator had through the winters since the Lunian invasion. Once, the dog-woman, a messenger from Crator, spoke to her through visions. That had been a time of war, a time of survival and a time of growth. There had been no confrontations since then. The River People and the Cave People swore their allegiance to the Runners and Gothman. The Neurians in Southland had little association with them, although no disputes had risen from that part of the world. Gothman and Runners were incredible warriors, with a confirmed reputation of being undefeatable. The Neurian’s technology was beyond comprehension to most other races. Over the winters, Runners had obtained information from Neurian sites. However, over recent winters, the Neurians had upgraded their security making it almost impossible to link into their technology without risking serious damage to programs. Their traps were so sneaky even Torgo had become leery of linking with them. Then, of course, there was the Neurian oil. Darius would not hear of begging for trade rights. And ever since their war with the Lunians and Tara’s sister’s untimely death, there had been little to no contact with the Neurians. That time period was the beginning of The Waiting. The dog-woman had instigated the beginning of the period. Tara and Darius didn’t know what they were waiting for. And as the winters passed, thirteen of them to be exact, they had given less thought to the matter. However, as Tara sat wondering how this Tree Person had obtained information on them, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was some kind of sign, an indication, that The Waiting was nearing its end. “Have you met some of our people before?” she asked, as she shoved her worries to the side for the moment. Sorg looked at her. His dark red hair showed faint streaks of white and there were more streaks in his thick beard. His forest green eyes penetrated hers and she felt them pulling at her. Instinctively, she looked down at his hands, folded politely on his lap. They looked callused and rough as if he’d spent his life working with them. “If I have met any of your people I didn’t know it.” He seemed to choose his words carefully. “Our intention is to do that during our visit with you. I’m not sure where the stories of your greatness originated in our society. The elders tell the stories of their great battles. Stories of battles with the Lunians still take precedence. Those warriors seem to know that the Lunians came to us after being chased out of your nation. I was much younger when those battles occurred.” He paused and rubbed his forehead then squinted at her. She frowned and looked again at his eyes. Their intensity seemed to grow the longer she stared into them. “Did you fight against the Lunians?” Darius asked.

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“Yes, I was part of those battles but I was barely twenty fallings old.” He continued to stare at Tara although he answered Darius’ question easily enough. “What is a falling?” she asked. His eyes seemed to probe her steadily—she felt the pulling sensation again as if he were trying to bring her closer to him with his eyes. “Um, how do I describe it? A falling is when the leaves fall off the trees. We count our age by how many times this has happened since we’ve been born. The leaves grow, are beautiful, change colors and then die and fall off. It’s very reliable and we plan our lives around it.” “I understand. We call them winters. There are twelve cycles in every winter. We base that on the moon and the seasons on Nuworld. We find them to be very consistent as well.” Tara had a lifetime of adjusting to cultures doing things differently. “So, now we know that we both have calendars.” Darius sounded bored and Tara shot him a glance. Instead of looking at her however, he glanced at Geeves, who sat close by. Geeves leaned forward and whispered several words to Darius. The Lord nodded and then turned his attention back to Sorg. “Do you have standard armies? What is your means of trade? How many are your people? These are questions I would have answered.” Sorg raised an eyebrow to the authoritative tone. One glance in his direction and at the incredibly large Gothman warriors that stood like statues at the entrance of the tent seemed to convince him answering the questions would be in his best interest. A friendly smile didn’t reach his eyes while he explained more about the Tree People. “The Barringswood tribe has over eight hundred people that live under its protection. There are ten other acknowledged tribes and each one swears its own allegiance. We are not enemies with any of them and, in fact, our trade and currency flow easily among all the tribes. We don’t have soldiers standing for battle for we are in a peaceful time.” He smiled knowingly at Darius. “We are capable of defending ourselves, however, if the need were to arise. Our land is fertile with plenty of trees to feed all of us. Our trees provide all we need to live and protect us from the elements. Trade among the tribes is usually protection for service. I don’t know your people well enough yet to know if we have grounds to discuss trade.” There were more questions from Darius, and Sorg asked a few questions of his own. Tara noticed Darius answered the questions vaguely. Although he remained polite, Tara knew her claim had reservations of his own about this new race. After almost an hour of polite information exchange Darius cleared his throat, stood, and reached his hand down to Tara. She always felt infuriated when he treated her as the submissive female. She knew nothing angered Darius more than challenging this treatment in front of strangers. His eyes twinkled as she glared at him but she accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Sorg also stood, as did Jolee and Geeves.

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“Will we be able to meet with you again before we end our visit in your land?” Sorg, of the Barringswood tribe, looked from Darius to Tara. “How long do you wish to stay?” Tara turned her attention from Darius to Sorg. Darius still held her hand and she felt it tighten when Sorg once again seemed to pull at her with his eyes. Was he actually jealous of this tall, thin man? Sorg was certainly no threat to Darius in any way. The three guards Sorg had in the tent couldn’t stop one of the Gothman guards. They all looked very humble with dark brown hair and mousy brown eyes. She took in the appearance of the three guards at that moment. They had a darker complexion than Sorg did. Their eyes moved from hers as she looked at each one of them. Their clothes were drab colors unlike Sorg’s clothes. Each of them wore brown pants with plain black pullover shirts. They were armed, she noticed, long black guns hung from each of their belts. “We would like to visit your cities if we may be permitted.” Sorg glanced quickly from Tara to Darius and seemed somehow to be aware of the uneasiness he’d stirred in Darius. He turned his attention to Tara. “You may continue to camp here for the time being.” Darius spoke in a calm but authoritative tone. “Use our land to your advantage. There is ample wildlife on the plateau that serves up well to feed a small group such as yours. We will contact you in the next day or so.” With that, he guided Tara through the opening in the tent and toward their gliders. Sorg and his guards stood outside the tent and watched as the Gothman and Runner party departed. Tara didn’t look back but she knew they were watched as they flew slowly away in their ceremonial procession. Formalities such as these seemed pretentious to her and she scowled at their slow pace, anxious to return home and discuss the meeting they’d had with the Tree People. She turned to stare at Darius through her clear dome. He rode several feet away from her to her side, staring straight ahead and showing absolutely no emotion. Nor would he look at her. She suspected he could tell she stared at him but obviously he wouldn’t open the floor for discussion until they were in their conference room. Something caught her eye as she stared at Darius. A speck behind his head— something moving quickly off in the distance. She refocused her gaze to stare out onto the open plateau at the same time one of the guards spoke into their comms. “My lord,” she heard the voice speak to Darius through her comm. “A glider to the east.” The soldier pointed. “It’s headed toward Bryton at high speed.” Darius turned to look, and simultaneously slowed his speed. The surrounding gliders followed suit. The approaching glider, flying across the open field as they watched, had come a great distance in a very short time. But now, the glider also decreased its speed and seemed to hesitate in moving closer or turning in the opposite direction.

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Tara reached for her viewer and held it up to her eye. Her gasp caused Darius to look at her, and she realized her comm was still on. “Darius, I will meet you back at the house.” Tara’s expression showed no emotion. Quickly Darius raised his own viewer. “No. I will go. I’ll handle this.” He spoke with his head turned toward their daughter, toward Ana who hovered still a fair distance across the high plateau. He then turned to look at Tara and she saw the stone-cold anger that spread across his face. Every muscle was constricted and his eyes burned with fury. Suddenly, Tara feared for Ana’s safety. She didn’t want Darius left alone with their daughter out here where there was no one to stop him from unleashing that anger on their child. She opened her mouth to protest and he cut her off quickly. “She wishes to be a warrior. She’ll learn to follow orders and not take off as she pleases. Worse yet, to sneak off. She has no landlink. She drives blindly and foolishly.” “Darius,” Tara whispered. She wanted to remind him of their daughter’s Runner blood. She wanted to point out that Ana would be compelled to take off and explore more and more as the winters passed. Her behavior merited a reprimand but Darius couldn’t break their daughter’s spirit. She wouldn’t let him do that. She wanted to explain all that to him but his gaze upon her iced over. His ears closed themselves to any reasoning. “Take our party back to Bryton. Wait for me in the conference room.” His voice was no more than a vulgar growl. “Do as you are told.” Darius left their small party at incredible speed. Tara numbly gestured with her hand that the procession continue to Bryton. She cried inside for the punishment her daughter would receive at the hand of her papa. The last either of them knew their daughter had left for Taratown without permission or an escort. To see her now, returning from the north—the complete opposite direction of Taratown—proved not only that she was guilty of leaving home without permission but that she’d successfully deceived not only her parents but their security system as well. Tara was outraged by her daughter’s insubordinate behavior but part of her felt pride that her daughter truly craved an adventure. Ana would be a great warrior.

***** Andru paced his large bedroom as impending doom saturated every one of his conscious thoughts. Outside he could tell the guards were beginning to stir. They’d heard from his papa. He was sure about that. They no longer dawdled but stood alert in anticipation. Something wasn’t right though. He could sense it.

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“Go with your thoughts, child.” Andru turned sharply to see the dog-woman leaning against her large wooden staff. Her coarse white hair was braided and twisted into a bun. She wore a long loose dress, made of animal skin that hung shapelessly against her gaunt frame. Glassy, faded brown eyes blinked at him and she smiled gently. “You know what you have to do, don’t you?” “What I have to do?” Andru repeated and scowled. He’d grown accustomed to the dog-woman interrupting his days with riddles. She made him think and then he’d be forced to act. He’d never asked, but he assumed his mama sent the dog-woman to him. He knew his mama had a special connection with Crator. He’d seen how she acted in the Crator temple. He wanted that same gift. What a great leader he’d be! Better than his papa. He knew Crator didn’t work through Darius. “Something’s about to happen, isn’t it?” He narrowed his eyes on her face. Her expression didn’t change. “Andru, when your senses alert you, pay attention to them. They will tell you what to do.” “I feel an inevitable doom. There’s no stopping it.” He searched his room for nothing in particular. “I’m not in danger, at least not at the moment. I’m in my room and there are plenty of guards outside. I’m in good health and could easily defend myself.” He looked over to the dog-woman quickly. “It’s not me. It’s Ana. I’m feeling her fears. Oh Crator, she’s in trouble.” Andru hurried to the door, pausing long enough to squeeze the dog-woman’s arm. “You’re good to me,” he whispered then ran from the room. Andru sprinted to his glider and flew out of the yard while several Gothman guards yelled after him. He ignored them, flying quickly into the air heading northeast. He diverted quickly as he almost collided with Tara and the advisors and guards who flew around her. He groaned as he made eye contact with his mama for a brief second. “I must hurry…someone will try to stop me before long,” Andru mumbled under his breath as he pushed the glider. The sensation of the inevitable seemed to be replaced by fear and expectation. He couldn’t explain it but he felt those emotions clearly. “Andru, what are you doing?” His mama’s voice sounded right after a quick beep from his comm. “Mama, I’m guided by Crator. Go home. I’ll be right back.” He’d recently tested out his authority on his parents, especially his mama and sister. Now that he stood half a foot taller than both of them it was easier to take command. “Andru, turn around. She will live through it. Some things are necessary in order to grow up.” When Andru didn’t respond, but continued to fly until he was out of Tara’s view, her voice became more insistent. “Andru, do as you’re told or you’ll get the same. Both of you must learn to respect authority and follow orders.” “Mama, I won’t stand by and let anyone hurt Ana.” Andru ignored her demand for obedience. “What’s necessary, Mama?”

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His mama said nothing. “Mama,” he yelled. “What is necessary for us to grow up?” Then he saw them. Less than a mile ahead of him he saw his sister. She sat straddled across her glider, parked on the ground. Where was her headgear? Long blonde curls fell loose from a long braid and flew around her face. Her expression looked wild as she watched Darius, who parked his glider some twenty feet from her. He took long strides toward her and the fear in Andru grew. Now he didn’t know whether he experienced his sister’s fear or fear of his own. He pulled his glider to a quick stop and literally jumped free from it. He broke into a run as he scrambled to reach his papa.

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Chapter Five “So, did he say anything else to you?” Andru’s voice was gentle. Ana loved the way he cuddled her when she hurt. She rested her head in his lap as he leaned against her headboard on her bed. His fingers stroked her wet curls and she closed her eyes wishing the pain away. “He didn’t say anything other than what I told you. He’s Roth from the Barringswood tribe. His brother met with Papa and Mama today and they call themselves Tree People.” She breathed slowly trying not to aggravate sore muscles. Her father had pulled her from her glider and thrown her across the plateau. Hitting the ground hurt worse than when he’d slapped her or dragged her back to her glider. She felt certain that if Andru hadn’t continually insisted their papa stop beating her, she might have been worse for wear. As it was, she felt the swelling of her lip and knew she’d have bruises along her leg. How could she possibly manage seeing Roth again tomorrow? “Andru, it wasn’t so much what he said to me but how he looked at me.” Ana turned and lifted her head so she could see her brother’s face. “There’s something about his eyes. They pull you toward him.” Andru chuckled, more like a deep grunt in his throat. “He was trying to seduce you, dear sister.” “Andru, I’ve been taken on by Gothman and Runner alike.” She slapped at his arm, although the attempt resulted in more of a pat. “This wasn’t like that.” “He’s a different race. Maybe they do things differently.” Andru shrugged, and gave her a mischievous grin. “When did you lose your headgear?” She looked shocked. “I gave it to him.” Her hand went to her head. “I can’t believe I did that. Andru, he did flirt. I mean, I think he did. But there was something more with his eyes. I felt a sensation that he was dragging me into him. I can’t find the right words to explain it.” Andru lifted her head from his lap, and placed a couple of pillows under her. He stood and shook his head, still smiling. “One of these days, one of them will catch you with your guard down.” He placed his hands on his hips and frowned at her, noticing how pretty she looked lying on the bed with her blonde curls pooled around her. “Especially if you continue to put yourself into such compromising situations.” His hand went to her cheek possessively. “I’m afraid I might kill a man if he hurt you. I’ve seen women hurt before.” Ana knew he ran with a group of young Gothman who were known to attack a lady from time to time. There were always the rumors that spread whenever a woman,

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usually a Gothman woman, was raped. Ana had never heard anyone directly pin blame on her brother. Andru, and his best friend Gilroy, were known for never having to rape for pleasure…no girl ever refused them. But some of the young men he called friends had been named before. “I can take care of myself.” She stood up, but then moved slowly. “As long as they’re not built like Papa.” Her hand went to her back as she met Andru’s eyes. “They could be,” he whispered and, sensing her discomfort, moved to massage her sore back muscles, placing his hand directly over where it hurt.

***** Tara stood outside her daughter’s door, listening to her children’s conversation. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. She wanted to see how her daughter had fared the wrath of her papa. Tara agreed Ana’s behavior merited discipline, but Darius too often reacted without thinking when it came to the women in his family. She’d seen him think through the most intricate of strategic maneuvers. He never lost focus when confronting any form of hostility—except with his women. He’d worked for winters to control her. But now that their daughter challenged his authority, she feared he’d take out his inability to manipulate his claim on his daughter. Now she knew what Ana had done. She’d found one of the Tree People. And Ana’s comment about the man’s eyes made perfect sense to Tara. She had experienced the same thing. Andru’s concern that his sister could be raped was valid, but Ana sensed accurately when she said his eyes weren’t seducing her. But now, what to do? Her daughter would go to the Tree Person again. Tara knew her daughter. The adventure was interrupted and not finished. She remembered herself at Ana’s age, although it seemed her daughter was sprouting her wings at an earlier age than Tara had. Ana seemed to be entering the age of searching, a time when young Runners left their clan and learned of different people as they traveled across the continent. Tara had at least eighteen winters before she’d left her papa’s clan. Tara would not allow Ana to travel unescorted with only sixteen winters! Ana would leave again. Tara was sure of it. She needed a trustworthy spy. Someone who wouldn’t alert Darius and would watch Ana to see what she did. She thought of Jolee but knew how busy she was. She walked toward the kitchen and smiled at Fulga who kneaded dough on the wooden countertop. “M’lady, you’ve quite a scowl on your face, you do.” The large Gothman woman’s middle jiggled as she chuckled quietly. “It’s the duty of a papa to keep his children in line, to be certain. You know the child’ll be fine, yes. She might keep to her senses though in the future.”

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Tara looked up at the old Gothman woman. The woman’s face was kind. Fulga had seen her fair share of Darius’ temper over the winters she’d worked in the Bryon home. Not once did she have a negative word for the leader of Gothman. He was in the right as head of the house, and Lord of Gothman. Tara admired Fulga’s undying loyalty to Darius. But the woman needed to be kept completely in the dark as to what Ana was up to. “Certainly you can’t tell me it never bothered you to see one of your children beaten?” Tara intentionally relaxed her tense expression and spoke cautiously. The Gothman women gossiped without mercy, and she didn’t need Darius hearing that she questioned his actions in front of the servants. “Of course it tears at you, m’lady. That’s part of being a mama, I fear.” Fulga chuckled again and folded the dough before punching it with her fist. Tara knew Fulga viewed her comment as a sign of weakness. Tara the Great, Runner warrior, quivering about her daughter’s beating. She knew that would hit the gossip circles faster than anything Darius did. She decided to redirect the questioning, knowing little went on around the house that Fulga didn’t know about. “And where was Cali today?” Tara kept her voice quiet knowing Fulga would respect her authority more if she showed little emotion. Gothman had a hard time viewing women in a position of command. “Ah, ‘tis not her fault that Ana disappeared, m’lady, for sure it is not.” Her Gothman accent grew in intensity as she realized the direction of the question. “Andru and Ana left together this morning for the Crator temple. Cali hasn’t accompanied them there before. It was nothing out of the ordinary, I should say.” Tara nodded but didn’t comment. She walked out the back door as Fulga watched her curiously. She knew the old Gothman woman would never understand the behavior of a Runner woman. Nor would Tara waste time trying to explain herself. “Cali.” She spoke into her comm once she’d put distance between herself and her house. “Yes, I’m here.” Cali sounded winded but Tara didn’t bother to ask what she was doing. “I need you to meet me. Where are you?” “I’m on my way.” Cali answered without explaining her whereabouts. “Where should I meet you?” Tara thought for a moment as she studied the quiet backyard. “I need to meet with Darius. He’ll come looking for me if I’m not in the conference room shortly. Can you meet me out back in five minutes?” “I’m almost there now.” Tara wandered past the shed and within minutes Cali appeared behind her. Tara shared with Cali how they had spotted Ana as they returned from their meeting north

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of town. She and Darius both agreed that they wouldn’t mention encounters with a new race for the time being. That was one of the few things they had agreed upon today. “I’m not sure where she went,” Tara lied. “But I’m afraid she’s entering the age of searching sooner than I’d care for her to.” Cali smiled. “Don’t all children?” “She only has sixteen winters.” Tara didn’t see the humor and Cali’s smile disappeared. “I want you to keep an eye on her. I know this will infringe upon your personal life for a while, but I’m worried she will get into trouble in her attempt to show her papa and me that she can handle herself.” Cali clasped her hands behind her back and stood quietly. Tara could tell the young woman could think of many things she’d rather do with her free time than track a teenage girl. She wouldn’t question Tara’s instruction, though. Tara was sure of that. “She’s in her room right now. Don’t be obvious but I want to know if you lose track of her for two minutes. Understand?” Cali nodded. “Oh, and Cali, don’t discuss this conversation with Lord Darius.” Again Cali nodded. It was no secret that Tara and Darius didn’t always see eye to eye on things. No one questioned an order from one that contradicted an order from the other. Every soldier, advisor and even servant learned simply to do whatever they’d been told to do last. Tara and Darius led their nations with a passion. Both would lead, neither would follow. Cali hurried toward the house but Tara moved over to where she and Darius had parked their gliders. She stopped in her tracks when she came around the side of the shed and almost ran into Darius’ broad chest. “You would keep secrets from me, my lady?” Tara saw immediately that he still harbored the anger from his confrontation with Ana. “I do believe Gothman view raising children as women’s work,” she said, without looking at him, and instead walking around him. “We need to discuss the Tree People.” He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. “And we shall, but first you shall tell me why you’ve put Cali to work spying on our daughter.” She tried to yank her arm free but Darius held a tight grip. He pulled her closer and breathed into her face as he talked. “Where did she go today?” “I don’t know.” Tara dared to meet his glare. “If you lie to me again I’ll give you the beating I didn’t give Ana.” “You do and you’ll regret it.” She didn’t pull away anymore but instead pushed herself into him as she spit the words. “Now take your hands off me. We have work to do.” “Where did she go today?” he repeated through his teeth.

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Tara didn’t respond but simply looked at him. His gray eyes burned with fire. The adrenaline he’d caged from his daughter he would unleash on her. It wouldn’t be the first time either. She’d worn more than one bruise from the violent Gothman temper of her claim. But she’d knocked him to the ground more than once in their battles and never backed down from him. The only thing the servants prayed for when the two of them locked horns was that they were outside at the time. Cleaning up a room after the leaders of two nations engaged in combat wasn’t a pleasurable chore. Darius grabbed her other arm and suddenly lifted her in the air and pinned her against the side of the shed. She tried to raise her legs to push him back but he moved his body too quickly against hers. “Let me rephrase the question,” he said quietly. “You know where Ana went today, you do. Will you tell me?” “Darius,” she whispered, with incredible control. “You don’t raise female warriors any different from male warriors. If you beat her every time she crosses you she will grow up resenting you instead of respecting you. Her battles need to be recreational right now, not learning self-defense against her papa’s wrath.” “So you won’t tell me what you know for fear of your daughter being beaten?” His eyes softened and dark gray flecks tempted to manipulate her. “Are you afraid for your daughter?” His words mocked her, attempting to raise her temper and force her slip. “The only thing I fear is that she will surpass my warrior skills before she has twenty winters.” Tara relaxed under his grip and even managed a small smirk. It was just the distraction she’d hoped for. Darius’ muscles relaxed as well and his gaze lowered to her lips. “That would make her one hell of a warrior, my lady,” he whispered then kissed her gently, suggesting entirely different emotions had emerged. She shrugged herself away from him and almost leaped over his long legs to freedom. Quickly, she turned toward the house. “Come on, we’ll talk about this later.” She turned and extended her hand. “Right now, we must meet with our advisors and discuss our meeting today.” He ignored her hand and instead placed his grip on the back of her neck as he began walking with her. “Yes, my lady, we’ll discuss this later, we will.”

***** Ana rolled over in her bed and groaned from the soreness in her shoulder blades. A half moon provided enough light for her to see around her dark bedroom. She lay listening to the silence of the house. She’d fallen asleep to the sounds of her parents arguing at the other end of the house. Ana knew she was the topic of their debate and that her father believed her mama knew something she wasn’t sharing. Could her

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Mama know where she’d gone that day? Crator wouldn’t have told her, would he? She couldn’t believe she was doing something so terrible that Crator would interfere. Or at least she hadn’t done anything terrible so far. Mirak had guard duty tonight. She’d overheard Geeves telling Papa the duty roster for the evening while enduring the solitude of her bedroom. Mirak was Ana’s age and they’d attended school together. He’d teased her repeatedly for being a girl trying to act like a boy. And he was not much bigger than she was. She’d made up her mind. Her plan would work. And she owed Mirak for winters of merciless teasing. Tonight Mirak would be her escape route out of her yard. She had two hours before sunrise. That would have to be enough time. Cali had come to her after her brother left her room last night. Apparently, her papa decided her punishment could include visitors. She’d complained of pain from her beating and consented to pain medication so she could sleep. She didn’t take the capsule Cali gave her, but dropped it down the sink when Cali wasn’t looking. Her plan worked. Cali assumed Ana would sleep like a baby and didn’t bother to stay in her room that night. She bet Cali feared for her job after Ana’s successful disappearance and would be determined to keep an eye on her. So, all Ana could do was to leave while everyone slept and return before they woke up. And that’s where Mirak came into the picture. He was on guard duty in the backyard, and he was alone. Gilroy often guarded the backyard but they’d recently done a rotation of the guards and now her brother’s friend patrolled the side yard. It was a pity, Mirak wasn’t half the man to look at that Gilroy was. She slipped out her bedroom window, conveniently left open earlier that evening. There was no question that the guards knew she’d disappeared earlier and she guessed they’d pay a little more attention to her this evening. But everyone had been asleep for hours. Certainly, the guards would be more relaxed by now. She could see Mirak standing over by the shed, his back to her. There were no other guards in sight but she knew there was one in either side yard. And with Gilroy being one of the guards, she wouldn’t stand a chance if her movement alerted him. Sparring with Andru’s friend might be fun, but not under these circumstances. She would be humiliated if her brother’s friend caught her. She’d have to be quick. And, she’d have to be quiet. The boy turned as she came up behind him. “Ana.” His eyebrows rose in surprise. Without hesitation, she brought both her hands up and slammed them down on the side of Mirak’s neck. “Sorry, Mirak,” she whispered as she dragged the unconscious soldier around the side of the shed. Pulling him inside the shed proved to be a trick. She could only open the door so far before it would squeak. This was something she and Andru discovered several winters ago. She had to pull Mirak by his hands through the small opening into a dark shed where the gliders were kept. 38

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In all honesty, Ana had never seen a naked man before, unless she counted her brother. Mirak wasn’t exactly a man but it was hard to keep her eyes from roaming as she slowly pulled his clothes off then slipped out of hers and put his on. They were definitely too big but she managed to secure the pants with a rope belt she’d been wearing. “I promise I’ll try to get back before anyone discovers you’re here,” Ana whispered to the naked, unconscious Gothman on the shed floor. “But, maybe next time you won’t tease me for being a girl.” “Mirak, where are you?” She jumped at the low growl of the Gothman soldier. She crept outside quietly. As long as the large brute of a Gothman didn’t get too close to her she stood a small chance in hell of getting through this night without getting hurt again. Certainly Papa’s personal guards wouldn’t hurt her. What instructions had her father left with the guards? Had he even mentioned her as a possible risk? Or, worse yet, would her mama have left instructions? She shoved those thoughts out of her head. “Right here.” She mumbled and stepped a foot or so away from the shed. Her hair was stuffed up under Mirak’s hat and she held his laser in her hand. She looked at the large man from under the rim of the hat, not daring to raise her head too high. The Gothman soldier seemed to stare at her for an eternal amount of time. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until he spoke. “It’s time to rotate. Why are you just standing there?” The harsh whisper insulted her and her heart pounded when she realized the large soldier was Gilroy. She didn’t answer but turned and walked with long strides across the yard to the side of the house. She wouldn’t look back to see if Gilroy watched her. Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure others could hear it. Her legs wobbled as she stood alongside the house where Mirak would stand. And she hoped and prayed the big kid would remain out cold for a while. Minutes seemed like hours before she decided to make her escape. Ana crouched low as she ran across the drive to the large garage where all the guard’s gliders were parked. She jumped onto Mirak’s and flew off into the darkness. Mirak’s comm lay on the dash and she watched it with horror waiting for it to beep. No one called wondering what she was doing.

***** Ana landed alongside the large rocks where she’d met Roth. No sign of a camp existed, or for that matter that anyone had been there. But she hadn’t expected to see him. This was where he would come to meet her later today and this was where she’d leave a message for him.

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She pulled out a folded piece of paper and sat down on the ground. She hadn’t dared to write the message while at her house. If anyone discovered whom she’d talked to she might very well put Roth in danger. And he wasn’t dangerous…he couldn’t be. Passionate green eyes stared at her mind’s eye as she carefully explained she couldn’t meet him later that day. She wrote that she wanted to see him again. Then, after hesitating, she finally asked if they could meet somewhere closer to her house. It crossed her mind that Tree People might use another alphabet. The Neurians did. Would he understand her message? She looked around for something that would indicate the message was from her just in case he couldn’t read it. But she’d traded clothes with Mirak. Everything on her belonged to him. The glider was Mirak’s too. She looked back at the piece of paper and finally took her pen and drew the symbol for the Blood Circle Clan—a blood drop surrounded by a circle. She placed the piece of paper on a large rock and then found a smaller rock on the ground to keep it there. Standing back, she smiled. Roth would find it. She turned back to go to the glider. “Ana, what are you doing here?”

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Chapter Six The owner of the green eyes that had consumed her thoughts now stood directly in front of her. Roth looked at her, and his hands went to his hips. When he smiled, her insides flipped. “I…I left you a message.” “You left a message for me?” His smile grew, and he looked up toward the rock where she pointed. “I got, well, I wasn’t supposed to be out here. I kind of got caught.” “You got in trouble for coming here?” His expression showed concern as he focused on her eyes. She immediately felt him pulling her from the inside but she wouldn’t look away. “Gothman beat their children?” His eyebrow went up in astonishment. She still didn’t look away. “A good soldier follows orders and doesn’t go where they have specific instructions not to go.” “True.” He stood just a foot or so from her and focused on her intently. His smile returned when she finally looked down, not knowing what else to say. She jumped when she felt his hand go to the side of her head and remove Mirak’s hat. “I’ve never seen such beautiful hair.” The tone of his voice changed and she looked up curiously. “I was looking forward to seeing you today.” “You were?” “Yes. Tell me where we can meet where you won’t get in trouble. I don’t think I like the idea of someone hitting you.” He stroked several long strands of hair away from the side of her face. His touch sent chills through her, and she stifled a gasp. He seemed to take her reaction as encouragement and ran one finger down the side of her cheek. “Do you have to leave now?” She nodded. “How can I enter Gothman to see you?” She looked up into his emerald green eyes again, felt warmth from his gaze, and smiled shyly. “Would you do that? It could be dangerous.” “To see you again?” His hand moved down toward her neck and he lowered his head, kissing her gently on the lips.

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Ana had dreamed about this. She had created this scene in her mind several times since she’d first seen Roth from her glider. She’d imagined how he’d wrap her in his arms and lean her over to kiss her passionately. Or, maybe he’d ask permission first like some of the Runners did. She’d wondered if he’d be aggressive or gentle. She wasn’t sure which way she’d prefer. But Roth lowered his mouth to cover hers and brushed their lips together, gently taking her lower lip between his. The roughness of his beard tickled her chin. She felt a tremor race down to her legs. He must have felt it too because he released her from his magic and backed away inches so he could once again hypnotize her with his beautiful eyes. “I’ll risk your military.” His finger brushed her cheek again. “But certainly you can help me. There have to be places that aren’t guarded as much as others.” “South of our house.” Ana lit up with excitement. “In the hills down there. We fly through them all the time.” “I’m not familiar with your country. How do I get there?” “Well, if you’d be willing to fly me back home I could leave this glider with you. Then you’d know where the hills are and you’d know how to get to them.” Ana devised the plan as she spoke. Her insides shivered with excitement at the thought of having a secret rendezvous. “That’s an excellent idea.” For a minute, she thought he’d pull her into his arms and kiss her again. Oh, she wanted him to and her eyes must have been an open book because he almost laughed. “I better take you home then. We don’t want you in trouble again.” “Oh shit, you’re right.” She looked around quickly and realized the sun was rising. “Come on, I’ll show you how to ride the glider and then you can drive for practice.” Roth had no problem lifting them into the air and heading south along the mountain range until they were parallel to her house. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen the sunrise make the rolling ground look more magnificent. There wasn’t any real need to wrap her arms around Roth but when she’d climbed on behind him he’d taken her hand and placed it on his stomach. She’d automatically put her other hand there too. He’d held both of her hands in one of his all the way to the forested hills that spread south of her backyard. “Put me down anywhere and I’ll sneak back up to my house.” Ana instinctively searched the ground below to see if anyone was down there. “Can you sneak back in without getting in trouble?” “I’m sure I can.” She wasn’t sure at all. “I borrowed one of the Gothman soldier’s clothing. No one should recognize me.” He landed the glider with her house visible in the distance. She watched him study it for a minute and then he turned to look at her. “Those are clothes from one of your soldiers? How did you get them?”

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“Well, he didn’t give them willingly. I knocked him out first.” “You undressed a man and took his clothes?” “Uh-huh.” He looked upset by this for a moment and she felt his eyes pull at her again. Was he the jealous type? Or did he just think it was too dangerous for a girl to undertake? His face softened. “That will be one embarrassed man when he wakes up.” “I kind of hoped I’d get back before he woke up.” “And then what? You plan on dressing him? I say leave well enough alone. Get back to your room and change into your clothes there. You may want these clothes again.” He grabbed her by both arms and lifted her toward him. His mouth covered hers more than it had the first time. She groaned when his tongue tickled her through his beard stubble. She opened her mouth willingly and then collapsed into him as he controlled her senses with his kiss. She couldn’t form a thought, couldn’t control her actions, her body and mind were his with that one kiss. He literally stood her on her feet after he’d thoroughly kissed her and the pulling of his eyes seemed to help her get her bearings. “Has anyone ever kissed you like that before?” “No,” she whispered. “Good. Go on home now. The sun is almost up. When will you come to me?” Ana’s mind raced. When was the household the quietest? What would she be expected to do today? Of course, there were her lessons. And certainly, Mama would expect her to spend time repenting at the Crator temple. If only she had some clue about her parents’ schedules for the day. Their activities had never much concerned her before and she really had no idea if they had a routine or not. She’d always come and gone as she pleased, at least after lessons with Andru and Cali. “I’m not sure. I’ll try to come this afternoon after we eat. If I can’t make it then, I’ll try this evening.” She looked up sorrowfully but his smile reassured her. “Will you be missed by your people?” “My servants don’t question my actions and my brother hopes for another audience with Lord Darius and Lady Tara. I won’t be missed.” She wasn’t sure if her feet touched the ground as she ran across the rocks toward her house. Her hair flew loose around her, and she had to stop near the last group of trees before she reached her backyard, to run her fingers through it then twist it up into a knot on the back of her head—just like a Gothman housewife. Daylight had arrived and she had no idea how she would get back into the house without being seen. She got as far as the shed when she realized there was no guard in the backyard. By the time she’d moved around the small building to see the yard better, she could see why. Or better yet, hear why.

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Mirak had either come to or been found. Either way, he was getting quite a tonguelashing from his superior over on the side of the house. She took the opportunity to sprint across the yard to her bedroom window—still open, thank Crator. Ana managed to strip out of Mirak’s clothes, pull one of her long sleeping gowns over her head and crawl into her bed when her bedroom door opened slowly. “Ana!” Andru shut the door behind him quietly and approached her bed. “You weren’t in here a minute ago.” “Oh Andru, please tell me no one else knows that.” “I don’t think so, but where were you?” Her smile revealed more than she wished. “I had a glorious morning.” “Do I want to hear this?” “Nothing happened, dear brother.” She felt her blush streak across her cheeks and watched her brother frown. “Well, not much.” “Tell me about this man.” “Oh, don’t worry, Andru. I’m sure you’ll like him. I can see to it that you meet him if you’d like. We devised a plan so we could meet without me traveling all the way to the mountains.” “I will definitely meet him. What plan have you made?” “He’s going to meet me south of here, in the hills, none of the guards are ever down there.” “Did you tell him that?” “Well, I might have. I don’t remember. Roth isn’t a threat to us though. His people are curious about us and I really think he wants to get to know me better.” “I’m sure he does.” Her brother’s tone bothered her. “Andru, it’s not like that. He doesn’t act perverted like Gothman men that come after me. And he doesn’t try to lure me like the Runners. He likes me and I want to know him better. We really haven’t had a chance to talk that much yet.” When the concern didn’t leave his face, Ana ruffled his hair and then poked his chest with her finger. “You’re my hero to worry so much but you don’t have to. I can take care of myself.” “There are some methods of attack you don’t have a lot of knowledge about yet. You will tell me when you leave to see him again.” Ana got up and showered after Andru left her room, and then dressed for the day. She and her brother wore Runner outfits as they left the breakfast table for archery practice before lessons. Ana’s aim had always been better than her brother’s but today she was distracted. “Ana, where are your thoughts? That is the second time you’ve missed your target.” Cali walked toward her with a frown on her face. “I’m afraid the pain capsules aren’t out of my system yet,” Ana said quickly.

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Andru simply gave her a worried look. After four tedious hours of Gothman history, Runner history, and working to decode programs their uncle devised for them, the twins stumbled happily to the dining room table for a family meal. Their parents were continuing a conversation they’d brought to the table and Ana ate silently. Andru watched her more than she cared for him to and occasionally commented on something his parents said. “So, we’ll meet with Sorg this evening,” Tara said, and Ana fought to conceal her excitement. “I’ll send word that we plan to use the meeting house and have Fulga arrange servants. We’ll wine and dine them Gothman style to show our welcome.” Darius gestured to Geeves who stood to the side and said something to him that Ana didn’t catch, and then Geeves left the room. “I still haven’t found any kind of major transmission for them.” Torgo had joined them for the midday meal. “I guess it’s possible they don’t use landlinks to communicate from tribe to tribe although we haven’t discovered a race yet that doesn’t.” “There’s always a first,” Tara said. “It does seem rather odd, though.” “I’ll keep looking.” “Mama, will we dine with you tonight?” Andru asked, and Ana looked up at Tara with dread. “No,” Darius answered quickly. “Fulga will serve you here.” Ana sighed her relief and then focused on her potato salad. The rest of the afternoon crawled by slowly. Andru and Ana exchanged glances when Tara informed them she’d go to the Crator temple with them this afternoon. Ana wanted to object that they weren’t children who required a parental escort, but one look from her papa and she held her tongue.

***** Tara flew with a twin on either side of her. They parked at Tara’s trailer that she used to manage affairs of the Blood Circle Clan. Andru and Ana knew the place well, having spent many days here as young children playing while their mama worked. Fartha and Trev sat inside at the round table, drinking coffee with a third Runner. Tara gasped when the unidentified Runner turned and then stood to greet them. “Syra!” Tara exclaimed when the woman removed her headscarf. The younger Runner grinned at Tara, and gave her a big hug. “Oh my, these aren’t the twins, are they?” Syra released Tara, and focused on Andru and Ana who had entered behind Tara. “Can you believe it?” Tara laughed. “Andru’s almost as tall as Darius.” 45

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“And to think I watched you when you were babies.” Ana remembered Syra, not from when she was a baby but from several winters before. She and her Uncle Torgo had been lovers before he claimed Rayla. Syra’s brown hair fell loosely past her shoulders and when she smiled her green eyes lit up. Not at all like the emerald green eyes that haunted every thought she had, but Syra was still quite pretty. “I can’t believe I’ve been gone long enough for you two to look so, well, grown-up. I look forward to a test of your warrior skills.” “I’ve got to tell Darius that you’re here.” Tara reached for her comm. She wanted to do more than that. Darius would be shocked to hear that Syra had finally returned to her clan. There was definitely cause for celebration. Tara wanted to bring her to the dinner they were having for the Tree People. But there was one thing she needed to know first. Darius would understand as soon as she mentioned Syra’s name. After all, it had been a lover’s fight that sent her niece running from her clan and from Gothman. The fight was never settled. And, the lover now had a claim and a fourth child on the way. What would Torgo think of Syra’s return?

***** Darius stood expressionless as he listened to his claim speak through his comm. He studied the papers in front of him, glanced at the two landlink screens on the desk, and watched Geeves leaning over Torgo at one of the landlinks. “I see,” was all he said after Tara suggested she bring her niece to the dinner. “Well, what do you think?” Tara asked him. “I still don’t see anything.” Torgo turned and looked up at his brother. “I’m starting to believe these people don’t use landlinks. Darius?” Darius gave his brother a blank look. “Tara, I’ll let you know soon.” He clicked off his comm and turned to Geeves. “I need a few minutes alone with Torgo.” If Geeves was surprised he didn’t show it. His outstanding Gothman training earned him his position at Darius’ side. The large man simply gave a quick nod, then turned and left the room, shutting the door silently behind him. “Is something wrong?” Torgo narrowed his eyes at his brother trying to read his expression. “Syra’s back.” Darius might as well have clobbered Torgo in the face. The look of stunned astonishment that crossed the younger brother’s face couldn’t be missed. Darius saw more emotions twist across Torgo’s face than he had in a long time. The usually jovial

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expression turned clouded. He saw pain, anger and excitement attack him simultaneously. Torgo looked past Darius for a minute clearly struggling to grasp everything those two words did to him. Finally, he straightened and his placid expression returned. “I’m sure she’ll have great stories to tell by the fires.” He shot his brother a look and then turned to his landlink. “Do you want me to continue to run a search for another transmission?” So his brother wouldn’t talk about Syra. Obviously, emotions were stirred. But Darius knew his brother would handle them as he saw fit. He worried for his brother, though. Darius knew Torgo remained loyal to Rayla and had commented more than once that he wouldn’t indulge in the Bryon tradition of infidelity. He also knew Torgo didn’t love Rayla. There were no looks of passion between them. Torgo had gotten her pregnant and did the right thing by claiming her. Darius knew Torgo had loved Syra once and feared that same love still existed. “Torgo.” “Darius, I appreciate your telling me privately.” Torgo sighed. “We have work to do.” “There’s one more thing. Tara wants to bring her to the dinner tonight.” Torgo slammed his fist down on the desk in front of him. Then, without another word, he got up slowly and walked out of the room.

***** Andru walked alongside his sister as Tara and Syra chatted in front of them. Children and dogs ran around them playfully and Tara said hello to each of them personally. Syra knew many of the Runners and he watched as hugs were exchanged when they crossed a family member or old friend. Andru’s thoughts preoccupied him, though, and he had to force himself to show courtesy when introduced to, or reminded that he knew the Runner his mama talked to. He worried about his sister. And he planned on meeting this Roth of the Tree People the next time his sister saw him. She’d given a member of a race they knew nothing about some incredible strategic information. He needed to reassure himself that Roth could be trusted. A command decision needed to be made here and he knew after sixteen winters he still didn’t possess the experience to make the decision. But who could he talk to about this? He would betray his sister’s confidence if he shared his knowledge of Roth with anyone. She wouldn’t discuss any of her meetings with Roth if she didn’t think Andru could be trusted. And he could be trusted. His sister’s wellbeing mattered more to him than anyone in his life.

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Was she in danger? Should he plant a bug on her to ensure her safety? And if he didn’t share the information and the Tree People attacked them… Oh Crator, what should I do? “I can’t believe how much our clan has grown.” Syra laughed as children darted around them. “We have over fifteen hundred members at our last count.” His mama smiled at him as she spoke. “Andru and Ana will rule all of it someday.” “Of course, you’d get a different comment on that subject if you talked to my papa.” Ana rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows all we’re good for is having babies and getting knocked around every now and then.” “Some people never change, huh?” Syra laughed. Andru lost himself in thought once again as the women around him laughed about the behavior of the men they knew. He watched the activities of the large clan site without really seeing any of it. He needed to make a decision. If only he could argue the points with someone. He now saw why his parents kept their advisors close by their sides. Across the field, he saw Uncle Torgo walking toward them. His uncle’s purposeful stride, and harsh expression, reassured Andru that Torgo would appreciate the seriousness of the matter. Runners greeted him, or simply stepped to the side and allowed him passage. Andru saw that his uncle had respect of both the Runner and Gothman communities just like his papa, and he knew Torgo would take the matter to heart. He would talk to Torgo.

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Chapter Seven “Ladies, if you’d excuse me for a minute.” Andru interrupted their chatter. Tara looked up at her son. He smiled at the three of them, then turned and walked toward Torgo. Syra gasped, and Tara turned. Her niece looked over Tara’s shoulder and she knew Syra had seen Torgo. She reached out and touched Syra’s arm. “He took a claim,” Tara whispered. Syra looked at her in shock. “He didn’t wait for me?” Syra’s pain came through in her words. Tara studied Syra’s face. Her niece was a beautiful young woman. Her skin was dark from the sun and every muscle fine-tuned. Her black leather pants outlined her figure nicely. She didn’t wear her headscarf and several small braids in her hair had shiny pebbles woven into them. Several earrings hung in each ear, and by the type of rock in them, Tara guessed Syra spent some time with the River People. But there was a look of excitement in Syra’s eyes from the first moment she’d seen her. Tara had guessed it was excitement at being back in the clan. She remembered when she had come back to her family and friends after being gone for cycles on some adventure. New life generated through her body each time she mixed with her people and shared stories by the fire. She thought Syra felt the same emotions at being back in the clan. And, maybe to some extent she had. The look of excitement was gone now, and Syra looked lost. Tara had misread her emotions. Her niece had felt excitement and anticipation at seeing Torgo, but Tara crushed all those emotions when she told Syra that Torgo had taken a claim. “Come back to the trailer with me. We need to talk.” Tara squeezed Syra’s arm, noticing how her niece looked lost, and simply nodded. “Mama, I’m going to join Andru.” Ana spoke up and Tara nodded, not taking her eyes off Syra who stared past her at Torgo. Syra had tears streaming down her face by the time they reached the trailer. With a wave of her hand, Tara sent Fartha and Trev out of the trailer. Tara could see pain and confusion attack Syra as she plopped down on the couch. “He said he’d love me forever, Tara. Was I a fool to believe that?” “He doesn’t love Rayla.” Syra studied Tara for a minute. She rubbed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. “Rayla, huh? I don’t think I ever knew a Rayla.”

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“She lost her papa during the war with the Lunians. She has three younger brothers and when she announced to her mama that she was pregnant with Torgo’s child, her mama approached us immediately. It was quite advantageous for her family to encourage the claim. Her three brothers are now apprentices to Darius’ personal guards. And, Darius found her mama a new claim once her daughter was with Torgo. Of course, Torgo had the right to refuse the claim.” “But he wouldn’t do that, not Torgo. And he’ll always remain faithful to Rayla. She’s a very lucky woman.” Syra began crying again. “And I am such a fool.” “Syra, Torgo was coming to see you. Darius told him you were here and that’s why he’s out there. I haven’t seen him on the clan site for quite a long time.” Tara looked down at her hands, searching for the words to say what had to be said. She glanced at Syra. The young woman stopped crying, straightened, and looked at her through puffy eyes. Tara allowed a small smile. “You’re strong, Syra. But I know this isn’t easy for you. Torgo has fought his family reputation for as long as I’ve known him.” “I know he has.” Syra forced a smile and stood up, walking to the window in the kitchen. “He despised the way Darius treated you and had no qualms about saying that to his brother’s face. Torgo knew his papa was the same way. And he watched his mama, and you, suffer for it. He’s a Bryon but he won’t act the way they did.” Syra turned around quickly and threw her arms up in the air. “But Tara, I just saw him for the first time in three winters out there. He’s so damned good-looking, my legs went weak at the sight of him.” She sighed. “I don’t think I can look at him without wanting him. I don’t possess his wonderful virtues.” She slammed the counter with her fist while Tara sat calmly and watched her. Then Syra shook her head firmly as if trying to clear Torgo from her thoughts. She looked at Tara with determination. “He’s not the only reason I came back.” She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a landlink disc. She tossed it to Tara just as the door to the trailer opened and Torgo stepped into the room. For an instant Tara thought he looked just like Darius. His broad shoulders filled the doorway and his blond curls were windblown. But it was the fire in his eyes that caused Tara to see the resemblance. He looked at Tara and then turned his gaze to Syra. Their eyes locked and Tara watched while they searched each other. Searched each other’s thoughts for answers to questions neither one of them had the courage to ask. Syra pulled her eyes away from Torgo first and looked at Tara. “I also came back to report to the leader of my people. I’ve been across the mountains. There’s a nation over there. They call themselves Tree People and I’ve never known a race like them. I spent quite a bit of time among them. They’re good people but I felt a need to document some of the things I learned.” She nodded to the disc in Tara’s hand. “That’s a daily journal I made for you. They live in tribes and one tribe leads the others. These people are the ones that fascinated me. They have this ability to

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sort through people’s thoughts and pull them. The other Tree People can’t do it, just the Barringswood tribe. It’s rather unbelievable so I documented everything.” She bit her lip, exhaled a shaky sigh, and looked at Torgo. “The instructions to access their transmission is on there too.” Tara’s mouth fell open and she looked at the disc. She glanced up at Torgo and their eyes locked. She handed the disc to him and he took it, then played with it with his fingers as he stared at it. “Syra, your timing couldn’t be better. Members of the Barringswood tribe are camped south of Bryton. They’ve just arrived and have expressed an interest in learning about us.” Syra moved around the counter quickly as if she would run to Tara but stopped dead in her tracks when Torgo didn’t move. She’d have to squeeze past him to get any closer to Tara and she didn’t dare try to touch the man. She didn’t retreat either, though, but stood within inches of being in his arms and focused on Tara. “The Barringswood men can gather information from you if you make eye contact with them. Don’t look in their eyes.” Tara just stared at Syra for a minute. Then she turned her gaze to Torgo. Torgo’s eyes were on Syra, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. As if understanding that this news forced him to duty, he turned and looked at Tara. She looked at the two of them standing next to each other, turmoil spread across their faces. She sighed and licked her lips. “I’ll give you two thirty minutes. Then Torgo, you will take that disc to Darius. I want a thorough report before we meet with the Tree People tonight.” Torgo nodded and then Tara looked at the two of them again, trying hard to keep her own ghosts suppressed. She could tell by their faces that the inevitable would happen and it was none of her damn business. She left the trailer, and left the two of them alone.

***** “You’re not going anywhere right now.” Andru grew frustrated with the wild side of his sister, but managed an amiable expression as they passed Runners, busy with their daily activities. He had a smile for each of them and returned greetings as needed. “Syra showing up is the perfect distraction.” Ana walked alongside her brother toward the trailer where their gliders were parked. She looked up when Andru greeted someone, and nodded her greeting along with his. The two of them were born with the knowledge that they were heirs to the Gothman and Runner nations. Ana had no problem leaving the thoughts of ruling to her brother. By Gothman law, it was all his. By Runner law, she would lead the Runner

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clans someday. Someday was the key word, for she would rule, but right now was the time for adventures. “It’s too risky right now.” Andru spoke quietly after they’d passed a group of older Runner men exchanging stories outside a trailer. The men stopped talking to acknowledge the twins and then continued with their stories once Andru and Ana walked by. “You’ll wait until the dinner tonight.” “What if I just run down there for ten minutes?” She looked up hopefully. “That way I could tell him that I’ll see him tonight.” Andru smiled down at his sister, feeling so much older than she was even though in reality she was ten minutes his elder. He brushed her cheek and her smile turned more hopeful. “You will have feelings like the ones you have now for many men as you grow older. I’ll give you ten minutes but then you will meet me at the Crator temple. If you’re gone for more than ten minutes I’ll come after you, and it won’t be pretty.” “How did you get to be so wise?” She pushed at him playfully when they reached their gliders. “Hey, Mama has already taken off.” Torgo stepped out of the trailer just then with Syra behind him. He smiled at the twins, but Andru noticed he looked grossly preoccupied. Torgo’s thoughts seemed to be focused on several things at once. “Where’s Mama?” Ana tried to sound like she didn’t care where her mama was. “There’s a lot to do before we meet with the Tree People this evening.” Torgo placed a hand on Syra’s back as they started to walk away, but then he stopped and turned to the twins who were mounting their gliders. “What are you two up to right now?” “We’re on our way to the Crator temple,” Andru answered. Torgo studied them for a minute. “I’ll tell Tara that you’re there,” he said, then turned and walked alongside Syra across the field.

***** Ten minutes. Why did she let her brother boss her around so much? She flew in a large circle around Bryton, and her house, hoping not to be detected as she headed for the rocky hills to the south. The hills approached quickly and she slowed, looking for signs of Roth. Would he be here? Ana flew in among evergreen trees at the base of the hill she’d pointed out to Roth earlier that morning, and parked her glider. She hiked up the hill through the trees, and penetrating green eyes entered her thoughts. It would be so wonderful if he were here. Even if it was just for a few minutes, she desperately wanted to see him.

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Was Andru right? Would she feel this way toward another man in the future? She couldn’t imagine feeling this way for anyone else. Roth was special. He excited her, made her feel things she’d never felt before. He touched her in ways no one had ever touched her before. She thought of his hands on her as she pushed branches aside to continue her climb. His touch had made her crave more of his attention and caresses, and it had stirred a desire within her that still smoldered. “Are you looking for someone in particular?” Ana turned and couldn’t hide a big smile when she saw Roth. He leaned against a large pointed rock that protruded from the ground at an angle. He’d changed clothes and now wore striped pants, black and gray, that gathered at his ankles. A loose smock hung from his shoulders and exposed dark red curly chest hair peeking over the lowcut collar. A brown leather belt gathered his pants at his waist and helped show off his taut stomach. He returned her smile. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here.” Ana stopped and stuffed her hands into her black leather Runner jacket. She suddenly felt very nervous, but one look into his beautiful eyes, and she felt herself relax. “I can only stay for a minute.” Roth pushed himself away from the rock and walked slowly toward her, not taking his eyes from hers. He reached a hand out to her and she looked at him cautiously before pulling one of her hands out of her pocket and placing it in his. He then guided her up the hill to a rocky clearing until he found a rock flat enough for the two of them to sit on. Before she could react, his hands went to her waist and he lifted her onto the rock, and then hopped up next to her. She felt her heart race when he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and drew her near to him. “I will take whatever time you can give me. Did you get caught going home this morning?” “No, although my brother knew I was gone.” “You can trust your brother?” “Oh yes. But he’s the one who told me that I only had ten minutes or he would come looking for me.” She looked up at Roth, but when she realized that put their faces only inches from each other she looked back at the overgrown area in front of them. “I can come back tonight.” “When?” “Right after it’s dark.” He pulled her closer and instinctively her free hand went to his chest. She felt his muscular chest, hard as steel, underneath his shirt. Noticeable warmth started between her thighs. It was a pleasurable feeling, anticipation and excitement all rolled into one. “What will you do now, I mean, when you leave me?” he asked. She chanced a glance at him, and saw his determined profile studying the high rolling plateaus that spread out for miles in front of them.

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“I have to meet my brother at the Crator temple,” she said. “What’s Crator?” “That’s who we call the entity who made all of us and everything on Nuworld. My brother and I spend a fair amount of time studying the ancient writings that tell how the people lived tens of thousands of winters ago. It also tells how these people learned to understand Crator and his laws.” “We have something similar to that in our culture. I mean, there are ancient writings some of our searchers have discovered. They’re written in a tongue that doesn’t exist anymore but our teachers have worked to understand its meaning. We don’t use the name Crator though. According to our teachers, the writings say his name is Yawa.” “I haven’t seen that in our writings. But it sounds like our people may not be all that different.” Ana was quiet for a minute, knowing she should leave. The last thing she wanted was for Andru to appear and spoil everything. “Roth, why are you called Tree People?” Roth laughed. “I think we got the name from one of the tribes to the south many fallings ago. We live in the trees. The name seems appropriate.” “You live in the trees?” “Our trees don’t look anything like yours. They’re a lot bigger.” “They must be if you live in them.” He took his free hand then and guided her face up to his. At such close range his eyes devoured her. She felt dizzy, as they seemed to pull her right off the rock. Instinctively, she closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Ana. Open your eyes.” She did and noticed he focused somewhere lower on her face. “I won’t ever hurt you. Do you believe me?” Ana nodded, and wished he would kiss her. She bit her lip and instinctively tightened her grasp on him as the dizziness started again. A small smile crossed his face and he lowered his mouth to hers. She met him halfway, eager to taste him. A low growl came from his throat and her insides leaped in response. She felt his large hands stroke her back underneath her jacket and the heat between her thighs reached a boiling point when one of his thumbs stroked the side of her breast. “You should go now before your brother thinks I’ve stolen you away.” Roth’s voice sounded deep and raspy, and she felt the heat from his breath on her face when he spoke. “I know,” she mumbled and tried to reach up to kiss him again. He chuckled and jumped off the rock then reached up to pull her down in front of him. “I’ve never met a lady like you, Ana. You feel something and you act on it. Your feelings don’t bother you?”

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“Sometimes they scare me to death.” She blushed and his hands went to her cheeks—cool hands that soothed her feverish skin. “But you act on them anyway. That’s bravery, Ana, and you have a lot of that. Don’t ever change.” She stared up at him, his hands cupping her face, his deep green eyes studying every aspect of her very existence. “I can feel you looking at me,” she whispered. “Do you like it?” She nodded, barely moving her head, fearful he’d move his hands. Finally, he did, and stuffed them back into his pockets. “Go to your brother. I’ll prepare a meal for us to eat when you return. But go now, before I can’t let you go.”

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Chapter Eight “I can’t remember when I last saw you wear the Runner headscarf.” Darius entered the dining room dressed in full Gothman attire. “Syra said it makes it harder to see your eyes,” Tara said, and looked up at Darius as if to make her point. “I remember the first time I saw you dressed like that, I do.” Darius lowered his voice and pulled her to him by the waist of her pants. “I believe it was when you showed me my brother had turned traitor.” “That was almost seventeen winters ago.” Tara thought back to the day she’d watched Darius kill his brother, Mikel, in order to prevent Mikel from shooting her. It was the day she gave birth to the twins. “You’re still the most beautiful woman among all Gothman and Runners, yes,” he growled, and then stole a kiss. “Are you ready to entertain our visitors? Where is Syra?” “She’s still upstairs finishing the traps that she told us about for our transmissions.” “I daresay I was impressed with the knowledge she brought us today. My younger brother couldn’t have been humbled by any other woman and taken it as gracefully, no.” He chuckled as he thought of the four of them, Tara, Torgo, Syra, and himself, working together in the landlink room under Syra’s direction. “She protected his ego by mentioning he taught her everything she knew and she’d learned nothing new since.” Tara met Darius’ eyes. “There’s a lot more than friendship between the two of them.” Darius expected this conversation to be brought up by his claim and had no intention of allowing the discussion to continue. He’d been unfaithful to her right after the twins were born. The torture she’d put him through had caused him to remain faithful over the winters. He wouldn’t discuss the possibility of Torgo being unfaithful to Rayla with her. There was no point in it. “That, my lady, is none of your concern, no,” he said, then turned in the direction of the staircase and yelled. “Syra, come down here, I say. We’re leaving.” Darius decided earlier that Syra would accompany them to the dinner. Her knowledge of the Tree People would help them confirm the accuracy of anything Sorg said to them. She’d mentioned that she knew Sorg, although only casually, and that he should recognize her. Darius felt her presence would force Sorg to be more open with them. Then, because he knew Tara worried that Syra and Torgo being together publicly could cause unneeded tension, he told Torgo to stay here and work on accessing the Tree People’s transmission now that the programs to do so were properly installed.

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“I’m ready to go.” Syra entered the room out of breath. She walked over to Tara and straightened her headscarf. “I haven’t worn one of these for winters.” “It’s been a while,” Tara said quietly. “Syra, what do you think? Are we doing the right thing by meeting with these people?” Darius watched the two women stare at each other for a moment. “They’re not warriors like we are. I’m sure they’re just curious about us,” Syra said. Darius frowned as he thought he saw a flicker of hesitation cross Syra’s face. “Let’s go.” Darius turned and walked out of the room, turning to see the two women stare at each other a moment longer as if trying to communicate something to each other.

***** Gothman warriors in full military attire escorted the Tree People to the meeting hall. The warriors then stood at attention along the outer walls of the room after the Tree People were seated. Darius and Tara entered the room followed by Geeves and Jolee. Syra entered behind them. They were accompanied by four Runner warriors who remained at the entrance of the large hall—two on either side of the door. “You impress us with your military brigade,” Sorg said, when Darius and Tara were seated at the head of the long table. Gothman women moved around them, pouring blood-red wine into clay mugs. “Our intention is simply to honor your presence.” Darius raised his mug as he spoke and sent his gaze down the table making sure not to make eye contact with any of the piercing green eyes that attempted to capture his attention. “I would like to officially welcome you to Bryton. Please drink.” “What is this?” Sorg asked after taking a large mouthful of the wine. “The lord honors you with a very old bottle of the best Gothman wine.” Tara looked at Darius instead of Sorg. “It is very old?” Sorg sounded surprised. “The older it is, the more potent it is.” Tara looked Sorg’s way as she spoke but focused on the mug he had balanced in midair. “And what does more potent mean?” At this question the Runners and Gothman laughed and Sorg looked sincerely surprised. “My new friend,” Darius spoke cheerfully. “If you drink too much of it you won’t think or walk straight for the rest of the evening, you won’t.” “It will make you drunk,” Tara added jovially. “Why would you alter your thoughts?”

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“Because Sorg, sometimes it’s fun.” Syra gazed fearlessly straight into his eyes. “But there are other times when it would make someone who is trying to pull thoughts unclear on the information they receive.” Sorg sat back and crossed his arms staring at Syra. “I didn’t recognize you with your Runner cloth over your head. You’ll please forgive me if I don’t remember your name.” He dismissed Syra and turned back to Darius. “Altering your thoughts would make me wonder if there is something you are hiding from me.” Sorg sounded serious, but not threatening. “On the contrary,” Darius said. “We can’t read your thoughts and so don’t wish you to read our thoughts, no. However, for the record, I daresay there are plenty of things I’m hiding from you.” Sorg raised an eyebrow at the lord. “A good ruler knows everything that goes on in his kingdom and never shares his every thought with the rest of the nation—that would be bad leadership, it would.” Sorg suddenly smiled and then laughed a surprisingly cheerful laugh. “How right you are, Lord Darius, and I admire you for being so upfront about it. Many people we’ve encountered are afraid to mention a trait we have no more control over than your taking a breath of air.” “Gothman do not hide behind facts, no.” “I have a feeling Gothman don’t hide behind anything.” Sorg sniffed at the bloodcolored liquid in his mug, and took a cautious sip. “How right you are, yes. Now, let’s eat.” Darius downed the rest of his wine and then placed the mug on the table with a thud. He snapped his finger and instantly five Gothman women brought plates full of steaming food to the table. There was roasted pig and fresh broiled fish, new potatoes and baby onions, sweet potatoes in cinnamon sauce coated with brown sugar, fresh garden vegetables with a creamy garlic sauce and a variety of fresh pies offered at the end of the meal. Tara readjusted her headscarf, not remembering the last time she’d eaten so much. She would have been more than willing to walk home just to work some of the food off before sleeping. Small talk occurred among the three races sitting at the table while the dishes were cleared. Jolee asked about rank and social order in their communities, and Tara found it interesting that the Tree People strongly resembled the Gothman. She’d had her suspicions when she saw no women at their camp. Females ran the household while males worked to support their families and held positions in their government. They had more rank in the community if they had a man, but could remain unmarried if they wished. However, in order to remain single, they had to be a virgin. She didn’t comment on that one. She didn’t imagine there were many adult virgins among the Runners or Gothman.

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Syra didn’t say much, and Tara couldn’t help but notice that Sorg continually glanced at her. She wondered what Syra meant by only knowing Sorg casually. And he’d commented that he couldn’t remember her name. She thought that was rather rude for him to say in front of everyone, but then it dawned on her that he might be trying to make a point that only Syra would hear—something like, you’re no longer important to me. The Tree People enjoyed the wine and by the end of the evening they were laughing loudly and quite jovial with their hosts. Darius rose to leave after dessert and gently helped Tara from her chair. He smiled as she glared at him. Both Syra and Sorg watched curiously as he helped slide the chair from the table and then took Tara’s hand as she stood. She kept her eyes locked on Darius’, partially so he could see her annoyance and partially so Sorg couldn’t detect her reaction. “My men will escort you back to your campsite at your convenience, they will.” Darius spoke to Sorg as Syra, Jolee and Geeves stood to leave. “And will they continue to surround our camp during the night?” Sorg stood up carefully and Tara looked down quickly to conceal a smile. Sorg was drunk and would learn about another thought-altering sensation in the morning. “It’s for your protection, it is,” Darius said simply, and turned to escort his claim out of the building. “Where are you going?” He directed the question to Syra when they’d reached their gliders. “I’m going to my father’s trailer.” “No, you’re not. Follow us back to the house, you will.” It wasn’t a question. It was a direct order. Tara noticed Syra was ready to protest but for whatever reason she shrugged and climbed onto her glider. Darius dismissed Geeves before they entered the house. When he attempted to dismiss Jolee, she simply stood there looking at Tara with a raised eyebrow. “We’ll talk in the morning,” Tara said. She knew as well as Jolee that Darius had something on his mind. She was sure Jolee was as curious as she was but Jolee simply nodded and got back on her glider. “Why did you lie to me?” Darius barked the question as soon as the three of them were in the privacy of their living room. Syra ripped off her headscarf and tossed it onto the couch. She gave Darius a very unconcerned look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Darius lunged at her, but Syra moved out of the way quickly, putting the couch between them. Tara jumped forward as well and grabbed Darius. “What are you doing?” she yelled. Syra’s eyes burned with rage as she gripped the back of the couch.

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“I know when a man and a woman have slept together, I do,” Darius growled. “You said you didn’t know Sorg that well, that there was nothing you could tell us, you did. If you’ve jeopardized this nation in any way—” “What’s going on here?” Torgo interrupted his brother. Darius, Tara, and Syra all turned to look at him. He stood between the opened glass doors and stared at the three of them. His muscles seemed tense but his hands fell to his sides, not quite drawn into fists. Syra didn’t acknowledge his presence longer than a moment. She glared at Darius who looked ready to leap at any moment. Darius glanced at Torgo but then turned his attention once again to Syra. “I’ll ask you again, I will, why did you lie?” “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Syra hissed at him as she moved around the couch cautiously, not taking her attention from Darius. “I may not be able to read minds but you’ve slept with him and I want to know why you lied, I do.” “Tara, make him stop,” Syra said, shooting Tara a quick glance. Tara was surprised to actually see somewhat of a desperate look on Syra’s face when their eyes met. She didn’t understand Darius’ bold accusations. It wasn’t like him to act this way and she assumed he had good reason to do so—or at least he’d better have a good reason. “Syra, is there anything you didn’t tell us?” Tara spoke quietly trying to calm the situation down. “I gave you my files accounting for every day that I was with the Tree People.” She glared now at both of them. “Is there any questionable behavior mentioned in there?” She turned her attention to Torgo. “No.” Torgo crossed his arms across his chest and looked from Tara to Darius. Syra gave Darius a triumphant look. “You said you created those files when you discovered the opportunity to log information on a new race. You intended to turn them over to us when you returned, you did.” Darius’ body was tense. He still looked ready to spring and Tara braced herself as she stood between the two of them. Torgo moved and now stood close to his brother. Tara worried this might get ugly. “You knew damn good and well who would read those files when you brought them back, I’d say. I’m sure they’re full of lonely and virtuous thoughts.” “Darius, that’s enough, it is.” Torgo’s tone showed his anger. “You have no voice here.” Darius turned his rage on his brother. “Remember your place.”

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Tara feared for a moment that Torgo would hit his brother. The two men stared at each other for a long moment. Both of their muscular bodies appeared ready to spring. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen the two of them so angry with each other. One of them defending a nation he felt had been jeopardized, the other defending a woman he obviously still loved. “Darius, you’re worse than a fool woman.” Syra hissed the words with a biting tone. Darius jumped. He literally flew to the side and dove at Syra. He didn’t attack the way he would to reprimand a mouthy woman. He didn’t lunge at her the way he charged when reprimanding one of the twins. He didn’t even dive at her the way he would take on a belligerent drunk who cursed him one too many times. No, Darius could think clearly even in anger, in extreme outrage, in cold-blooded fury. He attacked Syra the way he would an enemy warrior in battle. Syra was a Runner, trained to fight since she was a child. In all his anger, he respected who she was and acted accordingly. Tara was there to intercept him in midair. He would have taken her down with him if it weren’t for Torgo leaping just as quickly and pulling him back by the shoulders. Darius swung around to attack Torgo just as two large Gothman guards appeared in the doorway. “Stop it!” Syra screamed. Darius shoved Torgo back and then turned to face her. Tara placed her hands on his chest and pushed although she knew at this angle she wouldn’t be able to stop him. “You’ve had a relationship with Sorg. I could tell by the way he looked at you, yes. Now, before I throw you in jail and have you chained…” The two guards straightened. “I’ll ask you one more time, why did you lie to me? Why did you intentionally lead us to believe you barely knew the man?” “I won’t answer your questions.” Syra straightened and assumed the position of a Runner warrior, feet spread slightly, hands locked behind her back. Her face went void of all expression and she stared at no one. “Syra, just tell him you didn’t sleep with him, yes.” Torgo tried to reason with the woman he’d always known as way too stubborn. Syra met Torgo’s gaze and Tara thought she saw her niece try to send him some kind of unspoken message, but she said nothing. “Syra, if you don’t deny Darius’ accusations,” Tara said, and Syra turned to look at her, “it could be viewed as treason against your nation.” Tara spoke her last words very quietly and a deafening silence sprang up around the room. Syra looked at each one of them. She saw Tara and Torgo’s puzzled expressions and Darius’ look of justifiable anger. She’d known he would be the hardest one to fool. But shit, she hadn’t fooled him for a minute. His furious dark gray eyes burned holes into her until she looked away, and shrugged.

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“I have nothing to say,” she said quietly. “Get her out of here, I say.” Darius gestured to his guards and they moved quickly. She made no attempt to fight them. The three of them stood silently after the guards escorted Syra out the front door and into town to the jail. Finally, Torgo spoke in a tone so cold it gave Tara a chill. “If she’s harmed in any way, dear brother, you shall pay for it, yes. You shall pay dearly. I promise you.” Darius turned to look at Torgo but his brother walked through the family room, toward the kitchen, and out the back door.

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Chapter Nine Ana hurried up the rocky hill, hardly able to contain her excitement. A strange smell alerted her as she neared the clearing where she’d been with Roth earlier that day. She straightened, pushing tree limbs out of her way as she walked toward the clearing. She’d never smelled anything like it before in her life. What was it? The smell was sweet, but not nauseating. It smelled sour as well, like boiling vinegar but not quite. Roth stood from a squatting position when he noticed her. His smile warmed her entire body and she felt a chill of anticipation. Even from the twenty feet of clearing that separated them, he seemed to notice her reaction to him because his smile broadened. “If you could only see how the moonlight makes your hair look silver.” He extended a hand to her as she approached and she willingly put her hand in his. “It’s not silver, it’s gold,” she said as she sat on the flat rock he offered her. “What is that smell?” He laughed and sat on the ground at her feet, looking up at her. “You are the most honest, open person I’ve ever met. You’re right, your hair’s golden. I was trying to tell you that you’re beautiful.” “Oh,” she said, and felt her cheeks warm. “Now, as for that smell, I am preparing one of the specialties of the Tree People. Travelers will stumble into our boardinghouses with only a few coins to their name and order Brooca bark. It is an ugly, twisted-looking tree that serves no purpose other than it’s great to eat.” “You eat your trees?” Ana asked in disbelief. He laughed a gentle laugh that warmed her once again. But when his fingers traced a pattern on her knee, she felt a tingle creep across her skin. “You see, the bark of this particular tree is spongy and when you boil it, it softens and falls apart. But, the secret is in the sap. The bark is very sweet. I ate it straight as a child, but now that I’m a man, boiling it in the sap adds a sour taste, which I prefer.” She made a face of skepticism and he leaned forward to the small fire he’d been tending when she entered the clearing. A silver bowl sat over the fire with a pink liquid boiling in it. He used a stick to stir its contents and Syra noticed blood-red strips floating in it. “It’s almost ready. We’ll have the Brooca bark.” Then he lifted the lid off another bowl sitting to the side of the fire. “And I prepared some stuffed Prog leaf.” She leaned forward to see thick brown leaves that appeared to be shaped like pockets and had cooked meat inside them. “I stuffed them with some of your own game, so hopefully you’ll like it.”

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“I hope I’ll like all of it.” He turned to look up into her eyes and then stood, pulling her up with him. “I brought some other things that I had at my camp. I thought I could show them to you and you might learn something about my homeland. Would you like that?” She didn’t need to answer. Her grin showed her enthusiasm and he reached to stroke her cheek. Instantly, her mouth moved to his hand and his chuckle forced her gaze to his. “Did I do something wrong?” She looked into those mesmerizing green eyes and almost relished in the sensation of being pulled into him. “No, not at all. You don’t tease me. Your excitement is refreshing. I like it.” He lowered his head and kissed her gently but suggestively and then nibbled her lower lip. She felt warmth churn within her and build in intensity as his lips lingered. Something she didn’t understand deep inside her was swelling with his every touch. She could feel an insurmountable urge that seemed to make her entire body a single nerve ending. A sudden reality caused all internal warmth to subside, and she pushed Roth away from her gently. “Wait a minute,” she said, and gasped for breath trying to recompose herself. “I wasn’t trying to suggest…” She didn’t finish what she was saying but instead took a deep breath, glanced up at Roth, and suddenly felt very embarrassed. He thought she was anxious to have sex with him. Although she had no desire to let him know she’d never been with a man before, she didn’t want him to think that’s all she wanted from him. Maybe she should’ve asked Andru more questions. She knew he’d been with some of the Gothman girls. She’d heard them talk. Roth placed his hand gently on her chin in order to tilt her head back so he could see her face. She didn’t fight him but fought to suppress tears of embarrassment. She had really looked forward to this evening and now she was going to mess it up. “Ana, you’re priceless.” His smile was gentle, reassuring, as was the caressing tone of his voice. “You won’t mess anything up, and I certainly won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.” “Am I that easy to read?” “Only because you let me,” he whispered, and took her hand in his, then drew it to his lips. After a moment of enjoying the sensation of drowning in him, as his green eyes searched for that very spot that boiled with passion just moments ago, Roth stepped back but kept her hand in his. “Let me show you what I brought.” She noticed several brown bags leaning against a rock on the other side of the small fire. He led her to them and squatted, opening the first one. He pulled out and unfolded a large mat-like blanket. It seemed to be woven out of tiny branches, yet it was so pliable that she decided it couldn’t be made of bark. She liked the way he guided, then assisted her, as she sat on the blanket. No one had ever treated her so gently. Her brother babied and fondled her, but he was her brother and would always treat her that

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way. Roth handled her as if she were a delicate flower and he feared he’d break her if he was too rough. She’d never felt so cherished. Roth sat next to her and pulled the other brown bag onto his lap. “None of this is anything fancy. It’s stuff I brought so I could camp and wait for my brother. But I got to thinking that a lot of it is different than what you’re accustomed to, and if you ever visit my home,” he paused and gave her a boyish grin. “Well, you’d want to know about this stuff.” She looked anxiously at the bag. She wanted to know about his home. Her mind quickly supplied her with valid reasons for curiosity such as learning information like this was something the daughter of rulers of nations should do. Also, the Runner culture taught that learning about other nations helped them to be stronger. But in all honesty, she wanted to know Roth. She wanted to know how he thought, what he liked, and what he didn’t like. And if these were his things then she wanted to know about them. A sudden movement in the trees across the clearing caused both of them to look up. Roth was on his feet instantly. He took a step in front of Ana and pulled his gun, a gun she didn’t realize he was carrying until that moment. She peered around his leg to see what was there, simultaneously feeling something close to amusement that he felt a need to protect her. Apparently, as Andru strolled into the clearing in his Runner attire and saw the strange man protecting his sister, he also experienced a moment of amusement. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s not that helpless,” he said and then studied Roth carefully, paying little attention to the gun in his hands. Ana jumped to her feet. She placed her hand on Roth’s arm and slowly lowered it. “The Runner outfit will repel your bullets,” she said quietly. Then to Andru, “What are you doing here?” Her brother walked nonchalantly over to the secluded setting he’d just interrupted. “I told you I wanted to meet this man.” He made eye contact with his sister and she sensed his strong reluctance to share her. “Roth of the Barringswood tribe, younger son of the chief, I’d like to present my brother, Andru, heir to the Lord of Gothman.” She said the words with little enthusiasm as she gestured her hand from Roth to her brother. Roth suddenly stood taller and bowed his head. At first, Ana thought he mocked the title she’d given her brother, but then she realized he took the title seriously, very seriously. “It’s a privilege to meet you, my Lord.” Roth’s serious tone and militaristic stance was new to Ana. She looked at him, baffled. Andru quickly sensed her awe and had no intention of ruining her evening. She was entitled to a boyfriend—he guessed. At least he hadn’t caught them in a

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compromising position, and he’d prepared himself for that possibility when he showed up unannounced. He wanted to check this guy out, though. He’d make sure this man— my Crator, Roth was a man—knew who he was keeping company with. His sister wasn’t just another girl—damn, she didn’t look like a girl at all right now. She was the daughter of leaders and any action this guy took with her couldn’t be taken lightly. “Call me Andru,” he said, and then looked at the mat they’d been sitting on. “I was getting ready to show some items from my homeland to your sister. I’d be honored if you joined us.” Roth gestured to the mat inviting them to sit. “I’ve also prepared some of our best delicacies. There’s enough for three.” Andru ignored the glares his sister gave him and also successfully concealed a small smile that threatened to appear on his face. I know, sweet sister, he thought to her with his eyes, you want me out of here. But, I recognize the setting and I know what this man has in mind. I’m going to check him out for you. Andru sat. Roth brushed the mat flat so Ana could sit then seated himself beside her so he was facing Andru. He pulled his brown bag open so Andru and Ana could see the contents. He pulled out several items, all of them foreign to the twins, but what caught both of their eyes was the flat disc he pulled out last. “Is that a landlink?” Ana asked, ignoring the other items. It obviously wasn’t the first thing he was going to show them and he looked somewhat surprised as he picked up the flat, square panel. “Yes, does it look different from yours?” “Very,” Andru said and held out his hand. “May I look at it?” “Sure. It’s pretty basic. I just use it to store notes and communicate with my brother. Have you met him?” He looked up at Andru. Andru met his gaze but then squinted and looked down. Ana thought his reaction to Roth’s very different eyes was insulting and she looked quickly at Roth to see if he’d taken offense. His face showed no indication that Andru bothered him. He simply watched as the hooded Runner scrutinized the flat disc in his hands. “You turn it on right here,” Roth offered as he pointed to the side panel. “Oh, I see.” Then, Andru ripped off his Runner headgear so he could see easier. Blond curls fell in disarray and he shook his head to straighten them. “Oh dear Yawa,” Roth whispered, taken completely off-guard. Both Ana and Andru looked up at him curiously. “I guess I never mentioned how much we look alike,” Ana mumbled. “We’re twins.” Roth simply stared at Andru speechless for a minute. Andru looked back at him questioningly. Ana simply stared from one to the other. “I sincerely beg forgiveness, my Lord, I mean, Andru.”

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Ana thought she actually saw Roth blush. He managed a coy smile and looked at Ana. He reached to touch her leg but then pulled it back when Andru’s eyes followed his action. Ana ignored her brother and put her hand into Roth’s. He smiled genuinely at her. “Your sister is right. She never mentioned you were twins. Although, now that I study both of you I see differences.” Andru glanced at his sister who seemed lost in Roth’s presence. Shy of her long hair and quickly developing curves, there were no differences between them. He decided not to ask what differences Roth saw. Questioning the man could put him on the defensive, and since Roth seemed willing to share knowledge with them, he would simply hear what the man had to say. They sat there a while longer and listened while Roth showed them how his landlink worked. He then showed them several warming crystals that could be placed by a fire then maintain the heat for up to twelve hours. The crystals were beautiful and when Ana mentioned it, Roth insisted she have one. She glanced at her brother and when he nodded, she graciously accepted. The rest of the contents of his bag consisted of a brush made completely from tree parts, and several plates and bowls molded from crystal formations that grew among the roots of some of their trees. Finally, he shared a picture of his father and mama. Both of them had the red hair Roth had and the same intense emerald-green eyes. When he motioned to the fire and commented that the food was ready, Andru stood and said he’d leave them. Ana was glad when Roth didn’t object to Andru’s refusal to eat with them. “I’ll expect you back at the house in an hour,” Andru said, and brushed his sister’s hair with his hand. “Andru,” she attempted to object but Roth held up a hand. “I’ll make sure she is safe with you by the end of an hour.” Andru nodded and then turned and left them. “I think you impressed my brother,” Ana said after Andru was gone. “He wouldn’t have let me stay otherwise.” “I never expected you to be one to follow instructions from someone else,” Roth teased her as he walked to sit next to her with two plates of food. “Andru’s different. I don’t always do what he tells me to do. But he seems to be able to tell things about a person…things other than the obvious.” She looked at the strange food that was on the plate in front of her. Could she actually eat this stuff? Her thoughts must have been all over her face because Roth laughed. “You won’t know if you like it until you try it.” She wasn’t even sure how to eat it. Roth handed her a narrow stick, carved to a point on one end. He took another stick, and as if demonstrating, he took the stick, 67

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stuck it into one of pieces of boiled Brooca bark and lifted it to his mouth. “Perfect,” he said with his mouth full. “Here goes nothing.” Ana stabbed some of the bark and quickly put a piece in her mouth. “Mmm—this is good.” She quickly took another piece and ate it. It was like boiled fruit, but not like any she had before. It almost dissolved in her mouth. “Do you think I’d offer you something that wasn’t good?” Roth acted offended. “I knew you’d like it. Trust me, it’s harder for me to get used to the idea of eating the animals.” “You don’t eat meat?” “I can quite honestly tell you the thought never crossed my mind before I learned that you do.” “Well, I can honestly tell you the thought of eating a tree never crossed my mind before meeting you.” Ana felt quiet after they’d eaten. She was quite stuffed and her cheeks hurt from laughing. Never before had she felt so comfortable around someone—except maybe Andru. But there were things she didn’t discuss with her brother. It wasn’t that way with Roth. He made her feel so comfortable and at ease that she said instantly whatever thought came to her head. It wasn’t until they’d finished eating, he’d stirred the fire, then sat next to her and pulled her close to him that she suddenly couldn’t think of a thing to say. She stared at the flames dancing around the logs and rocks and inched her toes closer to stay warm. Roth lifted her face to his but instead of kissing her like she thought he would, he said, “You’re right, it is getting cold.” He jumped up and grabbed another folded mat and wrapped it over her shoulders. He then plopped down again and instantly slipped his hands underneath the blanket and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. His kiss was gentle and she found her arms wrapping around his neck before she realized what she was doing. He pulled her down, somehow managing to keep the mat around both of them. Ana had never been in this position before. The men and boys that flirted with her had been part of her daily life now for several winters. She’d felt a pleasurable excitement from sparring with Andru’s friends out in the fields. There had even been several times when Gilroy managed to steal a kiss. But never had she been wrapped around a man’s body the way she was right now. It dawned on her that Andru knew this would happen tonight yet he’d left them alone together. Her brother approved. She relaxed her body as she lay on top of Roth. It wasn’t until he rolled her over and wrapped one long leg around her two legs that she pulled away, gasping for breath. For a minute she just stared up at him, both of them breathing heavily and her body curving perfectly under his. His eyes glowed with their intensity—a fluorescent emerald. She licked her lips unintentionally and he lunged for them, licking them with his tongue. 68

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She giggled and he raised his head again and smiled at her. “Are all Runner women like you?” “I hope not,” she whispered, her voice scratchy, and he took her off into another wave of passion with an aggressive kiss. This time he moved his hand slowly down her body and she suppressed a squeal at the sensations she felt. Once again, a man’s hand touching her like this was a new experience for her. She wanted more and arched herself into him to let him know. His hand finally found her naked skin and she tensed at the feel of his fingers caressing her. Could she do this? Roth lifted his head from her neck and looked at her until she opened her eyes. His smile was gentle and she absolutely melted inside. “I’ve never done this before,” she whispered. He searched her face for a moment and then lowered his eyes as he rolled back so he could see the rest of her. “I know you haven’t.” He pulled her to him but not to kiss. Instead, he tucked her head under his chin and cuddled her into him holding her tight. She felt more secure than she’d ever felt in her life. The warmth of his body and the feel of his strong arms and legs wrapped around her made her feel more wanted and cared for than any affection her family had ever shown her. And they loved her. She knew they did. It just didn’t feel like this, and this felt good. “I want to see you again,” Roth said as she lay contentedly feeling the heat of his body. “How long are you going to be here?” “I don’t think much longer. Sorg is eating with your parents tonight and that will probably be the end of it for a while.” Ana forced herself to lay back and he looked down at her. She studied his eyes for a moment but then closed them when he traced a pattern from her lips down her neck to her breasts. “I want to get to know you better before I take anything from you that I can’t give back.” She opened her eyes quickly. “You’re not going to have sex with me?” She blushed instantly, not expecting her question to sound so bold. “No, not tonight.” He looked down at her with such emotion she felt the sensation of being pulled, as if Roth could actually pull her soul from her and unite it with his. “Oh,” she said, feeling a mixture of regret and relief all at once. “You’ve never been away from your home for long periods of time, have you?”

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“The age of searching usually starts when a Runner reaches their eighteenth winter. I’ve got two winters to go and then I’ll probably have to fight for it.” “Your father?” “Yes, he’d just as soon raise me Gothman.” “Obviously you stand up to him.” “He’s never come out and said I couldn’t dress and act like a Runner. He wouldn’t dare. Sometimes I get the impression he wishes I were more Gothman, you know, wearing dresses and cooking.” “You would look beautiful in a dress. But it sounds like I will be making visits to your homeland more in the future than I initially thought I would.” “You’ll come back to see me?” He laughed and stroked her cheek. “This is why I will wait to mate with you. I want you to know in your heart how I feel for you.” “How do you feel about me?” “I feel like making you love me.”

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Chapter Ten Tara crept down the hallway toward the staircase. She tiptoed down the stairs and then stopped in the kitchen to slip into her boots. The house was quiet and dark. None of the servants slept here. She knew the guards stood watch outside but inside everyone was asleep. At least, she hoped everyone slept. The men on duty watched her closely as she walked over to the garage to get her glider. She offered no explanation and none of them confronted her. She wouldn’t be surprised if Darius instructed them to wake him if she left the house. They wouldn’t try to stop the leader of all Runner clans from leaving her own house. But they sure would contact the Lord of Gothman and let him know his claim had left. Tara drove the glider slowly down the driveway and headed toward Bryton. She didn’t accelerate fast enough to leave ground. There was no need. Bryton wasn’t that far away—in fact, their house overlooked the town, blocked only by numerous evergreens. She drove directly to the jail and stopped her glider in front of the building. It was no secret where she was going. Darius would know she went to talk to Syra. “Unlock the cell, please,” she said firmly to the Gothman standing in front of a large iron door. He studied her for a moment, stepped to the side, and opened the door for her. “I need a light.” She gestured to him as she walked into the dark cell. “Tara, is that you?” Tara’s eyes focused quickly in the darkness before the guard handed her a bluetinted beam. Syra lay on a brick extension from the far wall with a thin mattress thrown over it. She had no blankets and there were no windows in the room. She’d been thrown into complete darkness as soon as they’d shut the door. Gothman offered criminals no luxuries. “Are you hurt?” “No.” Syra cleared her throat. “Have you come alone?” “I wanted to talk to you.” Syra pushed herself to a sitting position and Tara sat next to her. She placed the beam between them so they could see each other’s faces. Tara studied Syra for a minute. She didn’t look like she’d been sleeping. Her face looked hard and determined as she stared back. “Tara, go home. I’m not hurt. My stomach is full. Come back after the Tree People are gone.” Tara frowned. “Why do you want to stay in here until the Tree People are gone?”

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“You know you’re as bullheaded as that pain in the ass claim of yours. The two of you might try trusting me just a little bit.” Suddenly there was a tinge of hurt in Syra’s voice. She looked across the brick cell and then fastened her gaze back on Tara. “You’re holding something back from us, aren’t you?” Syra didn’t answer. “Why?” “You don’t need this knowledge in your head right now.” Tara frowned and then slowly understanding came over her. “Because they can read our thoughts, right? You’re trying to keep certain knowledge from us so Sorg won’t know that we know something.” “You’re quick, Tara,” Syra muttered sardonically. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” “You think that bullheaded brute would have accepted that answer? He would want to be the one to decide what he should know and not know. But, if he knew, it would be too late.” Syra rolled her eyes. “He’s a real smart man, you know?” “Yes, he is. He saw through you right away.” “I was afraid he would.” Syra lowered her head into her hands. “If I’d known the Tree People were here I would have stayed away for a few more days.” “What in the world could be so awful for us to know?” As soon as she spoke the words, old memories resurfaced and she hardened her emotions in an attempt to stifle panic. Tara stood up and backed away from Syra her hands covering her mouth. “Please tell me it’s not what I think it is,” she whispered. The door opened just then and Darius walked into the jail. He didn’t hesitate but walked slowly and deliberately to the entrance of the cell. His face was expressionless and his hands fell casually to his side. Tara knew he was assessing the situation and wouldn’t be as quick to pick a fight in public. She couldn’t hide the horrified look that she knew covered her face, and Darius studied her for a moment, then focused on the determined look on Syra’s face. “You can’t think that it’s anything.” Syra emphasized every word, ignoring Darius’ presence. “Don’t you see? They will see your thoughts.” Syra hesitated for a minute, then dropped her head into her hands again, and muttered. “My loyalty to the Runners is as thick in my blood as it is yours, Tara. We are tied to Gothman, therefore I am loyal to him.” She waved a limp hand at Darius then returned it under her chin. “It’s that loyalty that will keep me here and keep me silent.” There was silence. Tara’s hands went to her hips as she studied her niece and thought about what she’d just said. Syra thought she was protecting their nation from the Tree People. She could guess why but she needed to hear the answer. Syra thought if Tara and Darius heard what Syra knew they could inadvertently betray their nation to the Tree People. 72

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Slowly, she turned and looked at Darius. His expression was stone-cold and not readable. He looked back at her then looked at Syra as if trying to digest what he’d just heard as well. When Tara spoke, it was just above a whisper. “You’ll stay here for the rest of the night. Syra, you could tell us anything. We don’t have to see the Tree People again and they wouldn’t be able to read our thoughts. They have to see our eyes to know what we know, am I right?” Syra nodded. “Don’t ever keep information from us again.” Her whisper was deadly. Syra looked up quickly, like a defeated child. Tears welled in her eyes but again she just nodded. Then Tara walked up to Darius, standing inches from him but not touching him. She looked straight into his eyes. “I want several blankets brought to her and a pillow. Make sure your guards don’t touch her. Better yet, replace these guards with Runners.” He looked at her, not blinking once, but without comment. “First thing in the morning, she’ll be brought to us.” She looked at Syra. “And she’ll tell us everything she knows. We won’t see the Tree People again.” She slipped past Darius, leaving him alone in the cell with Syra. She went to her glider and slowly, numbly, rode back to the house. It appeared The Waiting had come to an end.

***** Andru opened his eyes to a beautiful sunrise outside his open window. He was surprised to feel so refreshed so early in the morning. He’d waited for his sister to return last night. She’d arrived within the hour to the minute. It bothered him, though, when he realized that Roth easily brought her to the edge of the yard on a Gothman glider. He then flew off in it. That explained how Mirak’s glider disappeared. Andru meant to ask her about that this morning. His sister slept with a small smile on her face. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and slept in a ball, just as she had when they were children. Her long blonde hair fanned across her pillow and several tangled curls covered her face. Andru stood next to her bed and stared at her for several minutes. As if sensing someone’s presence, Ana blinked several times. Andru plopped down on her bed, pulled his legs up, and crossed them. He faced her with a crooked smile. She pulled herself up in her blankets and sat as he did, facing him. She matched his smile and stared back at him. “You look just like you did when you were a kid.” Andru finally broke the silence. He reached up to his sister and straightened a runaway curl.

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“Are you searching for a look of innocence?” Ana teased. Andru’s face grew hard. “Leaving you there with him last night was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Ana, he’s a man—you’re not a woman yet.” Ana’s smile grew and she stroked her brother’s cheek. He nestled his face into her hand. “I don’t want you to get hurt…or in trouble,” he whispered, feeling overwhelmed with concern. “Oh Andru,” she laughed, and pulled her brother into her arms. “Don’t worry. Roth is a good man. I’m as innocent now as I was when you left me.” He pulled away and searched his sister’s face. He wanted to know what happened, every detail of it. He wanted reassurance he’d made the right decision in leaving her there unattended. He knew how his Gothman friends treated her. She was his sister, with no claim to anything by Gothman law, and inevitably she would be his responsibility. His friends tested his limits by flirting with her but he knew when they found her alone they were more aggressive. She’d be an outstanding claim to any Gothman. She was not only beautiful to distraction, but any man who claimed her would guarantee himself in good favor with the future Lord of Gothman. It was his job to protect her. Not only had he figured this out on his own, his papa had spelled it out quite clearly to him. “What are you saying?” His voice was barely audible. Ana laughed, and jumped out of the bed. She walked across her room in her long white nightgown and bare feet and grabbed some clothes. When she turned to face him she was still grinning. “I think I like you worrying about me. You heard what I said. I don’t owe you any more detail than that.” With that, she turned and walked toward her bathroom. Andru groaned and fell onto her bed. She threw him off unexpectedly when she implied she didn’t have sex with Roth. That was good, although surprising. What kind of man was Roth? Did Tree People have no sex drive? His sister looked pretty willing to him. How could anyone not want her? And he still needed to confront her about the glider Roth now possessed. Mirak would suffer incredible humiliation if anyone found that Ana knocked him out cold, stripped his clothes off him, and then stole his glider. There was just one other thing that rubbed wrong with Andru. He couldn’t believe his sister hadn’t mentioned to Roth that she was a twin. And even if she hadn’t, no race would enter another nation without doing research on the people. It would be easy to find that Lord Darius and Lady Tara had twins. But Roth looked so surprised when he saw him. The expression Andru saw on Roth’s face when he’d pulled off the Runner gear confused him. The man had looked really shocked. Maybe Tree People didn’t have twins. But they were all of Nuworld, all of them created by Crator. It just didn’t make sense.

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***** It took Tara a long time to fall asleep after she had returned home. Darius hadn’t come home. She’d enjoyed a long bath that morning, soaking sore and aching muscles in hot, steaming water. The sunrise was beautiful and she stood on the balcony off their bedroom, leaning on the wooden railing and watching the rolling hills disappear into the horizon. Crator, please don’t let my people be in trouble. She heard the faint sound of someone knocking on her bedroom door and walked back into her room. “What is it?” “M’lady?” Fulga pushed open the door. “Syra has arrived with two Runner guards, she has.” “Have her wait in the conference room. I’m on my way down.” Tara grabbed her boots. “Oh, Fulga, ask her if she’s had breakfast, and if not, feed her.” A few minutes later Tara entered the conference room and noticed the large platter of sweet rolls on the round table. She saw her niece. “How are you?” Tara reached for one of the rolls, and realized Fulga had brought enough for everyone to eat, not just Syra. Fulga probably thought Darius would frown on her feeding Syra, and chose to serve enough rolls for everyone in order to fulfill Tara’s request and avoid a reprimand. Syra stood looking out one of the windows facing south, but turned now to face Tara. She looked tired, for obvious reasons, but otherwise untouched. It had crossed Tara’s mind more than once that Darius could have beaten her after she’d left last night. She wondered where he was. “Thanks for breakfast.” “How about a hot bath?” “Oh, that would be great.” Syra attempted a smile as she slipped a group of braids behind her ear. Tara called Fulga and asked her to prepare the bathroom at the end of the hall for Syra. Fulga showed no reaction to this request but simply nodded and left. While Syra bathed, Tara called Jolee and asked her to report to the conference room with Fartha and Trev. “Darius.” She spoke into her comm as she sat alone in the conference room. “This is Lord Darius.” His voice sounded thick, almost guttural. She knew that tone. Who was he trying to impress? “Where are you?” “I’ll be home soon.” Tara sighed in exasperation. “You have thirty minutes.” She clicked off her comm before he could respond.

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Once she would have worried about Darius cheating on her. But she had no doubts he remained faithful. Whether he realized it or not, there were enough Gothman, as well as Runners, who would contact her in a minute if he approached another woman. Her comm beeped immediately and she prepared to take on her claim. “Yes?” “Tara, it’s Torgo. Has Syra told you anything yet?” He sounded tired. “No.” That wasn’t entirely true. “But she will in about thirty minutes.” “I’m on my way.” Tara ran her fingers through her hair as she sat alone in the conference room wondering what turmoil might be stirred up within the hour. Torgo arrived first, not bothering to wait to be announced. She heard the front door open and he was halfway though the house when Tara heard Fulga wish him a good morning. He hardly acknowledged her but continued in long strides to the conference room. Syra came out of the bathroom as Torgo entered the hallway. Tara saw him in the doorway. He stood tall, and looked powerful. He watched Syra without showing any glimpse of how he felt as she moved slowly past him and entered the room. Syra watched him warily until she passed and then focused her attention on Tara. “Thanks for the bath. You’re right, I feel a lot better.” “You don’t look like you were abused.” Tara looked at Syra questioningly. “No, but I wish I had been. It would have been easier.” Syra avoided looking at Torgo as he moved around her toward the table. Tara figured Torgo’s presence might make Syra feel a little uncomfortable. As Tara watched Syra’s guarded expression she decided uncomfortable would be okay. It might keep some of her niece’s arrogance and cockiness to a minimum. “What did Darius do after I left the jail last night?” Torgo jumped. “You went to the jail last night?” Tara raised her hand and Torgo shut his mouth and crossed his arms. She looked expectantly at Syra. “He didn’t touch me.” Syra licked her lips. “Tara, can’t I answer these questions privately?” Tara smiled and before Torgo could react to Syra’s suggestion that he leave she said simply, “No.” “Fine then, he told me to never undermine his authority again. If I did, there would be no one who could save me from the punishment I’d get.” Tara didn’t bat an eye and Torgo was unreadable as he stood several feet away, leaning on the back of a chair. “Go on,” Tara said after Syra was silent a minute. “There’s more.”

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Syra glared at Tara as if somehow all of this was her fault. “I’ll tell you what he said later.” She spoke between clenched teeth, her eyes widening at Tara, almost begging. “You’ll tell me what he said now.” Tara pushed her seat back and stood, fixing her gaze on Syra. “He said he would enjoy watching Torgo make a hypocrite of himself.” Syra took a deep breath. “He said Torgo would prove his Bryon blood when he made a mistress out of me.” Darius strolled into the room at the exact same moment Syra spit the words at Tara. Geeves followed on the Lord’s heels, not bothering to look up from the landlink he held in his hands. “I see I got here just in time.” He spoke way too cheerfully but Tara noticed him look straight at his brother. The grin he gave his brother showed his challenge. His eyes clearly said, try and not make a hypocrite out of yourself. Tara looked quickly at Torgo. Somehow he managed to keep his expression nonchalant although his brother’s signals were rather obvious. Torgo had spent winters reminding his brother how he’d tarnished the family name by taking so many women and then being unfaithful to Tara. Not to mention creating a bastard that roamed Nuworld somewhere. And how only time and good behavior would have the nation believing the Bryons were great warriors and men of integrity. Tara had heard the lecture from the younger brother to the older for winters. There was no way Darius would allow those words to go unnoticed now that Torgo was obviously showing interest in Syra. Although Tara prayed the interest stemmed from concern for her wellbeing, and not lust. Darius walked over to Tara and planted a loving kiss on her cheek. “You look absolutely beautiful,” he whispered into her ear. His good mood bothered her and she looked at him suspiciously. Dark gray eyes danced in front of her. He knew something—or he’d done something—and she would have to wait to see what it was. Darius threw another look to his brother and then gestured. “Please, be seated.” Fulga appeared to announce Jolee, Trev and Fartha. Within moments, all of them were seated around the large round table. Syra sat opposite Tara and Darius, and Torgo sat down next to her, ignoring his brother’s curious look. “Syra, tell me now what I saw between you and Sorg last night.” Darius spoke calmly, but there was fire in his eyes. It was almost as if he knew the answer and wanted to see if she’d get it right. Syra suddenly jumped up from the table and walked over to the window. She turned and looked at all the expectant faces. “First of all, I’m going to make it damn clear that I did what I did to protect this nation.” She wagged her finger at Darius. “To protect Gothman, more specifically. To protect the way of life we love from mistakes that you’ve made.”

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She glared at Darius, and Tara felt the tension radiate from his body. He fought to maintain composure. She’d give him credit for that but his expression filled with malice. Tara fought for her own composure as well. Syra shouldn’t point blame on the Lord of Gothman, but she did. And there was only one mistake she could think of that was specifically Darius’ fault. Tara began trembling, and placed her hands on her knees. Torgo turned sideways in his chair. He watched Darius but would turn to look at Syra then back at Darius again. There was no doubt that he also understood Syra’s meaning. It was a sore subject from a past best forgotten, one that was not brought up in this household…and Syra had just brought it up.

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Chapter Eleven “Everything I’m about to tell you is on the disc I gave you.” Syra leaned against her chair and stared at the seven people around the table. Fulga stepped into the room hesitantly with a tray, holding coffee and cups. She shot Darius nervous glances out of the corner of her eye as she placed the tray on the table and then backed off uncertainly. Tara realized Fulga and Cali were in the house and more than likely eavesdropping on the discussion in the room. The tension in the room alone qualified the situation to provide coveted gossip. “We’ll need nothing else.” Darius waved his hand at Fulga, dismissing her. “Shut the door behind you.” The room grew quiet then until Syra cleared her throat to gather everyone’s attention. “Certain things happened while I was with the Barringswood tribe that I knew needed documentation. I started a diary, so to speak, of my daily events but as things escalated I realized I would need to do a fair bit of explaining if it were discovered that I was documenting these things.” Syra looked at Torgo. The tiny stones woven into the many braids in her hair rocked back and forth when she moved her head. Her skin glowed a dark bronze from being outside, and her muscles moved with her movements, showing how fit she was. Her green eyes glowed as she studied Torgo’s face. She radiated health and physical fitness, and the shiny black shirt she wore tucked into leather pants showed off her firm breasts and flat stomach. When Syra spoke again it was as if she spoke only to Torgo. “Some of the messages are encoded. I figured when I gave it to you, you’d either find them or I’d show them to you when the time was right.” She looked back up at Tara. “I didn’t know the Tree People were here when I arrived at the Blood Circle Clan site. I left the Barringswood tribe and went back to the River People for a few days before coming home. I hadn’t heard anything about the Barringswood coming here.” “You were right, of course,” she continued, shifting her gaze now to Darius. He leaned back and crossed his arms, staring intently at her. “It was foolish of me to think I could fool you on such a matter. I’ve been with Sorg. The surprise you saw on his face was because he thought I was one of the River People. I adopted the River People’s culture, and appeared to be one of them while living with the Tree People.” Syra paused and reached for a cup of water, sipped it, then continued. “I doubted the Tree People were familiar with us and I didn’t feel like standing out. You see, their culture is quite different from anything I’d ever experienced. The Barringswood tribe members look different, and possess this telepathic ability that none of the other tribes 79

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of the Tree People possess. They all have these incredible, intense green eyes and are revered by the other tribes. It’s almost like they’re the gods over the rest of the tribes. The Barringswoods are educated. They dress like royalty, use modern technology, and teach of a god who sounds a lot like Crator, but they call him Yawa. All the other tribes are uneducated and work hard at manual labor to support themselves and the Barringswood. They are servants to the Barringswood tribe.” “How big is their tribe?” Tara asked. All heads turned to her and then back to Syra. “The Barringswood tribe has over five hundred people, I think. They all have red hair and deep green eyes. If you make eye contact with them they can pull thoughts from you. There are at least ten other tribes that I documented, some of them larger than the Barringswood tribe, but all of them ignorant. They all serve the Barringswoods willingly.” “When we first arrived among the Tree People it was to trade. Several of the Barringswood women favored the hair braiding of the River People and asked a few of us to come to their homes to do their hair. I was one who volunteered to go. Their tribal land isn’t like the rest of the nation. They live in a forest full of trees that are so large you can carve out their trunks and live in them—which is exactly what they do. While I was there I met Sorg and his father and brothers. They were nice people and they treated us like honored guests while we were there. They shared their stories and treated us like equals.” “I lived among them for almost a winter, or falling, as they call it. They had servants who waited on us hand and foot. Everyone had at least two servants who accompanied them everywhere, guessing your needs before asked. Sorg’s mama, Marda, asked me to stay with them for a while and be her personal hair braider, and in return she would share their history and technology with me. She told me she sensed I craved the knowledge and she couldn’t think of better payment. She was right, of course. It was while I lived in their house that I slept with Sorg. It was casual, after a large party they’d thrown, and I never gave much thought to it afterward. I don’t think he did either. It’s also quite trivial in comparison to what I have to tell you, but of course, it’s what you would notice.” Her tone wasn’t as vindictive as it had been earlier. She sounded almost tired and moved to sit back down in her chair. She sighed deeply and then leaned forward. Her eyes fell directly on Darius, even though she shot Tara a quick glance. “One of Marda’s servants is a young boy of about thirteen winters. He has blond curls that fall past his shoulders with gray eyes. He bears a resemblance to Andru—a strong resemblance, like they could be related. At first, it never crossed my mind who he might be.” She shrugged. “It was the furthest thing from my mind. There were too many other things going on. Marda kept him with her always, even though I noticed he didn’t do much to help like her other servants did. As I grew closer to her I asked her where he came from. All the other Tree People are dark-haired with dark eyes. They aren’t muscular like Gothman or Runners, and as Beel, that’s the boy’s name, entered 80

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his thirteenth season, he took on a growth spurt. Over the summer cycles that I lived with the Barringswoods, we all watched Beel grow and become quite muscular. He didn’t look like any other person I’d seen while with the Tree People.” Syra reached for the coffee and poured herself a cup. She took a long, slow drink and stared directly into Darius’ eyes. She saw no fear, no concern, nothing. It was almost as if she held him in suspense for the end of a good story. The rest of the room was quiet. All the advisors seemed ill at ease and looked down at their laps. Tara had pulled one knee up to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. She chewed on her lower lip and stared out the window, seeming indifferent to the fact that Syra had quit talking. “Marda told me that Beel was one of the many children taken from the Lunians after they were destroyed. They felt it their duty to bring the children into their own homes, since they knew most of them were conceived through hideous crimes and had no heritage.” “She hit it on the head with that one,” Tara mumbled to no one in particular, and everyone in the room moved in their chairs uneasily. Syra ignored her. “If I’d told you all of this last night, Sorg would have pulled those thoughts from both of you the second he saw you. He would realize he has a child under his own roof who is in direct line to rule two very powerful nations.” She glanced toward Torgo, and for a second wanted to reach for him, but instead folded her hands in her lap. “That’s why I refused to talk last night. I was trying to save your ass.” “How long did you know who this child was?” Tara looked like she had an unpleasant taste in her mouth. She wrapped her arms around her knee and body tightly, as if she were cold. “Tara, I can’t just call home the second something comes up that might be of interest to you. You don’t get it, do you? You’ve always known that child was out there somewhere. Not knowing where he was didn’t hurt. It’s the knowing that can do you damage.” “Does this child look like me?” Everyone looked at Darius when he asked the question. “Well, he looks like…” Syra hesitated. “Well, the way Andru looks like you, I guess. He’ll probably look more like you when he gets older.” “So he looks like Andru.” “If you knew one and saw the other, you would do a double take.” “Well, none of the Tree People saw Andru. And I didn’t notice Sorg give me any odd looks.” Darius seemed to be thinking out loud. “All that does is buy us some time,” Tara pointed out. “Wait a minute.” Syra snapped her fingers. “There are pictures on my disc. I mean, I didn’t intentionally take pictures of Beel but he might be in some of them.”

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Darius looked at her for a minute. Tara looked at him. Did he want to know what his son looked like? She felt sick to her stomach. When Darius spoke, he addressed Torgo. “Take her upstairs and go through that disc. I want everything decoded and print all pictures. We might as well learn as much about these people as we can.” “The rest of you, leave us,” Darius said to the advisors. He waited until they’d all left the room and then turned to stare at Tara. Her face was expressionless. She stared back at him for a moment and then leaned her head into her hands and groaned. Darius moved to her side, and then pulled one of the chairs so that he could sit next to her. He didn’t have anything he could say to his claim, so he sat with his hand on her back, and stared out the window, and wondered if the situation with his bastard son needed to be handled, or left alone.

***** “It would be easier if you just let me do it,” Syra said when she and Torgo were upstairs. She plopped down in front of one of the landlinks and noticed the disc she’d turned over to them lying on the table. “I should be able to bring this up for you easily enough.” Torgo sat down next to her and leaned back in the chair. Long muscular legs stretched out in front of him, and his shirt strained against a broad, iron chest. She waited as the landlink buzzed and beeped as it processed her request. Syra turned to look at Torgo’s face. Their eyes met and he smiled—a genuine smile. “Did you enjoy your travels?” “Oh, yes. The River People are always trying to make a profit but they’re pleasant enough.” “And the Tree People?” “They’re different.” Syra laughed. “Once I grew accustomed to the fact that they do nothing—at least the Barringswood tribe—I enjoyed myself.” “They do nothing?” “Oh, they grow things, but only because they’re pretty. They play games and throw parties but the other tribes take care of them.” “I wonder how the Barringswood tribe was able to pull that off?” “The only answer I ever got to that question was that’s how it’s always been.” She began searching the disc now and Torgo leaned forward to watch. He moved even closer when she decoded the hidden files and pulled them up. “It would have taken me a while to have found those,” he muttered. She turned and smiled. “You would have found them.”

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They made eye contact again and simply stared at each other for a moment. Finally, Syra reached to stroke his cheek. “I’ve missed you, Torgo.” Torgo got up quickly and stepped back a few feet. “Syra, I have a claim now. We have three children, our oldest is three, and the twins are one. There’s another one on the way.” “You’ve been busy,” she mumbled without enthusiasm. “She’s Gothman.” “Of course.” Torgo sat back down and crossed his arms. “I’ve taught Rayla how to read and I’ve worked to make her happy.” “I can’t imagine you doing it any other way.” “Syra, she’s a good woman.” “Do you love her?” Syra stared at the monitor. “That has nothing to do with it.” “You said you loved me.” She dared to look at him. “You left.” Torgo sighed but didn’t look at her. “So, do you love her?” “Sure, I love her.” He shrugged now and his gaze met her face, but not her eyes. Syra wasn’t convinced. She gave Torgo one hard look and then stared back at the landlink blinking back tears. Darius was a fool. Torgo gave all those speeches because he meant them. He would be loyal to his claim. “I’ve pulled everything up that you need.” She gestured at the landlink then stood. “You don’t need me here anymore.” “Syra,” he said quietly, and stood up also. He looked forlorn—trapped. “Don’t say anything more.” She held her hand up and touched his chest, but then pulled it away quickly. The heat from his body singed her hand, sending waves of painful flames through her. “I’m not sure I could stand hearing it,” she added, and rubbed her hands together, wanting to keep the heat from touching him, and get rid of it at the same time. “I can’t change the way things are today,” he told her, making it sound too close to an apology. But it was his own doing, and all she could do was wish him well. As tears began to fall, she walked over to the doorway and left the room.

*****

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“I heard you spent a winter with the Tree People.” Ana didn’t know how else to bring up the subject. She walked alongside Syra as they strolled through downtown Byron. A big deal had been made out of her returning home. She’d been there several days and Ana hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to her until now. Syra came to the house a couple of times when she first got home but then spent the next couple of days at the clan site. Ana was thrilled when Syra called her first thing that morning and asked to spend some time with her. Actually, she’d asked to spend time with Andru too, but since their papa decided to increase his military training, Ana saw less of her brother. Right now he was in the south fields doing target practice. So, it was just her and Syra—perfect. “What was it like living with them?” “I liked it.” Syra smiled. “They’re a lot different than we are, though.” “What do you mean?” “Well, they can pull thoughts from you, or at least the tribe I lived with could.” Ana stopped dead in her tracks. A frazzled Gothman mama with a handful of children almost ran into her. Ana heard some rather rude comments as the woman passed by them. “What did you say?” She couldn’t hide her surprise. “What tribe did you live with?” Syra stopped also and stepped to the side as two Gothman women, in the middle of an animated gossip session, scurried past them. “I lived with the Barringswood tribe and if they look at you they can pull thoughts from you.” Ana felt a cold sweat slowly spread across her body. A slight breeze made her shiver. It had been three days since she’d seen Roth. He’d contacted her once on the landlink but he would only stay on the transmission for a couple of minutes. Here was her opportunity to learn more about him. If she asked the right questions, Syra might be able to tell her how Roth acted at home. But this was the last thing she had expected Syra to say. Was Roth listening to her thoughts when they were together? She blushed in spite of herself. “C-could all of them hear your thoughts?” “They don’t exactly hear your thoughts, but yeah, all the Barringswoods can pull thoughts.” They began walking again although neither of them paid attention to the stores they passed. “At least, the way it was explained to me, when they make eye contact with you they can pull thoughts from you and then they hear them in their own thoughts. They can’t choose what thoughts they pull and it doesn’t hurt when they do it to you.”

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Syra chuckled and smiled as she squeezed Ana’s arm. “Actually, I kind of liked the way it felt, depending on who was pulling thoughts from you. Sometimes it felt like they were trying to pull you off your feet with their eyes.” Suddenly Ana felt very angry. Roth never mentioned, or even implied that he could get thoughts out of her head. What did he know about her that she didn’t offer? Had he pulled some thought that made him not want to have sex with her? She felt used and embarrassed all at once. “Are you okay?” Syra leaned forward to stare into Ana’s face. “All of a sudden you don’t look so good.” “No, I’m fine. I just imagined how hard it would be to keep your thoughts under control if you ran into a good-looking guy. Were there a lot of good-looking guys there?” Syra laughed and pulled Ana’s hair back away from her face. “I can’t believe how fast you’ve grown up. Yeah, I thought there were a fair amount of good-looking guys. They’re not built like our men are and all the Barringswood tribe have red hair and bright green eyes. You can tell there’s something different about their eyes as soon as you see them, but not many people would guess it’s because they can pull thoughts. It actually puts them at an excellent military advantage. I’m sure Sorg knew a lot about Darius and Tara the second he saw them.” “Did you know Sorg and his family?” Ana knew Syra would say things that would allow her to direct the questioning. This was perfect. She could get Syra to talk about Sorg and his family and see if she said anything about Roth. “I lived with Marda, his mama. It’s pretty incredible, Ana, when you get to see how other people live. The Tree People live in trees. Some of the trees in their forest are incredibly large. They carve out the trunks and make rooms and they build more rooms up in the branches. Some of the houses were pretty fancy.” “I’d like to see them someday.” Ana remembered Roth describing his house to her. “Was it just you and Marda in a house?” “Well, there were the servants. I wasn’t alone too often. Sorg had his own home but his younger brothers lived with us, although there was only one left at home by the time I left.” “So, you lived with a bunch of guys?” Ana smiled teasingly at Syra. “There were two of them. The older one moved in with Sorg and the younger one was ten seasons old—that’s what they call winters.” This was going really well. She’d have all the information she could get on Roth from Syra. It was easier than she thought. It wouldn’t sound obvious at all for her to ask about the older, then the younger brother. It fit in with the conversation perfectly. Ana smiled, and waited to ask the next question until they’d crossed the street. When Fulga heard they were going to take a walk downtown and do some shopping in several of the different stores, the older lady had thrust a list of things that she needed

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from the market into Ana’s hand. The market was across the street and they hurried along with many other Gothman mamas and children. “I don’t believe it.” Ana froze and grabbed Syra’s arm. “What is it?” Syra looked confused as she quickly glanced around the busy downtown area. “Quick, come over here.” Ana almost pulled Syra along as she hurried across the street and then moved along the sidewalk quickly. She stopped when they reached a sewing supply store and Ana focused on the items in the window. “Just act normal,” she whispered. “What is going on?” Syra whispered back. Ana discreetly pointed to a couple ten feet or so away from them, standing next to some large trash bins, almost hidden from view. A large Gothman in military attire spoke to a small Gothman woman who held a baby in each arm and had another one holding onto her leg. “Are you talking about those two over there?” As Syra watched, the large man bent down and kissed the woman. “Oh Crator!” Ana turned her back to the couple and her hand went to her mouth. “I don’t believe it. Shit, what do I do?” “Would you mind telling me what you’re talking about?” “Syra, that’s Rayla—Torgo’s claim.”

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Chapter Twelve Ana pulled the folded piece of paper out of her pocket as she moved down the hallway, past her parent’s bedroom, and toward the landlink room. She’d almost fallen asleep waiting for Torgo to go home. Maybe if he didn’t spend so much time in that landlink room, his claim wouldn’t be fooling around on him. She’d decided not to mention what she saw to her uncle but the only way she’d been able to pull that off was to avoid him all together. Ana crept into the room and slipped the flat portable landlink that Torgo kept in the room for emergencies under her arm, and then hurried back to her room. She’d printed directions on how to reach Roth, since she took the bigger risk at being discovered when she contacted him. He told her in the message that she could contact him at her convenience if she used this particular transmission. She sat cross-legged on her bed, ready to cover the landlink with her blanket if anyone entered the room, and typed in the instructions from his note. “Ana, I’ve been waiting for you to contact me. I can’t believe it’s only been a week since I’ve seen you. I miss you.” Ana’s heart jumped. He missed her. She hadn’t printed the message he’d sent her yesterday until early this morning, before Uncle Torgo and her papa took over the landlink room. She hadn’t been able to respond until now. “I’m sorry I couldn’t talk to you sooner. I’ve missed you, too. My activities have been increased. I’ve been pretty busy.” “Why are they keeping you so busy? Does anyone know about us?” “I don’t think so. My papa decided it was time Andru and I began training to rule.” “You will rule some day?” “Not by Gothman law, but I can rule the Blood Circle Clan and maybe all the Runners. My parents argue about it.” “I wish I had something like that in my future. Unless my brother dies, I will never rule. My brother thinks I will make a good diplomat. So, I will leave tomorrow for the Rangbak tribe. Ana, this tribe is closer to Bryton than any other tribe. It’s straight across the mountains from you. I can’t stand not seeing you. Please, I don’t like talking to you like this.” Ana watched the letters as they appeared across her screen. She smiled as she read them, and then her heart raced as she thought of actually seeing Roth. She read his last sentence and then typed again. “I know why you said that. You can’t see my eyes this way.”

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There was a long pause before anything appeared on her screen. Had she made him mad by saying this to him? He should have told her. She had to mention it and clear the air about it. It was frustrating that she was the one who had to bring it up. But she couldn’t know that he could pull her thoughts and not mention it to him. Besides, the next time he saw her, he’d immediately know that she knew. Oh Crator! The next time I see him… “I should have told you.” “Yes, you should have.” “I was afraid I’d scare you away.” “I don’t scare that easily.” “Then will you come see me?” “Yes.” Ana didn’t sleep at all that night. After sneaking the landlink back to the landlink room, she lay staring at her ceiling and planning her escape. It wouldn’t take long at all to get to the mountains if she flew directly west, less than an hour she guessed. But what excuse could she come up with to be gone for a while? She needed alibis and the only one she had was Andru. But with him playing war games out in the field, he couldn’t very well vouch for her whereabouts. There was no one else who would keep her secret. Absolutely no one. Was there anywhere she could be for several hours by herself? She doubted it. Her parents already thought she was a little too wild for her age. By dawn Ana knew what she had to do. But she wanted Roth to know before she did it. Her actions would put him into serious jeopardy as well as her. Ana flew out from under her blankets and crept down the hallway once again to the landlink room. Every sound in the large house put her nerves on edge. She got the landlink back to her room and quickly sent her message to Roth. Was he asleep? How long would she have to wait for the message to be answered? She tapped the side of the landlink and strained her ears to hear any sound of movement outside her bedroom door. Floorboards squeaked somewhere in the house, and her heart nearly came up in her mouth. There were no other sounds. When she looked back down at the landlink she was surprised to see Roth had responded. “Ana, are you serious? Do you mean it?” She bit her lip and typed quickly. “There is no way I can slip away unnoticed. If I go, it will have to be for good. I don’t know what kind of trouble would occur if I’m caught with you. I do know it won’t be good for either of us.” “I’ll take that chance. My servants are loyal. I can protect you.” This was serious. Ana could hardly breathe. She was going to run away from home. Granted this could jeopardize her standing with her mama, and the Runners. But she

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was going to go to Roth—and he wanted her to come to him. Eventually Mama would see that Roth was a good man. Ana was sure of it. Andru’s bedroom door opened across the hallway and her heart literally exploded. She gasped for breath as she quickly told Roth she’d see him later that day and ended the transmission. She’d barely slid the flat landlink under the blanket when her door opened slowly and Andru stuck his head into her room. “You’re awake?” He looked sincerely surprised. “What do you want?” She suddenly didn’t appreciate her lack of privacy. She regretted sounding so harsh, though. Andru cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at her. He slipped into her room the rest of the way and shut her door quietly. She pulled her blankets up around her, but her face, if not her actions, must have betrayed her because Andru’s eyes suddenly narrowed. He moved before she could react and yanked her blanket away. “It’s not like you to hide things from me, Ana.” He looked at the landlink that the blanket had covered and then at her face. “What’s going on?” She didn’t answer right away, predominantly because she was trying to figure out what to say. Her brother’s tone was harsher than usual and his face showed concern. He didn’t plop down on her bed as he usually did. Instead, he gave her a sorrowful look and turned to look out her window. “It’s Roth, isn’t it?” She didn’t answer and he didn’t turn around. “I wonder if I made a mistake by letting you stay with him last week.” She jumped out of bed and walked over to stand behind him. She hesitated at first but then slowly, she placed her hand on his back. He flinched at her touch but then he turned and took her hand in his. “The dog-woman woke me up this morning and told me to come to you. You’re putting yourself into more danger than you realize by doing what you plan.” She looked up at him, but still she didn’t answer. What could she say? She knew her plan was dangerous but it wasn’t like she’d get killed or anything. Here was where she and Andru differed by nature. He lacked the drive for adventure that she craved. This was the adventure of a lifetime and there was no way she’d miss out on it. “My sweet, dear sister.” He cupped her face with his hands and stared into her eyes. “There is so much you don’t know.” “I can fight better than you can.” She spoke quickly, stubbornly and with enough arrogance to make him smile—a sad smile. “Yes, you can. And I hope to have you with me when I rule someday.” “You will. I’ll rule the Runners.” She backed away from him, tossing her hair over her shoulder and then grabbing some clothes.

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“Tell me what your plans are. The dog-woman said you were leaving and to come to you right away. You can’t leave without me knowing where you are. What if something happened to you?” “Roth will take care of me.” Some emotion traveled across Andru’s face. Ana watched his gray eyes darken and his jaw clench. She felt a surge of animosity that she wasn’t accustomed to experiencing from her brother. The impulse to step back from him surprised her. Andru would never hurt her. “When will you be back?” She’d never heard him use that tone with her before. His eyes grew darker with the control he exerted over the many emotions attacking him. She noticed his entire body tense. She probably should have been afraid of him, but he was Andru. And at the moment, all she needed to do was console him. “I don’t know, Andru.” He flashed outraged fury at her and then turned quickly as if looking for something to throw, or break, anything to vent his anger. She made it harder by walking to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’ll be okay, trust me,” she said and relaxed her cheek against his back. “I could force you to stay, you know.” He whispered the words, still not turning to embrace her. “I know. I want to do this. I have to do this. Andru, I love him.” Slowly, he turned and wrapped his arms around his twin sister and held her tightly. “I hope I can do this again soon,” he whispered in her ear.

***** “Have you had enough to eat?” Balbo scraped the pan over the stove. “I’m fine, Papa.” Syra drew circles in the eggs on her plate, and then dunked her biscuit into them. There was a knock on their trailer door and the old man moved to answer it. “Are you expecting anyone?” he asked and looked at his daughter who had her eyes fixed on the door. “Frig, come in,” Syra said, as she stood and moved her plate to the counter. “Papa, do you remember Frig?” “Ah, yes, you’re one of Tara’s guards now, aren’t you?” Balbo shook hands with the Runner who entered in full uniform. “Yes, sir, I am.” Frig then looked at Syra. “In fact, I have to report soon. I can’t stay long.” “Well, I’ll leave you two kids alone.” Balbo reached for his headscarf.

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“No, Papa, you don’t have to leave.” Syra smiled at her papa’s questioning look. She gestured and the tall, well-built Runner moved to join her at the table. “I think everything you want is on this disc.” Frig handed a square landlink disc to Syra and then looked awkwardly at his hands. “Syra, what are you going to do with this information?” Balbo raised an eyebrow as his daughter handed Frig a stack of money. Frig stuffed it into his pocket then leaned back and looked at Syra. “What exactly do you have?” Syra looked at the disc in her hand. “Just what you asked for. I got pictures, recorded dialogue and accounts of when they met and where. It’s pretty deadly evidence and the Gothman have certain laws. I’m sure you have enough there to have the claim dissolved…if that’s what you’re aiming for.” Frig paused for a moment and studied Syra. Balbo leaned against the counter. He had a look of understanding and concern on his face and he too watched his daughter. “I’m just saying that if this information became public, which it will if the claim is dissolved, it could be rather humiliating for Torgo.” “It’s humiliating for him now,” Syra argued. Frig stood and pulled his Runner headscarf over his head. “Just think it through very carefully,” he said, nodded to Balbo, and then left the trailer. “What have you done?” Balbo asked when they were alone. “I asked Frig to document evidence that Rayla, Torgo’s claim, is having an affair.” Syra sighed as she flipped the disc in her hand. “It wasn’t too hard to do.” Balbo just stared at her a moment, his expression torn with emotion. “Don’t worry, Papa. I don’t have any false illusions that this will bring Torgo back to me. I’ve lost him and I accept that. He doesn’t deserve the embarrassment, though, and I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Shit, Papa, the bitch is sleeping with a Gothman—with Torgo’s nephew. Doesn’t he have a right to know?” “Yes. He should be told delicately though and you’re right that he’ll be upset with whoever brings him the news. What are you going to do?” “I’m going to take the information to Darius, I think.” “Darius? Why not Tara?” “It’s not a Runner issue. He can make things happen without a lot of noise. He respects his brother and he’ll handle it best.” It sure wasn’t because she wanted to rub anything in Darius’ face. Her father looked at her oddly. “Do what you think is best.” A while later Syra entered the Bryon house without knocking and headed for the kitchen. She’d lived in the house for a number of winters when she was the twin’s nanny. The place still felt like home. Fulga and Cali chatted in the dining room and Syra went in to say hi.

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“Syra, what are you doing here?” Cali smiled warmly at her good friend since childhood. “I’ve been wondering when we would have time to spend together.” “That sounds good.” Syra returned the warm greeting. “Right now I have a matter I need to discuss…” “Tara has gone to Taratown, she has.” Fulga also managed a smile. “I don’t think she’ll be back until the end of the day, no. You may join us for coffee and rolls if you like. Share your stories with us, if you will.” “Actually, is Lord Darius here?” Both women gave her a curious look. Fulga recovered first. “I’ll see if he can see you.” She moved to leave the room. “No, that’s okay. I don’t want to be announced.” “Syra, I don’t think that’s a good—” but Syra had already left the dining room and headed for the conference room. She almost ran into Ana as she came down the stairs. “Hi there.” “What are you up to?” Syra smiled at Ana but the girl avoided her eyes. Just like me when I was a teenager, Syra thought to herself. “Ana is studying Runner law now. We’re off to the clan site.” Cali walked up to Ana and tugged on one of the braids that hung in loops on the back of Ana’s head. “Come join us later. We’ll be at my trailer.” “Sounds good,” Syra said and then turned toward Darius’ office. She was glad neither of them asked why she was there. She saw Fulga standing in Darius’ office doorway as she turned the corner. “And I’m sure I don’t know what she’s here to talk to you about, I don’t.” She heard the old woman say. Fulga jumped and then looked scornfully at Syra when she came up behind her. “Thanks for announcing me.” She smiled sweetly at the old woman who didn’t smile back when she squeezed past her and entered Darius’ office. “May I speak to you alone?” she asked, glancing at Geeves. Darius cocked his head at her and she thought she saw a hint of amusement on his face. At least he appeared to be in a good mood. He nodded at Geeves who then made a ceremony about gathering his things before he stood and watched Syra carefully as he walked past her. “What do you want?” Darius’ expression didn’t change once they were alone. “Is it true you can dissolve a claim if there is just cause?” Darius slowly leaned forward against his desk and gave her a wary look. “Now why would you ask me a question like that? What have you done?” “I haven’t done anything. I just documented what was already going on.” She held out the disc but Darius made no move to take it from her. “Darius, I was downtown

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several days ago and saw something I wasn’t supposed to see. In fact, I’m sure no one was supposed to see it.” Darius leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. A slow, rather cruel smile spread across his face and Syra felt sweat break out on her forehead. He was a big man and the way he held his arms up every muscle flexed. His dark gray eyes seemed condescending. “Don’t tell me you have some of your dead aunt’s traits in you?” He smiled as he spoke. How dare he! “I’m nothing like Tasha. If I were, I wouldn’t care about Torgo’s feelings, and I’d already be in his bed,” she almost yelled in her anger. “You raise your voice to me again and I’ll throw you out of here.” “I’m sorry.” Syra smiled and moved to the chair in front of his desk where Geeves had been. “Darius, I don’t want to be difficult. That’s why I’m here.” She looked down, finding it hard to say her next words. “I need your advice so I make sure to do the right thing.” Darius stared at her and said nothing. She tapped the disc on his desk. “I had Rayla followed for several days. She’s having an affair. She’s making a fool of Torgo and if it was made public he’d be humiliated.” “He’ll be humiliated anyway. Who’s she with?” Syra handed him the disc. This time he took it and turned to shove it into his landlink. Within a minute, a picture of one of his own guards appeared on his screen. It was Mik, Darius and Torgo’s nephew, son of Mikel, their dead brother. Darius drew in a long breath. “I’ll handle this,” he said, making her aware that she’d just been dismissed. Syra got up and moved quietly to the door. “It looks like you’re getting what you wanted all along, aren’t you?” “No, Darius.” She turned and worked to keep her emotions off her face. “Torgo won’t come to me. Oh, I won’t deny wanting him. But he made it clear to me when I first got here that he had a claim and he would be faithful. He’s not a hypocrite—I wish he was, but he’s not.” “If his claim is dissolved he’ll be a free man.” “And he’ll be outraged. He won’t want anything to do with me.” She looked up from the floor and focused on Darius. “Especially if he knows I’m the one who had the information compiled.” She looked down quickly then turned and left his office. “You don’t fool me for a minute,” Darius said quietly to himself. “You have some of your Aunt Tara in you, too. You get what you want.” His expression turned grim when he turned back to his landlink.

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Chapter Thirteen Ana thought she’d never get away from Cali. They spent over three hours studying laws and amendments. Ana found Runner history fascinating but she couldn’t concentrate. Syra showed up and caused them to sit there for another hour. Ana felt her stomach tie into knots when they finally left for home and lunch. Now she was alone. Cali left Ana to join Andru in the fields for war games. At most she had three hours or so before she’d be missed. Not much time. She’d prepared a small bag of clothes and toiletries earlier that morning and hid it in the shed before she’d gone to breakfast. Her heart pounded as she entered the kitchen after lunch was cleaned up and Fulga wobbled off elsewhere. She grabbed several rolls and wrapped some loose meat in paper then stuffed them in a bag. She smiled at Mirak as she sauntered through the backyard to her glider. His expression was guarded as he nodded to her. No one had ever mentioned his stolen glider or missing clothes. She strapped the two bags to her glider by her feet where they wouldn’t be noticed. Two guards watched her leave the ground on her glider and head south toward the fields where the war games were held. When she felt certain she was out of view from her home, Ana veered and flew to the east. She punched buttons on her landlink to make sure she followed the course Roth had sent her. Then she pushed the glider to full speed, and watched the countryside beneath her race by in a blur. Waves of excitement and fear surged through her, forcing her heart to pump faster and blood to flow through her veins with an energy she couldn’t define. She didn’t know what to expect when she reached the other side of the mountains, and she had no idea what lay in store for her immediate future, and that realization thrilled her. Her routine life was behind her, and the unknown lay ahead. Ana couldn’t wait to get started on her adventure. But as she flew over the majestic mountains, the thrill of adventure grew clouded with fear. The mountains were jagged rock, with tall, thin evergreens scattered in patches. She reached their peaks and couldn’t help moving in closer to get a better view of the snow-covered rocks and valleys. Her landlink logged her course and she saved it to memory. She had no idea when she’d return home but it would help to know how to get there. It wasn’t until she started descending the other side that the nerves returned. Trees like no others she’d seen in her life grew for miles and miles below her. She saw no sign of any people and resorted to her landlink for help. There were twenty people on the ground right on the edge of the forest. She couldn’t see them from her glider and wasn’t about to fly up to a group of people in a nation she’d never been to before. 94

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She landed on the side of the mountain, and climbed off her glider and stretched. There was a sweet smell in the air that wasn’t on the other side of the mountain. She reached for her viewer and scanned the forest. The trees were extraordinary. Their leaves were a rich green and at least several feet long. As she adjusted her viewer she saw the branches were incredibly large as well. The forest was thick and she couldn’t see through the branches to the trunks of the trees or to the ground. “Hello, beautiful.” The sound of the man’s voice behind her made her jump and she let out a yelp. She turned quickly and stared into Roth’s grinning face. “Roth,” she whispered, and relished the sensation as he met her eyes and pulled her into him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe I’m here. But why didn’t I detect you? All I picked up was a group of people at the edge of the forest.” “This side of the mountain has a landlink-enforced field on it. Your equipment won’t be able to detect anything. Our camp is right on the edge of the field so you could detect it.” They were still in each other’s arms and she had no desire to move. She was experiencing that same feeling she had when they were together last. Not once had she ever felt like this when Andru held her. Roth finally pushed her to arm’s length and looked down at her. She met his gaze evenly and smiled as the pulling sensation gripped her. Not once did she look away. “You don’t look away from me,” he whispered. “I have nothing to hide,” she answered and grinned. He shook his head as if to clear her from him. “How much time do you have before you figure you’ll be missed?” “About three hours, but I’ve already used up one of those hours getting here.” “Okay, we don’t have much time.” He looked up and gestured with several fingers. Suddenly there were a handful of servants surrounding them and Roth quickly issued instructions to everyone. Within minutes they were boarding gliders that looked similar to the Neurian gliders Ana studied in her classes. There was a bench to sit on instead of a motorcycle seat to straddle. They were controlled by two small handlebars and the configuration of their dash was completely different. The domes that covered them were tinted black and she couldn’t see Roth once he closed himself into his glider. She flew slowly down the mountain surrounded by his guards and servants. Roth flew very close to her and she felt his presence even though she couldn’t see him. The small campsite quickly stirred to action when Roth landed. He jumped out of his glider then came over to stand by Ana as she climbed off hers. Ignoring the curious glances of his men, Ana allowed Roth to guide her past a large open fire pit to a long dome-shaped trailer parked next to a tree trunk that was almost the same size. She looked up at the tree in amazement.

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“You’ll grow accustomed to them soon enough.” He smiled and gestured to the trailer. “As I said, we have no time to waste. Consider this your home away from home.” “Oh shit,” she said, using an inaccurate word for the plush setting inside the trailer. “I was hoping you’d think more of it than that.” Roth laughed and tapped her nose. “We’re here only to get you and now we must keep moving to our destination. Geli? Are you in here?” Ana turned as a timid-looking woman not much older than she, entered the room from wooden doors that appeared to open to a bedroom. Her attire was simple with a long, pale brown dress that fell straight to her ankles. She wore shoes that looked like they might be made out of tree leaves. Her coarse black hair was cut short just below her ears. Her creamy white skin wrapped around a bony frame. She looked malnourished. “Geli will be your personal servant. She will provide anything you wish. She has instructions to transform you during our day’s journey.” “Transform me?” She looked from Geli, who kept her gaze respectfully on the floor, up to Roth’s handsome face. “Sweet lady,” he said stroking her chin. “Your beauty would have you noticed in any tribe the second you left this trailer. No one on this side of the mountains has golden curls and smoky eyes like you have. I’ll do nothing about your eyes, I couldn’t bear to change them. But we will turn the rest of you into a lady of Barringswood tribe.” He gestured to her body and hair as he spoke. “We’ll dye your hair a soft red, I think, and there are several outfits for you to try on in the bedroom. Geli will style your hair after it’s dried. Tonight, you’ll be a new woman.” Ana felt excited and scared all at once. Roth ignored Geli’s presence and placed his fingers on her chin to lift her face to his. “I doubt we can make you more beautiful than you are right now, though.” Ana felt his breath when he whispered into her face and his kiss burned her lips. She gasped from the sensations she felt and then whimpered when he withdrew. “Get to work, Geli.” Roth glanced at the servant then squeezed Ana’s hand and was out the door. “Mistress, we’ll start with your hair, if you like.” Geli curtsied slightly and kept her head down as she moved toward another room, indicating Ana should follow. Ana was surprised to see a large kitchen, designed completely in a pale yellow wood. She ran her fingers along the top of the table admiring the golden-looking woodwork. The surface was as hard and smooth as marble. “What kind of wood is this?” she asked when Geli gently pressed against her back, silently requesting Ana bend over a large sink. Geli had undone Ana’s braids and then brushed her hair liberally. She’d wrapped a large cloth around Ana’s shoulders. And now she poured delightfully warm water over her hair and prepared to wash it.

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“It’s buffed Woo wood.” Geli’s fingers worked magic on Ana’s scalp. “It grows so hard from the salt in the water that they have to use a special knife to carve it.” “Salt in water? They put salt in the water and it makes the trees hard?” Ana tried to turn to look at Geli, but the young girl held her head firmly with her fingers. It sounded like Geli stifled a giggle and Ana strained her eyes to see her. The mousy woman literally cowered from Ana’s sight and began to wrap and squeeze the excess water from her hair. “The salt’s already in the water, Mistress.” Geli’s hands again massaged Ana’s hair as she got ready to apply the dye. “Do you have a mirror, Geli?” Ana lost all thoughts of salt in water. She suddenly realized what was happening. Her blonde curls were going away. Syra had come home with a style from the River People. She was beautiful and wore her unique hairstyle with pride. It didn’t bother her to change the color of her hair but she wanted to see her natural color one last time. Geli wheeled a full-length mirror into Ana’s view. She couldn’t believe the intricate carving surrounding the glass and reached to run her finger along it. “This is incredible,” she whispered. “The Seergoon tribe is known for their wood carving. That has their mark. I’m sure it’s from there.” Geli focused on her task and didn’t look at the mirror. Ana watched while Geli applied dye to her hair. She used a brush of sorts with coarse bristles that tickled her scalp. The dye brought out every curl and wave in her waist-length hair. Once the woman covered every bit of her hair she wrapped the cloth that had been around Ana’s shoulders over her hair, then twisted it until it was secure on her head. “While the color sets, I can show you the outfits the Master brought for you.” Geli finished washing her hands then gestured for Ana to follow. The outfits stunned Ana as Geli presented them one at a time. The first was a gold pantsuit. She slipped the leggings on first, which felt like silk against her skin and boldly showed off her firm flat stomach and long muscular legs. Geli pushed the fulllength mirror into the bedroom so Ana could see how she looked. “I can’t believe how beautiful it is.” Ana ran her hands up and down her hips. “It will be even more beautiful with the blouse that goes with it.” Ana reached to take her Runner jacket off, but Geli’s voice and shocked expression stopped her. “Oh no, Mistress.” “Did I do something wrong?” Ana wondered if there might be a certain way she should handle her jacket. “A Barringswood doesn’t dress or undress themselves.” Ana laughed with relief and reached to pull the long silky shirt off the hook it hung on then held it up to her in front of the mirror. “I’m not a Barringswood.”

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“But you will be soon.” Geli smiled, but her smile faded quickly when Ana spun on her. “What did you say?” Ana was sure she hadn’t heard correctly. “Mistress, I meant no harm. The Master didn’t say it was a secret. He told us all before you arrived that we were picking up his new bride.”

***** Several hours later, Ana stood admiring the warm red curls that fell loosely down her back. She’d decided on a black outfit that appeared to be the most conservative. It was a skin-tight dress made out of material so soft and light she felt almost nude. The collar came up high around her neck but the dress was sleeveless, which accentuated her firm breasts. The hemline hugged her hips and curved inward down her legs. The dress ended at her shins and Geli had stripped off Ana’s boots and slipped narrow, black, laced sandals on her feet. A black jacket made out of a see-through material but dark enough that it allowed her some modesty, finished off the outfit. The sleeves on the jacket were long and narrow but the rest of it hung loosely to the floor like a cape. “You’re stunning, Mistress.” Geli stood back admiring her work with approval. “The Master will be most pleased.” A high-pitched beep sounded outside, and Ana turned curiously to the window then looked at Geli. “We’ve stopped now. I’d guess we’ve arrived at the Seergoon tribe. If I may leave, Mistress, I’ll bring you your food.” “Why don’t I go with you?” Geli’s hands went to her mouth in disbelief. “Go with me?” she whispered in horror. “I’d be whipped for sure.” She backed away from Ana and hurried out the door quickly as if she feared being seen leaving with Ana. This was going to take getting accustomed to. She didn’t know how to act in front of Geli and wasn’t sure how much the woman knew about her. She stared into the mirror again and spun around allowing herself to indulge in a little vanity. She was beautiful, even with long red curls. Ana glanced out a long window after some time had passed and Geli hadn’t returned. She was surprised to see it was dark outside and her thoughts suddenly went to her family. There was no doubt they’d know she was missing by now. Her stomach tied into knots and her heart swelled to her throat and began pounding furiously. They would conduct an extensive search, and she knew eventually they’d come looking this direction for her.

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The thought that her papa might attack the Tree People in order to find her never crossed her mind—until now. Oh Crator, would he do such a thing? Damn straight he would. What about Andru? Would he tell them where she went? She knew he would eventually, but would it be sooner or later? Her heart raced when it occurred to her that she’d put Roth into danger. Did he realize the risks in agreeing to take her with him? Certainly he did. She couldn’t allow blood to be shed just because of her adventure. She loved Roth and wanted to be with him, but she wouldn’t let her papa attack these people because of her. She thought about finding her glider, and getting her landlink so she could send a massage to Andru, when Geli returned. Strange aromas filled the trailer as the young woman silently took covered dishes off a large tray and arranged them on the table in the main room. Ana walked slowly to the doorway to watch, not sure what behavior was expected of her. Some of her fear subsided and was replaced by excitement when she noticed Geli setting the table for two. The servant finished her work without a word and then left the trailer after quickly curtsying in Ana’s direction. Ana walked slowly over to peek at the food on the dishes when the trailer door opened again. “Ana, look at you. Are you possibly more beautiful than before?” Roth reached for her hand and began kissing her fingers, licking and sucking each one tenderly before pulling her to him. He found her lips and kissed her savagely. She gasped with delight as his mouth ravished hers and she reached on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck. His hands moved up and down her skin-tight dress and she felt incredibly exposed and at his mercy. The sensations sent fire through her and a created liquid heat between her legs. “Oh, Roth,” she moaned when his lips began traveling down her neck. He lifted his head and smiled into her eyes. “I want you too, sweet Ana, but we better eat this food before we forget ourselves.” He pulled out a chair for her then served her before sitting and serving himself. Once again, she found the food to be absolutely delicious but didn’t ask for an explanation this time on what it was she ate. Roth attacked his food with a vigorous appetite and didn’t offer any conversation for several minutes. After half her plate was empty, she took a long drink of a tangy beverage in a tall, very thin green glass, then looked up at Roth. No Gothman, or Runner, would have turned down a chance to have sex with her, just so they could eat. Her heart swelled. Roth truly was like no other man. “Why did you tell your servants that I was your new bride?” Roth looked up at her with a guilty smile but his expression turned serious after searching her eyes. “A lady of your breeding doesn’t run across Nuworld unattended to meet a man unless their intentions are serious.”

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“Of my breeding? My mama is a Runner. Runner women don’t need an escort to explore other nations. I’m an excellent warrior, Roth.” He reached over the table and took her small hand in his large one. “I’ll be sure to not pick fights with you then,” he said, smiling. “I’m serious, Roth. You’ve got me done up like some delicate flower. Don’t get me wrong, these clothes are wonderful but this is pretending. This isn’t who I really am. I’ll change my hair color but I won’t turn my back on who I am.” “Ana, I’d never expect that of you.” He sounded shocked. “But you aren’t in your culture right now. Tree People wouldn’t understand my traveling with a woman unless you were announced as my bride.” He smiled mischievously. “They would think you were a…” he searched for the right word. “Whore?” she offered. “Exactly. Trust me, you wouldn’t get the same respect that you’re getting now.” “Geli sure seemed determined that I not lift a finger.” Ana shook her head and smiled slightly. “I tried to take my off my jacket and she about had a fit.” “Masters and Mistresses don’t do for themselves.” Roth grinned at her. “It’s not that we can’t dress or bathe or prepare meals for ourselves. It’s just ‘why do it if you don’t have to’ type of thinking. The Barringswood tribe has lived like this for many lives before mine.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “But not to worry, Geli won’t be coming back.” “Why not?” Ana had hoped to spend time talking to the girl and learning more about these people from her. “Her only job was to complete your transition. And look at you. The only problem is your eyes aren’t green. But I guess it will explain why I found you down here. I’ll have to tell some story, you know.” “Your people will pull my thoughts and know the truth.” Ana wondered how they would work around that dilemma. But Roth put her at ease with a pat on her hand. “I won’t allow it. In public you will avert your gaze. No one will question my explanation of you.” “What will you say?” Ana started imagining different stories he might use. “I’ll say I found you teaching the children in one of the tribes down here. I’ll say the tribe treated you with much respect because you obviously have Barringswood blood in you, but your eyes weren’t green so you worked among the tribe’s people. That should work. It’ll bring some scandal to the homeland when we return but we’re due for a little scandal.” “So you’re making me a scandalous woman, are you?” Ana asked. “I could say you’re half Runner and half Gothman and the daughter of Lord Darius and Lady Tara. Would that be scandalous enough for you?” Ana laughed. “I think that would do it.” She grew sober then and met Roth’s eyes. She knew he’d see her fears and concerns but she would voice them anyway. “Roth, my 100

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parents must suspect I’ve come here by now. I just can’t imagine them not hounding Andru for information the second they confirmed I was missing. My papa might—” She broke off and he reached for her other hand and gripped both of them tightly. “Do you want to go home?” His face looked stricken. He’d pulled her worst fears. “You know the thought’s entered my mind—that it would be better to face the wrath of my parents than have blood spilled on my account.” She smiled at Roth then sighed. “But no, I don’t want to go home.” Then she whispered, “I want to be with you.” He stood up and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms tightly around her narrow waist. “Good. I want you to be with me, too. But I agree. I don’t want my people’s blood spilled over us either. That’s why we’ve got to make sure no one finds out who you are. My brother doesn’t know I went into Gothman while he was there. I’ll tell him I waited for him in the mountains for a day then came here and met you and that’s why I came back here—to get you.” She was still in his arms and she turned to look at her surroundings. “And where is here? Where am I from in our adventure?” “Right now we’re among the Rangbak tribe. We’ve arrived at their largest village and we’ll stay here tonight. Tomorrow, you and I will visit the village and be quite entertained, I’m sure. I don’t know when they last had a Barringswood through here. I’m sure we’ll get the treatment of gods.” He walked over to a side table and lifted a glass container that held something that looked like wine. There were glasses surrounding the container and he turned over two, then poured contents of the container into both and brought her one. “Could we go out for just a little bit tonight? I’ve been cooped up in this trailer for hours and I need to get out and breathe the fresh air, take a walk, do something.” Ana glanced at the window that was now black from the darkness outside. Roth snapped his fingers. “I’ve got a great idea,” he said and pushed a button on a panel on the counter. Within minutes there was a gentle tapping on the door. “Enter,” Roth said. A thin, black-haired man stepped into the trailer. “Prepare a gooney for us. The Mistress would like some fresh air.” When the man hurried back out the door, Roth turned to her. “You’re going to love this.” She did, too. A gooney turned out to be a wooden contraption on wooden wheels. It had no roof, and a door on either side that opened so Roth and Ana could climb into it and sit on a nicely padded bench. The driver sat in front of them, outside their little cubicle, and held onto the reins of a large brown animal that seemed strong enough to pull them easily for quite a few miles. They rode through the dark forest on a wellbeaten road at a fairly good speed. She sat silent for a few minutes enjoying this novelty when Roth put his arm around her and pulled her to him. “What do you think?” he whispered, tickling her ear with his breath. “This is wonderful. Where are we going?”

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“Nowhere.” He shrugged. “We’re just getting some air.” Ana laughed out loud. “I don’t think I’ve ever gone nowhere just to get some air.” He laughed too. Then he pulled her closer and kissed her. Roth half laid her down on the bench before letting her up. “Although I must admit, I’m not getting much air,” she said and Roth laughed again.

***** The next morning, after a field trip into the village of the Rangbak tribe, they organized their posse and began once again to travel east. This time, Roth and Ana rode together in his glider. She was able to sit next to him and learn how to use the controls on the dash and the landlink. Within a couple of hours of flying, she looked ahead and saw the most amazing thing. The ground far ahead no longer appeared to be green forest, instead it was blue and went on for miles. “What is that?” she asked, and pointed. “That, my dear, is the ocean.” He took a minute to issue landing instructions then returned his attention to her. “The Seergoon tribe lives here. This is where I think we’ll say you’re from.” “Then I suggest that I be given the opportunity to get to know the place,” she said, excited at the prospect of getting close to that ocean. The Seergoon tribe had a special hall set aside for visits from the Barringswood tribe. Apparently, this part of the nation was a favorite spot for many of the tribe members to come for a retreat. The land was beautiful but Ana couldn’t take her eyes off the ocean. The hall turned out to be a gigantic tree house. A beautifully crafted staircase circled the tree to the first level that had several rooms. She couldn’t believe she was in a tree house. Of course, she couldn’t let her awe of the place show on her face. There were many servants moving around them, and she couldn’t let them know she viewed this as unusual treatment. Ana followed Roth’s lead and behaved as he did. She was amazed to discover that she could ask him questions when their eyes were locked and he would give her the answer, or show her if necessary. “Master.” A servant entered the room and stepped around the other servants as they carried in food and opened windows. The servant handed Roth a landlink panel. “It is your brother, Sorg. He has an urgent communication and requested I find you immediately.” Ana watched Roth as he read the message but his face revealed nothing.

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“I’ll handle this.” Roth waved a hand to dismiss the servant. He then gently took Ana’s hand and guided her to the staircase. When they’d reached the second floor he walked her through one room and into another and shut the door behind them. “Ana, my brother has been contacted by Lord Darius. The Gothman and Runners have requested permission to travel our land to look for their missing daughter.” “What does Sorg say? Will he let them?” Ana felt knots form in her stomach as reality crept into her adventure. “His message says he was prepared to deny them free rein. But then he noticed that the force field on the mountain, parallel to Bryton, had been tampered with. Since I’m down here he’s forwarded a picture of you and has asked me to prepare a search for you down here.” He showed her the screen where a recent reproduction of her was displayed. “That means Andru has stayed quiet. They don’t suspect you.” She reached for him but he grabbed her hands. “Ana, that’s not the worst of it. I’m supposed to arm our troops down here and go meet Lord Darius and his warriors at the border. Sorg wants me to stay with them while they conduct a search of the area.” Ana thought she saw something resembling panic appear in Roth’s eyes. He didn’t want to take on her papa.

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Chapter Fourteen Tara ran down the stairs as quickly as she could. She’d just returned from the Blood Circle Clan. Syra had mentioned her conversation with Ana about the Tree People and commented on how interested Ana had been in their culture. She insisted on helping with a search and Tara brought her back to the house with her. They’d gone up to the landlink room to organize Runners to assist searching for Ana, when they heard shouts downstairs. Both women hurried out of the room. Tara could hear what Darius and Torgo were screaming at each other and tension already ran too thick for this to be a pleasant sight. Cali and Fulga seemed to have vanished, although Andru stood at the other end of the room, trapped in the corner. The two men stood chest to chest in the middle of the room and Torgo was pointing his finger in Darius’ face. Tara held her arm out to stop Syra when they reached the entryway to the living room. “You’re a damn fool, you are. You can’t go over there. Brother, you’ve dug your own grave, yes. If the wrong person gets a good look at your face and connects you with that bastard. Man, it’s nobody’s fault but your own, I say. We’re going to go look for your daughter and you’re going to stay here. Think of Gothman for a change, you will.” Torgo ignored the look of fury on his older brother’s face as he spoke. Darius lunged at Torgo and Torgo returned the attack. Syra’s hands went to her mouth to stifle a scream when Darius screamed in anger and charged into his brother. He took him across the room and slammed his back against the wall with a loud thud. “Andru, get out of here,” Tara yelled, and beckoned with her arm as the tall boy darted around his papa and uncle and through the doorway where the two women stood. Torgo appeared stunned for a minute with his back to the wall, but a moment later he turned into a madman. The two men crashed over the side of the couch and broke the wooden coffee table into several pieces as they landed on top of it then hit the floor. Darius pulled Torgo up by his shirt and brought his fist back aiming directly for Torgo’s face. “No. Please. Stop it!” Syra screamed, and pushed past Tara to grab Darius. He threw her off of him but then pushed his brother back and jumped to his feet. Torgo rose as well and stood facing Darius, breathing heavily. “I’m right about this, Darius, I am,” he said, as he took a deep breath. “There’s plenty that needs to be done here to help with the search.” “Don’t talk to me like that. I know what needs to be done, I do.” Darius put his hand to his forehead and turned his back on his brother. “I’ll pay for that blasted deed

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for the rest of my life, I will,” he muttered. “I just can’t believe she would take off like this, no.” Tara cleared her throat then looked down at the braided carpet beneath them. “What?” Darius growled. “I had eighteen winters when I first took off,” she said, feeling a need to point out that their daughter leaving was due to her craving to explore. “Now you tell me, you do.” He walked over to her and took her by either arm. “I’m worried about her, my lady. She’s way too beautiful and still so innocent, she is.” “I think you should go ahead and just be mad at her. Save your worrying. I have a feeling our daughter is fine. At least she will be until I find her.” Tara smiled then tiptoed to plant a kiss on Darius’ mouth. “She will crave the adventure for quite a few winters now. She’s starting young but once a Runner begins the age of searching, you can’t really stop them.” “And what did you do during the age of searching?” “I met you.” Tara smiled at the stunned look on her claim’s face.

***** Tara stood outside with twenty soldiers as Darius went over the trip log. He explained where she should cross the mountains and that a group of Tree People would meet her on the other side. Her contact person was Sorg’s younger brother, Roth. Tara tried to listen, but was distracted by the people around her. She watched Syra and Torgo. They weren’t talking but instead moving around like a unit of one. Torgo instructed the soldiers on the habits of the Tree People and what they should expect. Syra jumped in from time to time finishing his sentences. It was hard to believe they’d been apart for three winters. They worked well together and she knew it wouldn’t be long before they were together. The other person she watched was Andru. He was almost as upset as his papa when he found out he couldn’t accompany the search party. Her son stood along the sidelines watching everyone with a scowl on his face. She knew how badly he must be worried about his twin sister. They were so close that they seemed attached at the hip. What made it harder for Tara was she couldn’t tell him the real reason why he couldn’t accompany them. They were meeting the son of the woman who had his bastard brother as a servant. None of these Barringswood tribe people could see Andru. She hoped Crator would reassure him his sister was okay. Crator! Tara waited until Darius was through explaining the route she would take, and then nudged his arm and gestured toward Andru. He followed her gaze and then she walked over to their son. He looked completely distraught when they approached.

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“I wouldn’t let you down if you let me go.” His soft voice nearly broke Tara’s heart as her son looked at Darius who stood behind her. “I know you wouldn’t, son, I do.” Darius looked at her and she could have clobbered him for making it sound like she was the reason he couldn’t go. “Andru, has the dog-woman come to you today?” She decided the best thing to do was change the subject. Andru’s going with them wasn’t open for discussion. Andru looked at his mama as if he were trying to figure out what she meant by the question. He glanced up at Darius then looked behind them across the field. “Yes, I saw her earlier, right after I returned from the fields.” Andru cast his eyes to the ground as he spoke. “And?” Darius asked. “What did she say?” Tara searched to meet her son’s gaze. Andru’s eyes were on the verge of tearing when he looked at her. He wouldn’t look at Darius but instead took a deep breath and squinted off into the distance. She admired his desire to prove his capabilities to his parents and she knew, like any son, he wanted to impress his papa. She would never tell her son that she’d seen his papa cry upstairs in their bedroom earlier. He feared the worst for his beautiful daughter, and he’d admitted to Tara that one of his initial attractions to her, other than her beauty, was what she had to offer through her heritage. Ana could offer someone the opportunity to rule a nation. “She told me I’d successfully ended The Waiting.” He met Tara’s gaze. “She told me that all must be for one before evil can die.” “Did she tell you what she meant by that?” Tara felt a shiver of fear run through her bones. It wasn’t a feeling she’d experienced very many times in her life. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling a chill. Darius’ hands went to her shoulders as if sensing her reaction. “She never does,” he said, and threw his arms up. “What all is there?” Tara looked up at Darius and could tell the same thought entered his head that entered hers. The only all she could think of, were all of Darius’ children. He studied her for a minute and then looked at his son. “Your vision will help us, son.” He patted the boy on his shoulder then quickly turned to scan the soldiers preparing for their journey. “What does she mean?” Andru asked again. “I don’t know yet, but I plan on finding out, I do.” Darius turned to answer his son then looked back over the field. “Torgo,” he yelled. “We’ll delay half an hour. Meet in the conference room now, I say.” Torgo came on the run. Syra hesitated for a minute then walked slowly in their direction, looking at Tara for answers. She gestured for Syra to follow them and her niece increased her pace until she walked alongside Torgo.

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“Andru, we need you to monitor the landlinks while we brainstorm a bit, we do.” Darius spoke as a warrior speaking to another warrior. As Torgo and Syra came up behind Darius, Tara was thrown back to a time when Torgo was a boy demanding his older brother’s respect. Now it was Andru. Darius had learned how easy it was to turn rebellion in a young man into cooperation by simply showing appreciation. Andru straightened before turning and jogging into the house. “What is it?” Torgo asked. “Andru had a vision,” Tara said as if that were enough explanation. Neither Torgo nor Syra asked for more. They’d lived through the Lunian war, which was won because they relied on her vision. “Where are the advisors?” Darius asked as he led the way into the house. “Mine are out at my trailer monitoring Tree People transmissions.” Tara fell in alongside him. She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s why these two are here. We need all the heads we can get to brainstorm this thing through.” It was at times like this when she prayed to Crator to send the visions to her once again. Darius glanced over his shoulder at Syra. For a moment he looked like he would protest her presence. Syra looked quickly at Tara as if for reassurance that she’d been invited. Tara raised her hand. “She has more knowledge of these people than we do. It makes sense that she should be present.” Darius looked at his brother but the return gaze was blank. Without another word, the four of them entered the conference room. Fulga had reappeared on the scene and offered cold, spiced tea and cookies. “We’ll need several bags of ready-made food prepared,” Tara said after the older woman placed the large tray on the table. “We have about twenty soldiers leaving within the hour and I have no idea how long we’ll be gone.” When Fulga was gone, Tara repeated what Andru told them to Torgo and Syra. “How has he ended The Waiting?” Syra asked first. “What does it mean that all must be one?” Torgo asked next. “All what?” “All the children.” Darius said the words with so much conviction the other three looked at him quickly. “It couldn’t be.” Tara shook her head not wanting to believe what had already occurred to her. There was no way she wanted Darius’ bastard son in this house with their two children. “If he was here he couldn’t be a risk to us, no.” “He’s not coming here.” Tara felt every muscle in her body tighten. “There’s something I think the two of you aren’t taking into consideration.” Syra spoke up and the two of them looked at her as if she’d just interrupted a private

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argument. She shook her head. “You forget that Beel is a servant. He has been all his life. The Tree People treat their servants like they’re a lower form of life, and in essence they are. Not because they aren’t as good as the Barringswood tribe, but they haven’t been given the education or the culture. Beel will not make eye contact with you or speak until he’s spoken to. He will wait on you hand and foot, and then sit in the corner until needed again.” The room grew quiet as everyone visualized a child of Lord Darius acting like this. “You couldn’t just bring him here and expect him to start acting like Andru and Ana. They’ve had a privileged life since birth.” Syra looked down at her hands when she was through speaking. “Good point,” Tara said quickly, wanting to put closure on that idea. “Well then, what could the all be?” Torgo asked again, and no one had an answer. Nothing was resolved by the brainstorming. Darius walked them back out to the field and let Torgo organize the troops while he took his claim in his arms. “Be careful,” he whispered. “I’ll keep you posted on every detail,” she said then let herself be pulled in for a passionate kiss. It was dark by the time they crossed over the mountain range. Tara received a message on her screen and the sender identified himself as Roth. He gave her the coordinates of their campsite and she led her small army down into the trees. Tara insisted before they left that all soldiers on this mission wear Runner attire. She didn’t care if Gothman came with them but they would have to wear Runner clothing. What she really wanted them to wear was the Runner headscarf. She donned her own headscarf as well. Tara also had Fulga assemble a group of Gothman seamstresses, and had netting sewn over the eye openings, making it even more difficult for their eyes to be seen than before. She’d received assurance from Syra that this should make it impossible for the Barringswood tribe members to pull thoughts. Now as she climbed off her glider surrounded by her soldiers, she noticed a look of fear on the face of the young man who stood in front of her. He was tall but not muscular. Although it was dark, she could tell his hair was light red and it was long and wavy. She thought she could see a resemblance to Sorg in this young man. His eyes were a brilliant green and they almost glowed in the dark. She glanced at Torgo who looked back at her. She didn’t quite have the same bond with this man as she did with his brother, and she certainly couldn’t see any of his face, but she wondered if he saw what she did. The Tree Person standing in front of her appeared scared to death. “We have no intention of hurting you,” she said calmly, as she stared the young man in the eyes. “Why are your faces covered?” When he spoke he sounded calmer than he looked. “We are Runners and the headscarf is part of our dress,” she said simply.

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“I see.” He took a step forward and reached out his hand. “I am Roth, younger son of the chief of the Barringswood tribe. How may I help you?” “I’m Tara, leader of all Runner clans.” She looked down at his outstretched hand and then slowly placed her hand into his. Much to her surprise he brought her hand up to his mouth but held it just an inch in front of his lips before releasing it. “High day to you and welcome to the land of the Tree People,” he said and then bowed slightly. “Our mission shouldn’t affect your people,” she said honestly. “My daughter is missing. I just want to look for her.” “I’ve received a picture of her and have given a copy to my men. We will help you look for her.” Roth straightened and made eye contact with her. “That is very nice of you.” “I’m afraid you won’t get much accomplished in the dark, however.” Roth gestured to the open area. “We have already established our camp and encourage you to do the same. In the morning, we will begin your search.” Tara nodded and then turned to give instructions to her soldiers. In minutes the area was alive with activity as tents were assembled and bedrolls produced. Roth retreated quickly after formally introducing himself to Tara. He knew damn good and well why they all wore the headgear. They all knew he could pull their thoughts and the fact that they had taken measures to prevent him from doing so bothered him. He left his soldiers to watch over the Runners and returned to his trailer, which was parked well into the trees and a far distance from where the Runners were. “Is he here?” Ana jumped up the second Roth walked through the door. “He didn’t come. It’s your mama.” Roth rubbed his forehead and walked over to the landlink console built into the wall. “Mama came but not Papa? Well, how did it go?” Ana walked over to Roth. She reached to touch his back with her fingers but he turned to face her. “The Runner introduced herself as Tara but she had that cloth over her head, and so did the rest of them. My brother told me they didn’t like having their thoughts pulled. But there were coverings over their eyes and I couldn’t recognize any of them.” He rubbed his forehead again then ran his hand through his hair. “They were all Runners? No Gothman?” Ana shook her head. “That’s odd.” She snapped her fingers. “I know why Mama did that. So they all could wear the headgear, then you can’t pull their thoughts. You’re right, my parents definitely wouldn’t want anyone from another nation pulling their thoughts. Are you sure my papa wasn’t with them? I don’t understand why he wouldn’t come looking for me.” “No, I’m not sure. I have no idea who any of them were.” That bothered Roth too. Runners were camped among them. He didn’t know who any of them were, just that they could annihilate his small camp if they chose.

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“Why don’t you send a message asking them to give you a list of who they are, since they don’t want to show their faces,” Ana suggested. Roth smiled at her and then pulled her into his arms. “That’s a great idea.” Within a short time, the messenger returned to Roth’s trailer with a list from Tara. He’d also asked in his message if there were any supplies he could offer. He sat at the landlink reading the list on the disc. “How many of these names do you recognize?” “All of them,” Ana said as she read over his shoulder. “There are Gothman among them. My uncle is Gothman.” She pointed to Torgo’s name. Roth turned around and pulled her onto his lap. “And you find it odd that Lord Darius didn’t come to look for you?” “I would think my brother would come, too. He could find me the easiest.” Ana scowled until Roth rubbed the wrinkles on her forehead. “You are too pretty for a face like that.” He paused for a moment then looked at her seriously. “Ana, do your parents have any other children?” “No. Why do you ask?” “I don’t know.” He pulled her to him then and began stroking her hair. He worried his assumption might upset her and of course, he had no way of knowing if he was right or not. “When I first met your brother, I was quite shocked.” “I remember.” She smiled. “You didn’t know I was a twin.” “That’s what I let you think at the time but you think about Andru a lot. I already knew you had a twin brother.” Roth followed her eyes so he could tell when she understood what he implied. “Then why were you shocked?” “He could have a twin here,” Roth said and watched for her reaction. Ana showed nothing but confusion on her face and in her thoughts. “What are you talking about?” “There is a boy here. He’s my mama’s personal servant. He and Andru could be twins. They look that much alike. It’s really uncanny.” Ana just stared at him for a minute. “Why are you telling me this right now?” “It’s probably not the case, but what if your father had a son over here? It would explain why he didn’t come. Someone might discover they had the heir to the Gothman throne in their home. Your brother and father are similar in appearance. Am I right?” Ana jumped off Roth and stared at him in disbelief. He looked at her seriously but then after pulling her thoughts reached out and grabbed her before she could back away. “No. Don’t be mad,” he said when she tried to pull away. “You’re the one who said it was odd that your father didn’t come here. I’m just thinking out loud, and I’m probably wrong.”

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“Andru is the heir to the Gothman nation,” Ana said coldly. “I’m not arguing that. I think Andru is a little older than Beel is.” “Beel?” Ana crossed her arms and stared at him. “My mama’s servant.” Roth cringed at the animosity he drew from Ana. He could tell she would always be loyal first to her brother. “I want to see what he looks like.” Ana still stood in front of Roth and he still had his hand on her arm. “My father had a reputation for taking many women, but that was a long time ago. I’ve never heard of any bastard children, though.” “And what if he is a bastard?” Roth wasn’t sure taking Ana to see Beel would be a good idea. “I don’t know. I guess we’d have to figure out what to do after I saw him.” Her eyes softened as did her tone. “When can I see him?” “It depends on how long your mama and her troops are here.” Roth walked into her since he couldn’t pull her to him and wrapped his arms around her. She looked so beautiful and yet she’d kept her head level when he told her what he’d wondered about ever since he’d seen Andru. Roth also knew of Lord Darius’ history. What would he do if his mama’s servant were the Lord of Gothman’s bastard child? “How long does it take to get to your tribe from here?” She moaned slightly as he traced his fingertips up and down her back. Roth used one hand to raise her face to his and let the other hand lower to cup her bottom. “By glider, it wouldn’t take an hour.” Roth smiled and welcomed the passion he saw ignite in her eyes. He welcomed the distraction. Roth lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and arched into him, which seemed an invitation to explore. Roth slid the long robe that covered her dress off her shoulders and she moved her arms so it could fall to the floor. Then, without warning, he lifted her into his arms and walked toward the bedroom. Ana’s stomach flip-flopped when Roth lifted her into his arms. There was only one bedroom in the trailer, and he’d had all her belongings from her glider brought in here. The trailer appeared to be Roth’s home away from home. The bedroom closets were full of clothes that looked like they were his. She was going to be his lover. The thought thrilled her and scared her to death at the same time. Roth walked into his room and carefully placed her on the bed then cuddled up next to her. He let his hand run up her long bare leg and although she quivered, she didn’t stop him. He searched her eyes then and saw her excitement and terror as she lay partially underneath him. She reached up with her hand and pulled his face down to hers for another kiss. He knew she was trying to build up her confidence but that wasn’t what he wanted. He would have her—all of her. She would have to want him with every inch of her soul

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because once he took her, he would never give her back. They had time, he just had to ride out this thing with her parents. They were in his nation, and fell under Tree People jurisdiction. He knew once he had her virginity, her future would be his future, but he wouldn’t be able to let her get away. As much as he wanted to take her right now, waiting just a bit longer would ensure that less people would fight their union. He knew Ana didn’t have the strength to stand up to her parents. And he wouldn’t have her flee from him after he’d made her his. Roth leaned up on his arm and smiled down at her lust-filled face. Her eyes betrayed her fear and that was what he pulled from her. “Why did you want to know how far away the Barringswood tribe is?” She blinked several times in order to clear her head of their foreplay and looked up at him. He saw the answer to his question the second their eyes met. “You want to go there? We can’t. I have to stay with your mama and you’re not going by yourself.” Ana giggled. “I don’t have to talk much around you, do I? I wasn’t thinking about going without you. I thought maybe we could slip out after everyone is asleep, go see what he looks like then come back before we’re missed.” Roth looked at her incredulously. “Life with you will never be boring, will it?” She smiled cautiously. Was he thinking about spending his life with her? She knew he could read her thought so she tried to stifle it. He smiled shyly, though, and kissed her nose. She feared he pulled the thought and blushed in spite of herself. She forced thoughts of her brother into her head—they had to be safe. “Do you think we could go see him tonight? You brought him up and now it’s got my curiosity going. Besides,” she said devilishly, “if my papa’s bastard is in your tribe we might be able to use him to negotiate my staying here with you.” Roth hadn’t seen that thought coming.

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Chapter Fifteen “Do you have everything you need for the night?” Surprised by the voice behind her, Syra turned and stood. Torgo stood directly in front of her. His face was expressionless, but his eyes looked her over before returning to meet her gaze. “I didn’t mean to startle you, no.” He picked up her headscarf, which she’d taken off while wiping down her glider. “You shouldn’t take this off.” Syra watched him as he held out the headscarf but didn’t bother to take it from him. “Why are you here, Torgo?” “I thought we could talk. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping much tonight.” She noticed then how miserable he looked, and desperately wanted to reach out and touch him. She bit her lip and clasped her hands in front of her. “Of course we can talk, Torgo. We’re friends, aren’t we?” “Yeah, we’re friends,” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. Torgo shook out her cloth then pulled it over her head. His hands stopped at her shoulders and for a moment he left them there, staring at her. She didn’t move a muscle. Syra finally breathed when he bent, grabbed her beam, then placed his hand gently on her back, and escorted her through the campsite and toward the trees. She turned and looked over Torgo’s shoulder at the campsite to make sure no one saw them as they entered the woods, using the light from the beam to guide them. They walked side by side, not speaking, and using the beam to guide them. A fallen tree blocked their path and Torgo lifted himself onto it then sat. Syra tried to do the same but since she wasn’t as tall as he was, she had trouble climbing up. Torgo grabbed her arm and pulled her up so she sat next to him. He had turned sideways in order to help her and now pulled her to him so her back crushed against his chest. He wrapped thick muscular arms around her and held her so tightly she could hardly breathe. She didn’t protest but gently placed her hands on his large arms. It felt so good to be held by him. She’d missed this during her travels. Many nights after dreaming of him, she had woken, feeling so empty, so alone. Torgo buried his head in her shoulder and left it there, not saying a word. They sat like that for several minutes with him still holding her tightly. Syra knew Torgo was releasing all the emotions he’d experienced after learning of his claim’s infidelity. Torgo lived in a world where he couldn’t show weak emotions. Admitting defeat, showing confusion, complaining of unfairness, or worse yet crying, were actions a Gothman warrior did not engage. 113

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Torgo had never had a mama’s gentle touch, or been allowed to cry in her arms. His papa died when he was very young, and Darius certainly wouldn’t have allowed his younger brother to indulge in weak women’s emotions. It had been different when Torgo and Syra were alone. She knew men and women experienced pain differently, but they had both experienced pain. She also knew that if the pain was ignored it could overcome and blind rational thinking. When they were mere children, she’d made it clear that Torgo would only be better than his older brother if he learned to cope with all his emotions and not stifle them. Torgo shared everything he felt with Syra and always had. She imagined that in the three winters she had been gone, Torgo had kept all his emotions bottled up. Now, in the private company of his best friend he could unleash those emotions. She made no attempt to stop him or talk. She just held his arms and let him cuddle her. Torgo finally lifted his head and sighed deeply. “You are the only one I can be myself with,” he whispered hoarsely into her ear. “I know.” And at that moment, Syra felt better than she had since her return home. “You stayed away too long, you did.” “Or maybe just as long as I was supposed to.” She tried to turn her head to see him. “You don’t appear to be mad at me anymore.” She smiled in the darkness and felt him smile also as he nuzzled his face contentedly into her shoulder. “I wasn’t mad at you the very next day, no,” he admitted. “Liar.” Syra laughed. He laughed too although dryly, as if the pain still ran deep. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked quietly. “What’s there to talk about? It’s for the best, I daresay. I knew I’d be the hypocrite my brother hoped I would be as soon as I heard you were back, yes.” His grip grew stronger and one hand moved slowly up her front, gently fondling one breast, and then stopping at her neck. “I never stopped loving you, Syra.” “And I love you,” she said, leaning her head back and staring up at the thick trees that blocked all stars. “What are you going to do about this claim of yours? I noticed Mik wasn’t among our troops.” “Mik is dead, he is.” There was a chill in Torgo’s tone. “I went to him this morning after Darius gave me the disc. I confronted him and he mocked me, asking what I would do about it.” His grip tightened around her neck as his anger flared all over again. “He claimed that Jibs, my oldest son, is actually his son, he did.” Torgo reached underneath Syra’s arms and turned her around to face him. He then pulled her cloak off her head and ran his fingers through her many braids. “Syra, I killed him, I did.” Torgo’s expression looked torn, and for a moment, the teenage boy sat in front of her once again.

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“I hope you made it painful,” she said through clenched teeth, feeling all the pain he felt. She reached up and pulled the Runner’s cloak off him, and smiled gently as she straightened his curls. “And what about your claim? What will you do with her?” He shrugged. “I have no desire to ever see her again. I didn’t have time to talk to her before I left, I didn’t. I told Darius to make sure the children were secure.” Torgo traced his fingertips down to her waist and rested them on top of her legs. He searched her eyes for a moment then looked down her body to where his hands were. “I wonder if your body could carry twins,” he muttered with a hint of something other than sadness in his tone. “Tara was able to do it.” “Do you still take the Runner anti-conception pills?” Ah, the age-old argument resurfaced. Syra studied his face for a moment, and his eyes slowly lifted to meet hers. They had fought over the medication from the moment he’d learned she was taking them, which was right after they first had sex as teenagers. Gothman didn’t believe in birth control, but Syra hadn’t wanted children. Not then. Not when she knew she would face the age of searching. Syra had wanted him to travel with her, and he had laughed at the idea, saying she was running away from her responsibilities. She’d told him there was nothing irresponsible about learning how the people of Nuworld lived and how they thought. It was the clash of their cultures. They wouldn’t bend to each other and it had driven them apart. Somehow Syra didn’t feel the strong opposition she’d felt toward him several winters ago. Distance and time had only made her feel closer to him. With all her heart she wanted the pain he felt to go away. It would pass with time and she hoped he would let her be with him while he convalesced. And with this question, Torgo just told her he would let her be with him. She knew her eyes must have glowed at the prospect of carrying his child because his expression grew softer. “I didn’t have access to any pregnancy prevention while I was with the River People,” she managed to say. The words were barely out when his mouth landed on hers. Syra wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her while his arms wandered up her body setting her on fire. “Come back to my tent with me.” His voice was rough and full of passion that had mounted to a boil over the past winters that they’d been apart. Syra nodded with a smile and he jumped off the log pulling her off with him. He wrapped his muscular arm over her shoulder, holding her close as they walked toward the campsite.

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“You know, Torgo, if I find Rayla…I’ll kill her.” Syra spoke carefully but from her heart. She didn’t want to hurt him any more than he already was, but she felt a need to share how it would be. “I’m sure you won’t find her, no.” To her surprise, he chuckled. “I daresay she’ll be well out of Bryton before we get back.” She looked up at him. “You told me you loved her.” “Yes, I told you that.” He brushed her forehead with a kiss. “I wanted to hurt you… I’m sorry.” “It did hurt, but I forgive you, especially if it’s not true.” Torgo sighed deeply. “I think there was a time when I tried to tell myself that I loved her, I did. I thought if I could love Rayla, then I’d get you out of my head. You don’t want to know how many times I called her by your name—” He gave her an affectionate squeeze. “Especially when we were fighting.” “So help me, if you ever call me by her name—” Torgo suddenly grabbed her and threw her to the ground, literally landing on top of her. “What the—” Syra couldn’t finish her question because Torgo’s hand went around her mouth. “Be quiet,” he whispered into her ear. The ground was very hard underneath her and Torgo’s body was very heavy on top of her. His hand still covered her mouth. Her eyes and ears were alert however, and she struggled slightly underneath him trying to discover what was wrong. A second later she heard what Torgo had heard just moments before. Both of their bodies tensed as voices, speaking quietly and coming closer, were audible through the trees. She couldn’t tell what they were saying or even how many people there were. She could tell however that they were coming directly toward them. Torgo must have sensed the same thing because suddenly he was dragging her backwards attempting to hide them under the fallen log. “There’s a clearing up here a little ways,” she heard a man’s voice say. “We’ll be able to take off without being detected from there.” “This means a lot to me, Roth. All I want to do is see him. There are certain family characteristics that we all have.” Syra almost squealed at the sound of the young woman’s voice and her eyes opened wide as she jerked her head up to see who spoke. Torgo tightened his grip on her mouth and pulled her closer, smashing her cheek against his. “I understand how important this is to you or I wouldn’t agree to this ridiculous stunt. We’ll be lucky not to get caught.” Syra could see Ana clearly now as she walked alongside Roth. Roth pushed a glider, and Ana had changed the color of her hair. She knew all too well where they

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were going. What she wanted to know was when Ana had become so chummy with Roth. Torgo pulled her up after Ana and Roth had disappeared into the forest. “Let’s go.” He grabbed her by the arm and moved as quickly as he dared back to the campsite. Neither one of them spoke as they reached camp. Everyone was asleep but they used caution as they walked toward the part of the forest where the Tree People were camped. They didn’t need to talk to each other and they both knew what they were going to do. Torgo took out the only Tree Person on duty in their camp and Syra grabbed his glider and turned it around quickly. Torgo grabbed the other side of it and without a sound they pushed it into the forest. By the time they’d reached the clearing Roth had mentioned, there was no sign of either Roth or Ana. “I assume you know how to get there.” Torgo climbed into the foreign glider next to Syra and studied the gauges on its dash. “Yeah. I know exactly where they are going, and they’re both fools.” He then noticed that she was smiling and frowned. “I’m at a loss to see any humor in this.” “You’re right. It’s not funny. I just remember Tara telling Darius when you two were fighting that he shouldn’t worry about his daughter—just be mad at her.” She smiled at Torgo’s confused look and reached out to stroke his cheek. “We’re Runners, Torgo. I don’t think Roth understood, either. Ana sees an adventure and she isn’t paying attention to any potential dangers. In fact, all they do is make the adventure more appealing.” Torgo shook his head and Syra laughed again. “You know, if it weren’t for a Runner seeing an incredible adventure and ignoring the possible dangers, that girl wouldn’t exist and you and I certainly would never have met each other.” Torgo looked at her and then rolled his eyes. “You’re right, I guess. I was there when Tara first entered our house and she took everyone and everything on with a vengeance, she did.” He suddenly looked very worried. “It looks like Ana is about to prove how much she is her mama’s daughter.” “Like any of us had any doubts.” She flipped a switch on the dash and the dome rose over their head. “Okay, let’s go. It shouldn’t take an hour to get there.” “This isn’t exactly what I had in mind for the night,” he muttered, and she giggled from the joy of being by his side again.

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Barringswood Tribe covered a vast amount of land with manicured lawns, wellgroomed hedges, and incredibly large trees. The tribal land stood out amidst the undeveloped countryside that surrounded it. A wooden fence, standing well over twenty feet, marked the beginning of Barringswood land. Ana couldn’t believe her eyes at the size of the fence, and the fact that it traveled along the countryside farther than she could see. Even though it was well into the night, soft green lights enabled her to see quite a distance. The light lent a surreal atmosphere to the land inside the fence opposed to the dark and unruly land outside. Ana didn’t realize how tight a grasp she had on Roth’s hand until he maneuvered the glider down into the gigantic trees and she let go so he could steer with both hands. “We’re almost there.” His tone was hushed as he looked at her. “You still want to do this?” “Yes, oh yes.” She smiled at him and he leaned over to kiss her. “Oh shit,” Torgo hissed, as he held his viewer to his eyes. “That Roth guy just kissed her.” He frowned at Syra as she steered the glider down through the trees and followed Roth at a safe distance. “I might have to kill him,” he added when his comment brought no response. “Seems to me I remember your being afraid of the same thing happening to you when we were kids.” She shot him a dirty look then looked forward again. “That was different.” “How so?” Torgo didn’t answer right away and she nudged him teasingly. “Oh, I know. We were in love and she’s just out on an adventure.” “Doesn’t this place have any security?” Torgo decided to change the subject, knowing he wouldn’t win if he tried to argue his feelings with her. He remembered what they did when they were kids, but Roth didn’t look like any kid to him. If that man disgraced his niece in any way… “They don’t have a military like we do if that’s what you mean.” She pointed to one of the trees as they flew past silently. “Look, there’s one of the tree houses.” Torgo turned to look out her side at a wooden house built in the branches of the enormous tree. He never would have believed a house that size could be built above the ground if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes. “Incredible,” he muttered. “We’re here.” Roth landed the glider behind a tree that had a circumference bigger than the garage outside Ana’s house. He helped her out of the glider, looked around the

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deserted area, and then walked over to a door she hadn’t noticed until now. The door opened into the side of the tree. “Beel, are you in here?” Roth’s voice was gentle. He reached above her head and turned on a lamp attached to the interior of the trunk. Ana realized they were in a small house. The floor was wooden, and the walls were paneled with the same wood. A table and cabinets stood along the far wall and a narrow bed was built into the wall alongside her. A person was wrapped in a mat-like blanket, and he groaned when Roth tapped his leg. “Wake up, Beel. I have someone who wants to meet you.” Ana’s hands went to her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle the gasp that came out when the boy sat up in his bed and squinted at them. He scratched long blond curls, causing them to stand on end more than they had a second ago and stared blankly at them without speaking. Then, as if recognition hit him, he quickly jumped out of bed and bowed to Roth. “Yes, Master, what do you need?” Beel didn’t make eye contact with either of them. For some reason, it bothered her that he acted like this, although she hadn’t given it too much thought when Geli acted the same way. “Stand up straight, Beel. Look at us.” Roth’s voice was calm and quiet. “Yes, Master.” Beel stood tall, several inches taller than Ana. His shoulders were broad and his skin well tanned. His dark gray eyes met theirs although Ana could tell he wasn’t comfortable with the act. He looked first at Roth, then at Ana. His gaze stopped at Ana. “He thinks you look like him and is wondering if your hair is really red.” Roth leaned to her and spoke as if Beel wouldn’t understand him. “I see why you were shocked when you saw Andru.” “They do look alike.” She looked up at Roth now. “Can I ask him some questions?” Roth rubbed her back and nodded. “Beel, how old are you?” She smiled as she looked into the eyes that were identical to her brother’s—yet so different. There was no confidence, no growing wisdom. And there was something she couldn’t place, something that made her uncomfortable. “I have thirteen seasons.” Beel even sounded like Andru. “You don’t look like a Tree Person. Where are you from?” “My master found me with the Lunians when I was a baby. They stole babies. I could be from anywhere. Where are you from?” Ana was taken aback for a minute not knowing how to answer. Roth saved her from trying to come up with a quick lie. “Remember your place, Beel,” he ordered.

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Beel lowered his eyes again. “You told me to look at you,” he muttered under his breath with his eyes fixed on the floor. “Do you remember who your parents were?” Ana asked. “I was a baby when they found me. I don’t even remember that.” Beel was pouting now and refused to look at either one of them. “Okay, Beel. Go back to bed.” Roth placed his hand around Ana’s and turned her to the door. “If you mention to anyone you saw us tonight,” he lowered his tone to emphasize his threat, “you may not live through the beating I’ll give you.” With that, he opened the door and they returned to the glider. Ana was quiet and focused on her hands as they flew back to his trailer. “I want to see what this boy looks like,” Torgo whispered as he and Syra watched Roth’s glider take off. “I figured you would.” Syra looked around the quiet yard then walked quickly over to the door Roth and Ana had just exited. She opened and entered with Torgo right behind her. Beel sat back up in bed quickly. “It’s okay, Beel, it’s just me.” Syra smiled and gestured for Beel to relax. The boy’s face lit up. “I thought you left.” Then his eyes focused on the tall man behind Syra. Fright covered his face and he pulled the blankets up to his eyes. “It’s okay, Beel. I promise, no one is going to hurt you. This is Torgo. He’s a nice man—he’s not mean.” Beel didn’t say anything but just stared at the man with identical features to his. Torgo walked to the boy and knelt so he was at his level. Gently, he reached up and pulled the blanket from Beel’s face. He studied him for only a minute then stood up and faced Syra. “We’re taking him with us, I say.”

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Chapter Sixteen Torgo and Syra flew silently in the foreign glider until they’d crossed the mountain range. Beel seemed cautious, but not frightened as he sat between them and looked occasionally from one to the other. Torgo chanced a glance at the child as well and when they made eye contact, he smiled and the boy looked back at his hands. “We need to alert someone before we’re shot down or forced to land.” Syra glanced at the boy before looking at Torgo. “I’m still not sure why you’re doing this but I do know one thing. It will be a bigger mess than you or I want to deal with if our guards force us to land and see our little friend here.” “I’m your friend?” Beel looked up at her with questioning gray eyes. “I think so. Would you like that?” She smiled and put her hand on his clasped hands but he pulled them away. “I don’t know,” Beel muttered. “You’re right. I’ll contact Darius.” Torgo flipped the comm on that was already wrapped around his ear. “What time is it?” Darius sounded groggy from sleep. “Darius, Syra and I are headed for Bryton in one of the Tree People’s gliders. I need you to meet us…alone.” “What’s going on?” “I’d rather not say right now. You need to meet us personally and make sure your guards leave us alone.” Darius growled a few profanities before confirming. A short while later Syra watched the lights of a glider approaching them and glanced at the dash as Torgo pushed several buttons. “He’s going to kill us. You know that, don’t you?” “We’re going to get killed?” Beel straightened and looked at Syra. “I know how to fight. Do you need protection?” Torgo made a snorting sound and Syra glared at him then smiled gently at Beel. “What I meant is that we might get yelled at…or something.” Her voice faded and then she grinned at Torgo. “Actually, I can’t wait to see the expression on his face. Do we have anything to cover him up with? Let’s surprise him.” “You’re impossible.” Torgo shot her a look that said behave yourself. “Trust me, he’ll be surprised, he will.” Beel looked from one of them to the other, his confusion obvious from the expression on his face.

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Torgo landed the glider and lifted the dome. Darius’ glider landed just fifteen feet away and he too got out. He was armed, obviously leery of the strange message that brought him out alone in the middle of the night. “It’s us,” Torgo yelled and turned on a beam. “What’s going on here?” Darius barked, with a deep frown on his face. The shadows set off by the beams made him look even more intimidating than normal. “Where’s Tara? What’s so important that—” Darius quit talking but forgot to shut his mouth as he focused on the boy who stood partially behind Syra. He raised his beam, blinding both of them, and Beel covered his face with his arms and moved further behind Syra. She gently took his arms and pulled him so he stood next to her. Darius lowered the beam so it wouldn’t blind them but kept it in their direction so he could see. His harsh glare went first to Torgo, then to Syra. “What in Crator’s name have you two done?” Darius looked hard at the child who focused intently the ground. “Look at me, boy.” Beel looked up at Darius, making eye contact, then quickly lowered his gaze. “You wouldn’t believe how easy he was to get,” Torgo said when all were quiet for a minute. “The Barringswood tribe has no protection.” “That’s not true.” Beel looked up at Torgo, his tone defensive. “Master Roth turned it off when he brought his girl to see me.” He immediately seemed to regret talking as he glanced quickly at the three of them then lowered his head further than it had been before. “It’s okay, boy.” Darius’ voice was surprisingly reassuring and Torgo and Syra gave him an odd look. “Explain to me what you just said.” “Maybe we should find him a place to sleep and talk to him in the morning,” Syra said quickly, suddenly realizing Beel had made reference to Ana. If Darius knew they’d brought Beel to him but not Ana then they would be in serious trouble. Darius took one look at her and then at Torgo. He returned his gaze to her and it wasn’t friendly. “Are you here for moral support?” She opened her mouth to respond but then shut it again before shooting a sideways glance at Torgo. “Just because you throw this at me doesn’t mean I don’t see everything that is in front of me. It didn’t take you long, did it Syra?” Darius ignored the child and slapped his venomous glare at Syra. Torgo reached behind Beel and pulled Syra to him, much to her and Darius’ surprise. “I sought her out and I’ll thank both of you to start getting along with each other. Now Darius, where are we going to put Beel?” “In a minute. Boy, you’ll explain what you just said.” Darius’ agitation was apparent and the boy jumped at the harsh words.

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“My master’s new lady wanted to see me. I don’t know why. She looked like me even though her hair was red. She wanted to know where I was from and who my parents were.” Beel spoke uncertainly and hesitated once or twice. Darius looked directly at Torgo. He didn’t say anything but studied his brother’s face for a moment. Torgo returned the gaze with a blank expression. Syra felt her heart race. She’d been so excited to throw this bastard in Darius’ face that she’d forgotten one important thing. Darius was no fool. She’d tried to pull one over on him before and spent the night in jail for it. “You said her hair was red. Was she a member of the Barringswood tribe?” The fury that was slowly appearing on Darius’ face would have scared many grown men. He looked at the boy who stood almost as tall as Andru and could easily be called his twin. “Her hair was colored red. I could smell the dyes. She wasn’t from the Barringswood tribe. I’d remember a girl as pretty as she was.” Beel cocked his head when he spoke and a certain boldness seemed to come over him. He looked at Darius— straight in the eye—then literally turned and looked up at Torgo. “I’d bet she’s a member of your race.” He paused. “I’m a member of your race too, aren’t I?” Darius didn’t answer the question but instead clenched his fists and turned his full attention to Torgo. “I won’t ask you to tell me if you saw Roth and this girl being described to me,” he said. “I know there isn’t much that gets past you. What I do want to know is why in Crator’s name did you bring this bastard to me and not my daughter?” He didn’t wait for a response but instead grabbed his comm out of his coat pocket. “Tara.” He looked down at Beel who seemed to study him curiously. “Roth has Ana…yes, I’m positive. I want both of them brought here immediately.” He turned off his comm not allowing his claim the opportunity to respond. Darius turned and walked back to his glider. Torgo and Syra watched with apprehension as he returned with a brown cloth. When he dropped one end of it they realized it was a cloak. He wrapped the cloak around Beel’s shoulder then pulled the hood over the boy’s head. Syra couldn’t hide her amazement when she realized Darius had guessed why they’d called him out there in the middle of the night. “Guards!” he yelled, and then Torgo and Syra did a double take when two of Darius’ personal guards appeared out of the darkness. He scowled at both of them and Syra quickly looked away but Torgo glared at his brother. “I want this Runner escorted to her father’s trailer. Make sure she stays there until you’re given further orders.” Darius stared right at her as he spoke. “Torgo will be escorted to his home.” “I’m not going home.” Torgo spoke up quickly. “Would you like to go to the jail?”

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“About as much as I’d like to be the new Lord of Gothman,” Torgo hissed through his teeth. “Which is what I’ll be if you try and put me in jail.” Darius’ entire body tightened at his younger brother’s threat. The two guards approached but stood awkwardly not knowing exactly what to do. Syra instinctively tried to grab Torgo’s arm but he shoved her away. Beel didn’t need to know the two men to see they were about ready to spring at each other. He stepped backwards until he ran into Syra. “Darius, if I’d grabbed Ana, then Roth would know we were in the Barringswood tribal land without consent, he would. It wouldn’t have looked good for Gothman, I’ll tell you that. You may think mud is being smeared in your face here, but if that’s how you feel then I’m disappointed in your perception of me, yes. Now at least, you know where your daughter is and she can be brought home through proper channels. Gothman once again will be triumphant, it will.” Syra was impressed by Torgo’s speech. Had that been his reasoning all along or was he trying to get out of a nasty predicament with his brother? Darius stared for a long minute at his younger brother. Torgo didn’t smile or frown. His expression was solemn. Finally, with a sigh, Torgo added, “I’ll go with you to deal with the child.” Darius nodded and turned to his guards. “Escort Syra to her father’s trailer.” “Darius,” Torgo said, but Darius raised his hand to silence his brother then gestured to his guards to carry out his instructions. Darius waited until Syra was out of sight then turned to Beel. He lowered the cape that covered the boy’s head and sighed heavily. The boy stared up at him with wide eyes, then turned and looked at Torgo. A small smile appeared on his face as he continued to glance from one to the other. “You are both Gothman?” He spoke quietly but not timidly. “Yes.” Darius didn’t return the smile but Beel didn’t appear threatened. “I’m Gothman, too. That’s why you brought me here, isn’t it?” Beel’s smile grew and Torgo’s heart went out to the child. “You’re half Gothman and half Runner,” Darius said simply. “Gothman must be powerful,” Beel said as he looked over their muscular bodies and the weapons on Darius’ glider. “Are Runners powerful too?” Torgo and Darius gave each other a quick glance both allowing certain women to enter their thoughts. “Yes, they are powerful,” Darius admitted. Beel seemed pleased. “Where will we take him?” Torgo looked at Beel who had a permanent smile on his face now. All humility seemed to be gone from the child and he stood tall, seemingly trying to imitate Darius. His brother didn’t seem to notice. “I have an idea, I do.”

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Torgo and Beel followed Darius in the Tree People’s glider. Darius had given no indication that he wanted the child to ride with him. Torgo decided Darius still didn’t know what to think of the boy. He hadn’t told him he was his papa, but Torgo would be surprised if he did. Beel didn’t seem to suspect that he was related to them. The boy simply assumed all Gothman had curly blond hair and gray eyes. It made sense. All the Barringswood tribe had red hair and green eyes. Darius couldn’t keep his thoughts in order. Those two had sure pulled one over on him, they had. He could hardly maintain composure in front of the boy. He was glad to have the opportunity to be alone in the glider for a few minutes simply to sort his thoughts. Unfortunately, there was only one thought that kept coming back like a recurring nightmare. Tara was going to kill him…kill the boy…kill Torgo…kill Syra. There would be no handling the temper that would be unleashed if she found out. The simple fact was she couldn’t find out. That wouldn’t be easy. How could he keep this from her? He knew Torgo and Syra wouldn’t tell her. They weren’t stupid. But there was only one place he could think to take the boy. And it wasn’t a foolproof idea. Torgo flipped on his comm. “Darius, are you a damn fool?” “No, it will work, I say. Reena has been protected most of her life by our papa and by me. I daresay she’ll do this, she will.” Darius lowered his glider into the large yard that surrounded Reena’s small cabin. “She’s Tara’s mama. She’ll contact her the second we leave, she will.” “Then we’ll make sure Reena has no way of contacting her, yes.” Beel looked at both men curiously as he got out of the glider and stood in the yard with the cloak covering his head and hanging down his body. It was a chilly night so the long cape could easily be explained. Beel had his arms underneath the material and wrapped it around his chest. His face was easily visible and blond curls fell in ringlets down his forehead to his eyebrows. His eyes were a large gray, however, and Darius couldn’t help but think how much he looked like Andru. Was there any sign of Tasha in him? Why did the boy have to look so much like him and not his mama? Darius walked to the cabin door and knocked loudly. The cabin was outside the city limits of Bryton and surrounded by woods. A long gravel road led to the cabin, and unless someone walked through the thick foliage of the surrounding trees, it was the only way to come and go. The yard was cleared a good fifty feet before the trees began. An oil lamp sat on the small table on the front porch. It was dark enough that it wouldn’t be noticed but Darius knew the old woman kept it there so she could see at night if she went outside. He grabbed the box of wooden matches next to it and lit the lamp providing a small amount of natural light on the porch. He knocked again. Torgo and Beel stood behind him on the porch as he continued to survey the surroundings. He knew Reena’s eyes weren’t as good as they used to be and for that reason she’d given up practicing medicine. He assumed she didn’t have as

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many visitors as a result. He looked toward the gravel road and decided several guards placed there would ensure no traffic. He would have to make sure Tara stayed away. “Reena! Wake up!” he yelled into the wooden door and finally heard movement on the other side. “Come on, old woman. Open your door, I say.” “Oh, my lord, it’s you, it is!” Reena’s long gray hair fell wildly down her sides and a wool bathrobe covered a floor-length cotton nightgown. She looked small and feeble, and for a moment he regretted what he was about to do. “What’s wrong? Tara! Is she all right? Has something happened to Ana?” The old woman looked frantic. “Calm down and step aside, damnit. I’ve come here to talk to you, I have.” He gently placed a hand on her arm and guided her back into her cabin as he entered. She squinted at the three figures that entered her living room and then reached for eyeglasses that rested next to a basket of yarn. Reena looked at them again through the glasses, and then confused, returned her gaze to Darius. “What is this?” she asked quietly. “You’re going to have company for a couple of days, you are.” Darius moved into the living room and slipped his black leather gloves off his hands. Without instruction, Beel slid his cape off and then wrapped the material into a ball. He looked around the cabin with interest and then turned to study the old woman. Reena in turn studied him. Her look went from curiosity to uncertainty. She looked at Torgo who wouldn’t meet her eyes and then finally turned to stare at her son-in-law. “Darius.” She whispered his name but then didn’t continue. She turned again and looked at the boy. “I thought you were Andru, but you’re not.” Again, she looked from one brother to the next. “Oh Crator, no, oh please.” Reena turned to look for a chair, appeared to be ready to collapse, and both brothers quickly moved to her side to help her sit down. “Reena, this is Beel and he is going to stay with you for a while, he is,” Darius began. “No,” she whispered. Darius ignored her. “He’ll stay in the cabin and you’ll teach him Gothman ways, you will.” “No,” she repeated. Again he ignored her. “There’ll be guards posted on the road. If you need anything you’ll tell them, but neither of you will leave here until I tell you, yes.” “No.” This time she spoke a little louder. “Tomorrow I’ll send him clothes and you’ll cut his hair, you will. I want you to teach him to read and write and whatever you can in the short time you have him. As soon as I can, I’ll find another home for him, I will.” Reena didn’t say anything this time. She turned and gave the boy a hard look. He seemed uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

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“What does he know?” she asked, as she continued to study his features. “Nothing.” Darius sounded calm. “That’s not true.” Beel misunderstood the question. “I can already read and write. My mistress kept me to entertain her.” Darius looked at the boy and frowned. Torgo gave him a surprised look. Reena studied the innocent look in the boy’s eyes. “How did you entertain her?” Reena asked. Beel looked from one adult to the other. Confusion suddenly crossed his face as if he just realized he had said something wrong. He finally drew himself up to show off his almost six feet in height and answered the question. “I entertained her in her bed.” Three adult’s jaws hit the floor, then two adults slowly turned and looked at Darius. He simply stared at the boy. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. His bastard son was a whore. The situation had just gone from bad to worse. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and blew out air loudly. “You won’t share that information with anyone else, you won’t. Do you understand?” The boy nodded. “Yes, Master, um, I mean, my Lord.” “You’re not leaving that…that boy here.” Reena’s hands were shaking in her lap. Darius looked at her and for a moment Reena’s old brain thought she saw his father Jovis. There was a hard, determined, almost crazed look in his face. The Bryon men had raked her life over the coals through the winters. But this was the end of it. “I know who this child is, I do. I won’t have him under my roof, no. I don’t know where you got him, or why he’s even alive but I want him out of my house now. I’m Tara’s mama, for Crator’s sake. She won’t stand for his presence in Gothman and she certainly won’t like it when she finds out he’s in my house, no.” Darius heard her words and his face softened although only for a second. He looked at Torgo but couldn’t help seeing the bewildered and almost hurt look on Beel’s face. “Torgo, take the boy back to the spare bedroom and let him get some sleep, I say.” Reena tried to stand up but Darius squatted down in front of her and placed one large hand over her two feeble ones. He looked up at his brother. “I want you to stay here also, I do. I’ll post guards outside. Let me talk to Reena alone for a minute.” Torgo would have argued but Darius’ voice grew so gentle that he had no immediate retraction. His brother seldom showed this side of his personality and he had no attack prepared. He obeyed and guided the boy out of the room. “Reena, listen to me, I say.” “No, you listen to me. You’ve made some nasty mistakes in your lifetime and you’ve gotten away with them, you have. The smartest thing you could do right now is go back there and kill that child and put an end to it, yes.”

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“That is one means to an end and I’ve considered it, I have. But I need some time to think. Torgo and Syra brought him to me unannounced, they did. He’ll stay with you and I’ll leave Torgo with you as well, yes. You’ve been protected ever since you brought your own illegitimate child into this world. Now this one will never have the same opportunities as Tara, but if I can get him out of here and spare his life, I will do it, I will. Of all people, I think you would understand that.” “What will Tara say?” “Tara will not find out, no.” Reena said nothing but her lower jaw suddenly stuck out. Her nonverbal communication was quite clear. Darius walked around the counter into the kitchen and reached into the drawer where he knew she kept a comm. He pocketed it and then walked toward the door. “I won’t lie to my daughter, I won’t,” she called out as Darius disappeared into the darkness of the night.

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Chapter Seventeen “What is it?” Roth asked after flipping a switch on the dash of the glider. “Master, the Runner leader just entered the camp and wanted to see you.” The voice came over a small speaker in the center of the dash. Ana looked at Roth. He patted her leg reassuringly then left his hand there, stroking her knee with his thumb. “What did she want?” “She’s been told her daughter is with you and she is angry. She spoke politely to us but she realized before she left that she had forgotten to wear the cloth over her head. She thought many things at once—it took several of us to pull the information.” The voice sounded apologetic. “Did she go back to her camp?” “I’m not sure. She said she would talk to you in the morning.” “Well find out if she went back to her camp or not,” Roth ordered and then turned off the microphone. He brought the glider down through the large trees and landed it. Ana attempted a weak smile when he turned to face her. He laughed softly and then pulled her to him and kissed her. “I guess it was a good idea to go see Beel. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in my arms right now.” He stroked her silky red hair and then brushed her cheek with his fingers. “I know,” he said soothingly. “We don’t have her skills.” “I’m worried for you,” Ana emphasized, although she knew he must realize that. “If she catches us—” “I knew that before I agreed to let you come to me. Your people are powerful warriors. And your parents will hate me for a while. But somehow, I will win them over. It’s the only way I can be with you.” Her eyes widened at his words and he wrapped his other arm around her forcing her to lean her head back to see his eyes. The surrounding darkness seemed to make his emerald green eyes glow. Her insides warmed and she knew he must feel her heart pounding against his chest. He grinned again, although this time a bit more mischievously, and his eyes dropped to her mouth. She inhaled sharply and slid her hand up his arm to his shoulder. “And I do want to be with you,” he whispered, and then lowered his mouth to hers. His kiss seared her lips and she groaned as he smashed her into him. The thin material covering her allowed him to explore her body as if she were naked. He brought one hand down to her bottom and caressed her until she thought she’d explode. His hand moved lower, stroking her outer thigh and she felt her inner heat turn to molten lava. 129

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She groaned, wanting to allow his hand easier access to her and at the same time wanting him to stop. Roth’s lips moved down her neck and then he raised his hand to slide her dress off her shoulder. As his fingers touched her exposed skin and then moved to her breast, she felt the urge to scream. It all felt so wonderful. Suddenly, she wanted him. She wanted him to make love to her. His kisses and caresses were no longer enough. She wanted her skin touching his skin—and she wanted it now. “Master, we’ve confirmed the leader of the Runners has returned to her campsite.” The voice coming through the speaker made Ana jump. Roth pulled her to him tightly as he sat up straight. She rested her head against his shoulder, breathing heavily, as he flipped the switch on his dash. “Very good. I want her watched, but don’t let them know you’re watching them. They’ll kill you before you can pull their thoughts. I won’t be back tonight, but I want to be told as soon as they wake up in the morning.” “Where are we going?” Ana asked without moving her head from his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head then pushed her gently from him. She didn’t want him to see her eyes and so focused on her lap once he had her at arm’s length. “Keeping secrets from me already?” he whispered teasingly. She smiled and looked up at him quickly but then looked down again. “No, I don’t think I could ever do that. It’s just that…” She couldn’t say the words. “Yes?” He prodded but didn’t force her to look at him. “Where are we going?” He stroked his fingers up and down her exposed arm until a chill racked her body. He chuckled and she fell into him again, feeling somewhat embarrassed at how easily he affected her. He tangled his fingers in her hair and let out an almost guttural groan. “There are several places we could go and be comfortable for the night.” He paused and this time pulled her away from him and lifted her chin. She didn’t fight but met his gaze and let him study her, relishing the knowledge of the thoughts he pulled. She smiled seductively as she lost herself in the greenness of his eyes. He pursed his lips as if she’d just told a good joke but then his expression turned serious. “I doubt however, there is anywhere we can go and be safe from your mama.” “I know. I don’t want to think about that right now. Take me to one of your places.” “Okay. I know where we’ll go.” He released her and started the glider. He maneuvered his way through the trees until once again she could see the star-filled sky. The air grew chilly without the insulation of the trees. Ana scooted closer to Roth and he put his arm around her and steered the glider easily with his other hand. “If it were daylight you would be looking at the ocean right now. It spreads out to the horizon.” He gestured with the hand that was around her neck. “It’s out there in front of us.”

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“I wish I could see it.” Ana strained her eyes but to no avail, all she saw was blackness and huge stars. In no time they landed and Roth got out first. “What’s that sound?” Ana stepped out, but then quickly looked at the ground. “And are we standing on—” “Sand. It’s the beach. You’re hearing the waves of the ocean. Come on.” He took her hand and guided her through blackness. They came to a cottage before she realized it was there. It took her a moment to realize it was the trunk of a gigantic tree and the door and windows were carved. This land was so different from anything she’d ever experienced that her usual keen senses were distracted. “We use this cabin when we vacation here. Usually we have the servants prepare it before we arrive but for one night I guess we can rough it.” He pressed a button on the wall panel and Ana blinked from the sudden light. He guided her through a spacious living room with several cushioned benches and large pillows scattered on the floor. There was a kitchen as well but she saw it only in passing as he guided her down a hallway. Roth opened the last door and they walked into a bedroom with an oversized bed in front of them. There were long pillows tossed at the head of the bed and a solid black quilt fell to the floor on either side. He didn’t bother to turn on the light but simply pulled her onto the bed pulling back the covers at the same time. She fell onto the soft pillows willingly and pulled up her legs to take off her shoes. Roth emptied his pockets and then slid under the blankets pulling Ana so she was underneath him. She reached for him but he grabbed her hand. “Ana.” His whisper was hoarse. “I want to make love to you so badly it hurts. But my dear, I want it to be just that. You mean a lot to me and we may not have another opportunity to enjoy each other like we have right now. But tonight, beautiful lady, we shall sleep.” “I don’t want to sleep.” She whispered the words as she brushed his cheek with her lips. When had she turned into such a deadly seductress? Roth felt his self-control drain out of him. An animalistic desire to pin her to the bed and ravish her violently consumed him. It took every bit of energy he had to quench his desires. He groaned as her hands wandered across his chest. He wanted her virginity…needed her virginity. She was willing to give it to him and she had no idea how great of a gift it would be. He wanted her to be a willing partner, though. And not in just the giving of her virginity, but in everything that her virginity would give him. He sensed doubt…fear might be a more accurate description. And the thought of an unwilling mate didn’t appeal to him. He needed just a little more time. “Ana, be a good girl and go to sleep.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly, more to prevent her hands from wandering than to show affection.

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Ana cuddled into him, sighed, and closed her eyes. How could she feel this way about him after knowing him for only a week? And what was it exactly that she felt for him? He was so incredibly beautiful, every bit of his body so perfect. Maybe she didn’t love him. Maybe it was just lust. If only she could talk to someone about this. Ana fell asleep slowly and then what she swore was just minutes later, woke up with a jolt. Had she heard something? Roth lay next to her, his breathing soft and deep. The room was very dark… There it was again. She sat up in the bed and listened. Silence. Roth moved under the covers and then was still again. But she definitely heard something. Her instincts on full alert, she got out of bed and found her shoes. She’d made it to the front door when she heard it again. There was someone outside. In fact there were many people outside. Muffled voices broke the deathly silence. She could hear her heart pounding as she realized she had no laser, no protection whatsoever. She barely had enough time to jump against the wall as someone kicked open the front door. She crossed her arms over her chest as the door hit her square on. “Find the bedroom.” The voices were no longer muffled. Tara entered the living room and walked right past her with several Runner guards accompanying her. Beams shot through the darkness and Ana didn’t dare breathe. They passed by her and it was all she could do not to scream a warning to Roth. She slid out behind the door as the last Runner guard entered the house. Five gliders were parked outside. She ran to her mama’s and quickly found the extra laser she knew was kept under the seat. “What do you plan to do with that?” Ana spun to face her mama. Tara walked around Ana, studying her red hair through her Runner headgear. Just then, two of the guards came out with Roth between them. They pushed him toward one of the gliders and bound his hands behind his back before forcing him on the glider. “Don’t hurt him. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Ana tried to get past her mama, but Tara grabbed her arm. “Take him to the Runner jail. Kill anyone who tries to stop you.” Tara shot out the order and Ana broke into tears. Roth looked up at her and she saw the bravery in his face. Quickly, she wiped her tears and forced her only thought to say, Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of this. He smiled a small, sad smile before the guards forced him onto the glider and took off into the blackness.

***** “What’s going on here?” Andru asked as he hurried into the living room.

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“Oh Andru.” Ana jumped from the couch and ran into her brother’s arms. Her face was puffy from crying and her hair was…red. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she broke out into tears again. Andru looked up as Darius paced angrily back and forth across the room. Tara leaned against one of the tables, her arms crossed, and a scowl on her face. “They don’t believe me,” she sobbed into his neck. “Look at how you’re dressed.” Darius’ loud accusation reverberated through the room. Ana jumped in Andru’s arms and cried harder. He pushed his sister away to arm’s length and studied the sultry dress that clung to her, hugging every curve. Instinctively, Ana pulled the skimpy cape-like jacket around her and stared up at Andru, not daring to turn and face her papa. “I told you already,” she said to her papa, although her back remained to him. “We disguised me so I wouldn’t stand out among their people. I went there willingly so I could be with Roth. He didn’t kidnap me.” “That just shows us how naïve you are, my dear.” Tara’s voice sounded sad. She fixed her gaze on the floor, but the tone in her voice commanded their attention. “The picture is larger than you realize.” Darius stopped pacing and gave Tara a wary look. He walked over and placed his hand on her back but looked at the twins. “Fulga!” Darius yelled and Ana visibly jumped although Andru and Tara didn’t move a muscle. Andru held his sister close and watched Darius. Tara turned but her expression wasn’t readable. Andru could tell she was telling him something nonverbally—he just didn’t know what. The servant appeared quickly. “I want her hair changed back to its normal color immediately, I do.” He pointed a finger at his daughter. “And get her into her own clothes…now!” Fulga held her hand out to Ana. Ana hurried from the room but held onto Andru’s arm, pulling him out the door with her. “What did you mean when you said the picture is larger than you realize?” Darius prevented Tara from moving with one hand on her shoulder. “I’ve met this Roth.” Tara looked up at him, and he saw emotions run deep in her blue eyes. “I can’t see why she’d be interested in that man. He’s nothing. He has no skills, no inheritance, his looks are all right, but nothing compared to what she could have here. She sees an adventure and he’s easily seduced her.” She paused and turned so she faced the large man towering over her. “He has ulterior motives. She thinks he loves her—after one week.” She threw her hands up in the air in disbelief. Darius crossed his arms over his chest. He smiled at the glare she offered him. “I fell in love with you in less than a week, I did.”

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“Fell in lust maybe, but I doubt love.” She put her hands on her hips with a sigh of frustration. “He knows it would be an advantage to have her at his side. It would give him power over the Runners. Ana comes with a mighty big purse attached.” “So did you.” Darius closed the distance between them and combed her silky brown hair with his fingers. “But it was you I wanted in the end.” He tightened his grasp on her hair and pulled her head back until she looked up at him. “Yes, I remember how you proved it was me you wanted…I believe a bastard child was created.” Tara’s blue eyes turned dark as he watched. “And now, once again, that child has come into the picture.” “You wanted to tell Andru and Ana about that child, didn’t you?” “I don’t think they need to know—yet. Maybe never. I hate to admit to this, but we need to remove that child. He’s too big of a risk.” Darius didn’t say a word for a minute. A picture of Beel appeared in his mind. This child was so different from Andru but yet looked so much like him. Could he make the boy Gothman? It bothered him that he even considered the thought. There was no way Beel could remain among them, was there? “Darius, what is it?” Tara’s body stiffened. One of the Runners working up in the landlink room knocked on the double doors. “Come in,” Darius said, relieved at the distraction. “There’s a transmission from Sorg of the Tree People,” the Runner said solemnly. “It’s a written message requesting your immediate response.” They followed the Runner upstairs and Darius and Tara stood at the monitor reading the message together. “Lord Darius and Lady Tara, I’ve learned that you have found your daughter in our Seergoon tribal land. I also know you are now safely returned to your home. I’m dismayed, however, to find that my brother, Roth, is accused of abducting your daughter and is now held within your nation. Please return him to us and we will hear your charges and reprimand him accordingly. I also find to my dismay that my mama’s personal servant, Beel, a young lad who’s been with her since his infancy, is now missing. Our servants are close to us and the boy is missed. If you discover such a lad, who looks Gothman but came from the Lunians, would you return him as well?” Tara read the message once then read it again. Fury in her mounted slowly as she realized the source of the unknown look in Darius’ eyes. Slowly, she turned and looked at Darius’ profile. He studied the screen, his expression stone-cold. “Where is he?” She spoke quietly and with such severity that he turned quickly to glare at her.

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“I know he’s a risk, my lady. The matter is being taken care of, it is.” He straightened and she watched muscles tighten. “The only matter we’ll discuss here is what to do about Roth, yes.”

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Chapter Eighteen “What do you mean you can’t find him?” Torgo stood in the yard outside Reena’s house. The old lady swept her front porch, seemingly indifferent to the misplaced child. The Gothman guard stood at attention facing Torgo. “It’s not exactly that we can’t find him, my Lord,” Arien spoke up from the yard. He was Darius’ first commander, and a pompous ass in Torgo’s opinion. “He was out with several of our soldiers at target practice, he was, and he’s disappeared. I’m sure we’ll find him momentarily, I am.” “I’m sure,” Torgo muttered, and then turned in time to see an infuriated look from Reena. “I’ll go up in my glider and see if I see him, I will.” Arien pointed toward the direction the boy had last been seen and then spoke into his comm, making his men aware that Torgo would also be looking for the boy. Torgo took to the air but didn’t see Beel anywhere. He circled around toward Bryton to see if he’d headed that way. Reena had followed her instructions and taught the boy Gothman history and folklore, being careful to mention nothing significant about his personal history. Torgo knew this was a necessary step, but couldn’t help feeling sorry for the position the old woman had been put in. Darius was preoccupied dealing with the Tree Person that Ana had taken off with, and relied on Torgo to handle this matter with Beel. Several guards were assigned to teach the boy how to shoot and learn the basics a Gothman with thirteen winters should know. Torgo knew Darius’ goal was simply to make Beel look like a normal Gothman boy—then find him a home—far away from here. He saw Tara, Andru, and Ana fly toward him heading in the direction of the Blood Circle Clan site and waved, trying to look friendly and unconcerned. If those three were out and about with Beel running loose somewhere, he’d have to tell Darius the boy was missing sooner than he planned.

***** “Is it all right if I stop in to say hi to Syra?” Ana climbed off her glider and walked over to their mama. “Her glider is parked outside her trailer. I know she’s home. I can meet you at Crator’s temple later.” Tara turned to stare at her beautiful daughter. Long blonde curls fell past her shoulders to her waist and deep gray eyes studied her cautiously. She had more curves than a young lady with sixteen winters should have. Every man’s head turned as they

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walked through the clan site and it was worse when they walked through Bryton. But now that Ana had made it known she was willing to be with a man, Tara’s desire to protect her grew stronger. Andru also seemed more alert around his sister. Tara didn’t fool herself. She knew her son was all too aware of how Gothman men treated women, especially one as young and beautiful as Ana. They stood in an open area at the bottom of the hill where Crator’s temple was. She could see the jail past a group of trailers on the other side of the open field. “The guards at the jail have orders to make sure you stay away. If you harass them they’ll contact me.” Tara raised an eyebrow at her daughter. “I’ll contact Syra and tell her to expect you.” “That’s fine.” Ana tossed her head indifferently. “Tell her it won’t take me a minute to get there.” “I also want you to see Dr. Digo today,” Tara said as Ana started to walk off. “I know, the anti-conception pills. Mama, I can take care of that myself. Please don’t show up while I’m there.” She looked over her shoulder as she spoke but then hurried off toward Syra’s trailer. At the jail, Roth stood inside the room-size cage that had been his home for a week now. Large tarps hung down the outside of the bars preventing him from seeing most of the clan site. He’d been given a small gap to serve as a window and provide fresh air. He stared out the gap and watched Ana walk across the field. Her hair was back to its natural color and her long curls captured the rays of the sun. She held her head high and looked indifferent to everything and everyone she passed. The way her firm body was outlined in her Runner clothing reminded him of the times it was pressed against him. He wished she would at least turn and acknowledge that he was there. He assumed she wasn’t permitted to visit him, but she had to know where he was. Just then, Ana jumped and then ran after a ball some children played with. Ana managed to kick the ball so that it came even closer to him before apprehending it. As she bent to grab the ball she looked up and made eye contact with him. She must have learned a thing or two about him because as their eyes met, her message came to him loud and clear. I want to see you. I want to get you out of there. I don’t know what to do. Her thoughts almost slapped him in the face with their intensity. Well, he’d show her another trick he knew. Ana suddenly got a surprised look on her face, which she recovered from quickly. She froze, however, a moment too long. “Ana, may I have my ball back?” A Runner boy of eight or nine winters stood next to her.

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“Sure, here.” Ana stood and handed the ball to the child. She then stared at Roth. She had just heard a voice in her head. Get your brother and convince him to come here with you. It was Roth’s voice and she heard it in her head as plain as if he’d just spoken to her directly. I miss you, sweet lady. The next thought she heard in her head made her smile so genuinely Roth knew her feelings for him hadn’t changed. The smile also gave her away because one of the Runner guards began walking toward her. Ana looked at the guard and then turned and hurried away before he could say anything to her. “There you are. Come on in.” Syra stepped to the side and allowed Ana to enter the trailer. “Why haven’t you come around lately?” Ana plopped down on the couch. She had planned a wonderful conversation with her old nanny but now powerful emerald green eyes distracted her thoughts. Just thinking about him warmed her inside. “You’re not the only outlaw in your father’s eyes.” Syra sat across from Ana and draped her long legs over the side of the chair. “You look distracted, though. Is this a casual visit?” Ana eyed Syra cautiously. “Can I trust you? Will you tell my mama everything I tell you?” Syra smiled. “I’m not so old that I don’t remember my sixteenth winter. You can talk to me.” “I’m going crazy, Syra. I miss Roth and no one believes that I really want to be with him.” Syra laughed. “That may be what they’re telling you, but I think they believe very much that you want to be with him and it scares them to death.” “What do you mean?” Ana leaned forward, hopeful to learn something from her wise cousin. “Ana, you’re young and you’re very beautiful. Your mama and papa like to think of you as sweet and innocent. They aren’t ready to think of you otherwise.” “I am sweet and—” Ana paused, and then blushed. “And I’m innocent.” “Really? You didn’t do anything with Roth?” Ana felt her face turn crimson and covered it with her hands as she smiled shyly. “I wanted to,” she whispered. “But Roth said we should wait. He wanted to, um, he said he wanted to make sure I loved him.” Syra leaned forward and looked hard at the young girl across from her. “I’m really glad to hear that. Did you tell your parents this?” “I tried to but they didn’t want to hear any of the details.” Ana stood and paced the room. “I’m going crazy, Syra. All I want to do is be with him. They’ve got guards all

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around him like he’s some kind of criminal while I walk around free. He didn’t do anything wrong. I did.” “You know, I know how to braid hair the way the Tree People women do when they’re trying to catch a man. Do you want me to do it to your hair?” Ana’s face lit up. “Yes, I do.” It was several hours later when Ana left the trailer with parts of her hair braided and beads woven through the braids. She felt sexy, older, and walked with a new assurance. It was late afternoon and the sun angled on the edge of the field. She couldn’t see Roth in his cage as she strolled past the jail toward the Crator temple. “I know you.” Ana turned around and stared at a boy standing behind her. She did a double take for a moment at the similarity in the boy’s appearance to her brother’s, and then her eyes opened wider. “You’re Beel, from the Barringswood tribe. What are you doing here?” “I’m really Gothman and I’ve been rescued so I can be with my people,” he said proudly. Beel was maybe an inch or two taller than she was and wore Gothman clothing. His blond curls had been trimmed and fell loosely around his face. He let his eyes travel up and down her, taking her in, before he looked once again at her face. “Who are you exactly?” “My name is Ana.” “And you’re a Runner? What were you doing with Ma—I mean Roth? And your hair—” He reached to touch one of her braids and she backed up instinctively. “It’s a different color.” “I’m half Runner, my papa is Lord of Gothman.” She paused and looked around the quiet field. Most of the trailers were a ways from them. She felt uneasy around Beel. He knew too much about what she’d just been through and his questions unnerved her. “And I was, um, with Roth because I wanted to be.” Beel nodded understandingly. “He’s your lover.” She was about to protest his blunt comment about her relationship with Roth when Beel suddenly looked at her earnestly. “Do you think you could help me?” Now he looked around the field nervously. “Your papa helped bring me here. He took me to this old lady’s home and told her to teach me how to be Gothman. I thought he was happy that I was with my people—that I was no longer a servant. But I’ve been hidden away, like they don’t want anyone to see me. I can’t take it any longer. I ran away and there are guards looking for me.” His expression turned forlorn. “I didn’t ask to come here, and they make me feel like my being here is a crime.” Beel looked over Ana’s shoulder and suddenly his eyes grew large. Ana turned to see Andru approaching them. He got within a few feet of them and then froze in his tracks. The two boys looked each other over carefully and Ana studied both of them as

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well. They looked identical. Andru stood several inches taller and his body was slowly taking the shape of a man’s. He looked like he had several winters on Beel but otherwise—they could be brothers. Beel looked at Andru for the longest time then turned his head to Ana. “You two are twins,” he said simply. “Beel, I’d like you to meet my brother Andru.” She held her hand out toward her brother then turned and held her hand out to Beel. “Andru, this is Beel. He was among the Tree People and apparently our papa has just brought him here.” “It was your papa and another man, Torgo,” Beel added. “Torgo is our uncle,” Andru said without emotion, still studying Beel. “Why were you brought here?” “They told me it was because I was Gothman. I thought I might be reunited with my family or something—but I’ve been kept locked up.” “Beel just asked for my help,” Ana told Andru. “I met him when I was with Roth. He was Roth’s mama’s servant. Apparently, after I saw him there, Uncle Torgo and Papa stole him away, or something.” “Torgo and a woman, Syra, brought me to your papa,” Beel said quickly. “But now he tells me they’ve kept him at some house and won’t let him go see anyone. So he’s run away.” “There are Gothman guards looking for me right now. I haven’t done anything wrong. I just want to go somewhere and find work, maybe a home where I can go to school.” “How old are you?” Andru almost looked stern as he studied Beel. Ana thought she felt mistrust. “I am thirteen seasons old.” Andru looked confused. “He’s thirteen winters old,” Ana offered. “Do you know who your parents are?” Andru caught sight of a large dog running behind Ana and Beel toward the trees at the edge of the clan site. He turned quickly to see the dog better and both Ana and Beel jumped and turned as well, obviously fearful of being caught in this conversation. Andru turned and looked at both of them. “Sorry, it was nothing.” “The Barringswood tribe took me from the Lunians. They had no idea who my parents were and I’ve lived with them all my life. I don’t think your papa or uncle know who my parents are either.” “Hmm.” Andru rubbed his chin and wondered what message Crator wanted him to see in all this. Certainly that was why the dog-woman just ran past them. It was a warning of some kind, an indication that his senses should be alert. He and Gilroy spent a fair amount of time on the landlink researching the Tree People. Torgo had compiled information and targeted paths that were easy for them to 140

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find and follow. They’d found a source that focused on laws and legends. It was the unwritten law of right of first refusal that concerned him the most. If a man took a lady’s virginity, he had the right to say whether he would claim her or not. Could Roth be trying to take Ana’s virginity so he could claim her and her right to lead the Runner clans? Andru had spent the past few hours praying in the Crator temple over the meaning of this knowledge. Now, he’d come out of the temple and met this boy. Was Beel the answer to his prayers somehow? “Well, wandering around the clan site won’t do you any good,” Andru said, and shoved his concerns to the side for the moment. He looked around the field once again then back up the hill from where he’d come. Tara was standing outside the Crator temple talking to one of the priests. “Great, Mama will be here in moments.” He suddenly grabbed Beel’s arm. “Come with me. Ana go up and meet Mama and tell her I went ahead and will meet you at the house for supper.”

***** “What did you do with him?” Ana whispered to her brother as they left the supper table later that night. Their papa seemed grossly distracted and they assumed it was because he couldn’t find Beel. Andru didn’t answer her, but instead took her upstairs and down the hallway toward the new addition where their bedrooms were. He opened his bedroom door and then shut it behind him. Beel sat at Andru’s desk, studying several framed pictures of Andru with his sister and another shot of their parents. The boy jumped when the door opened and then let out a sigh of relief at the sight of them. “Why do you think we look so much alike?” Beel asked quietly as Ana sat on the edge of Andru’s bed and Andru perched on the corner of his desk. “I think it’s quite possible we’re related in some way.” Andru’s answer made Ana look up quickly. “How would he be related to us?” “I don’t know, but there’s no question he and I could be twins. If we were the same age I’d swear we were triplets but obviously that’s not what happened.” “What happened?” Beel gave Andru an odd look. Andru waved his hand at the boy sitting next to him. “I don’t have all the answers yet, but I will. Now, what we need to do at the moment is figure out where to put you for the night.” He looked around his room, grimaced, then walked over and opened his closet door. “It’s not the best accommodations and for that I apologize, but I have enough extra blankets in here. Would you mind sleeping in the closet?” Beel got up quickly and walked over to the large closet.

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Andru turned and faced him, momentarily blocking the entry to the small area. “Before you go one step further, I want you to swear loyalty to me.” Beel looked surprised, and Ana stared at her brother. “Swear to follow me and to be loyal to all of Gothman. I will leave this room and go downstairs to get my papa right now unless I’m assured you are in no way here to endanger my nation.” Andru stood tall and almost shadowed the boy. Beel pulled himself up and looked like a smaller replica of Andru. “I swear my loyalty to you and all of Gothman,” he said seriously. “Good.” Andru stepped to the side and handed Beel several blankets. “I daresay you’ll obey me unconditionally.” “I can do that.” Beel smiled. Andru nodded but didn’t smile. Ana wondered when he’d mastered the skillful art of being a leader. He acted just like their papa. “Stay in there and don’t come out until I say you can.” Andru closed it quietly and then guided his sister out of the room. “Go to bed,” he said when they were in the hallway and outside her bedroom door. “What are you going to do?” “I’m going out for a while.” Ana envied his ability to come and go as he wished. She knew she would fight off aggressor after aggressor if she went out with her brother in the evening hours. It was bad enough being around Andru’s friends in the daylight. She could protect herself easily but she’d heard stories of several of the Gothman boys ganging up on some of the girls who dared to go out at night. There was no way a girl could fight all of them off. “I want to talk to you first.” He nodded and slipped into her bedroom after her. “Andru, I want you to talk to Roth.” “Why?” “Because he asked that I send you to him. Andru, he didn’t do anything wrong and he’s locked up like a criminal. I stood by the jail earlier today and told him in my thoughts that I wanted to help him get out of there but I didn’t know how. Then, the strangest thing happened. He put a thought in my head. I could hear his voice, plain as day, telling me to send you to him.” “He put a thought in your head?” Andru frowned. Ana nodded. “Please, you’ve got to help him.” “Will you run off with him again?” Her brother was still frowning. Ana studied him for a moment and then looked at the ground. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

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Chapter Nineteen “I didn’t realize you were still here,” Darius said as he entered the landlink room. Torgo glanced up distractedly but then returned to his work. “It’s a good thing. We need to talk, we do.” “What is it?” Torgo again glanced at his brother then switched screens on his monitor. “Have you been home recently?” A look of frustration crossed Torgo’s face as he swiveled his chair toward Darius. “I haven’t been home since we got back from the Tree People nation, no,” he said flatly. “Rayla is back. She came home yesterday with the children, she did.” Torgo’s expression remained blank. “I had a message sent to her while she was at her parents’, I did. I told her the claim would be challenged because there was evidence she encouraged the claim under false pretenses and that her first-born child in fact wasn’t yours.” Darius paused, but still his brother showed no reaction to what he said. “Torgo, she’s disputing the challenge, she is. She claims the boy is yours…and, since the alleged papa is dead.” Darius sighed. “It might be hard to prove otherwise, yes.” “I’ll take care of it.” Torgo turned and looked back at the landlink. “What will you do with the children if you kill her?” Darius leaned against the doorjamb and watched his brother for some kind of reaction. “I’ll raise them. They’re mine, right?” He waved his hand at his brother without looking up. “Don’t think such drastic thoughts, no. That may be your way out of a problem—to kill someone—but we both know that method can backfire and come back to haunt you, we do.” Darius walked across the room, shutting the door behind him. He sat down on the corner of the desk and looked down at his brother. “Speaking of which, how is our little charge doing?” Torgo leaned back in his chair and shot his brother a disturbed glance. “Our little charge? He’s your son, not mine, he is. And if you must know, he’s missing.” “He’s what?” Darius yelled, and then quickly lowered his voice. “How long has he been missing?” “Since this afternoon.” “And when were you planning on telling me?” “Just now…as soon as you finished talking. The little rascal simply disappeared into thin air, he did. No one has seen him anywhere. Our guards have been discreet, but

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your family was out at the clan site today and if they’d seen him, trust me, we would have heard about it, we would.” Torgo looked up and Darius watched his expression soften. “You care about him, don’t you?” “He’s my son.” Darius shrugged. “And he looks so much like Andru, he does. I daresay the fact that no one can find him sends a surge of pride through me. But I do what I do for Tara, yes. His coming to be was such an awful mistake, and it took Tara a long time to forgive me for it. I don’t want it all brought up again, no. Are the guards still looking for him?” Just then, the door opened slowly and Tara entered and closed it behind her. Darius and Torgo stared at her, and she glared at both of them without saying a word. When her gaze met Darius’ he saw the fire in her eyes. “You were standing outside the door listening, weren’t you?” Darius accused her. “It wasn’t that hard to hear,” she said coldly. “You brought that child back here and tried to hide him from me, didn’t you?” She walked over and poked Darius in the chest. “And now the little bastard is wandering the countryside while the two of you sit here and talk about fatherly pride. Well, I tell you what, my Lord,” she said sarcastically. “You find that child before the night is out and get rid of him.” Her voice became a whisper and she moved within inches of Darius’ face. “Because, if you don’t, I’ll go find him myself. And I promise you, if I find him, I won’t bring him back alive.” Darius opened his mouth to respond but Tara turned and stormed out of the room. On the other side of the landlink wall, lying on the floor of a closet, Beel stared wide-eyed into the darkness as he listened to the adults’ conversation.

***** Andru hadn’t planned on spending his evening at the clan site. Gilroy had waited for him but Andru decided he had matters to deal with and questions that needed answering. He landed in the dark field surrounded by large tents and trailers. The nomadic people didn’t create permanent homes, and he knew the clan would leave come spring to see new places. He donned Runner clothing and walked confidently up to Syra and Balbo’s trailer. “Andru, what a surprise. Come on in, boy. We were just sitting down to some hot, spiced Gothman tea. Would you join us?” Balbo stood to the side, and Andru entered amiably. The middle-aged man was actually his mama’s stepbrother. He viewed the man as family, even though he didn’t see him that often. “That would be nice. There is a bit of a chill out there.” Andru pulled the Runner headscarf off and tossed it on the counter. Syra sat sideways in one of the living room chairs. Her long legs hung lazily off one of the sides. She looked warily at Andru. “I can’t remember ever seeing you in Runner clothing before,” Syra said.

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Balbo handed him a steaming cup and Andru sat down across from Syra. He gave her the same wary gaze, then shrugged. “I am half Runner.” “That’s right, you are.” Balbo smiled and sat down to join the young people. “So what brings you to our home?” “Actually, sir, I came to see Syra.” Balbo looked curiously at his daughter who looked curiously at Andru. The best thing to do was stick to Runner custom, Andru thought. “But first tell me of the goingson of your clan.” Andru half-listened as Balbo relayed the current events within the Blood Circle Clan. He made appropriate comments as needed until Balbo sighed finally. “Well, I’ll let you two have your talk.” The older man stood, and then kissed his daughter on the forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning, sweetheart.” Syra watched her papa walk down the hallway and disappear into the last door. When the door had closed securely, she turned and gave Andru her attention. “Who is the boy that you brought back from the Tree People?” Andru didn’t waste words. Syra leaned forward and rested her arms on her legs. She stared intently at Andru. “What do you know about him?” Syra wasn’t going to offer the answers easily. “Not everything, which I intend to find out from you.” Andru hoped he sounded firm, like his papa. She didn’t have the respect for him that she had for his papa, but he hoped if he sounded determined, he could convince her to share what she knew. “He approached Ana and me today and told us how he came to be here. He then said he’s been locked up like a criminal, which he didn’t much care for and managed to escape. He’s asked for my help, Syra. I see no reason not to help him.” Syra didn’t look at him, but stared blankly across the room. Andru stopped talking and watched her until she gave him her attention. “Who is he, Syra?” “Andru, I can’t answer that question,” she said finally. “Who can?” Andru stood and walked over to look out the small window. When she didn’t answer, he turned to face her. “He’s related to me, isn’t he?” Again no answer. “Syra, I’m not leaving until you answer my questions.” “Don’t put me in this position, Andru.” Syra leaned back and put her hands behind her head. “You brought Beel back here. You had to have done it for a reason,” Andru argued. “Will Torgo answer my questions?” “I don’t know.” Andru pulled a comm out of his shirt pocket and wrapped it around his ear. “Andru, I don’t think you should—” 145

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“Uncle Torgo.” Andru ignored her. “I need to ask you some questions.” “Andru, he can’t—” Andru silenced her by raising his hand. “No, I need you to come to me. It’s very important. I’m at Syra’s.” Andru removed the comm and looked at Syra triumphantly. “He’ll be here within minutes.” Syra jumped up and went into the kitchen to make more tea. Andru saw how nervous she was but made no attempt to calm her nerves. Once, he would have jumped at her command. Syra had helped raised him since he and his sister were infants. But now she had no rank. Inevitably, she would be his uncle’s mistress. He would always respect her, he knew that, no matter what title she ended up with. She was daring like his sister but needed guidance. He wouldn’t say like all women, he knew that much not to be true. His mama didn’t need guidance. A solid knock on the door made Syra jump. Andru turned and opened it to allow Torgo to enter the trailer. His uncle glared at him, but his gaze softened drastically when he made eye contact with Syra. “What’s this all about?” Torgo placed his hands on his hips and confronted Andru. “Who is the boy that you and Syra brought back here?” Andru worked to match his uncle’s stance. Torgo glanced at Syra for only a second before turning on Andru. “Where is he?” “He’s safe,” Andru said. “Who is he?” “Andru, this isn’t a game. Tell me where he is.” “No. He’s my brother, isn’t he?” Then Andru looked at Torgo and Syra. “Or, is he my cousin?” He raised his voice slightly. “Who is he? Why are you keeping him hidden like he’s some dark secret? You two brought him back…is he your son?” “Tell me where he is now,” Torgo shouted. Andru almost jumped at his uncle. “You’ll hurt him if I tell you. I’ve been warned that there is evil here. I want to know everything about him…now!” Syra darted around the counter and jumped between uncle and nephew. She put her hands on both of their chests and Andru stepped back from her. Torgo however, took her hand in his and held onto it. She didn’t look up at him. Instead, Syra focused on the ground. “Andru, we can’t tell you who he is. But you must tell us where he is,” Syra said quietly. “Syra, you were captured by the Lunians weren’t you? He’s your son, isn’t he? They found out you were pregnant and they took your child and sent you back. Is that how it happened? Then, you two found him while you were looking for Ana and knew he was your son.” Andru looked questioningly at his uncle and then at Syra. Neither one of them said a word. “I just don’t understand why he has to be kept hidden. He doesn’t understand either. Beel was so excited to find out that he was Gothman. But 146

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now he feels as though he’s being treated like a criminal, and he doesn’t know what he’s done wrong.” Now Syra did look up at Torgo. The two of them stared at each other for a long while without speaking. Andru sensed they tried to decide what to say to him, and decided to allow them the moment. “Andru, I won’t spend any more time on this. You can tell me where the boy is or I’ll take you to your papa and you can tell him where he is.” Torgo shrugged. “I’ll do neither until I have insurance that he’ll receive better treatment. He doesn’t deserve to be locked up. Do you have a crime to charge him with?” Andru put his hands on his hips and challenged his uncle. “He’s done nothing wrong,” Syra said as she shook her head. “Well, he has done something right.” Andru came back quickly. “He’s pledged his allegiance to me, and to Gothman. He’ll do as I say and therefore I’ll take care of him. That’s how it is.” Torgo placed his hand on Syra’s back and then ran it up to her neck. She looked up at him and he met her gaze and sighed. “Andru, you’re right,” Syra said, but didn’t take her eyes off Torgo. “He’s our son. I found him and wanted him back. Torgo is having problems with his claim and can’t have the boy’s presence known. He has to stay hidden for the time being. But we really need to know where he is.” She closed her eyes and added, “I need to know where he is.” “You two must have been awfully young.” Andru grinned at the two of them. “Beel says he has thirteen winters.” “Where is he?” Torgo demanded. “He’s in my room.” “What?” Torgo and Syra said at the same time. “He’s safe.” “No, he’s not.” Again, both of them spoke at the same time. Torgo dropped his hands from Syra and ran them through his blond curls as he walked around her to the couch. He looked up at Syra and momentarily seemed to forget Andru was in the room. “Tara overheard Darius and me talking right before I came here.” “Oh Crator, what did she hear?” “Enough.” “I have an idea.” Andru moved to a nearby chair and looked from Torgo to Syra. “I’ve been seeing a lot of things lately,” he began quietly. Torgo and Syra gave him their undivided attention. “Sometimes, the dog-woman talks to me. She comes in my dreams and sometimes I see her while I’m talking to people. You might think that’s distracting but I know she’s guiding me—Crator’s guiding me. Anyway, I came to the clan site this evening for two reasons. First I wanted to talk to you, Syra, and I thank you for your 147

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honesty.” Syra looked like she might speak but Andru raised his hand. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. I won’t even tell Beel if you don’t want me to.” “The second place I plan to go this evening is to see Roth.” Torgo and Syra both started protesting at the same time. “I promised Ana. He’s locked up and he’s done nothing wrong. Ana came to me before she left. She went of her own free will. Besides, I’ll tell you this, I plan on finding out his intentions.” “The Tree People have tried to approach Gothman, and Darius had them shot down on sight, yes,” Torgo offered the information, and both Syra and Andru looked astonished. “I didn’t know that,” Andru said quietly. “My papa will burn bridges unnecessarily, I fear. Here’s my plan.” He leaned forward conspiratorially and Torgo and Syra leaned forward as well. “We need to free Roth. He’ll be the easy part. Can we keep him here?” Syra glanced down the hallway and then at Torgo. “Yes, but just for a little while.” She sounded reluctant. “Papa sleeps soundly, but we have to have him out before the morning.” “Fine. Now, the hard part of the plan is that I want to send Beel with Roth. They know each other and your, um…Beel will be safe with him.” Again, Torgo and Syra glanced at each other. “How do you suggest getting Beel out of your bedroom?” Andru blushed and smiled mischievously. “I’ve sneaked out of my bedroom before. Don’t worry about me. You two get Roth.” He walked to the counter and pulled the Runner headscarf over his head. “Oh, and one more thing. Ana told me that he put thoughts into her head. He told her to send me to him. I think if you go to him and let him see you…you can talk to him that way.”

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Chapter Twenty Darius wished Sorg would quit sending his soldiers into Gothman. He’d issued orders for any Tree People to be shot as soon as they crossed Gothman borders. This wasn’t a good battle. He felt no pride over it. It was like killing children—there was no challenge in it. The thought reminded him of his claim’s comment, and he left the landlink room and walked to their bedroom. Tara sat at her landlink and with a glance he could tell she was talking to Jolee. She didn’t look up as he walked over and leaned against the desk. He crossed his arms and simply stared at her, watching her eyes as they darted around the screen. Although she had teenage children, she was still by far the most beautiful woman in all of Gothman. Her silky brown hair hung well past her shoulders. One strand fell across her face and he itched to push it out of her way. Her lips were pursed, which made them look ready to kiss. If someone had told him winters ago that he would hold a flame for the same woman over all this time he would have labeled them a fool. But just watching her, knowing she was furious with him, he wanted nothing more than to take her to bed. “I know how to rid you of that anger,” he said in his most seductive tone. She didn’t bother to look up. “Don’t tempt me. Beating the crap out of you sounds way too appealing at the moment.” “Ah, my lady, granted you’ve tried more than once over the winters.” He put his hand on hers while she typed. “You’ve never been able to beat the crap out of me.” She tried to pull her hand from under his but he grabbed her wrist. “I’m not in the mood for your games.” She clenched her teeth together and shot him an icy glare. “I’m not playing games.” He yanked her out of the chair by her wrist and pulled her into his arms. “You said yourself that in the interest of our nations the boy should be brought back here, yes.” She pushed herself away from him and stood outraged in front of him. “Do you think that’s why I’m mad?” Darius looked at her calmly and crossed his arms. “You care about that child. I heard you admit it.” Tara made a face as if the words tasted like bile. “He’s my son, he is.” “He’s a bastard created after I left you because you were cheating on me.” “I thought you were dead.”

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“Our children weren’t dead. You had no respect for their future. Would you have gone around the countryside creating bastards all over the place if I hadn’t returned?” Darius threw his arms up in the air. “I won’t have this argument with you again. Everyone fucked your sister, they did. How was I to know she wasn’t using the infamous Runner you can’t get pregnant pill?” “I can’t believe your indifference about all of this.” “My lady, I daresay I’m not indifferent.” He moved in on her quickly. His arms wrapped around her, and he lifted her off the ground. In a rage, she slammed her arms down on his shoulders and twisted until she managed to drop free of him. Tara backed away quickly, but he didn’t relent. “I’ll talk with you right now, but that’s all I’ll do,” she hissed at him. With a powerful lunge he leaned forward and grabbed her arm. He twisted it as he pulled her up to him and didn’t release her when she struggled. “I’ve apologized, lived through your punishment, and shown my loyalty to you over the winters, I have,” he began in a dangerous whisper. “I will not be punished again.” He cupped her chin with his other hand and pulled her face within inches from him. “You’re mine, you are. Don’t you ever tell me again that I can’t have you, no.” She looked furious enough to launch into a full attack when just then a loud scream came from the hallway. Both of them stopped the argument, which could have been considered extended foreplay. Darius turned and dashed to the door with Tara right behind him. Darius drew his laser the second they were in the hallway. At the same moment, two Runners came out of the landlink room, their lasers also pulled. Darius stood in between Tara and the Runners. He aimed his laser toward one end of the hallway and then toward the other end. Another scream came from the children’s wing and he followed Tara toward the closed doors. The screams continued as Tara swung open the outer door leading toward the long hallway, with solid doors closed on either side. Ana’s door flew open and their daughter dashed out of the room, clad in her nightshirt, her braided hair flying and a poker from her fireplace in her hand. Darius thought his daughter was being assaulted for a brief second but as the screams continued he realized Ana was also looking for the source. Just then, Andru’s bedroom door opened and Fulga ran out, her hands covering her mouth. She continued to scream as she ran into Tara and Ana. “Be quiet, woman,” Tara yelled at her. “What’s wrong?” Fulga shook from fright and simply pointed toward Andru’s bedroom. Finally she managed to sputter out, “…gathering laundry… Andru out gallivanting again…but he’s in there…not out there.” She pointed at the room, then out the window. “He’s in there, I swear.” Tara didn’t appear to notice the concerned look her daughter threw at her.

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Darius, who stood next to Tara, saw his daughter’s expression and immediately feared the worse. He pushed his way into his son’s bedroom and Tara and Ana followed. The bedroom was empty. Andru obviously was out on the town for the night as his bed showed no signs of him having been there. Nothing was out of order but Tara immediately headed toward the half opened closet door with a small amount of light flooding the bedroom floor. She hadn’t quite reached the door when Ana hurried to it. It was at that moment that Darius had no further doubt in his head as to what, or more accurately who, had made the servant scream. He turned quickly to the Runner guards who were on his heels. “Get back to your work.” Tara turned and looked confused, but turned again as Ana reached the closet door. “It’s all right,” Ana said, lowering the poker, and leaning it against the wall. Tara moved quickly and grabbed her daughter, yanked her back and pulled open the closet door. She caught sight of a boy who she thought for a second was Andru. He held one of the arrows from Andru’s archery bag and pointed it at her. Tara raised her laser at the boy when Darius’ powerful arm reached around her and pulled her back with more ferocity than he’d used on her minutes before in their bedroom. She fell backwards until she hit the wall. Tara wanted to scream. She wanted to shove Darius out of the way. She wanted to eliminate the unwanted blemish of the dark memory from her mind. The thoughts of a sleeping baby in her arms in the darkness. A baby’s face that looked just like her own baby but wasn’t hers. Now, a new painful memory had just been created. The face of a young boy who looked just like her son ready to stab her with an arrow. She stood frozen as fury, frustration, the pain of betrayal, and another emotion she couldn’t label, raced through her. “Ana, get away from the closet.” Darius’ voice was tight, controlled, as he yanked Tara to his iron chest. His arm became a vise grip around her. “Papa, it’s—” “Get away from the closet, I say.” Darius raised his voice, only slightly, but enough for his daughter to turn around cautiously. She stepped back from the closet door but stared at the boy who stood frozen and alert inside. “Come out of the closet, Beel, yes,” Darius spoke calmly. “No, my lord,” the young boy said boldly. “I can’t.” “You’ll do as you’re told, you will.” Again, Darius’ voice sounded fatherly. “I am, my lord. I’ve sworn my allegiance to Andru and he told me not to come out of the closet until he told me I could.”

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Tara went limp in Darius’ arm. He quickly wrapped both arms around her and whispered into her ear, “You’ll get through this, my lady.” He moved her to her son’s bed and she sat down, resting her head on her hands. The door flew open and Andru rushed in then stopped at the sight of his mama, papa, and Ana in his room. Darius turned to his oldest son. Something was wrong here—very wrong. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his son wear Runner attire. There was a sense of urgency about him and although there was surprise on his face at the people in his room, he saw no fear. He had the look of a man on a mission. Andru concealed the surprised expression quickly and walked over to his closet. “My word is good.” Beel spoke first. “I’ve stayed where you wished.” “Come out of the closet, Beel,” Andru said simply. Beel walked out of the closet and stood next to Andru. The two teenagers standing next to each other, both facing Darius and Tara, were overwhelming in their similarity. Andru faced his parents, tall and proud. Beel stood next to him, inches shorter, an identical shadow. Ana stood to the side in her long white nightgown. She clasped her hands behind her back and also faced her parents. Tara gasped and the disbelief in her expression was readable. It was almost as if it didn’t matter who’d parented the boys. Their papa’s blood ran through both of them so thick there was no doubt they were brothers. “Beel came to us for help. I kept him here until I determined who he was.” Andru looked at his papa without blinking. “It wasn’t clear to me at first why he was confined and prevented from mingling among his people. I know who he is now, and I understand why you ordered his isolation.” Andru turned to Beel. “You and I are cousins. Your parents are the ones who took you from the Tree People. You were taken from your mama’s womb by the Lunians but when my uncle and cousin found you, they knew you immediately, so they brought you here.” Andru’s tone grew gentle. “Your parents never claimed each other. They were different races and that kept them apart. Your father claimed another woman and your presence now would prove a difficulty. Your wellbeing is both of their concerns however and your blood merits more than a life of a servant…so you were brought here.” Andru stopped and looked at his parents. Their faces were devoid of expression and he sensed their tenseness. He was prepared for the impending discipline they obviously were devising in their minds as they studied him. They didn’t look at each other but he’d seen them implement policy together before without as much as a word or a glance at each other. He didn’t view this situation to be any different. Suddenly, the dog-woman sat next to Tara on his bed. “Your heart leads your actions, my boy.” The old woman was almost half the size of his mama. Her skin was dark and rough like an animal’s hide. Gray fuzzy hair was pulled behind her head and a braid fell over her shoulder and almost to her chest. She 152

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wore a long dress made out of animal skin, and a rope served as a belt around her gaunt figure. Her hands were clasped together on her lap and her joints were larger than normal, and disfigured. She was an ugly hag, but when she smiled and showed her disproportioned teeth, there was a sense of beauty about her. “You must think with your head, though. See people for who they are and what’s inside them.” Tara’s eyes widened and she looked around the room quickly. “Andru?” She spoke quietly. Andru adjusted his expression and looked at his mama, trying to ignore the dogwoman who sat next to her. “I’m sorry I deceived you, Mama.” “Watch the actions of those around you carefully. Their behavior will let you know what you must do next.” The dog-woman spoke again and Andru looked in her direction. His mama seemed aware of his distraction and watched him carefully. He quickly looked away from the dog-woman. “Who told you about Beel’s parents, Andru?” Tara asked. “His parents confessed the truth,” Andru said simply. “Torgo and Syra,” Darius said without emotion. Andru didn’t speak. “Good and evil are dancing together, Andru. Pay attention.” The dog-woman disappeared and Andru sighed in exasperation at the old woman’s confusing advice. Everyone in the room looked at him before he realized he’d betrayed himself with his actions. Tara understood his frustration when she saw his expression show exasperation. She knew the dog-woman had been in the room. Tara had felt the old lady’s presence. An overwhelming sense of clarity entered her mind. For winters, she’d resented the fact that the guardian of Crator no longer approached her, but her son instead. She now understood that it was Andru who needed the guidance. She had served Crator and fulfilled the duties expected of her. Now, it was her son’s turn. She wouldn’t dare let on that Crator guided Andru in front of the bastard. He was the evil and if he felt a loyalty to Andru she didn’t want that marred. “Torgo and Syra’s loyalty is stronger than I realized, I think,” Darius muttered. “I think rather it’s fear,” Tara mumbled, and then stood to walk across the room. She turned and looked at her son. “What were your intentions?” “Beel was miserable in his confinement. He’s treated like a criminal yet he’s committed no crime,” Andru began, and Tara shot Darius a deadly look. “My intentions were simply to get him out of Bryton and allow him a life of freedom.” “You asked my son to do this?” Tara addressed Beel for the first time. Darius turned to look at his bastard son. Beel seemed to draw confidence from every bone in his body. He breathed in deeply and stiffened. “I asked Ana at first.” He cleared his voice, and his gaze fell to the ground.

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“Look at me.” Tara spoke harshly and Beel jumped. “I thought I was brought here to be reunited with my family,” Beel said quickly, his eyes meeting Tara’s. He then boldly looked at Darius. “I see now that’s not the case. Andru told me to stay here while he found out who I was and why I was kept hidden.” Ana spoke up. “We knew immediately that we were related.” “And if I’d discovered he was our brother, I would’ve seen to it that he be made comfortable in our home,” Andru finished. “Now that you know he isn’t, what are your plans?” Darius knew Beel watched him too carefully. He sensed the boy knew that the information Andru offered was inaccurate. The boy’s eyes looked wounded and confused as he stared at him. Darius told himself it was his conscience playing with him and shoved the feeling to the side. “I’ve made arrangements for a party to escort him out of Gothman territory.” Andru held up to his reputation of honesty. “And who is this party?” Darius gave Andru his full attention. “Do I have your word that you won’t harm the party I’ve secured?” Andru stood attentive in front of the rulers of two nations. They were his parents, but this wasn’t the first time he demanded the respect due an heir to a nation. “As long as your party is not wanted for a crime, I give you my word.” Darius stifled a smile at the self-importance that crossed his son’s face. Slowly, he put his arm around Tara and pulled her to him. “I’ve chosen Roth.” Ana gasped. Darius dropped his hand from Tara’s back. Tara groaned. But all three showed surprise when Beel spoke up. “No, Andru.” Beel put his hands on his hips and scowled. “He’ll take me back to the Barringswood tribe.” “Roth is locked up.” Tara ignored Beel’s outburst. Calmly Andru turned from Beel and once again faced his parents’ potential wrath. “No, he’s not.” Just then, someone knocked on the door to the bedroom. Ana moved toward her brother. “My Lord?” At the same time, Tara’s comm beeped in her pocket. Darius walked to the door and opened it, privately grateful that it opened inward and the person knocking couldn’t see the three teenagers standing behind him. “The Tree People have crossed the mountain range again. There are more of them this time and we have an incoming message from Sorg,” the guard at the door informed him. “Send troops out with orders to detain them and I’ll be with you in a minute, I will.” Darius closed the door and then turned to look at everybody in the room.

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“I’ve just received word that at least two people overcame the guards surrounding the Runner jail.” Tara had her comm wrapped around her ear and paused to listen. She looked at her daughter. “Roth has escaped.”

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Chapter Twenty-One Torgo, Syra, and Roth moved quietly through the woods toward the spot Andru suggested they meet. They’d taken Roth to Syra’s trailer and enjoyed his overwhelmed reaction to the structure Syra lived in with her papa. Their lifestyles were so incredibly different and they’d passed time by discussing this. Torgo and Syra both liked the man, although neither of them wished to warm to him. He was only several winters younger than they were and he was interested in Ana—a child. “Over there,” Torgo pointed to several figures barely visible in the night. “Why did you make us walk all the way out here?” Syra sounded annoyed as she came upon the three teenagers. “Ana!” Roth said at the same time, as she ran into his arms. Andru watched the couple cautiously before answering Syra’s question. Beel stood next to him, matching his pose. When Andru turned to Torgo and Syra, he saw their curious gazes as they studied the similarities in the two boys. His eyes narrowed at the realization that neither of them showed any emotion other than curiosity at the boy they claimed was their son. “Right before we left, we received word that the Tree People have crossed the mountains.” Roth turned to look at him while his arms remained wrapped around Ana. “They have quite an impressive army and are prepared to attack if we don’t release Roth to them right away. We know they’re monitoring our activity. If we sent you on gliders to go anywhere but toward them, it would be viewed as an act of aggression.” “Beel doesn’t wish to return to our tribe,” Roth said unnecessarily. “I understand your concerns, Andru. If you’ll give me a comm I’ll contact my brother.” He paused and then nodded at the heir to Gothman. “Yes, I know you’ll monitor my communication. I understand. I wish no ill will against your people.” Torgo pulled his comm out of his pocket. The mature Gothman stood almost head and shoulders taller than Roth. When Roth reached for the comm, he noticed the laser in Torgo’s other hand, which hung by his side. Andru watched Roth as the man noted that they all were armed, and ready to fire if needed. Roth breathed deeply and wrapped the comm around his ear. Andru felt they made it very clear that he better choose his words well if he wanted to live.

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“Make sure your brother understands it’s in his best interest to go home and wait for you there,” Torgo explained. Roth flipped on the comm and focused on Ana as he spoke. “Sorg, this is Roth.” He paused. “I’m fine and I’m free… No, I haven’t been detained… I’m sorry that’s what you were told. I haven’t been in a position to contact you before now.” Andru scowled as he watched Roth wrap his arm around Ana’s shoulders, pulling her into him. His fingers twisted through her braided hair and tucked her head under his chin. She stood cuddled into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn’t look at any of them. It didn’t help Andru’s mood when his sister wouldn’t look at him. “Sorg, if you attack these people I’ll do everything in my power to see that you’re defeated.” There was silence for a moment and Andru glanced at Torgo and Syra who watched Roth intently. “Why? Because I love his daughter and will do what is necessary to earn his respect.” Andru froze at Roth’s words. The man continued to hold her, and continued to play with her hair. “Sorg, my brother, I have no desire to betray you. Let this drop. I’m not harmed and will come home when I’m ready. Ana and I don’t want blood shed because of us.” There was another long pause and Roth took his time looking at Torgo, then Syra, Andru, and finally Beel. He then glanced again at Torgo and Syra. “I’m with Lord Darius’ brother, Lady Tara’s niece—” he hesitated as he looked at Andru and Beel, took a deep breath, then added, “—and Lord Darius’ children.” Andru looked at Beel quickly and then turned to frown at Torgo and Syra. It dawned on him that Roth could pull all their thoughts. Why would he say Lord Darius’ children and not Lord Darius and Lady Tara’s children? Unless…all three of them were Lord Darius’ children. He turned again to look at Beel, look into his eyes, and study his face. Beel looked up at him, shy but definitely seeking approval, Andru thought. “Sorg, that would be foolish. These people are incredibly powerful. They would annihilate us. We would be better to have them as allies. Our cultures would benefit from each other, I think.” Andru realized Sorg wasn’t agreeing easily. “I have no authority to say that he’ll meet with you,” Roth continued to speak. “I’ll ask on your behalf.” He then looked at Beel. “No, I haven’t seen him. If I do, I’ll take him in tow.” Finally, Roth pulled the comm from his ear and handed it to Torgo. It began beeping when Torgo took it. He listened for only a minute then pulled it from his ear.

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“Lord Darius will contact Sorg and arrange a meeting, he will. He has noted your loyalty to our people.” Torgo looked over at Beel. “Now to our matter at hand. You and Beel shall leave here, yes.” “But Uncle Torgo,” Ana whimpered. A raised hand from Torgo quickly silenced her. “If it’s your wish not to return to your nation right now you’re welcome to stay in our nation and you won’t be harmed, I say.” Roth pushed Ana to arm’s length and wiped a tear that escaped down her cheek. He smiled gently then leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll request permission to see you again soon,” he whispered. Andru took a step to his sister and Roth looked up at him and smiled sadly. “Don’t worry, my friend, your sister still has more loyalty for you than she does for me.” He then took both of her hands in his and gently guided her into her brother’s arms. “You two shall go home,” Torgo instructed Andru. “Syra and I will escort Roth and Beel to a safe haven.” Andru pulled his sister toward the gliders as she continued to watch Roth. “You’re not going to harm them, right?” But Andru pulled her along and she didn’t hear if they answered.

***** Three adults and a teenage boy walked west along the rugged ground. After just a short amount of time, two gliders appeared in the sky and Beel froze in his steps. Torgo pulled out his comm and the next thing they knew he was waving a beam to signal the gliders. “You have your own following, I see,” Roth commented, as two Gothman landed not too far from them. “Our actions are not unknown to my brother,” Torgo answered without looking at the Tree Person. “We don’t ask that you walk across our nation, no.” “You’re giving me a glider?” Roth tried to see Torgo’s eyes but it was dark and Torgo wasn’t quite looking at him. Instead of answering, Torgo walked over to talk to the guards. It was getting too dark to see anyone’s eyes well and Roth was forced to voice his curiosity. “Is there somewhere specific that you’re sending us?” he asked Syra. She watched Torgo talk to the guards, and turned to look at Roth. “None of this was my idea. Obviously, Lord Darius has taken over. He usually manages to control everything.” “You don’t like him much do you?” Roth asked, and Syra appeared to hesitate before answering. 158

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“Why don’t you like him?” Beel looked up wanting to know as much as he could about the man who was his papa. “Let’s just say we’ve locked horns a time or two.” She waved a hand, dismissing the topic. They watched as the two Gothman left on one of the gliders. Torgo knelt before the remaining glider and Beel watched what he was doing as well as studied the man. “What are you doing?” Syra asked. “Dismantling the bomb that’s programmed to go off when this thing goes airborne, I am,” Torgo said, without looking up. “He was going to kill us?” Roth couldn’t hide his surprise. “Welcome to Gothman,” Syra muttered under her breath. “Yes, he was going to kill you.” Torgo said matter-of-factly. “I don’t understand. I showed my loyalty when I talked to my brother.” Roth was completely at a loss. “You’re still a threat, you are.” Torgo released several wires then pulled a small box from the side of the bike. He handed it to Syra then reattached the wires. “But, you’re going against your brother’s wishes,” Roth said, once Torgo stood up. “And do you agree with every decision that your brother makes?” “You have seen that I don’t.” Torgo smiled. “You and I are not so different, I’m thinking, my friend.” He stuck out his hand and after a moment Roth accepted it and shook hands with the Gothman. “I ask that you learn as much as you can about Gothman ways and teach them to Beel. He’ll serve you best if he is a fully trained Gothman warrior, he will.” Roth nodded. “Oh.” Torgo pulled a small bag out of his inner pocket. “This should be enough money to make living easy. If you need more, contact me and I’ll see that you get it, yes.” Roth accepted the bag and stared at it for a moment. “Torgo, why are you doing this?” “Why don’t you just pull my thoughts?” Torgo asked, somewhat sardonically. “It’s not that easy.” Roth shrugged. “I don’t have any control over what thoughts come to me. And, in the dark, I can’t see you that well anyway.” Torgo laughed and ran his hand up Syra’s back to her neck. “I tell you, my friend, that is exactly why I prevented your death, because I don’t see you as a threat. My brother is a dangerous man, he is. If someone is in his way, or he thinks they are, he eliminates them. He’s always been that way, he has. Let’s just say, for the time being, you’ve been given a second chance. Be careful, though. Head south and you’ll run into Taratown. There is a boardinghouse where you can stay with little questions asked. Just

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let the lady know I sent you. I suggest finding some rural property and the lady can help you find a tutor for Beel, she can.” “Very good.” Roth walked over to the glider and Beel hurried to climb on behind him. Beel smiled at Syra. She had always helped him with the Tree People as well. “Good luck to the two of you.” He watched Roth and Torgo shake hands. Torgo looked at Beel and extended his hand. “I’ve enjoyed meeting you, Beel. You weren’t what I expected, no.” “Could I ask a question?” Beel tried to sound as confident as the men around him. “Of course.” Torgo frowned. “But you must remember what you’ve learned here.” Beel looked hesitantly at Roth. “Yes, I’ll remember. But, why did you tell Andru you were my papa?” “You don’t think I could be your papa?” “No. I heard you and Lord Darius talking before you left to get Ma— Um, Roth.” Torgo seemed to search his memory and then sighed heavily. “Torgo, who was my mama?” “She was a Runner, she was. She’s dead.” “Lady Tara killed her, right?” Torgo didn’t answer him, but instead looked directly into Roth’s eyes. Beel looked from one man to the other. Torgo was offering Roth thoughts that he didn’t want Beel to know. Someday he would learn the truth. “No, she didn’t. But it was a long time ago, it was. As you know, you’ve been with the Tree People since you were an infant. I don’t remember all the details, no.” “But Lord Darius denied being my papa.” Syra reached out to touch Beel’s arm. “Go live with Roth. Learn the Gothman way, and…quit acting like a servant.” She shot Torgo a quick glance. “You’re related to the leaders of two nations and you need to learn to act like it. Lord Darius is a difficult man to please, but I think you’ll make him proud one day.” Beel smiled and felt a purpose for the first time in his life. He nodded then wrapped his arms around Roth. Within minutes, the man and teenager were on their way. Syra stood next to Torgo and watched the glider until it faded into the blackness of the sky. Torgo slipped his arm around her waist and she moved with him when he began walking. He led them to a dark spot of ground and picked up a bedroll that obviously had been left by the guards. “Why did you tell him he was related to two leaders?” Torgo asked as he carried the bedroll to an area where several large rocks provided a small form of shelter. “I don’t know, maybe it’s the rebel in me.” She shrugged, growing distracted as she realized what he was doing. “He seemed so hurt at being sent away.” 160

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“What a soft heart for such a tough warrior,” he muttered, and then pulled off her headscarf. “We have a long walk home,” she mumbled as he began kissing her neck. Torgo wrapped one arm strongly around her waist, tossed his jacket on the ground, and pulled her down on top of it. “Are you in a hurry, my lady?” “I’m not your lady.” His hands quickly found her bare skin and she arched into him with a groan. “As far as I’m concerned you are, yes.” He crushed his mouth on hers and their tongues bonded in an unspoken bliss. Their love had spawned as children and distance hadn’t quenched it. As they explored each other’s bodies and reacquainted themselves with once familiar territory, they realized to what extent that love had grown. Slowly, Torgo removed one piece of her clothing after another until she lay naked under him. He pulled back to get a better look at her under what little moonlight was offered. She raised her hands above her head and taunted him with her nakedness. Syra pulled his shirt over his head as he hovered over her. Her mouth fell open in appreciation as his broad muscular chest appeared in front of her. He crushed himself on top of her and then pulled her over so she lay on top of him. The coarse hair on his chest tickled and her heightened senses shivered as a result. He tasted so good when she traced lines on his skin with her tongue and he smelled like a mixture of leather and soap. She pushed herself off of him and gently pulled off his pants. Then, straddling him, she rubbed herself against him, teasing him into madness. The remainder of the night simply wasn’t enough time to show this man how much she needed him in her life. When his large hands gripped her waist so tightly it hurt and she could see his blood boiling in his eyes, she thrust herself down on him with such an impact that white sparks danced in front of her vision with the depth he impaled her. Torgo rolled her over and began slowly making love to her until she knew they would explode into eternity together. “I love you.” The two of them whispered the words at the same time. He hovered over her, and continued to make them one, a unity that never should have been divided. Neither one of them could view this as an illicit act.

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Chapter Twenty-Two “Ana, may I come in?” Tara asked through her daughter’s bedroom door, and listened as her daughter quickly stifled her tears. Almost a cycle had passed and still her daughter cried from heartache. “Of course, Mama.” “I thought the first snowfall would brighten your spirits.” Tara walked over to Ana’s window and opened the curtains so the brightness of the freshly fallen snow flooded the room. Ana sat on the side of her bed, fully clothed, and blinked at the window. “I guess I hadn’t noticed.” “You’ve got to pull yourself out of this. You’ve been moping around for weeks. It’s not healthy.” “He’s dead, isn’t he, Mama? I can’t come up with any other reason why he wouldn’t try to contact me.” Tara sighed. She’d thought Darius’ orders to kill both Roth and Beel a little harsh. It was an incredible chance if the Tree People found out, but it wasn’t the first time the two of them had taken such a chance. There was no reason to confirm her daughter’s fears, though. “Maybe he went back to his people. He’s not the only man out there, but I remember how hard it was to get over my first love.” Ana looked at her mama blankly. “I bet you were at least given the opportunity to love him.” “You can’t just stay in your room and mope about it. It isn’t healthy. You love the snow, you should get out and enjoy it.” “I don’t feel like it right now.” “Well then, why don’t you come with me to the clan site? I was just getting ready to leave.” Ana attempted a weak smile. “Maybe I’ll come down later.” Tara kissed her daughter’s forehead gently and then made her promise to join her soon. As she walked through the quiet house, she knew a distraction was what her daughter needed. Someone new always helped numb the pain from someone old. She pulled out her comm and called her son. “Where are you?” Tara asked when his voice sounded in her ear. “I’m in town with the guys. Do you need me?”

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“I would like to talk to you. Why don’t you meet me down at my trailer? I’m headed there now.” “So what is it?” Andru had waited until Tara finished talking to her advisors. “It’s Ana.” “She’s in a bad way, Mama. I’ve talked to her time and time again and have gotten nowhere.” “I know, so have I. But I have an idea.” Andru shrugged. “I’m open to suggestions.” Tara knew her son almost considered his sister more his charge than his parents. She remembered clearly that after the dog-woman started visiting him, his assertiveness grew and Ana’s passivity developed. At least, she was passive toward her brother. Ana was an incredible warrior, defeating Runner and Gothman in every challenge she encountered. She had a flair for militaristic strategies and implementing them, easily outmaneuvering her peers in their war games. She was beautiful and enticing, but quick to bring any teenage boy and even a few men to their knees any time they’d made lewd advances. But now Ana had a taste of passion still lingering in her senses. It was driving her daughter mad, and Tara knew her plan might possibly work. “Our Ana needs a distraction,” she began carefully. “I know there are several of your friends who have made advances toward her in the past and you’ve nipped it in the bud before she could send them running herself.” Andru stood tall, devoid of emotion, and listened to his mama. “Is there anyone of these boys who Ana has confided that she finds attractive?” “She’s commented on several, although none recently.” “Of course not. She’s distracted by the taste of something she didn’t get, mourning its loss. All her thoughts are distracted by what might have been.” Tara paused as she walked over to the landlink table and sat down, casually crossing her legs. She looked up at her son’s attentive face. He was hard to read, like his papa, but she saw no sign that he understood where she was leading. “Do you know of a boy who you would approve of spending some time with your sister?” He relaxed his body somewhat, suddenly appearing to understand his mama’s intention. “You think it would be a good idea to find her a new boyfriend.” Andru nodded his head, and appeared to ponder the matter. “Actually, I want you to find someone who would be a very attentive boyfriend.” Tara watched her son.

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Andru rubbed his chin, giving the matter thought, but then stopped and lowered his hand. He stared at his mama, and his expression hardened. “Mama, are you referring to the right of first refusal that the Tree People have as one of their traditions?” “The right of first refusal? What is that?” Tara searched her recently obtained knowledge of the people, but couldn’t remember if her advisors had shared this term with her. “Gilroy and I were doing some research the other day and came across the right of first refusal. It states if a man takes a woman’s virginity then he has the right to say whether he shall claim her or not.” “I didn’t know about that.” Tara leaned back and pursed her lips. “That sure gives Roth motive for taking Ana, doesn’t it?” “That’s what we thought. But if she isn’t a virgin, then if Roth takes her, he won’t have the right to claim her. Ana’s virginity would already be gone and the right of first refusal wouldn’t apply.” “Let one of your friends know a time and a place where she will be alone.” Andru’s mouth fell open. “I would be giving them permission to rape her, which any of them would do wholeheartedly if she wasn’t my sister…and your daughter.” “Ana can take care of herself,” she said quietly, and moved to the door. “That is all, Andru. I want you to do it.”

***** The winter came on them with a vengeance as the days passed, and although Ana finally ached to get out of the house, the weather now made that impossible. As snowstorm after snowstorm attacked them, everyone in the household began to feel cabin fever. Ana began taking jaunts with Andru into the field behind their house. They never ventured too far because inevitably the snow would start falling and the wind would pick up while they were out. They also spent time standing off the back balcony shooting at distant branches or trying to make their laser beams bounce off boulders protruding through the snow. Occasionally, Darius and Tara would join them and then the servants and guards and whoever else might be in the house would chuckle as the apparent competitiveness ran thick through the family. Shouting, accusations, denials and threats could easily be heard from all four of them as they challenged each other to shot after shot. The unspoken truth was simply that the women of the family were better shots than their counterparts. It was during this time period that a particular visit ran a disturbed hush through the household. Darius and Tara commonly spent their mornings allowing audiences

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with the Gothman and Runners. The audiences were heard in the living room, long before converted into a public room with two large wooden chairs that the lord and lady lounged in while Gothman or Runner came to issue a complaint, offer a suggestion, or submit a request. Needless to say, as the weather worsened the requests for audiences diminished, but it wasn’t uncommon for them to have two or three a day. So neither suspected anything unusual when they met in the room and relaxed next to each other as Jolee announced who requested to see them that day and why. “We just got this request in,” Tara’s advisor began. “Moag and Betra wish to see you.” Tara straightened quickly but Darius didn’t move a muscle. “Why?” he asked. “Well, my Lord, it appears Rayla was found this morning. Dr. Digo has seen her. She’s dead.” Tara realized she was holding her breath and released it slowly and loudly then lowered her head to her hands. She noticed Darius’ hand tighten into a fist next to her but he said nothing. She turned and looked up at his hardened face. There was a warped satisfaction buried into his burning gray eyes, and when he turned to look at her, she saw very little that resembled concern or remorse for his dead sister-in-law. “Show them in,” he said after a minute. This reason right here was why they arranged to hear why their audience came before them. Darius took a moment to compose himself, and prepare for what he anticipated being a heated discussion. The Gothman couple entered with a confident air. Moag, a very large Gothman, had a belly protruding well over his belt, and forearms the size of tree trunks. His double chin hung low toward the top of his high-buttoned shirt and small-set green eyes took in the room and all its contents quickly, then fell with determination on to Lord Darius. His claim looked about the same and gave the Lord a similar gaze. “Lord Darius, we come to you with terrible news,” Moag began without introductions. “My step-daughter was found dead this morning. One of our servants found her body, still warm, at the edge of my property. It was just within the past couple of hours.” His voice choked momentarily. “The Runner doctor told us if someone had noticed her half an hour earlier he might have been able to save her.” “How did she die?” Darius spoke with such coolness and lack of emotion that Tara almost cringed. Moag obviously noticed the tone of indifference in the Lord’s voice because his gaze froze as his jaw protruded. “She was shot with a Runner’s laser but apparently that didn’t kill her. It’s obvious by the shuffle in the snow that there was a struggle and she was beaten—” again his voice faded on him, “—until she died.” “And the children?” “They were at their home at the time with their nanny.”

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“She was with child, my Lord,” Betra suddenly bellowed out and began wringing her hands together. “Silence your claim or I’ll have her removed.” Darius sliced the air with his order. “The twins shall be brought here and the oldest may live with you or wherever you see fit.” Darius spoke his final words with the calmness of deciding when the streets should be cleaned. Moag stood before him silently for a minute obviously giving serious thought to his next words. “Was there anything else?” Darius leaned back and stroked a finger down his claim’s arm. “My lord, shall there be any discussion as to who murdered my daughter, your brother’s claim?” Moag asked with incredible control. “Do you have any suspects?” Darius raised an eyebrow. “There are likely suspects, my lord.” Moag now spoke a little too quietly. He began moving his giant jaw back and forth slowly and rotated his fingers to prevent them from forming fists. “You suspect my brother, don’t you?” Darius actually grinned. “Your daughter publicly scandalized their claim, humiliating Torgo among Gothman with her promiscuous behavior, she did. She then further tarnishes her own reputation by announcing with no regret that her firstborn son, a boy Torgo held and loved as his own, was in fact not Torgo’s but a bastard, yes. She successfully coerced my brother into a claim that was not rightfully his. I would have killed her a long time ago, I’m thinking.” Betra clasped her hands to her mouth and Darius relaxed in his chair. “Jolee, where is my brother?” He turned his head casually and looked at Tara’s assistant. “He’s upstairs in the landlink room.” “And how long has he been there?” “He’s been there all morning, my Lord. He had breakfast with the two of you this morning.” “How do you know that?” “He was sitting at the table and eating with you when I arrived this morning.” “And now he’s upstairs?” “Yes.” “Is he alone?” “When I was up there earlier there were two Runners with him.” Lord Darius turned to Moag whose face had now contorted into a barely controllable fury. “Do you have any other suspects?”

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“Lord Darius, there is foul play here and I demand an investigation,” the irate man said through clenched teeth. Darius ignored the outraged man and turned to look at Tara. Her blue eyes danced with anticipation, a look he always enjoyed on her. “Very well. Have the twins here within the hour or I’ll send my guards for them, I will.” He spoke without taking his eyes off Tara and then waved a hand to dismiss them. The doors behind the large couple opened as if on signal and when Moag and Betra didn’t move, hundreds of unspoken accusations bordering on their lips, two large guards came up on either side of them indicating it was time to leave. “Torgo wouldn’t kill her himself, no. We all know he isn’t warrior enough for the act, we do.” Moag could no longer control himself and shouted the words with all his fury. “He would have someone do his dirty work for him. I demand to speak to him, I do. And what about that Runner whore he runs around with? Why not question her?” The guards only managed to get the couple out to the entryway before Moag finished yelling at Darius. With the speed of light, Darius was out of his chair and attacking the large bulldog of a man. He slammed the large man through his guards and against the front door, causing it to groan loudly against the impact. Torgo overheard parts of the screaming and was down to the stairs to the landing by the time Moag finished his accusations. Moag recuperated quickly from the attack and lunged back at Darius. Torgo literally jumped the banister and landed next to his brother, assisting in pinning the incredibly large man up against the wall. “The only whore in question here is your daughter, yes.” Torgo spat the words within inches of his father-in-law’s face. With the help of Darius and Torgo, the guards grabbed Moag, his claim nervously running alongside, and escorted him none too gently out the front door and onto the large front porch before shoving him and his claim off the steps. “I want my children, I do.” Torgo stood next to his brother, the two looking magnificently dangerous. “We’re no longer related. What I have given you is yours but ask for nothing more, I say.” Torgo stormed back into the house and slammed his fists so hard against the wall that plaster flew. Tara touched his shoulder but he jumped so severely that she backed off. “I must warn Syra,” he muttered, still facing the wall. “That old man will have his vengeance on her, I’m thinking.” “You can’t go to her,” Tara said softly. Torgo spun on his heels like he would attack her but Tara wasn’t intimidated. “It will imply her guilt. We will send someone, but it can’t be you.” “Go to her, Darius.” Torgo turned to his brother. “I need to know if she killed Rayla, I do. You always knew when she lied.” “And if she did?”

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Torgo stared at his brother a long time before answering quietly. “She didn’t.” Balbo opened the door to his trailer and stood back with surprise as two large Gothman warriors entered his living room without invitation. “What is the meaning of this?” He stepped back quickly avoiding his favorite chair. Then he noticed Lord Darius. He entered the room quietly after his soldiers and pulled the door shut behind him. “Darius, what are you doing here?” The man’s tone calmed considerably at the sight of the man he knew to be a friend. “Where’s your daughter?” Darius didn’t look at Balbo as he spoke but instead his probing gray eyes took in the contents of the room. “She’s not here. Why? What has she done?” Tara’s stepbrother found his favorite chair and sat down. “Do you know where she is?” This time Darius met his brother-in-law’s gaze. “Well now, I don’t. She’s been gone all day. She doesn’t make a habit of telling me her schedule.” Balbo scratched his head as if trying to remember something. He glanced at the large men standing expressionless, watching him. Then he turned his attention to Darius. “She’s not often here.” “Does she sleep here?” “Sometimes. Look, um, Lord Darius, Syra is a grown woman. She comes and goes as she pleases.” “I understand, I do.” Darius motioned to the guards and they opened the door and left the trailer. “It was good to see you again, Balbo.” Darius nodded and then left Balbo sitting alone in the living room. The old man got up and walked over to the window to watch the three Gothman ride away.

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Chapter Twenty-Three Syra flew low over the clan site as she headed toward home. She’d enjoyed a magnificent sunset during her flight and was in no hurry for the most relaxing time of her day to end. Her muscles ached and her eyes burned from exhaustion. A slight rumble reminded her she hadn’t eaten since she left the trailer early that morning. A hot shower and hot meal were definitely in order. Her thoughts drifted to Torgo as they did anytime she relaxed her thoughts. She hadn’t seen him in over a week and missed him desperately. She’d run into him completely by accident in Bryton this past week and he’d followed her mischievously as she’d done her shopping. She’d pretended not to notice him but enjoyed his attention and knew he noticed. When her errands were complete, she’d boarded her glider and took off toward home. Once she knew he followed, she’d veered off and headed out toward an abandoned farmhouse that lay several miles west of Bryton. She’d laughed when Torgo actually beat her to the old house and then pulled her off her glider as soon as she’d landed. They felt no worse than guilty children as they’d crept into the cold structure and then created their own heat as they ravished each other. She wanted him again and wondered where he was at the moment. She’d told him she wouldn’t call him the last time they were together. Although she regretted her words, she knew they were well advised. The Tree People were instigating further communication, which kept Torgo busy in the landlink room as well as close to Darius’ side. Neither she nor Torgo wanted scandal or attention of any kind drawn toward them. Torgo would contact her when time permitted. She fought at the nagging resentment building in her that obviously he didn’t have time for her right now. “Well, daughter, you’ve been gone quite a while,” her father said, sounding distraught as she fell onto the couch next to him, tore off her headscarf then started in on her boots. “I’m absolutely exhausted, too,” she smiled as she fell onto her back and raised a leg into the air to pull off her boot. “I don’t know whether to eat or shower first.” “Where have you been?” “All over, it seems like.” She pulled herself up and groaned unaware of the intent look her father gave her. With some effort, she slid out of her jacket and then headed for the kitchen. “You had company today.” Syra glanced up at him, then focused on finding food.

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“Syra, what kind of trouble have you found for yourself?” Syra stormed out the door five minutes later. How dare that man. Her papa sat and worried himself sick over her all day long. He’d been absolutely distraught when she walked in the door. No one did that to her papa. As her papa explained Lord Darius’ unusual visit, Syra had stopped with her food preparation and looked at him. His face was covered with worry lines. His eyes appeared sunken, almost as if he’d been crying. She’d never seen him so consumed with worry. She flew away from the clan site and straight to the Bryon house. Two Gothman guards approached her as she skidded her glider to a stop in front of the house. She headed straight for the stairs. “Get out of my way!” she hissed as one of the guards tried to stop her. Another guard met her as she entered the house. “What is this?” He blocked her from leaving the entryway. The other guards closed in from behind. “Where is Lord Darius?” She scowled at the guard standing in front of her. There was not one ounce of fear in her from the three large Gothman surrounding her cautiously. “What do we have here?” Syra looked up quickly as Darius, Tara, and Torgo walked down the stairs. She noticed instantly the clouded expressions on Tara and Torgo’s faces and could tell they both wondered something about her. What trumped-up charges had Darius conjured up against her that had all these people staring at her suspiciously? “How dare you!” That was the first thing out of her mouth as she stepped forward. “Get out of my way!” She slapped the guard in front of her hard across his chest. Darius didn’t bat an eye at her gesture but instead walked toward the throne room. He waved a hand as he entered and the guards stepped to the side allowing Syra to lunge after him. She didn’t touch him although she desperately wanted to punch him square in the nose. She pointed a finger directly at his face and yelled at him. “My papa has been fit to be tied all day because of you and your thugs.” Darius sat leisurely in his large chair with an expression as cold as ice. Tara shut the glass doors and then stood there, hoping her niece wouldn’t once again push Darius too far. Torgo followed Syra and stood next to her, glowering down at her. She ignored him and focused her wrath on the man in front of her. “What do you think you were doing coming into my trailer like that? You had no right.” She put her hands on her hips and demanded an answer. Darius leaned back and met her gaze with ferocity. “Where were you today?” “I don’t have to tell you that,” she snapped as she wrinkled her brow. 170

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Tara came up from behind her and put her hands on her shoulders. “Go ahead and tell him where you were today,” she whispered into her ear although it was loud enough for Torgo and Darius to hear. Syra turned and frowned at Tara, both of them knowing she wouldn’t disobey the leader of the Runners. Darius raised an eyebrow and cocked his head at her waiting for an answer. She turned and saw Torgo cross his arms and study her, looking for an answer to something but she didn’t know the question. “I was in Taratown,” she said waving her hand as if to dismiss further discussion. “But, my Lord,” she said sardonically. “What I do with my time is none of your damn business.” Torgo snorted and Darius shot him a dirty look. “And why did you go into my trailer with two guards? Don’t you think you could detain me on your own?” “That’s enough,” Tara said quietly and moved to the chair next to Darius resting her hand on his as it gripped the arm to prevent from slapping the woman in front of him. “Rayla was killed this morning, she was,” Torgo spoke and Syra whirled to face him. “And you think I killed her?” she asked incredulously. “Did you?” Darius asked. “No, I didn’t.” “They think you did.” Torgo’s voice was softer. “Who’re they?” “Her parents,” Darius answered. “They’ve demanded an investigation and are looking for you. You need protection, you do.” “I don’t need your protection.” She crossed her arms and then her mouth fell when Darius laughed out loud. She then scowled when Torgo snorted and reached for her. She slapped his hand away and Darius let out a hoot, which caused Tara to slap him on the arm. “I didn’t kill anybody. I don’t have anything to fear,” she continued. “Damnit, Darius, if I killed someone, trust me, I’d fess up to it. I’m not a coward.” “Now that much we can agree on.” He smiled up at Torgo. “You’re unruly though to the bone, girl, and you’ve a tendency to display your temper at will. We’ve decided it would be in your best interest for you to stay here. There’s a mark on your head, there is. If one of Rayla’s family members finds you, they’ll shoot you on sight. They won’t let you be arrested to be tried before me, no.” He leaned forward and then whispered with a smile. “They don’t know how much we hate each other.” She reached out to slap Darius on impulse but he grabbed her hand and then pushed her back into Torgo who caught her willingly. He held her by the arms when she tried to move. “I’m not staying here. You won’t let me leave the house.” 171

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“That’s the point,” Torgo spoke close to her ear. “No,” she said flatly. “Darius, is there a law against taking another claim on the same day as your claim is murdered?” Torgo knew damn well there wasn’t. Syra twisted in his arms but he simply held her tighter. Tara slapped her hand to her forehead and moaned, “Torgo.” “No, I don’t think there is.” Darius had a triumphant smile on his face. “Well, then, I’m taking this woman as my claim.” “Torgo, you know how I feel about this.” Syra managed to free herself from his arms to look up at him. “I don’t want to be your claim.” “Too late,” he smiled and simply pulled her back into his arms. “Are you saying you dispute the laws of the land you live in?” Darius still grinned. “That’s exactly what he said to me.” Tara stood up and took Syra’s hand. “You better watch out, look what happened to me.” She laughed, but then grew serious. “I want you to stay here, Syra. You can leave, just don’t go out alone for a couple of days. There’s a mark on your head, as Darius said, and we just need to give it some time.” “Why don’t you find out who did kill her?” Syra turned and walked quickly toward the door, knowing this might be her only chance for escape. “Better yet, I’ll find out. The first place I’d check into is Mik’s family.” She almost made it to the doors when Torgo grabbed her with an iron grip around her arm. “You’re staying here, you are.” Darius laughed again. “She might be as much work as this one is.” He pointed to Tara. “Crator forbid,” Torgo laughed and then before Syra could stop him, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder before heading for the door. “We’ll plan the claiming party,” Darius called after them as Torgo headed up the stairs with Syra pounding his back and the Gothman guards laughing in the entryway. “Put me down, you son of a bitch!” Syra screamed and gyrated her body until Torgo let her jump to the floor. He’d taken her upstairs to the guest bedroom that once was the nursery. The room had adjoining doors that led to Darius and Tara’s room but a large bureau was now in front of the closed door. Torgo shut the bedroom door with his foot when he entered and now stood facing Syra as she paced in front of him. “What just happened here?” She rubbed her hands through her braided hair and stared at nothing in particular. “I came here to take out a piece of your brother and ended up…” She couldn’t say the word. “Claimed?” Torgo grinned proudly. “You can’t claim me.” “Why not? Are you already claimed?” There was an impish gleam in his eyes.

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“Of course not. But I don’t ever want to be and you know that. You can’t tie me down here. I’ll suffocate. I won’t be happy.” “I’m not tying you down, no.” “You’re not?” “No.” “So when the new winter is over and I get the urge to travel?” “I’ll go with you, I will.” That was simple. Syra stared at Torgo for a minute, at his charcoal gray eyes, his muscular chest, and that “very pleased with himself” smile. She walked over and sat at the edge of the bed. He joined her and pulled her down next to him. “I’m sorry your claim is dead,” she said as she turned to face him. His hands roamed down the curves of her body. “You told me once you loved her.” His hand stopped on her hip and his gaze met hers. “After we were together for a winter or so, I made a sincere attempt to be good to her. I felt something…I think. She was shy and evasive, she was. She acted like sex was her duty to me, and after having only been with you…” He paused and she bit her lip to hide a smile so she could be there for him if he needed to mourn. “But, Syra, when I found out about her affair, it all made sense—her actions, her treatment of me. She wanted my name, and that was it, it was. I always knew it. I just didn’t care. I felt nothing for her before she died and I never felt for her what I feel for you, no. And those feelings came back with a vengeance the moment you returned. I love you and I have for many winters.” “I love you, too.” She barely got the words out when his mouth landed on hers. It was a passionate, claiming kiss. He pushed her to her back and let his hand have its way with her body. Their lovemaking was slow and passionate. The intimate experiences they’d shared over the winters since they were teenagers had grown to demanding, passionate needs. They knew each other’s bodies as well as they knew their own. They took and gave each other the pleasures they’d dreamed of receiving over the winters while they were apart. Each half of a perfect whole, neither complete without the other. Torgo wrapped his arms around Syra’s naked body and pulled the large comforter over them when their cravings had been satisfied, at least for the moment. She lay content, tracing invisible messages into the blond curly hairs that covered his broad chest. “Torgo?” “Hmmm.” “I have some unfinished business in Taratown and I need to go there tomorrow.” She shifted her head on the pillow so she could see his eyes—they were fixed on her. “No one will be looking for me there, at least not where I’ll be going. I’ll keep my comm so you can call me if you like.” “Unfinished business?”

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“Uh-huh.” “And you’re not going to tell me what it is?” “No.” Torgo sighed but didn’t look away from her luscious green eyes. His thoughts jumped back to his teenage winters when Darius first met Tara. He’d fallen for his woman as hard as Torgo fell for this woman. But Torgo had many winters to learn how Syra ticked. She was defiant, manipulative, and way too headstrong. Darius often argued it was because they didn’t have a true mama figure in their life and were allowed to run wild like little boys that they grew up trying to act like men. Whatever. Torgo didn’t want one little thing changed in this woman. She wouldn’t be owned and he didn’t want to own her, simply coexist by her side…always by her side. He didn’t want to be shut out or left behind ever again. “You can’t leave the house by yourself,” he tried. “I’ll sneak out before sunrise,” she answered simply. “I’ll go with you, I will.” She thought for a minute. “No, Torgo. If I leave before sunrise I could be back by midmorning. Just tell everyone I’m sleeping in.” He sighed heavily and traced her hairline with his finger. “How long will it take you to take care of your business?” He didn’t like this, didn’t like it at all. If Syra kept secrets then she was doing something that someone wouldn’t approve of and he knew it wasn’t beyond her to break the law if she thought what she was doing was right. “I wasn’t planning on being done anytime soon,” she began but when his eyebrow shot up, she raised her fingers to his cheek and added quickly. “But I’ll tie up my ends tomorrow and be done with it.” She sighed, not wanting this to be the case at all. Syra felt sure she didn’t wake Torgo as she crept out of their bed and out of the house. She had sneaked out of that house so many times as a teenager and chuckled to herself when she realized that she remembered all the squeaky floorboards in the house. It was incredibly cold outside and her breath froze before it could leave her nose. The snow on the ground was so frozen it didn’t crack under her weight. Her headscarf helped battle the cold winds and she was glad for the heating system Torgo had installed in her glider as she took off toward the southern town. Torgo slipped out of the warm covers reluctantly hoping he hadn’t given her too much time. She’d be furious if she knew he followed her. But he’d rather deal with her wrath than the wrath and torment his brother would issue if he discovered Torgo’s brand-new claim had disappeared and he’d been unable to prevent it. He told the guard on duty that he was leaving with Syra and would be back by lunch…at least he hoped they were. Then, pulling his glider out of the garage, he took off toward

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Taratown following the signal on his dash, which showed him the bug he’d installed on Syra’s glider was working.

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Chapter Twenty-Four “What are you doing here at this hour?” Roth answered the door after Syra knocked in the cold several times. She stood in front of him shivering and he opened the door wider. “Come in.” “I’m not going to be able to keep coming here,” she said as she watched Roth start coffee. “There’s been some trouble and there’s a mark on my head.” He turned to face her and squinted so he could focus on her eyes through her headscarf. “What’s going on here?” Beel walked out of his room wearing long underwear and a loose-fitting shirt. His blond curls were tossed violently around his head and he rubbed his eyes as he focused on Syra. “Go put some clothes on,” Roth ordered and Beel looked down, shrugged, then turned back to his room. “You can’t keep talking to him like that.” “He needs a father figure, doesn’t he?” He shot his gaze quickly to Syra’s eyes as she pulled off her headscarf after taking a hot cup of coffee. “What’s this? You’ve been claimed.” He smiled. “Yeah, Torgo.” Roth smiled. “You’ve wanted him for a long time.” “Yeah, but our cultures are very different. He’s not your typical Gothman and I know I could never be with anyone else but I hate to make a commitment and then not have it work out.” “If you want him bad enough you’ll make it work out. But what is this mark on your head?” “Torgo’s former claim has been killed and her family accuses me. I don’t have an alibi for yesterday so it’s hard to prove my innocence.” “You know we’ll vouch for your whereabouts if you want us to,” Beel said as he walked back out to the kitchen. Syra smiled at the boy that she’d grown close to over the past weeks that she’d been coming here to help them. She knew what it was like to coexist among a race of people you knew nothing about. As a Runner, she’d had many opportunities to visit different places. But these two had never been anywhere but in their own privileged tribe. That was one reason why she came, to help them adjust. But it wasn’t the only reason. She looked at Beel as he poured cream into his coffee. He looked just the way Torgo had at that age. She saw more of Torgo in Beel than she saw Andru. Oh, Andru

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and Beel looked alike physically but Beel didn’t carry himself the way Andru did. Beel lacked that cocky, bullyish attitude that Andru inherited from his papa and mama. It broke Syra’s heart. She knew how Torgo suffered as a boy because he didn’t feel he lived up to the Bryon name. Well, Beel was a Bryon and he would grow up among these people who would recognize him for what he was. The bastard of the greatest warrior in the family that ruled all of Gothman but with no warrior skills and none of the family’s charisma. It would be an awful existence for the boy as he grew into manhood and lived with the ridicule of the mouthy Gothman. She wouldn’t have Beel grow up like that, not if she could do something about it. “I know you would.” She ruffled Beel’s messed up hair. “Now, get ready, you two. Since today is our last day together for a while, at least, I thought we’d head out to our spot and get in some more practice. You two can keep working together until I can come back.” They packed bags with food and water and put on layers of clothes before heading back out the door. Roth and Beel followed on the glider Torgo had given them as Syra headed to a patch of countryside they’d used for target practice and one-on-one combat lessons over the past weeks. Torgo remained on his glider while Syra was in the house. He couldn’t tell who answered the door from his hiding place some quarter of a mile away. It looked like a man, though, and his heart sank. During the time period she was in there, every imaginable thought went through his head. Everything from barging through the door and grabbing his woman, to leaving and going home so he could pretend he hadn’t seen anything—which he hadn’t, but he’d imagined plenty. So when she left the house with man and boy at her side, he’d focused keenly, trying to better see her companions. It wasn’t until they flew off and he saw the glider following Syra that he knew whom she was with. The next question that rattled his thoughts was why? As he landed some distance from the other two gliders, he soon had the answer to his question. Although, he admitted, the why of the answer wasn’t clear to him. He followed at a discreet distance as Syra, Roth and Beel hiked across open prairie land with backpacks on their backs. The snow cracked under his feet and the sun shone down out of a deep blue sky. Its reflection off the sparkling white virgin snow blinded him more than once. He was glad when they finally stopped, dropped their burdens and then each armed themselves. Then, the target practice began. Several wrestling matches followed as Syra worked to make warriors out of Roth and Beel. Why was she doing this? Why? The sun was almost above them when Roth and Beel loaded their backpacks, each bestowed her with a hug, shared some parting words, and then boarded their glider and took off, leaving Syra standing alone in the valley. She slowly lifted her own bag and mounted her glider. Torgo quickly boarded his own glider so he wouldn’t lose her

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in case she had another appointment other than to return to him. She took off quickly and much to his surprise, as he prepared to take off himself, flew directly toward him. Syra landed within feet of him and eyed him warily. “I have only one question,” she began, as she remained straddled on her glider, forced heat blowing on her legs. “Is my glider bugged, or am I?” “Your glider,” he said simply. “Well, I guess I can conclude you have some amount of trust established in me.” “I trust you implicitly, I do. I trust you to be yourself and take on a wild adventure by the horns. I trust you to get yourself into more trouble than you can throw a stick at before you realize what you’ve done. And, I trust that you’ll tell me everything when you feel you’ve finished your project, yes.” “So why are you here?” “I don’t trust the rest of Nuworld, no. If I’d been a spy looking for your mark, you’d be dead by now, you would.” “I knew you were here.” “Still, it would be too late. If I’d wanted to shoot you, you couldn’t have stopped me, I’m thinking.” He looked around him. “You’re out in the middle of a field with no protection, you are.” He then turned an inquiring eye on her. “Not to mention in the company of two men who could blackmail Darius to kingdom come. I look forward to hearing what you thought you were doing out there?” “I’ll tell you but not here,” she shivered. “I’m cold.” “Follow me then. There is a nice café inside Taratown. We can eat some lunch there.” He closed his glider, not waiting for a response and she watched him speak into his comm as he took off for the town. “Torgo, can you imagine what you would be like today if Tara hadn’t entered your life and taught you how to fight? What if Runners hadn’t come to Gothman and you never learned your natural abilities with landlinks?” They sat at a large table facing each other in a private corner of the café. The proprietor recognized Torgo the second he entered and quickly escorted him and the woman by his side to the best table in the house. Servants had come and gone, bringing plates full of roasted duck, new potatoes, fresh fruit, and hot bread. The proprietor oversaw the production and then lingered before Torgo dismissed him and said he’d call if they needed anything else. “What’s your point, Syra?” He lavished one of the rolls with honey butter and then reached to pour them both large mugs of ale. “My point is you would have been a frightened shadow of your brother, if you lived this long,” she added and bit into a potato. “Maybe, maybe not.” Knowing all too well that her assumption was more than accurate. “I still want to know why you’re teaching those two to fight, I do.” 178

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“I’m teaching Beel to fight so he can have half a chance at winning his father’s heart and Roth is learning so he can help Beel.” She spoke with her mouth full then washed it down with ale as she watched him for a reaction to her words. “Syra, you’re setting the boy up for heartbreak. Why? Let him forget where he came from and get on with his life, yes.” “He’s family. He is related to you and he’s related to me by a claim, since Tasha and my father were stepbrother and sister. I’m sorry, but I can’t turn my back on him. My heart isn’t made that way.” She slammed down the rest of her ale and then reached for the pitcher to refill her cup. “He’s a bastard, he is. There’s no place for him in our family.” “What if I had a child while I was with the Lunians? And what if that child was taken and then found when he was older? He wouldn’t be your child, or maybe he would, but he’d be a bastard, born out of wedlock. Would you turn from him?” “That didn’t happen.” “No, it didn’t. But Beel did happen. He’s a person with feelings and we’re the ones who brought him here. We exposed him to Gothman and then told him he couldn’t be part of it.” Syra was getting angrier with each word. “I never thought you could be so cold-hearted, Torgo.” She stood up suddenly and threw her cloth napkin over the food on her plate. “You’ve changed, Torgo. I’ve never seen your heart this hard. I’m training that boy for you. He’s your blood and you don’t deserve a fool in your bloodline.” She stormed from the table toward the partition that separated their table from the rest of the café. He stood to stop her, calm her down with well-chosen words. He didn’t care if she trained the boy. He just didn’t want her to set the boy up for heartbreak— because he cared. He wasn’t hard-hearted. He wasn’t his brother. Before he could say any of these things to her, she spun around again—her green eyes pale with fury. “I should have obtained more anti-conception pills before I let you have me. As it is, I can only hope I’m not pregnant. Goodbye, Torgo.” And with that, she stormed out of the room and out of the café. Torgo recovered from her shocking words within seconds and hurried after her. He ran into the concerned proprietor as he headed for the door. “My lord?” The confused man wasn’t able to say anything further. Torgo pushed the man out of his way and headed for the door. Much to his surprise as he reached the street he discovered Syra had taken his glider. He had no way of knowing where she went.

***** Ana balanced herself on the slippery rock. The sounds of the creek roared around her ears. She watched the next rock, mere feet away from the one she balanced on at the

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moment, and saw nothing else around her. She was halfway across the creek and one small mistake and she would be soaking wet—and freezing. She emptied her thoughts, and then aware of every muscle it took to make the movement, she lifted one foot and pushed it forward to land on the other rock. Quickly she pulled her other foot to join it. It was a Gothman lesson, one of discipline and concentration. She glanced ahead and found the next available rock. It was slightly further away and only feet from the shore. There was another rock, a closer one, that she could choose, but she wanted the challenge. That was the point of the lesson. Focus your attention on the rock, let nothing else enter your thoughts, and obtain your goal or suffer dire consequences. The water raced past her as the mountain creek roared down the hill. She could easily be more than wet and frozen if she fell. She knew there were more rocks beneath the water that could cut her to shreds and more than likely make her return home a difficult task. It added to the challenge. Her heart pounded loudly as she began to focus on the rock she’d chosen as her next conquest. She forced the sound of blood rushing through her body out of her thoughts and exhaled deeply as she focused all her attention on the one protruding rock. She wouldn’t allow fear, hesitation, or any outward sound to distract her. Free her thoughts. Relax her body. It was the perfect exercise for her distracting thoughts and aching heart. It had been a cycle since she’d seen Roth and he hadn’t contacted her. She needed to free herself from him and get on with her life. She pushed those thoughts out as well and focused on the rock. Lift your foot, raise your leg, push your leg forward, place your foot on the rock, gently…gently. She pulled her other foot to join the first and then struggled to balance herself. That was the closest call. She maintained her balance and allowed herself to breathe. The next step was the shore. It was a good three feet away with a muddy incline. One wrong step and she’d slide into the frozen water. She would jump this time, she decided. She’d have to in order to make it over the mud and prevent herself from slipping. Ice cracked from the glaring sun and a mound of snow and ice slipped past her in the water and headed downstream. It was the warmest day they’d had yet in the new winter. The snowy paradise she called home had turned into one large mud pit. She focused on the bank and licked her lips. One deep breath, exhale, lift your leg and…push with your other foot. A large hand grabbed her just as her foot began to slip backwards into the mud. “Oh!” she exclaimed loudly as she was pulled safely to the wet grass bordering the rapid creek. “You have the advantage of Runner blood that Gothman woman don’t possess.” “Gilroy, you scared me to death. What were you doing sneaking up on me?” Ana looked up at the black-haired friend of Andru’s who held her tightly in his arms.

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“Saving you from a death of foolishness, it looks to me,” he said, smiling down at her and still holding her tightly up against his chest. She looked up into his sky blue eyes. He grinned flirtatiously at her. Gilroy was Andru’s best sparring buddy and she’d enjoyed more than once watching the powerful boy who was almost a man. More than once she’d enjoyed the display of his incredibly muscular body as he scrapped with her brother in the yard behind her house. It was one thing to admire him from a distance but now those powerful muscles were smashed up against her and her body was reacting strangely. She looked away quickly but a knowing smile crossed Gilroy’s face. “Let go of me.” She pushed hard and he let her go only to grab her again when she almost fell backwards into creek. She slapped at him and this time jumped sideways, out of those powerful arms and away from that virile body. “I didn’t need or ask for your help. I wouldn’t have fallen.” She stuck her chin out stubbornly and ignored the full-fledged grin he now had on his face. “You’re welcome, my lady,” he said with a mocking bow. She turned on her heels and walked toward the narrow part of the creek because, unfortunately, her glider was on the other side. He caught up with her quickly. “What are you doing out here?” She didn’t look at him but he could see the scowl on her face. He wasn’t daunted one bit. “I’ve heard you come out here from time to time. I thought I’d take my chances.” “You heard I come out here?” she asked suddenly, smelling a rat. “And what were you planning on doing, besides scaring the tar out of me, if you found me out here?” “This,” he said and grabbed her, turning her quickly. He then placed a hard kiss directly on her lips. She reached up to pound the side of his head but he moved faster. Andru warned him if he wasn’t careful he could come home bruised and humiliated and he wasn’t about to let that happen. This was a chance of a lifetime and he knew he wouldn’t get another. “Stop it,” she yelled when she was finally able to rip her mouth from his. He had her arms pinned to her sides and his arms wrapped around her. “Let go of me.” “Why are you fighting me? You’ve kissed me before.” Her mind raced to the ball games she’d played with Andru and his friends. More than once Gilroy had tackled her and stolen a kiss. Finally, she’d done the same to him but then Andru had split them up, refusing to let Gilroy play if he didn’t behave. But, Andru wasn’t here and if she didn’t know better she’d swear her brother sent him here. But why? Didn’t he know this would happen? “I don’t want to now. Let me go.” “Uh-uh.” He tightened his grip and lifted her off the ground and, not for the first time, she cursed the small physique she’d inherited from her mama. She was terrified

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when she realized Gilroy had already thrown several blankets across a patchy green area where the snow was melted. He grabbed both of her hands behind her back with one of his larger hands as he placed her on the blankets and came down on top of her. Instantly, she drew up one of her legs hard in between his legs. His legs tightened in a vise grip before her leg could reach its source. “Don’t fight me, Ana,” he growled and began kissing her neck while his free hand quickly untucked her shirt from her leather pants. “Please don’t rape me, Gilroy, please.” “Don’t fight and it won’t be rape.” He ignored her screams that filled the air. He pulled her shirt up to her neck and relished the full, round large breasts that appeared. The cold air instantly hardened her nipples and he pounced on one of them with his mouth. While he sucked and nibbled like a starved babe, his legs forced themselves in between hers and then he forced her legs outward. In the next instant, he was unbuttoning her pants and tugging at them. “Gilroy, please, stop. Not like this,” she begged. “Please.” “This can be fun for both of us,” he whispered looking up at her. “But, my lady, I can’t stop at this point. Relax.” He kissed her chin and her lower lip shivered. “Ana, it’ll be okay.” His voice softened. “I’ve wanted you for so long. Relax, and I’ll be gentle.” Ana looked up at him and tried to relax her mind. It could be worse. At least it was just Gilroy. Besides, if she relaxed and then he relaxed, she might be able to get away. She relaxed her body. “That’s it, Ana,” he smiled and kissed her gently as if it were a reward. “Kiss me back,” he instructed and she moved her lips but kept her eyes open. She relaxed her mouth too much, though, and he worked his tongue in between her lips and tickled her gums. She opened her mouth on reaction and he quickly pushed his tongue playfully into her mouth. Something down deep inside betrayed her and she felt the heat from his actions. As if responding to her body she felt him harden in between her crotch. Oh Crator, the only thing preventing him from entering her was the clothing between them. Slowly, Gilroy moved down until he was kissing her neck then sucking on her breast again. Don’t let him get to you, she ordered her aroused body. How could she be acting like this? He was raping her. It’s not rape if you don’t fight. She tried to free her hands from behind her back, but his grip tightened. His free hand was in her pants now, working his way over her mound of hair to that delicate spot that would betray her the second he touched her. She wiggled her hips in an attempt to slow his progress but he just groaned. Bad idea, she thought. “Please stop.” She made one last attempt but his fingers reached their source and he looked up delighted when he felt how wet she was. His touch made her soar and she closed her eyes and stifled a groan. When she opened them he was watching her. His

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smile was radiant and his sky blue eyes dripped with passion as inky black hair fell loosely around his face. He released her hands then and went up on his knees. With a quick tug, he pulled her pants down to her knees and exposed all of her beauty. “Oh shit,” he breathed huskily and quickly began undoing his pants. “Gilroy, you can’t do this.” She discovered repulsively that she was making no attempt to move. “I’m…I’m a virgin.” When he dropped his drawers and she saw how huge he was, she mimicked him. “Oh shit.” He smiled, taking her crude words as a compliment. “It will only hurt for a second, Ana, I promise. I’ll try to be gentle.” And then he was in her. She screamed as he forced his way through her virginal skin, forever tearing and taking what she never again would possess. He accompanied her scream with a low guttural growl. He started to move back and forth while inside her. In an instant, he pulled her pants off her with one sharp tug. Then, taking one of her legs in each of his hands he spread her apart making his movements easier. Deeper and deeper. Why…did it…have to…feel so…damn good? Faster and faster. And then it was done.

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Chapter Twenty-Five It was well after lunchtime when Torgo returned home. It didn’t surprise him when he didn’t see his glider parked anywhere although he was disappointed. She could be pregnant, carrying his child, and she’d taken off again. He’d searched everywhere but to no avail. The only thing he could do now was return home and hope she’d come back. And that no one else would find her. Don’t run away from me again, Syra. “Good, I’m glad you’re back, I am.” Darius met him in the upstairs hallway and either didn’t notice his long face or ignored it. “We’ve got trouble, we do. I’ve already organized troops.” Torgo followed his brother into the landlink room but only half heard him. One of his assistants handed Darius a printout while Tara sat typing vigorously at the landlink on the desk. “Apparently, the Tree People have viewed our hesitation in responding to their requests at a meeting as suspicious. They’ve attacked the Blood Circle Clan site from the north.” She stood up and straightened her shirt. “Are you ready?” “Let’s go.” Darius stuffed the papers into his jacket pocket and Torgo followed them numbly out the door. He acknowledged his instructions but felt distanced from the troops surrounding him, and Tara and Darius flying next to him. The Blood Circle Clan was taken by surprise by Tree People on foot. A small army of Tree People moved in quickly on the clan site and the casualties were high. Of course, they reacted quickly and most of the Tree People had been killed. But now, several much larger armies were approaching quickly from the north and Darius and Tara barely had time to organize troops and retaliate. Torgo found he was able to put Syra out of his mind as they reached the northern edge of the Blood Circle Clan. There was hand-to-hand combat going on below them and gliders dived into each other in the air ahead of them. Darius and Tara quickly parted ways, obviously already engaging a plan they’d devised. Darius quickly ordered his brother to his side and Torgo veered and shot at the same time as Tree People attacked him like a horde of bees. His Eliminator, the large weapon attached to the side of his glider, took out most of them and the remainder seemed to fly around in a state of confusion. He flew quickly through them and darted around until he found Darius. “Go down, brother,” Darius yelled. “The damage seems to be worse on the ground, it does.”

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Torgo dived down as did his brother and they quickly took out a small group of Tree People running across the land trying to get further into the clan site. A sharp laser blast took out the back of Torgo’s glider and he lost engine power. He was glad to be so close to the ground when his motor died and he plunged to the hard muddy field. He realized his head was bleeding when he pulled himself out of the damaged craft and tried to stand. Everything around him spun and then hands were on him hauling him to a vehicle. It wasn’t until he was in a seat and a belt secured around him that he realized he’d been taken captive. He barely managed to focus on the Tree Person when something was injected into a vein in his neck. “Tara! They’ve got Torgo,” Darius yelled as he shot at the large glider that quickly departed from the battle scene. He dodged several gliders, shot at a few more and then scanned the confusion around him. “Jolee, where’s Tara? She doesn’t respond,” Darius spoke to the assistant as he spotted her through the cloudy air. “She was right next—” She didn’t finish what she was saying but instead twisted her head. “Where did she go?” A sinking feeling entered Darius. He shot forward at incredible speed in hot pursuit of the glider that had his brother. Within seconds he was far from the battle site and the air cleared of smoke and debris. Far ahead he could see several gliders traveling at high speed toward the mountains. His brother was kidnapped and he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they had Tara, too. He swore to Crator that he’d annihilate that entire race if they didn’t release both of them before the night was over. Syra pulled her glider well behind several large boulders and then squatted down to hide herself as well. She held her viewer to her eye and studied the gliders that flew over her at high speed. They were forced to slow as the large mountain neared and she caught sight of a driver and a collapsed person sitting next to them in each vehicle. What was going on? She’d sat there for most of the afternoon, thinking about everything she and Torgo had said to each other since she’d returned. She had been overpowered by the sensation to run as far from Gothman as she could go and never look back. But she’d run from him once before and she’d been miserable without him. Had he changed? Or, had she been so emotional over what she believed was right that she’d overreacted? Three winters had passed. Were they still compatible, or was it simply familiar territory that had its appeal? Her emotions had been on overload all afternoon long. She felt she was being forced to figure out the rest of her life all at once—a thought that didn’t appeal to her at all. She liked living on the edge. Okay, she was getting older and settling down and starting a family was customary, but did she want that? 185

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Several other gliders caught her eye as they flew over the high plains. She squinted through her viewer to see more Tree People approaching. They flew at incredible speed, about ten of them. She then saw laser fire exchanged and suddenly one of the gliders plummeted to the ground and bounced. The other gliders flew over her without slowing, but instead elevated to clear the mountain range. She sat motionless for a moment wondering what in the hell was going on. It dawned on her that someone was slowly climbing out of the glider that had been shot down. She watched for only a second before pulling her headscarf over her head and jumping onto her glider. She flew out onto the terrain taking advantage of Torgo’s elaborate landlink system to confirm that there were no other people surrounding them. As she flew over the person struggling to stand and walk she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Darius!” she yelled as she landed quickly and jumped off her glider. The large man stumbled toward her, blood streaming from the side of his head and a long tear in his leather pants exposing a huge gash in his leg that stained the ground red as he walked. He managed to pull a laser from his pocket and awkwardly aimed it at her as his large body stumbled toward her. She ripped her headscarf off in an attempt for him to recognize her. “It’s okay. Come on, let’s get you home.” She spoke only after he let his arm and laser go limp by his side. “No. They’ve got Tara,” he paused and she could tell by the glassed-over gaze he gave her that he would be unconscious soon. “And they’ve got Torgo.” The words hit her like laser fire and for a moment she froze. She composed herself quickly and reached under his arm, and then nearly fell when he leaned heavily against her. “Look, you big pain in the ass, don’t you dare pass out on me or I’ll leave your ass here. Carry your own weight and get on my glider.” She knew if she pissed him off that he would stay conscious. “Shut up, bitch,” he growled and fell into her glider, almost knocking it over. “I will, I’ll leave your ass for the vultures. That will be one less thorn in my side. Now, do you think you could get your leg over the glider and not fall on top of it?” He growled incoherently and managed to climb onto the glider. She climbed on in front of him and suffered greatly as his weight made it close to impossible to sit up straight. They flew in silence for a few minutes before Darius made a gurgling sound as he attempted to clear his throat. “Don’t you dare throw up on me,” she hissed and checked the area to see if they had company. They didn’t. It would be almost an hour before they reached his house. She had to push Darius back to turn on her comm and he groaned when she moved him.

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“Dr. Digo,” she said and then brushed away Darius’ hand when he tried to take her comm away. “Meet me at Lord Darius’ house. I’ve got him with me and he’s lost a lot of blood. He’ll need immediate attention. He’s got a bad blow to his head and there’s a nasty gash hanging wide open going down his leg.” She paused for a moment to listen and turned her head to see Darius leaning his head against the back of the glider. His eyes were barely open and she could see the severity of his injuries as flesh hung next to his ear. “On second thought, doctor, it would take less time for me to come straight to you. Plan for emergency surgery.” She paused as she saw Darius’ eyes roll back into his head. “I don’t know if I can keep him conscious.” She flipped off the comm and stared at the huge man who was literally wrapped around her with his long legs and long arms. He was so much like his brother yet so incredibly different. She remembered the day she’d learned he’d cheated on Tara and sent her running to the southern continent. It was the day she learned to despise him. As the winters passed, she grew accustomed to viewing him with ill-reputed regard. But as she stared at the bloody face she realized that, like Tara, she also had forgiven him his crimes. And wasn’t she literally arguing in defense of his bastard son earlier that day? She watched his eyes close the rest of the way and knew she had to keep him awake. “It figures you’re not man enough to handle the pain,” she shot at him. His eyes fluttered and she allowed him time to focus on her before she continued to berate him. “I’ve seen Tara torn up worse than you are and continue in battle.” “I was shot down, I was.” His voice gurgled and she realized with fear that his lungs were filling with fluid. He coughed and then winced in pain. “You couldn’t even walk. But then, Tara’s a Runner. We’re obviously a superior race.” His face hardened for a second and then to her surprise a small smile crossed his face. “Why are you doing this?” His glassy gray eyes met hers. “Doing what?” She frowned and suddenly worried he might not be as hurt as she originally thought. “You’re sparring with me to keep me conscious, you are. If you hate me so much why don’t you let me die, you wench?” “Because Torgo doesn’t want to be Lord of Gothman and Andru is too young.” She reached up to lift a matted curl from his open wound and fresh blood trickled over his eye. He raised his hand and she realized he was, in fact, very weak. She grabbed her headscarf, set the glider on autopilot, then turned and tied the black cloth around his forehead. He lowered his head compliantly and allowed her to administer her task. “I daresay, if you hate me so much, you could have simply left me alone out there, you could.”

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“I’m not cold-hearted. Would you have left me alone out there?” “No.” Once again she felt uneasy under his gaze. He smiled slightly at her and then surprised her again by reaching out and taking her hand in his. “Thank you.” She looked down at his large hand encircling her smaller hand but didn’t try to pull away. “Why were you out there?” Darius asked after a moment of silence. She looked up again at him and wondered how much of this conversation he would remember. “I was thinking.” “You and Torgo have a fight?” “Kind of. I ran out on him.” “Family trait.” He muttered and then coughed and his body convulsed. She worried he would be sick and turned back to the controls to make the glider go faster. “He didn’t approve of what I was doing.” He looked at her and for a moment she feared he was definitely a lot more coherent than she thought originally. “Dare I ask?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I don’t think you could handle the knowledge right now, my Lord.” She didn’t say his title sarcastically and this alerted all his internal signals. He suffered to straighten himself and focused both eyes on her. She was quite as beautiful as his Tara and there was a family resemblance, although she wasn’t blood relation to his claim but related through her grandpapa’s claim. Maybe it was the stubborn streak that so easily crossed her face that reminded him of Tara. “You can tell me now when I’m liable not to remember…or you can tell me later when I discover something’s amiss, you can.” He annoyed her immediately with his ability to overpower her even on the brink of unconsciousness. “I’ve been training Roth and Beel to fight.” She spoke quickly and then turned from him just as quickly and focused on the controls of the glider. He still hadn’t let go of her hand and his grip didn’t tighten at her words. “I knew Torgo would disable that bomb, I did. My sensors showed it never exploded. I suppose Torgo financed putting them up in decent housing, yes?” “Yes, he did.” “And that is why you were in Taratown?” “Yes.” “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” “Not really.” “How well does he fight?” “Quite well. It’s in his blood.”

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She finally released her hand from the giant one over it and maneuvered the glider down slowly. Dr. Digo and several other Runners stood waiting on the ground with a gurney among them. “Syra, my eyes trick me. I see Tara.” Darius leaned forward for a better view and as a result fell into Syra. “Get off me, you big lug.” She cursed as the glider temporarily swerved to the right. She managed to push Darius back, regain control of the glider, and land it gently. “I thought they got you.” Darius fell forward into Tara’s arms the second the glider dome was up. Everyone worked quickly to get the large lord out of the glider and then into the makeshift tent that appeared to have been set up strictly for the purpose of tending to the Lord of Gothman. Syra walked along one side of him, his blood on her back, shoulders and hands. Tara held his hand on the other side. “Is there much damage to the clan?” he asked Tara. He grimaced with pain as four large Runners helped move him from the gurney to a large operating table. Dr. Digo quickly injected him with something. “We’ll talk about all that later.” She smiled lovingly at the lord but Syra saw the concern in her eyes when she looked up at the doctor. Darius turned and grabbed Syra’s arm. “We’ll get Torgo back.” “Is he going to remember any of this?” Syra looked up at the doctor. “I doubt it but we need to get him into surgery.” “Darius, you were mighty brave back there,” Syra said quickly and quietly. “I don’t think I could handle the amount of pain you must be experiencing right now.” He smiled sleepily as the drug worked its way through his bloodstream. “Be good for the doctor. We don’t want to lose you,” Syra added and then leaned over to kiss him gently on the cheek. His eyes had closed though and she knew he was completely sedated. She walked into Tara’s arms then and the two of them walked outside the tent where Balbo and Andru eagerly embraced them as well.

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Chapter Twenty-Six The reports were coming in faster than Tara could acknowledge them. She slammed her fist down on the table next to the landlink. “Damn, how did this happen? They don’t have a fraction of our power.” She spoke to herself in the small landlink room as she read the number of casualties they’d experienced at the hand of the Tree People. They had no prisoners, no negotiating tools, and the Tree People had kidnapped Torgo. Why weren’t they able to stop them? Why didn’t they see them coming? She shoved in a disc and replayed a surveillance program that showed what their systems detected right before the attack. “Our systems didn’t show any signs of them,” she mumbled. “Mama, how are you doing?” Andru stuck his head through the partially opened door. “Frustrated and angry,” she said through her teeth and then gestured for him to enter. “I don’t get it, Andru. Our surveillance equipment was working properly but we didn’t detect them. They attacked with an ardor we didn’t know they possessed. They captured Torgo, seriously injured Darius and then took off—why weren’t we able to stop them?” “Why indeed, Mama?” Andru sat down next to his mama and leaned forward with intent eyes. “The dog-woman told me good was dancing with evil. She told me to watch carefully. I never know what she means until after the fact, it seems.” Tara nodded that she understood. “But I think I see it now. Mama, we are the good.” “I know, sweet child.” “We are also the evil.” “What?” His mama stared at him in disbelief. “I see anger, unforgiven crimes, jealousy, and unjustifiable cravings for power. I see all of that in one person…but I also see love, strength, the desire to please, and incredible faith.” “You’re talking about me, aren’t you?” Andru nodded slowly and Tara blew out a loud exhalation. “Mama, crimes were committed against you. Crimes that hurt you and shattered your pride. You claim you’ve forgiven but you haven’t let go and truly let your heart begin to heal. If you don’t release that evil and turn your heart back over to Crator, I’m afraid it may be the end to us. Crator has given us the most powerful nations in Nuworld. But I fear Crator might take it all away from us if we don’t truly search our hearts and make sure we are doing His will and not our own.”

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“How did you figure all this out?” She looked unbelievingly at her son. Then, to her surprise, the wise old look that had been on his face changed instantly when he grinned and he looked like a mischievous teenager. “A good ruler always knows what’s going on in his kingdom,” he quoted his father. She slapped him playfully and he ducked and giggled. “All these winters I thought the dog-woman quit coming to me because I’d served my purpose and now it was your turn to receive guidance. But she quit coming to me because I closed my heart to her.” “I always thought you sent her to me,” Andru said quietly. “Can you open your heart back up, Mama?” Tara pulled her son into her arms and hugged him in a way she hadn’t for over several winters now. He let her hold him and cuddled gently against her breast. They stayed that way for several minutes with the landlinks buzzing quietly around them. Tara prayed with every inch of her soul for the ability to lose the hatred she felt for Beel. Although she’d been told he was dead, something inside never allowed her to believe that. She prayed if they were reunited that she would be able to show compassion to the young boy who sincerely appeared to crave just that. She told Crator with her thoughts that the Runners and Gothman were in His hands and that she would follow His instruction in leading them. She begged for forgiveness in killing her sister and giving Beel to the Lunians. Had she ever asked Crator to forgive her for those two incidents before? No, she’d always thought she’d acted on His instruction. She saw now she acted on her own instruction and it was way back then that she’d closed her heart to Crator. So that was what The Waiting was all about. Crator was waiting for her to ask for forgiveness. How close-minded she’d been. She decided to leave the reports for the morning and took off to her bedroom where she collapsed into a dreamless sleep and woke up well rested the next day. “What’s going on?” Tara entered the kitchen to see Andru and Syra deep in discussion. “Ana’s gone.” Andru leaned against the island in the middle of the large kitchen. Syra leaned on the opposite side of the island and nibbled on some cold fried ham, which she stopped eating in mid-chew to note Tara’s response. “What do you mean…gone?” Tara stopped in her tracks in the doorway and looked from her son to her niece. “She wasn’t home last night when you went to bed. I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d stay up until she got home. Besides, I knew she would be, um, detained.” He looked into his mama’s eyes and she immediately knew he’d carried out her instruction to send someone to her. “When half the night was over I started looking for her. I contacted the last person I knew she was with and he helped me search for her—” he

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sighed, “—but we couldn’t find her. I did, however, find the bug that was in one of the rocks in her braids. Mama, I fear she might have fallen into foul play.” “Who was she last with?” Tara began pacing slowly across the well-swept wooden floor. “Gilroy…to the best of my knowledge. He told me it was almost dark when he left her and they were just outside Bryton at the time. We flew out to the spot where they’d been…Fools Creek, just east of here. We found her glider with the bug sitting on the seat. I spent the entire night flying over every inch of this damn nation, I swear to you— I never found her.” There was pain in Andru’s eyes and both women noticed he whiteknuckled the countertop. “Where do you think she is?” Tara asked. “I believe she’s in the Tree People Nation.” His voice was cold with the patented Lord Darius stone glare. Tara reached for her comm and wrapped it around her ear. “There’s more,” Syra moved around to the opposite side of the island from Tara on the pretense of pouring more coffee. When Tara shot her a look of what now? Syra instinctively made note of how quickly she could get out the back door. “What is it?” Tara sounded exasperated. Syra looked at Andru but he gave no indication that he would speak for her. She sighed and sent up a quick prayer that Tara wouldn’t get too violent over what she was about to say. “Roth and Beel have been living in Taratown. I flew down there last night to see if they would help get Torgo back and…they’re gone.” She spoke quickly and then she and Andru both braced themselves for Tara’s reaction. “They’re not dead.” “No.” “I see.” Silence. “Why didn’t you two wake me up last night?” Tara’s voice was strangely calm. “One of us needed to be thinking clearly this morning,” Andru said simply. “Mama, I want to organize a small group of people to go over there and find them.” “And I say he should stay here,” Syra quickly cut in and Andru glared at her. “I would take Syra with me. She knows the country.” Andru focused his attention on his mama and ignored Syra. “I want to go over there undercover, so to speak. I think we’d get more accomplished. Syra’s told me there is a force field that travels on their side of the mountain range. It won’t detain you but no one travels over it without being detected. We would have to go around the mountains. It would be half a day’s journey and I want to get started right away.”

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“So you’ve organized this group of people you want to take with you?” Tara asked and glanced from Syra to Andru. “Yes.” Her son stood tall. Tara rubbed her forehead and then poured herself some coffee. She looked at the two of them and then everyone turned as Fulga walked in the back door. “The food bags are attached to the gliders.” She wiped her large hands on her apron. She addressed Andru but then when she looked at Tara she quickly lowered her head and darted out of the kitchen mumbling something about getting to her dusting. “Andru, you’ll stay here,” Tara said after sipping her coffee. “Mama.” Tara held up her hand. “Like it or not, you can’t leave. Darius is injured and Torgo is gone and that leaves you. You’re Lord of Gothman for now and you can’t leave.” She took a long sip of her coffee but her eyes didn’t leave her son’s face. Andru settled on her eyes for a long minute before glancing at Syra and then down at his hands. When he looked back up at Syra, the stoniness of his face had intensified. “I want my sister returned home immediately…unharmed.” His growl was deeper than either woman had ever heard from him before. “I’ll bring them both back unharmed.” Syra grabbed her leather jacket off the stool next to her and headed for the door. Tara went out back with Syra and Andru to assess the small group that had been formed. Ten Gothman and Runners, all young people, stood idly around their gliders but jumped to attention when the trio approached them. They were all dressed like River People and some of them even had the braids in their hair. The gliders had been stripped of all insignia and made to look dirty. Tara realized this plan had been devised during the night and they’d spent a fair amount of time preparing for it. “Have any of these people gotten any sleep?” She looked at the group, predominantly Andru and Ana’s friends. She noticed Gilroy and wondered when he’d begun to look like such a man. She didn’t notice any scratches or bruises on him and hoped he hadn’t hurt her daughter. He noticed her looking at him and shifted his gaze to Andru. “Some of them,” Syra shrugged. “We’ll be okay. I’m familiar with the ground we need to cover. I’ll keep my transmission open until we reach the perimeters of the Tree People’s surveillance. It begins several miles up the other side of the mountains.” She squinted at the morning sun. “We should be there by midafternoon.” Tara nodded and clasped her hands behind her back. “May Crator go with you.” Their flight was uneventful and Syra sensed the excitement and anticipation in all those around her. She had three Gothman teenage boys, four Runner teenage boys, and two Runner teenage girls. As long as they didn’t start sparring with each other, she felt safe her plan would work.

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“We’re at the edge of the Rangbak tribe.” Syra offered the information to the small group when they’d landed among the incredibly large trees. “Gilroy, you’re the largest, I want you to act as leader if we approach any tribal members. These are very primitive people but they enjoy trading with the River People. You’ll want to ask them if any members of the Barringswood tribe are here. River People know they can get the most for their goods when they trade with that tribe.” She quit talking when the sounds of gliders overhead caused them all to take cover and search the sky. Without warning laser beams flew through the air and several screams followed. Syra realized quickly that they were being attacked and dived into the thicker brush of the woods surrounding them. She watched as several gliders landed and dark, red-haired guards from the Barringswood tribe began walking through the area trying to determine if they’d killed all of Syra’s group or not. She slid into a hollow tree trunk and held her breath with her own laser poised. Several minutes of silence passed before she heard more gliders land. This time she dared to peek out of her hiding place to see who was in charge of the attack. “Roth, oh Crator, no!” Ana’s voice filled the air and Syra watched her run from her glider to one of the Runner girls who lay dead on the ground. “These were my people.” She began looking around frantically as Roth walked up behind her. His expression was controlled when he placed his hand gently on her back. “They were in unmarked gliders. I don’t want blood spilled over us either, sweet lady, but this time you’re not going back.” Roth searched the dense foliage with his eyes as he massaged Ana’s shoulders. “We can’t take any chances. If any of the Barringswood tribe finds us, I’m sure my brother would have you imprisoned. But don’t worry. Beel is quite crafty and his skills have been improved thanks to Syra. He’ll bring the high priest to us and meet us at the Seergoon tribe.” Ana pulled away from Roth and walked dangerously close to Syra’s hiding place. She nudged another dead body with her boot. Syra could see the expression of cold hatred on her face and wondered at its source. She didn’t have to wonder for long. “It doesn’t matter, Roth. They were sent here to find me, and you’re right, I’ll not be found this time. Andru didn’t issue that order of his own accord. He would never do that to me. Someone told him to do it. My papa never wanted me to leave the house without a Runner headscarf. It wouldn’t have been him. It was my mama who told Andru to send…” She shuddered and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. Roth was at her side in an instant. “Put it behind you, sweet lady,” he whispered, although it was loud enough for Syra to hear. “I have. Gothman and the Blood Circle Clan are all behind me. I disown them. They have no respect for me other than to have me claimed by someone Andru can control.” Ana turned and walked back over to the glider and climbed into it with Roth climbing in at her side. Syra watched as they took off into the sky.

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Chapter Twenty-Seven “Holy shit,” she mumbled as she walked out of her hiding place. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. What had happened to turn Ana’s heart so cold? She looked around her and mentally started counting bodies. A hand landed on her shoulder and she spun around quickly pulling her laser at the same time. The tall figure behind her grabbed her other hand and forced the laser to point in the air. “Syra, it’s me.” Gilroy stood over her and when she relaxed her muscles, he released her wrists. “Gilroy, don’t sneak up on me like that.” She turned and continued to search the area for more bodies. “I’m afraid it might just be you and me now.” “Where is the Seergoon tribe?” Gilroy asked as he followed her to their gliders. “It’s east of here,” she waved her hand in the general direction. “You heard their conversation?” Gilroy nodded and bent over to take the lasers from several of his dead friends. He then went to their gliders and pulled blankets and food rations. She sat straddled on her glider and watched him. He had the body of a man even though his face showed his youth. His inky black hair was in layers and fell to his shoulders. He had deep blue eyes that were accentuated by his dark hair, and well-developed muscles protruded through his shirt as he moved. He turned and saw her watching him and grinned impishly. “Look at me like that one more time and I’ll be making this journey by myself,” she warned. His smile grew. “Don’t worry, Syra. I’m here to help get Ana and Torgo back. I respect another man’s claim, you’re safe with me.” She scowled at him but didn’t bother to ask how he knew of the claim. It only took one laughing guard to spread the news in a town like Bryton. She had something else on her mind, though. “Andru mentioned you were the last one he knew of to be with Ana. You wouldn’t have any idea as to why she’s suddenly disowned her own people, would you?” Gilroy shrugged and mounted his glider. “More than likely, her pride is hurt. I was given orders and I followed them out.” He remained serious as he took one last look at the peers he’d grown up with. “I think most of her anger stems from the fact that she enjoyed herself more than she thought she would. In fact, my lady, I’m sure of it. Now, lead us to this Seergoon tribe.” Syra mumbled a few profanities to herself as she flew into the sky. Did Tara give Andru instructions to send one of his friends to rape Ana? And why someone as large

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as Gilroy? Ana never could have fought him off. Why in Crator’s name would her aunt do something like that?

***** “Why in the name of Yawa are you all the way out at the Seergoon tribe?” Sorg’s aggravation was easily detected through the transmission. Roth leaned back in his chair and stared at his brother’s face on the monitor. “I need you here, brother. You are back in your nation and for that I am glad. Your place is with me, though.” “I’ll be there. I’ll be detained only briefly so that some matters may be taken care of.” Roth looked toward the closed bedroom door where Ana was with one of the servants changing clothes. He’d brought her back to the cabin by the sea. This time, however, armed guards surrounded the cabin and a handful of house servants waited on them. “What do you need to do?” Sorg wrinkled his brow. “I’m taking a mate.” Roth grinned at his brother’s astonished look. “I’ve brought Ana back with me. She is willing and the ceremony will be tonight. I will claim right of first refusal.” Sorg laughed out loud and Roth looked nervously at the closed bedroom door. “What an incredible stroke of luck. Does she know of this right? Is she doing this willingly?” “Am I such a tyrant?” Roth sounded offended. “I did very little to convince the young lady. She is currently angry with her people. I happened to stumble upon her as I was leaving her nation and she waved me down. I know her anger will subside with time but by then I hope to have her well with child.” “And she is heir to the Runner nation, is she not?” “Yes, she is…and I shall be too once I am tied to her.” “So she was a virgin when you took her?” Roth didn’t hesitate. His brother didn’t need to know such details. The law was antiquated, but useful at the moment. “She is with me willingly. And I assure you, we will announce an heir before long.” “Enjoy your honeymoon, brother. May it be fruitful.” Sorg chuckled and then the screen went black. Roth sighed, relieved. His brother hadn’t questioned him too much on the matter. Ana had lost her virginity, and it had happened recently. The sooner they were mated, the better. Then all he had to do was get her pregnant—a task he would enjoy. Someone gently rapped on the front door and Roth stood after terminating the transmission.

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“Enter.” A male servant poured a golden liquid into a crystal goblet and handed it to Roth as the front door opened and Beel entered the room with an old man behind him. “Excellent work, Beel. Honorable father, my bride is most anxious. I’m glad you were able to come to me.” He clapped his hands and a young servant girl hurried into the room. “Feed these two and I will call for them shortly.” Ana sat in front of a beautifully hand-carved mirror watching as her long blonde locks were intricately woven with tiny pebbles and rocks. Tiny braids, narrower than her smallest finger, fell around her face. She wore a lavender dress, made with more lace than material. Her sleeves were puffed at the shoulder but then tight as they went down to her wrists. It was low-cut and more cleavage than she cared to reveal was met with lace and just enough silky material to cover her light brown nipples. The waistline pulled in showing off her firm flat stomach and then lace covered more silky lavender material as the dress flowed to the floor. She didn’t wear sandals this time but flat, soft leather boots that tied up to her knees. She was incredibly impressed with her appearance, quite sure she’d never looked more beautiful in all her life. Why then, wasn’t she happy? Roth wanted to claim her, travel around Nuworld together, and pay no heed to their nations. They would be free spirits, learning of new things side by side. What a perfect dream! Why then, wasn’t she happy? She closed her eyes as the servant girls continued to brush and pull as they braided and weaved her hair. Andru’s face appeared behind her closed lids. What would Andru think if he knew she was preparing for a claim within the hour? Her heart slammed! He would be furious. He would drag her out of this nation as fast as he could and send her off to some remote place until he felt she’d come to her senses. She wondered what her brother thought of Roth. She didn’t think he hated him, but he would if he knew he planned to claim his sister—that night. Her stomach tied into knots and she felt sick. Then Gilroy’s face appeared in her thoughts. He’d raped her, right? It wasn’t her idea, she told him no and he didn’t listen. So, it was rape. But it felt so damn good. No, it didn’t. Yes, it did. If it was rape, it shouldn’t feel good, right? Oh, Crator. “Leave us.” Roth entered the room and waved his hand dismissing the two young girls who worked on Ana’s hair. “Sweet lady, you are beautiful. But what’s this, you look so sad.” He crossed the room quickly as the servants darted out and shut the door behind them. Taking her chin gently with his hand, he lifted her gaze to his. She allowed him to pull from her what he would and then gently closed her eyes and sighed as she cuddled into his hand. “Look at you. There isn’t a prettier lady in all of Nuworld. But you have allowed guilt to consume you and distort your thinking. Nothing that happened is your fault, not even your reactions to it.” She opened her eyes and he gently kissed her lips. She

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was aware of the sensitivity and rawness in between her legs and wondered if he’d expect her to make love to him tonight. Surely not. He knew what she’d been through earlier that day. When she opened her eyes after the kiss, his intense emerald green eyes attacked her at close range. “The fact that you enjoyed yourself shows your craving for passion. It doesn’t mean you might have feelings for the ass who did this atrocious act to you. He has committed the worst of crimes against you—stolen something from you that should have been yours to give as an act of love. There is no worse crime in all of Nuworld.” “Gothman don’t share that way of thinking.” Ana got up and walked across the room, her long weighted braids hanging down her back while blonde curls swirled around them. “So your Gothman blood tells you to accept this rape and wait submissively for the next time?” “How dare you.” Ana turned on him. “I am not…I did not accept what was done to me. You have no idea how powerful this man is. He could defeat you without even trying,” she threw out at him. “So now he’s a man?” “He almost has eighteen winters.” Ana threw her arms up in the air and turned to face glass doors that held a view of the ocean. “There is no point in discussing this with you. Leave me alone tonight. Let me sleep. I hurt too much for you to touch me anyway. Maybe we can be claimed tomorrow.” “Maybe we can get claimed tomorrow?” Roth hissed through his teeth. “Sweet lady, Beel flew across our nation to bring back the honorable father to bless the mating. He is enjoying a meal right now and when he is done, you shall become my mate.” She kept her back to him and heard the door close behind him. Then, much to her surprise she heard the click of a lock. He’d locked her in the room like a prisoner.

***** “Gilroy.” Syra slapped his arm. “Gilroy,” she whispered louder. “Keep your pants on, stud, we’ve got company.” “Huh?” He turned to look at Syra who lay next to him in the bushes. They had a clear shot into the bedroom where Ana was and he couldn’t believe the sight in front of him. Never before in his entire life had he seen such a dress, and he sure as hell had never seen any female look that good in a dress. Damn. He wanted her all over again. “Look.” Syra pointed as several gliders landed outside the cottage and the two of them watched as Roth walked out the front door to talk to them. “I wish we had some of our equipment so we could hear them,” she whispered, referring to the eavesdropping equipment Torgo had invented.

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“So how many does that make?” “Well, there were three guards outside and now two more people have landed. I don’t know how many people are inside. We know Ana, Roth and Beel and whoever that old man is are in there. There are the two servant girls that were in Ana’s room. That’s eleven.” “Roth and the three guards are our only threat.” “None of them appear to be a threat to me.” Syra met his gaze, challenging him. “Agreed.” There was that cocky grin again. Their attention turned to the double glass doors again when Ana walked up to them with a blanket in her hand. She reached up to secure the blanket over the top of the doorframe and Gilroy thought for sure he’d come in his pants. Those large breasts just about fell out of her dress and displayed themselves in full to him. He panicked for a second, afraid he’d just groaned out loud. But Syra said nothing, and as hotheaded and mouthy as he heard that she was, he knew she’d have said something if he made such a sexist grunt. Then the blanket was up and he could no longer see the first virgin he’d ever had. “Let’s move in. I think we can take out those guards easily enough. Use a Runner laser,” Syra instructed and then stood and began walking quietly across the sand toward the cabin. One of the guards walked around the cabin as Syra approached and she shot him before he could react. Unfortunately, he fell backwards, immediately alerting the other guards who stood out front. Shouts followed and to her dismay, Syra realized people were running toward them from both sides of the cabin. She backed up into Gilroy’s iron chest and he grabbed her protectively and pulled her behind him. She hardly had time for her anger to flare in reaction to the Gothman stunt when the shattering of glass caused an incredible distraction. “Don’t let her escape,” one of the guards yelled, as he ran from the backside of the cabin. Two other guards appeared from the front and all of them headed for the glass doors. At that moment, Ana flew through the glass, enveloped by the blanket to protect her. Syra fought for release from Gilroy’s grasp as he quickly shot the three guards who had appeared out of nowhere. Ana struggled to free herself from the blanket when Roth appeared in what was left of the double-sized doorframe and grabbed her. “I thought you said you were hurt.” He looked with disgust at the shattered glass. She struggled to her feet and wiped her arms off then stood braced to attack him if he moved in any closer. She was now attired in a simple Tree Person’s brown smock and baggy pants. “You said I accept the ways of my people. Well, I know how to handle pain as well.” She stepped away from the tangled blanket and appeared to stagger for a moment. “You locked me in there. You don’t care about me. No one forces me to do something I don’t want to do. Hell, I can get that back in Gothman.” 199

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Then, much to Syra and Gilroy’s surprise, she flew into the air, straight at Roth and knocked him off his feet causing both of them to roll several times before Roth got up and pulled her to her feet. She swung at him with her free arm and tagged him in the side of the face and he let go of her. “You’re forcing me against my will. How is that any different from what you called the worst crime in all of Nuworld?” She screamed the words at him, and several servants as well as Beel, appeared in the open doorway of her bedroom. “Cover the people in the house. I’ll get Roth.” Syra jumped out into the open before Gilroy could object. “Roth, I suggest you move away from her right now.” Syra walked up toward them, laser in each hand, and both of them pointed at him. Ana immediately ran to Syra and took one of the lasers. Gilroy moved in the darkness, virtually undetected, and when one of Roth’s loyal servants tried to fire at Syra, Gilroy fired and everyone in the doorway fell to the ground. Ana leaped forward. “No. Tell me you didn’t hurt Beel.” She stopped dead in her tracks and looked up horrified when she realized the invisible accomplice was Gilroy. “Ana, please calm down.” Roth held his arms out, palms up. “Syra, there’s no need for any more bloodshed. There won’t be any servants left to wait on us.” Beel appeared in the doorway and stepped over the dead servants to walk outside. Relieved, Ana turned her aggression toward Roth. “Shut up, why don’t you? I can’t believe how spineless you are.” She lowered her laser and looked straight into his eyes. It was dark but he pulled her primary thoughts. “Look at you. You weren’t hurt at all…maybe you weren’t even raped.” He lowered his voice and studied her carefully. “Ana, you’re bleeding.” She looked down to see where the blood was coming from and Roth lunged at her. She stepped back quickly and then the impact of a laser beam at close range sent Roth flying backwards across the sand until he fell, lifeless. Ana stood numb, staring at Roth’s lifeless body. Strong hands rested on her arms and she jumped. “Don’t touch me,” she screamed at Gilroy and he flinched. She moved behind Syra and then grabbed her arm as if she needed the crutch to stand. “Are you okay?” Syra eyed the teenager carefully as Beel and Gilroy watched silently. “No, Syra. I’m not okay. I’m very much not okay.” She began to shake and then for the first time since Gilroy raped her, she began to cry. “We’ll stay here tonight and go after Torgo in the morning,” Syra decided. “Go after Torgo?” Ana looked around the dark beach and her eyes stopped on the waves as they slowly beat the shore. “Why are we going after him?” “The Tree People attacked the Blood Circle Clan, Ana.” Syra stroked Ana’s cheek and wiped away tears. “Did Roth come get you before he headed for home?”

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Ana looked up at Beel. He was too focused on the tall young Gothman standing close by. Gilroy was a true Gothman warrior and he didn’t know Beel wasn’t. Beel would see to it that this strange dark Gothman didn’t find out. Beel didn’t look at Ana. “No,” Ana noticed Gilroy watched her and looked down at her shoes. “I was doing some, um, Gothman exercises at Fools Creek. They flew over and I waved them down.” She looked up at Syra, suddenly mad. “He would have left without saying goodbye, wouldn’t he?” “Who knows?” Syra shrugged and rubbed Ana’s arm. “We don’t need to stay here tonight.” Ana’s expression turned icy. She’d been through too much since she’d woken up that morning. “Where’s Torgo, do you know?” “I do.” Beel stood tall and tried to keep his voice low. “I saw him when I got the high priest. It would be easier to get him while it’s dark. I know the area like the back of my hand but I would be recognized instantly in the daylight.” Syra looked toward the cabin. “Let’s go see who’s left inside and we’ll clean up that cut on your arm. Where are your Runner clothes?” A very pretty dark-haired servant girl and the high priest scurried away from the front door when the four of them entered. They looked most terrified at the sight of Gilroy but Syra in her Runner outfit also made them very nervous. It took no effort to shut the servant and the priest into the back bedroom and lock them in there. Ana grabbed some things out of the master bedroom, now chilly and strewn with glass. “You should change your clothes,” Syra said when Ana walked back out to the living room. “I’m fine.” “Ana, you’ll need your bulletproof outfit before the night’s over. It’s going to take all our skills to free Torgo, I’m afraid.” Syra pulled her leather gloves over her hands as she sat on the couch. “Go change your clothes.” “I can’t.” Ana suddenly looked very uncomfortable and Syra looked at her confused. “What happened to your clothes?” She continued to study the teenager and saw something close to panic cross her face. Standing, she pulled her coat on and noticed Ana glare at Gilroy. “They’re bloody, okay. I can’t wear them.” Ana turned her glare to Syra and directed her fury at her. “And you want to know something?” Her voice now bordered on hysteria and her face flushed crimson as she pointed a finger at Beel. “He knew why I was bleeding before I did. You all did a great job of teaching Andru everything he needed to know but no one ever bothered to teach me anything other than how to fight.” She pulled a light cloth jacket over her thin smock and stormed toward the door. “And a hell of a lot of good that did me.” Ana already sat on the back of Syra’s glider when the other three reached her. Syra climbed up in front of her but Gilroy came up behind her.

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“Put this on.” He handed his large Gothman jacket to her. “I’m not wearing your damn coat,” she snarled at him and slapped the coat like it was diseased. “Take his coat, Ana. He’s got another one and you’ll freeze otherwise.” Ana grabbed the coat from him without looking up and then Gilroy climbed on the other glider with Beel behind him.

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Chapter Twenty-Eight “Ana, are you sleeping?” Syra asked quietly and looked over her shoulder at Ana. The teenage girl leaned contentedly against Syra’s back and her breathing was deep. They’d flown for almost an hour through the darkness. There had been no incidents and Syra felt a need to talk to the teenager. “No, I’m just trying to digest everything that has happened today.” Ana cuddled within Gilroy’s large leather jacket and lifted her head to look around her. “How much longer until we reach Barringswood tribal land?” “I’d say another hour at least.” Syra turned her head far enough to see Ana’s face. The teenager looked utterly exhausted. “Gilroy attacked you earlier today, didn’t he?” “Yeah. Someone had to have told him where I was, though.” Ana glanced over toward the glider that flew alongside of them. Beel slept soundly behind Gilroy but when the dark Gothman turned and met her gaze, she looked away quickly. “Andru said something this morning about knowing that you would be detained this morning.” “Did he say that to you?” “No, he said it to Tara.” “I knew it.” Ana sighed and again fought back stinging tears. “Do you want to talk about anything? I mean about what happened to you today. I feel somewhat responsible for your, um, lack of knowledge.” Syra wished she had thought sooner to talk to Ana about sex and what could happen. “I’m sorry I exploded earlier. I’m definitely not thinking clearly.” Ana sighed. “Syra, I’m mad as hell at Gilroy for not taking no for an answer.” “He told me he was following orders. Although, I’m sure he couldn’t wait to carry them out.” Ana snorted. “That’s an understatement. But Syra, he didn’t hurt me. I mean he did, but he wasn’t violent or anything.” Ana unwrapped her arms from Syra’s waist and rubbed her face. “I know I can trust you to stay quiet about all of this.” “There’s no Gothman blood in me.” Syra laughed. “I kind of…I mean, well, it felt good.” “I’m sure it did.” She glanced over at Gilroy’s profile through the inky blackness of the night. “Just look at him. Your brother at least did you the favor of finding a goodlooking attacker for you.” “Yeah, he also knows Gilroy and I have done a fair bit of flirting in the past.”

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Syra was quiet for a minute as she decided how to approach what she had to say. Ana sensed there was something bothering Syra and leaned to the side so she could see her face. “What is it?” she asked. “There is a tribal tradition I heard about while I lived in the Barringswood tribe. It’s called right of first refusal. Basically, it’s a belief that if a man claims a woman’s virginity he has the right to mate with her if he wants. It’s an old tradition and those people are so promiscuous that I don’t know how much they pay attention to it anymore.” “What’s your point?” “I’m just saying that Roth might have wanted your virginity so he could claim you by their law. And, if Roth took your virginity and got you pregnant, he could lay claim to your inheritance that way as well.” “I know. I was completely used.” Ana sighed deeply. “It seems I’ve been walked all over by several men in the last couple of days, including my brother.” “Gilroy took your virginity and by Gothman law that entitles him to nothing more than if he’d been the hundredth man you slept with. Your brother actually protected you by seeing that you weren’t a virgin when Roth finally got to you. But Sorg might assume Roth took your virginity. I mean, hopefully, we’ll be able to get Torgo and get out of there…but if something happens and the subject is brought up…well, you might have to come forward and announce that Gilroy was responsible.” “I’m sure he’d have no problem backing me on that one.” But Ana grew quiet after that and thought about what Syra just told her. She could have found herself in another nation, bound to it by their laws if Gilroy hadn’t forced himself on her. She was still furious with him and her feelings were more than hurt. It had crossed her mind more than once that Gilroy could have taken her easily if he’d seduced her under different circumstances. Granted, Andru had been very clever at seeing to it that she was never left alone with any of his friends. As always, her brother had the final say on everything she did…and when she did it. It was all too much to handle. She choked on a sigh and leaned against Syra again, relishing the comfort of a warm body. Slowly, she finally drifted off to sleep. “We’ve got a couple of hours until daylight, I think.” Ana lifted her eyes and blinked at the sound of Syra’s voice. She raised her head off Syra’s shoulder and looked up to see Gilroy watching her. He smiled when she looked at him and she looked down quickly although she forgot to scowl at him. “I can get across that field easily enough,” Beel said. He had climbed off the glider and stood in between the women and Gilroy. “It’s that building right over there,” he pointed, “and it appears there are only two guards watching him.” “Is there security elsewhere around this place?” Gilroy looked around the quiet community lodged into the gigantic trees.

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“There’s electronic security but I turned it off when I was here earlier to get the priest.” Beel smiled slightly. “I doubt anyone’s noticed.” “Too much confidence can narrow your vision,” Syra instructed but then immediately felt bad at Beel’s sudden look of dismay. She got off her glider, stretched, then smiled, and messed up the boy’s hair. “You’re doing great, though. I’m glad you’re on our side.” Ana climbed off the glider as well and realized her leg was asleep. She felt stiff and beaten and reached for the glider to steady herself. Syra watched her realizing the amount of trauma the teenager’s body had been through recently. “Beel, you and I are going to get Torgo.” Ana looked up quickly, ready to protest, but Syra raised her hand quickly. “I know how good of a shot you are, Ana. And I hope you can shoot well too, Gilroy. As soon as those two guards look up and realize we’re coming toward them, I want you two to kill them. Then keep us covered and take care of anyone else that comes along. Let’s make this quick and painless.” Syra turned and took off running toward the jail and Beel immediately took off after her. Gilroy hopped off his glider with his laser pulled and squatted down. Ana kneeled down next to him although her legs were stiff and bruised from running through the glass doors. He reached out and steadied her by taking her arm. She didn’t reprimand him and he let her go when she was on the ground next to him with her laser pulled as well. He couldn’t help but grin at how drowned she looked in his coat. As soon as the guards looked up, Ana and Gilroy each took one of them out with a single shot. They watched the ground around them for anyone suspicious as Syra and Beel reached the jail. “Torgo, are you in there?” Syra went up on tiptoe to look through the small window carved into the wooden door in the large tree trunk. His face appeared immediately and she jumped back startled. “I knew you wouldn’t stay mad at me,” he said with a devilish grin that warmed her insides. “Stand back.” She would take up her fight with him later, after they were safely back in Gothman. She pointed her laser at the doorknob and fired until the door opened freely. Torgo jumped out and literally lifted her off the ground and hugged all the air out of her. “This way,” Syra pointed when he put her down and the three of them ran across the open area toward the large tree that concealed Ana and Gilroy. There was no time for greetings or explanations as Torgo, Syra and Beel reached Ana and Gilroy. They stood next to the shelter of one of the large trunks when shouts were heard from the other side of the open area and they could hear voices and people running toward them. “There must have been a silent alarm I wasn’t aware of,” Beel muttered sadly as several guards ran quickly to the jail and then started talking frantically into mouthpieces. “You’ll have to fly straight up until you’re above all the trees before you head west.” 205

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“What do you mean, we’ll have to?” Ana turned on him suddenly. “You need a distraction.” Beel looked at all of them. “Get going. I’ll figure out how to get out of here.” “Torgo, tell him no.” Ana felt a whirlwind of emotions hit her and couldn’t believe anyone would consider leaving him behind after all the help he’d been. “There’s no time to discuss this or no one will get out of here.” Beel backed up, ready to make his appearance known and gestured for them to get on the gliders. “Get the fuck out of here, now!” Suddenly, Beel turned and ran back out into the open. “Beel, come back!” Ana didn’t quite yell but her words were to no avail. Strong hands reached out from behind her and grabbed her by the waist and literally lifted her off the ground and pulled her backwards. She saw Syra climb onto her glider behind Torgo before she realized Gilroy had tucked her neatly in front of him on his glider and was already turning it around and the dome was covering them. She strained to turn her head and look over his broad mass to try and see Beel but the trees blocked her view. Hysteria from too many overwhelming events took over her wellbeing and she broke down into uncontrollable sobs. They were well up into the air and flying at dangerous speeds through inky blackness before she even realized that one of Gilroy’s arms was wrapped neatly around her waist and that she was virtually tucked into his strong body. His long legs closed in around hers and his chin nestled closely against her temple. She stiffened for a moment wanting to yell at him to get away from her but quickly realized there was nowhere else for her to be. There were two gliders and Torgo and Syra were on the other one. Gilroy could have put her behind him but his body was so broad she knew she would have been uncomfortable spreading her legs that far apart for as long as they would have to be in the glider. Did Gilroy realize that or was his placing her in front of him merely an act of possession? She argued with herself, until she realized how comfortable she was wrapped in this incredibly powerful body, and that she was simply exhausted and her reaction was nothing sexual. “Ana.” The whispered voice in her ear made her jump and she opened her eyes to see Gilroy smiling down at her. She jumped and struggled to get free of him. “Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” His voice remained calm and one large hand rested gently on her stomach. She reached to pull his hand off her but his long fingers simply wrapped around hers and held her hand securely with his. “I just wanted you to wake up. It looks like we’re going to land. Torgo and Syra are heading down.” She realized, somewhat embarrassed, that she had cuddled into his shoulder and had been sleeping soundly. She blinked and straightened and his hand fell to her leg although he kept her hand in his. She looked around outside the dome but didn’t dare 206

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move too much while she sat in such close quarters in between Gilroy’s legs. She could see the sun barely working its way up to the horizon, and a new morning was less than an hour away. “Where are we?” “We just crossed the mountain range. We’re back in Gothman, my lady.” His voice was oddly soothing so close to her ear and he squeezed her hand when he finished talking. Gilroy landed his glider in an open area not far from where Syra had helped Lord Darius after his glider crashed. Syra and Torgo were parked not too far away. The cold air hit her like a hard slap in the face when Ana jumped free of the glider and that incredibly distracting body that had wrapped around her. “We just have to land for a minute,” Syra yelled to them as she started walking away from Torgo who stood with his arms crossed watching her with something close to confusion on his face. “Ana, come with me.” “What’s wrong?” Ana asked when they had walked behind several large rocks that blocked their view of Torgo and Gilroy. “I told Torgo I had to go to the bathroom,” Syra said but she leaned her back against the rock and stared up at the growing sunrise. “But, to be honest, I was getting really sick to my stomach.” Without further warning, she jerked her body forward and threw up all over the ground in front of her. Ana stood watching her and then glanced around the rock at Torgo and Gilroy who stood next to each other talking. She wasn’t sure what to do and finally gently rubbed Syra’s back until she finished. Syra stood and smiled sheepishly after wiping her mouth on her sleeve. “Do you feel better now?” Ana asked quietly. “I think so. I’m not sure what came over me.” She supported herself against the rock and finally Ana saw color start to reappear in her cousin’s face. “Syra. Ana.” Torgo’s voice sounded close and Ana and Syra walked around the rock as both men walked up to them. “We’ve got company.” Ana turned her head and saw about twenty gliders flying toward them at incredible speed. “It’s Mama or Andru,” Ana said confidently. “I’m sure you’re right but nonetheless, let’s get back to the gliders.” Torgo grabbed Syra just as Ana turned to see her collapse. “Syra, what’s wrong with you?” Ana suddenly looked frantic. Before Syra could answer, Torgo lifted her into his arms, ignoring her weak protests. “Nothing nine months won’t cure,” he said winking at his niece. “Torgo, don’t go spreading something like that around. You have no idea if that’s true or not. Now put me down.” 207

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“What, so you can fall down? I don’t make it a habit of treating a lady like that.” He walked quickly back to the gliders and Ana walked behind him with Gilroy silently behind her. Ana reached her glider and hesitated in climbing on, not sure if she wanted to ride in front of Gilroy again. She was wide-awake now from the cold air and not sure she could handle his distracting body in her current state of mind. She needed about twelve hours of sleep and a very long, hot shower. Gilroy stepped from behind her and quickly straddled the glider then reached for her, making it quite clear where he wanted her to sit. He easily saw the hesitation in her eyes and smiled. “You’ll be a lot less comfortable behind me, my lady,” he said softly. He reached out and took her hand then pulled her to him. When he’d pulled her close enough his two hands literally wrapped around her waist underneath his large leather coat and lifted her up, forcing her to spread her legs so she could straddle the glider. He nestled her into him once again but she desperately tried to keep her rear end from touching his crotch. He was obviously aware of her actions as he started the glider and the dome closed around them. He made it appear as if it was hard to maneuver the glider as they accelerated and became airborne with her body leaning forward as it was. He growled and with one hand against her stomach, his thumb way too close to one of her breasts, he pulled her back into him and closed his body around her once again. “Gilroy, please,” she whimpered, afraid if she said more he’d realize how much that small movement on his part brought some rather sensual thoughts to her head. She licked her lips and hoped she was breathing normally. “Ana, I swear to you I’ll never do that to you again.” Once again his mouth was very close to her ear and his breath tickled. “Never do what?” She looked up but then looked down quickly when she realized how close his face was to hers. His chuckle was low and dangerous. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.” He easily wrapped his arm up over her chest, fitting his arm nicely in between her breasts and resting his hand on her shoulder. He didn’t hide his arousal as he lowered his head and placed a very sensual kiss on her cheek. “Did I say you could do that?” She managed to whisper the words as she felt herself melting. “Yes.” He breathed the one word into her hair and somehow managed to pull her even closer to him. “Gilroy,” she tried to complain, although unconvincing since she made no effort to move. “Don’t worry, Ana. Just let me hold you, please. I’ll be under your brother’s scrutinizing eye again real soon. Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be ordered to take your virginity again any time soon.”

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She couldn’t help but giggle nervously at his joke and looked up when he did as the Gothman gliders grew close enough to detect Tara and Andru approaching them. Gilroy straightened his body and lowered his hand to her waist. He sent shocks of electricity through her when he lingered for just a second on her breast and allowed two fingers to trap her nipple through the thin material before releasing it and placing his hand firmly on her waist. She gasped and instinctively leaned back into him. The Gothman gliders surrounded them and Tara gestured that they should land. Following orders, Torgo and Gilroy descended and once again the cold air attacked them when the dome lifted. “Ana,” Gilroy said quietly, grabbing her arm gently when she’d climbed off the glider. She looked up and met his sky blue eyes and could tell that this man could easily seduce any woman he wanted. “Please know I was following orders. I wouldn’t have taken you like that if I had it to do my own way.” His eyes searched hers but she simply nodded and pulled away when she heard her brother’s voice.

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Chapter Twenty-Nine “I’m absolutely furious with you,” Ana hissed into Andru’s ear as he lifted her off the ground and she wrapped her arms and legs around him tightly. He swung her around in a circle causing everyone around them to stop and notice the reunited twins. “I haven’t slept a wink in the last two nights,” he whispered back to her, ignoring her claim to being mad at him. “I’ve been worried sick about you. Tell me you’re okay.” “I’m okay,” she answered and laid her head on his shoulder. Andru looked over his sister’s shoulder and noticed Gilroy looking oddly at him, an expression he hadn’t seen on his friend’s face before. He frowned at Gilroy and the expression immediately disappeared. Gilroy raised one side of his mouth into a crooked smile—the smile he was notoriously known for using to get his way in any situation. Andru smiled back. He decided at that moment that he would never let his sister be with another man that didn’t recognize that Ana was his first. “Did you find Roth and Beel?” Andru asked after he’d put his sister down. He still held her closely and Tara moved in to hug her daughter as well. “They took me out of here,” Ana spoke quietly so only her mama and brother heard her. She looked up defiantly at both of them. “I disowned both of you after what you did to me.” Andru’s entire body went rigid and he looked away from her across the rocky plateau. “It was necessary at the time,” he said without feeling. Tara looked up at him quickly, realizing he was ready to shoulder all of his sister’s resentment. “I hope he didn’t hurt you.” “He didn’t,” Ana said and matched his same lifeless tone. Mama and brother looked at her. “It doesn’t matter now, he killed Roth.” “What?” Andru almost shouted and looked over at his friend. Gilroy looked up from where he was helping Torgo attach landlinks to their gliders. “Roth tried to force me into becoming his mate when Syra and Gilroy showed up. I attacked Roth but I was slightly hurt and Gilroy intervened.” “I see.” Andru relaxed his body and stroked his sister’s hair. “And what about Beel?” Both twins looked up at their mama when she asked the question. She simply smiled at both of them. “Mama,” Ana’s voice choked. “We barely got Torgo free when some silent alarm alerted the entire tribe. Beel ran off to create a diversion so we could escape. I’m sure whatever story he told them, they probably beat him within an inch of his life.” She paused as her breath caught in her throat and in spite of herself, tears streamed down

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her cheeks. “He definitely has our blood, he was so brave. He didn’t even want to go back there.” Andru pulled his sister in tight and looked hard at Tara. She looked at him and could tell something was already brewing in his head. “Well, we should get you home. It looks like they have the landlinks on your gliders now.” Tara walked off then toward Syra and Torgo. “Go on and get back on your glider.” Andru pulled his sister to arm’s length then released her to wipe her tears. “You don’t want me to ride with you?” She looked surprised and Andru gave her a shy grin. “I can share you a little bit.” “As long as they swear their loyalty to you, right?” Her look was determined, although he saw a small amount of fear in her eyes. He looked at Gilroy who sat straddling his glider. Ana looked also and Gilroy turned and locked on her gaze. “Go on. He won’t hurt you again.” Andru spoke to his sister although he remained focused on Gilroy. Gilroy watched as Ana slowly walked back over to him and he saw the look Andru gave him. When she reached him, he took her arm as he had before and lifted her up, then cuddled his large body around her protectively. Lord Darius stood in the conference room leaning on a cane when his twins walked through the door with Torgo and Syra behind them. The smile on his face was truly genuine and as Tara brought up the rear and noted his happiness, she wondered what his reaction would be at the news of his bastard son. “Darius, I was truly impressed by his actions. There was no reason for him to do what he did. He could have come up with a dozen other ideas that would have ensured his safety, regardless of whether we escaped or not,” Torgo commented on Beel after they’d shared their adventures in detail with Darius and Tara. They all sat around the conference table and Darius noticed the exhaustion on Syra and Ana’s faces. He also noticed the concerned looks his brother kept giving his brandnew claim. “Do you think there is any way we could try to get him out of there again?” Ana asked the room in general breaking the silence. Her voice was tired and quiet. “Yes.” Darius, Andru, and Tara all answered at the same time. She looked up to see everyone at the table looking at everyone else. “But for now, my daughter, you are to be put to bed, yes,” Lord Darius spoke and Andru and Tara immediately pushed their chairs back. “A hot shower and a warm bed are what you need.” Tara put a hand on each twin’s back and escorted them out of the room. Darius watched them leave the room, his attention focused on Tara. When the door closed behind them, he looked at Syra and Torgo. His brother already stood and moved 211

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behind Syra. She appeared to simply stare out the window and Darius stared at her until she moved her eyes to see him watching her. “A hot shower does sound good,” she said quietly and moved to stand up. She grabbed the table, trying not to appear obvious but failing…both brothers watched her intently. “Syra,” Darius said simply and she froze then slowly turned to look at him. “What do you want Darius, I’m tired.” “I’m sure you are.” His voice was calm. “Thank you for bringing my brother back…and I’d like to thank you for helping me return to the clan site the other day, I would.” She looked hard into those dark gray eyes for any meaning behind his words. His face appeared pleasant—too pleasant. Her guard went up. “You’re welcome.” She started to move to the door, hoping to get out of there before he said more. “Your bedside manner is rather impressive,” Darius said and both Torgo and Syra turned to look at him. “You remember that entire conversation, don’t you?” Syra’s strength seemed to reappear as she turned to face him and placed her hands on her hips. “What conversation?” His face was expressionless and then in front of both of them his eyes began to dance and then he laughed out loud. “You were in Torgo’s glider, yet something else you have to answer for.” He pulled a disc out of his pocket and placed it on the table. “The entire conversation was recorded.” “What?” Syra almost yelled then reached for the disc. Darius grabbed it and pulled it back, grinning at her triumphantly. “I have your unending devotion for me recorded for prosperity, I do.” Darius gloated and Torgo looked down at Syra with a half-smile and somewhat of a questioning look in his eyes. “You are such an ass.” Syra rolled her eyes and walked away from the Lord of Gothman. “Don’t you ever leave my presence without my permission.” Darius tried to sound harsh but he started laughing as he spoke. He laughed so hard he grabbed his side and grimaced from the pain. “You’re a fake, Syra. Admit it, you are.” “Fine.” She turned around angry but when she saw both brothers on the verge of laughter, she couldn’t help but smile. “You win, Darius, as always. I like you…you’re not boring. But you are a pain in the ass.” “How are we supposed to put up with her the entire time she’s pregnant?” Darius asked Torgo and Syra’s face went blank. “Look at her, they always act like they’re the last ones to know, they do.” “She got sick coming home, did I mention that?” “Torgo, must you tell your brother everything?” Syra slapped her claim in the chest. He latched onto her hand and pulled her to him. 212

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“There’s that open field west of here, on the other side of the trees. I thought about building a house back in there, I did. What do you think?” Torgo’s tone turned serious and Syra looked up at him quickly then looked at Darius. He contemplated the two of them for a moment. “I think we should get started on it right away, I do.” Darius smiled at her and for a moment she thought she might know what it would be like to have a brother. Darius woke up the next morning and knew exactly what happened. His body ached as he sat up in his bed and confirmed that he was alone in the room. Tara never returned last night. He knew where she went. He was curious, though, how she managed to escape to the Tree People undetected. “Andru,” Darius spoke into his comm. “Papa?” “Good. Just making sure you’re here, I am. Is your sister here as well?” Darius heard his son open his bedroom door and then open his sister’s door across the hall. “Yes, my Lord, she’s sound asleep.” Andru spoke quietly. “Why do you ask?” “Your Mama isn’t here. What did she say to you last night?” “Nothing. She walked us out of the conference room then told us to head upstairs and she’d be up shortly. Come to think of it, we didn’t see her after that.” Andru started to share his belief as to where his mama would be but Darius cut him off. “Come see me. We will meet with the guards this morning, we will. I will talk to you when there’s a chance, yes.” Lord Darius stood over by the garage talking to his commanding soldiers when a disturbance turned all their heads. It was the twins. He couldn’t hear what they said but it was obvious they were fighting over something. He finished his instructions then walked toward the house as Ana turned and lunged at her brother. “I didn’t know I was on a fucking deadline,” Ana screamed and turned full force on her brother. She noticed the surprise in Andru’s eyes when she jumped in his face and took advantage of the moment to push him backwards, driving her point home. She heard stifled laughter and turned to notice Andru’s friends, including Gilroy, leaning against the side of the house smiling. “Ana, there are midwives in town that you can go to make sure you’re okay.” Andru’s voice was very quiet, for her ears only, but she saw the fury in his eyes. “Don’t you think I know there are midwives in this town,” she hissed back. Then, a little louder, “I’ve lived in this town as long as you have, in fact, ten minutes longer, if the world would like to know.” She glared at his friends but none of them showed any plan of leaving their perfect location to watch the twins fight. Gilroy gave her a brazen wink and she looked away quickly. “I know exactly who the midwives in this town are.” Ana was in her brother’s face, or more like his chest, and she shoved her fist into his chest several times as she spoke.

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“I know whose family they come from—” nodding her head toward Gilroy who immediately raised an eyebrow with interest, “—and that their papa has more bastards in this town than anyone else.” “Not everyone is like their papa, Ana.” Andru managed to remain calm although he wanted to clobber submissiveness into his sister. “You’re a prime example of that,” Ana snapped sarcastically. “Quit trying to control me. I told you I’d take care of things and I will. Now let me be.” “Ana, if there’s something to address, it won’t go away if you ignore it.” Andru called to her back but she simply gestured a vulgarity at him and kept walking toward her glider. “May I ask what that was all about, my Lord?” Andru turned his head to see Gilroy standing right behind him watching Ana storm off. “She was supposed to be on anti-conception pills but she never got around to taking care of it,” Andru spoke quietly to his friend. Gilroy’s expression turned hard and he met Andru’s gaze. He moved like he would take off after Ana but Andru grabbed his arm. “There’s no time right now. We must meet with Lord Darius.” Darius stared at the young men standing at attention in his backyard. Andru stood at the end of the line, closest to him. As always, his son’s dark eyes watched him, never looking away. He was the tallest of this group of young soldiers, except for Gilroy who stood next to him. That young man was one hell of a soldier and his loyalty to his son was admirable. All Gothman soldiers had organized at dawn to partake in the Gothman death ceremony in tribute to the eight soldiers who died in the Tree People nation. “I want to announce that Gilroy will be your new commanding officer since that position is now available.” Darius enjoyed watching the young man’s face light up but there was a haunted look he didn’t usually see on the jovial young man. “Head down to the practice field for war games. Andru, Gilroy, stay with me for a minute.” Darius stood face to face with the two young men and studied them for a moment. Gilroy stood as tall as he did and would probably be fuller in the chest within the next few winters. He was a brick wall like his papa, Arien, with the same good looks. There was a guarded look now that had replaced the haunted expression and he noticed his son’s face was slightly too blank. “You’ve heard me say that a good leader always knows everything that goes on in his kingdom, haven’t you?” Andru and Gilroy looked at each other then nodded and gave Darius their attention.

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“The trick is that you hear everything that’s said around you and you watch every reaction a person makes to what they hear, you do.” Dark gray eyes and sky blue eyes watched him carefully. “For example, my daughter storms out of the house and yells at my son, she does. Everyone reacts to this scene in a slightly different way. Most are amused, as I was myself. So, it wasn’t hard to detect that there was one person in the yard that wasn’t amused, no.” Darius looked directly at Gilroy and Andru looked at him as well. Gilroy handled himself well, not backing down from their gazes for a second. He’s been raised well, Darius thought to himself. “Now then, a fact has just been brought to my attention. I know the look of possession and up until this morning, the only one who has looked at my daughter like that is Andru, yes. So, I focused on my daughter’s words and learned a second fact, I did.” He paused and let his gaze fall heavily on the two who stood looking back at him. “You have instigated a relationship between these two, am I right?” Darius asked Andru but nodded his head toward Gilroy. “Yes, my Lord.” “And has she been receptive?” he now asked Gilroy. “I think so, my Lord.” Gilroy answered honestly. “She has always submitted to you willingly, Andru,” Darius now spoke thoughtfully as he stared out across the field. “It will be interesting to see if she will submit to someone else.” He then surprised Gilroy by asking him directly, “Is she pregnant?” “There would be no way of knowing this soon.” Andru raised an eyebrow at Gilroy’s blatant honesty. Darius seemed pleased by it. “Maintain this level of loyalty and continue to serve Gothman as you do, son, and you’ll do well, you will. I daresay a claim to my daughter would be the ultimate award.” He patted Gilroy on the shoulder and Andru smiled, glad to see his father obviously approved of his methods of tending to his sister. Ana stood behind the garage at the top of the hill talking to several of her friends. Everyone was curious to hear about what happened in the Tree People nation and envious of Ana having such a great adventure. “I would have volunteered to go over there if I’d known about it,” one of her friends commented. “Yeah, and you’d be dead,” the other one said. “Not everyone died,” Ana said with a shrug. “That’s right, Gilroy brought you home. I heard he had you wrapped up pretty tight.” Her friends laughed as they teased her. “Speaking of which, here he comes, with his Lordship and Andru. Getting in good with the family, isn’t he?” Ana turned to look in the direction her friends indicated and three faces glared at her.

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“Uh-oh,” she groaned. “I’m in trouble. I’m not exactly where I’m supposed to be. Go on down to the war games. I’ll catch up with you.” At least she hoped she would. “She just wants him all to herself.” Ana heard one of her friends say as the two Runner girls trotted down the hill. She wanted to run and catch up with them. She shot a glance at her papa as the three approached. He knew everything. His loyal subjects had reported all and he was obviously in agreement with whatever they told him. As she looked at them, something caught her eye. She raised her head and looked past them into the sky. It was a glider, coming right at them, and swerving. Her expression turned to horror and the three men turned to see what had her attention as they reached her side. “Mama!” Ana screamed and ran past her brother as the glider attempted a very rough landing. Through the dome, she could see her mama, slumped over and very bloody. Behind her was Beel, doing his best to try and navigate the glider to the ground with the unconscious woman blocking his ability to reach the controls. Ana screamed again when she saw the glider bounce roughly off the ground and her mama’s body literally bounce along with it inside the dome. Blood smeared on the inside of the clear plastic dome. “See if you can grab it and hold it down!” Darius barked at Gilroy and Andru as he gestured to the glider. The two young men leaped into action. They ran as fast as they could until each was on either side of the glider. Darius flipped on his comm and began instructing Beel. He knew his voice would come out the small speaker on the console, and his bastard son looked at him horrified when he heard his papa’s voice but then nodded and reached to cut off the power to the glider. Andru and Gilroy grabbed the contraption and then slowed their running until they were able to bring it to a stop. Darius flipped his comm again and ordered a medical crew to the site immediately. He cursed his injured body as he used his cane to walk slowly up to the glider as Andru grabbed Beel and pulled the shaken boy free of the glider. “I did my best,” the boy mumbled but then seemed to relax when Andru patted him on the back. “Oh Crator, please.” Ana’s hands went to her mouth and she felt tears stream down her cheeks. “Tell me she’s not dead.” “What happened?” Darius growled as Andru and Gilroy slowly lifted Tara’s limp body off the glider. “She came to get me. I didn’t even think she liked me.” Beel took a deep breath, reminding himself of the mighty warriors that surrounded him. “I was with Sorg and she charged into the room and attacked him. She said I was a member of her family and I was coming with her. Sorg said some rather hateful things about Ana and that by right she should be returned since his brother took her virginity. Tara shot him. I didn’t even

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see her move she was so fast. All I know is that Sorg flew up against the wall and blood splattered everywhere. Guards showed up from everywhere and it got so confusing.” Beel lowered his head into his hands and his shoulders began shaking. When he looked up so Lord Darius and Andru could see his face there were tears in his eyes. “I want to be a great warrior like all of you but the truth is…I hid under a table. I stayed there until Tara was down and a beaten pulp on the floor. The guards left her there and I assumed they went to get Olix so he could tell them what to do. I carried her out the window and to the glider without being detected. Then we sat on the glider until it got very dark. I knew we only had one chance to escape and it had to be very late at night. My Lord, I swear by Yawa, I did my best. I’m sorry if I waited too long.” He looked at Tara’s limp bloody body nestled in Andru’s arms. Several gliders swarmed above them and then landed quickly. Dr. Digo was on his comm immediately ordering a jeep to the house to transport Tara. Two medical assistants placed her face up on a portable cot that had been pulled from one of the gliders and snapped together quickly. Ana continued crying as a jeep pulled up and several more assistants jumped down to help lift the leader of all Runner nations into a predetermined area behind the bench seat. Darius hurried off to his glider but then stopped briefly and looked at his bastard son. He was smeared with Tara’s blood and appeared to bear several bruises. The boy looked up at his papa and then without notice Darius pulled him to him and gave him a hug. Once again, Ana’s hands clasped her mouth. “Let’s have the doctor look you over, too,” she heard Darius say to the boy and walked with him to his glider. “Stay with her.” Andru looked at Gilroy and nodded his head toward his sister then took off running after his papa. Immediately, strong arms wrapped around her and she could do nothing more than collapse into Gilroy’s powerful chest.

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Chapter Thirty A cycle later the house was full of chatter as everyone stood waiting to head into the town for the New Winter celebration. The smell of spring was in the air and Fulga had opened all the windows, to air the winter out. Ana came down the stairs wearing her Runner clothing and her hair down—with no headscarf. Syra and Torgo stood at the bottom of the stairs holding hands and Ana couldn’t help but notice the obvious bulge of Syra’s tummy. She remembered drinking some Gothman potion her grandmama had given her when she’d gone to visit her during her mama’s stay in the hospital. Reena, Tara’s Gothman mama and once the primary physician of Bryton, told her the solution would make her cramp and pass blood only if there was a child inside her. She’d sat up the entire night holding her knees to her chest on her bathroom floor until the pain had passed. It had been several weeks after that before Gilroy prodded the story out of her. He’d been very understanding and made incredible headway with her when he told her he had no desire to start creating a long line of bastards the way his papa had and he certainly wouldn’t try to claim her before she was ready. Her heartbeat raced as she thought of the sultry look he gave her when he asked if she used the anticonception pills now. They’d hiked up into the cliffs surrounding the war game field and when she told him she did, he’d tried to make love to her. She told him no—just to see if he’d stop. Much to her surprise, and disappointment, he did stop—and hadn’t tried anything since. Now, a week later, she wondered if he would again any time soon. “Are we all about ready to go?” Tara looked around at her family and couldn’t help grinning. Syra and Torgo looked so happy and there was talk that their new house would be finished by the summer. She knew the gossip would fly as the couple appeared together at the celebration, with Syra obviously pregnant. But that would be overshadowed by the talk over the news that Mik’s claim had been identified as Rayla’s murderer. It was discovered that both women were equally as far along in their pregnancies and the jealous claim, overcome with grief, had killed her man’s mistress. The gossip stemmed around the fact that Gothman was slowly changing when two Gothman women resorted to violence over a man’s promiscuous behavior. Runners were blamed for this. “You’re not taking anyone to the celebration?” Lord Darius wrapped his arm around Tara as he looked at his son.

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Andru grinned mischievously. “I’m meeting them down there.” “Them?” his father laughed. “Like father, like son,” Syra chided as the group moved toward the front door. “And what about you? Why isn’t anyone taking you to the celebration?” Andru ran his hands through his sister’s long hair. “I thought I’d let you show me the sights. I’ve never been to the New Winter celebration before.” Ana smiled up at her brother. “So, you’re saying no one asked you to go with them?” His eyebrows narrowed as he held onto her long hair twisting it in his hand. “I got asked. I just said no.” She met his eyes and he smiled then led her out the front door by her hair, not that he was hurting her…he held it loosely. “You’re not tagging along with me and Beel, not tonight,” he told her. They reached the bottom of the porch steps when Ana realized the rest of the family had left. Gilroy sat on his glider wearing a crest on his leather jacket that indicated he was a commander of Lord Darius’ guards. “If you won’t accept a date to the celebration then you’ll have an escort. Gilroy, don’t let her out of your sight.” Gilroy simply nodded and then Andru leaned forward to kiss his sister on the cheek. He took off across the yard slapping Beel on the back as they went. “I’ve been replaced,” she moped as she turned to face Gilroy. “Maybe it’s time you replace your brother with another man,” he answered quickly, then taking her arm gently, he brought her to him and she climbed on in front of him.

***** “You’re not going to cry on me again, are you?” Torgo wrapped his arm around his claim and pulled her close. They sat on his glider watching fireworks go off in the sky. His brother sat next to him and Tara cuddled behind him with her chin nestled on his shoulder. “No, I just never expected anything like this. You and I are together and I’m carrying our child.” “It’s far from over, my beautiful lady.” He reached around and patted her tummy and she looked up at him and smiled although he still saw her fear. Across the street he could hear Beel and Andru laughing as they talked to several Gothman girls. Fireworks exploded above them, and people surrounding them clapped their appreciation of the show. Darius and Tara watched as Gilroy turned suddenly and lifted Ana off the ground and placed her on the back of one of the jeeps so she could see over the crowd.

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“Andru told us the dog-woman said all must be for one before the evil could end, he did.” Darius spoke gently and then wrapped his arms around her turning her sideways and kissing her affectionately on the lips. “We had to live through all of it to get here, we did.” “You’re right,” she said as her head rested in his hand and she gloried in those charcoal-colored eyes. “I can’t help but think I could have done some things differently and still got here. What’s done is done, my Lord, and all are for one now.” Andru didn’t notice that the girls were no longer standing with them. Beel looked so confused when he’d mentioned Crator that it got him going. He started sharing his knowledge of Crator and the dog-woman and Beel had millions of questions. The two of them noticed no one around them but grew completely engrossed in their conversation. Andru even gave up keeping an eye on his sister from out of the corner of his eye. Gilroy quickly noticed he’d finally given up watching him like a hawk and decided it was time to ensure this town knew Ana was no longer available. “Why did you put me up here?” Ana stood in the back of the jeep and glared at him. “I got tired of listening to you say you couldn’t see anything.” He put his hands on his hips and smiled up at her. She looked around quickly at the activities going on in the middle of the street. Dancers and jugglers worked their way down the street and Gothman and Runners packed both sides of the roadway. She saw her parents across the street surrounded by guards. Her father looked directly at her and she walked to the edge of the jeep to jump down. Gilroy grabbed her wrists before she could jump, though, and pulled her down to her knees so she faced him eye to eye. “What are you doing?” Fear sounded in her voice. “I thought you wanted to see everything.” He pulled her wrists enough to cause her to fall into him. She scrambled to regain composure but he wouldn’t let her move. “Are you afraid of something?” “My papa is watching me,” she whispered. “Let me down, Gilroy, please.” His face was inches from hers and his blue eyes were hauntingly dark. “Are you ashamed to be seen with me?” He cocked his head and then released her wrists and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, forcing her hands to brace herself on his chest. “Do you not wish anyone to see you in my arms?” “Gilroy, please.” “Are you?” She relaxed her body and leaned into him. “No.” “Good, because I plan on getting your family real accustomed to seeing you where you are right now.” He slid one hand up through her hair to her neck and lowered his

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lips onto hers. She felt a pulsating heat in between her legs as she realized the statement he was making by kissing her in front of everyone. “There are plenty of places that are better than this for that kind of activity,” Andru said from behind Gilroy. “Yes, my Lord, you are right.” Gilroy smiled at Ana before pulling her down to the ground and then facing her brother. “But this is the perfect place to do what needed to be done.” “I think your point has been well made.” Andru smiled knowingly and glanced around the busy streets. “Join us for some Gothman wine.” Andru extended his hand and Gilroy secured Ana under his arm then fell in behind the brothers. As the four of them walked across the street toward their parents, the crowd parted for them. They could hear some of the whispered comments around them. Gothman and Runner alike commented on Beel and the uncanny resemblance to Andru. There were words exchanged about the Bryons including a bastard in their home. At these words, Andru looked down at Beel and smiled reassuringly. Others, predominantly the female population, sulked and whined that Gilroy was no longer available. And just as many men scowled that Gilroy had successfully pulled off a claim that most had viewed as unobtainable. By the time they’d made their way through the crowd to stand in front of Lord Darius and Lady Tara, all had an earful of what the town thought of each of them. The guards spread themselves around the family members keeping the crowd well out of earshot of their conversations. “Bella!” Andru turned and yelled to one of the barmaids who walked down the street holding a tray full of empty mugs. “Bring wine, our family wishes a toast.” Darius crossed his arms and smiled, affectionately, at all of the family that surrounded him. Tara wrapped her arm around his shoulder and winked at Torgo and Syra. “You’ve done well, Darius,” Torgo said after the scantily dressed barmaid showed up with several girls to help pass out mugs and pour wine. “I sure can’t say I get all the credit, no.” Darius pulled Tara up so she sat sideways on the glider with her legs hanging off the side. “Has your vision been satisfied?” Tara looked at her son as he handed his sister a cup of wine. Ana took the cup of wine and looked hesitantly at her papa, afraid he would frown at the blood-red drink in her hand. “Take small sips,” he told her sternly, then much to her surprise he winked over her head at Gilroy. Instantly, Gilroy’s large arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her body back into his, causing her to take a much larger drink than she planned. She heard Gilroy’s deep chuckle and felt him move against her back. Heat soared through her body.

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“Mama, the evil is gone. I have no doubts.” He tousled Beel’s hair and the smaller version of himself punched him in the stomach. Andru laughed and tagged him on the arm. “Beel and I have spent most of the evening discussing Crator,” he told his mama. “I daresay we won’t end up with, um, some company, by the end of the evening at this rate.” Everyone laughed then and Tara looked around at the familiar faces and the few additions. They had succeeded. From two young people with different cultures and no knowledge of each other, this family had blossomed. She looked up at Darius as he spoke easily with his children. They had pulled off the impossible. Gothman and Runners were indeed intertwined. They claimed each other, accepted each other’s cultures, she thought as she looked at Beel, and they had all learned of Crator together. She looked at Ana, so incredibly dangerous with her warrior skills, yet almost timid in her actions. She was so used to following the orders of her brother that she would easily submit to Gilroy and he appeared aware of that. They would have a Gothman relationship. Yet, Syra and Torgo, cuddled together from the evening chill, would definitely lead a Runner relationship. All of them would interact together and accept each other’s methods but each of them would present their own viewpoints on life. Their sins were forgiven. Crator had blessed them.

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About the Author All my life, I’ve wondered at how people fall into the routines of life. The paths we travel seemed to be well-trodden by society. We go to school, fall in love, find a line of work (and hope and pray it is one we like), have children and do our best to mold them into good people who will travel the same path. This is the path so commonly referred to as the “real world”. The characters in my books are destined to stray down a different path other than the one society suggests. Each story leads the reader into a world altered slightly from the one they know. For me, this is what good fiction is about, an opportunity to escape from the daily grind and wander down someone else’s path. Lorie O’Clare lives in Kansas with her three sons. Lorie welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at 1056 Home Avenue, Akron, OH 44310-3502.

Also by Lorie O’Clare Nuworld 1: The Saga Begins Nuworld 2: Tara the Great

If you are interested in a spicier read, check out her erotic romances at Ellora’s Cave Publishing (www.ellorascave.com). Cariboo Lunewulf 1: Taming Heather Cariboo Lunewulf 2: Pursuit Cariboo Lunewulf 3: Challenged Fallen Gods: Jaded Prey Fallen Gods: Lotus Blooming Fallen Gods: Tainted Purity Full Moon Rising Lunewulf 1: Pack Law Lunewulf 2: In Her Blood Lunewulf 3: In Her Dreams Lunewulf 4: In Her Nature Lunewulf 5: In Her Soul Sex Slaves 1: Sex Traders Sex Slaves 2: Waiting For Yesterday Sex Slaves 3: Waiting For Dawn The First Time Things That Go Bump in the Night 2004 anthology Torrid Love: Caught!

Cerridwen, the Celtic goddess of wisdom, was the muse who brought inspiration to storytellers and those in the creative arts. Cerridwen Press encompasses the best and most innovative stories in all genres of today’s fiction. Visit our site and discover the newest titles by talented authors who still get inspired—much like the ancient storytellers did, once upon a time. www.cerridwenpress.com