Amazonia: An Impossible Choice

by Sky Croft

  Blake nodded in agreement. “But how did Tanis get hold of it? And why does she have such a brutal item in her possession?”

  Shale’s eyes met Blake’s, and an understanding passed between them. They both leapt to their feet.

  Blake tossed the satchel that contained their medicinal supplies to Shale. As they took off toward the river, Blake snagged another bag, and also a coil of rope. She had no idea what awaited them, but she wanted to be prepared.

  AMBER WAS PATIENTLY waiting by the collection of water skins. She selected hers and took a long, refreshing drink. She was alone for the moment. Kale had disappeared amongst the trees, citing a call of nature.

  The roar of the waterfall drowned out all surrounding noise, but Amber sensed movement behind her, and assumed it was Kale returning. She was surprised by her swift return, and since she couldn’t verify it was Kale by the sound of her familiar footsteps, she turned to check.

  A glint of steel caught her eye, and Amber lurched backward, the honed reflex saving her life. A dagger whipped across her skin, cutting savagely across her collarbone instead of the intended target—her throat.

  Amber sprang clear, giving herself some breathing room. She looked at her attacker in disbelief and confusion. “Tanis, what in Gaia’s name are you doing?”

  Tanis didn’t respond, this time lunging forward and stabbing outward, clearly aiming for Amber’s stomach. Amber caught her wrist and bent it sharply back, forcing Tanis to drop the dagger. Amber took a blow to the side of her head, as Tanis lashed out with her other hand. Amber stumbled sideways, but recovered quickly, and as Tanis leapt toward her, she thrust an elbow into Tanis’s face, blood erupting from a now broken nose.

  Tanis fell solidly to the ground, but she flipped back onto her feet, seemingly unfazed. Her dark gaze latched onto the dagger between them, and she grinned threateningly at Amber, then darted toward it. Seeing her intent, Amber raced for it also. Tanis was closest, so she reached the weapon first, and Amber had little choice but to backtrack as Tanis swept the dagger in an arc, nearly cutting into her flesh once more.

  Her collarbone was burning painfully, and Amber could feel blood trickling down her chest. She realized she should try and stem the bleeding, but the fight came first, any distraction could prove disastrous.

  Amber lashed out with a leg, kicking Tanis’s knife hand aside, then she pivoted full circle, and delivered a round house kick to Tanis’s head.

  Tanis fell a second time, and landed with a thud. She took longer to get to her feet, though she still retained the dagger. Amber knew that disarming Tanis was of the utmost importance, for a single landed strike with the sharp blade could be lethal.

  Before either woman could launch their next attack, Kale reappeared out of the trees, and from the other direction, Shale and Blake arrived. Kale looked as shocked as Amber had, though Shale and Blake didn’t. How they could have known was beyond Amber, for they couldn’t possibly have heard the fight above the roar of the river. Kale obviously hadn’t heard, and she’d been a lot closer.

  “What’s going on?” Kale yelled as she drew nearer.

  “Tanis, what’s this about?” Shale asked, shouting to be heard above the rushing water.

  Amber noted that Shale, Blake, and Kale formed a half circle around herself and Tanis. The river bordered the other side, so Tanis now had no means of escape.

  Everyone drew to a halt.

  Blake stared confrontationally at Tanis. “Your cousin isn’t really ill, is she?”

  Tanis made no attempt to deny it. “No. I don’t even have a cousin. I have no family left to me, thanks to you.” She fixed Kale with a menacing glower.

  Kale seemed completely taken aback, looking clueless as to why Tanis would make such an accusation. “I’ve never even met you before! And if you’re after me, why attack Amber?”

  “She wouldn’t have idly stood by and let me kill you, so I decided my best chance was to pick you off one-by-one.” Tanis coldly tipped her head toward the fast-flowing water. “I was going to toss her body in the river. You’d never have suspected.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you,” Amber said, her tone dry.

  “We would.” Blake looked furious. “We found the whip in your bag.”

  Tanis shrugged. “That I didn’t know.”

  “What whip?” Kale asked, clearly trying to figure out what was going on.

  “Theron’s whip,” Shale said.

  “Theron? What does Theron have to do with it? He’s dead.”

  “You killed him!” Tanis jabbed an accusing finger in Kale’s direction. “You killed my brother.”

  “Not another one.” Amber couldn’t believe her ears. “First it was twins, then triplets. And now this?”

  “She’s lying.” Shale slowly set down her satchel, as if wanting to be free of any encumbrance. “Our mother had triplets.”

  “Tanis looks nothing like Theron.” Kale gestured to herself. “Or us for that matter.”

  “Adopted brother,” Tanis said. “The Amazons gave Theron to my family to be raised. When Xerton later came and killed my parents, he took me and Theron for himself. Xerton trained us as warriors, but as you can imagine, life in his army was hard for me, being the sole female in a mass of men. Theron protected me.”

  She smirked at Shale, looking down at her scars. “Our brother had a knack for torture. You can vouch for that. It kept the army in line.”

  “Then where were you, when I was being held captive?” Shale spoke quickly, as if keen to hear the answer. “I never saw you once.”

  Amber recognized that Shale wasn’t questioning the truth of Tanis’s words. After all, her possession of the whip proved them to be true. Shale merely wanted an explanation.

  “I was out scouting for other Amazon clans,” Tanis said. “When I returned, Theron was dead, his army dispersed. The few soldiers that had stayed behind to pick through the supplies, filled me in on what happened. Nobody knew where Theron had found you, but I knew the location of the tribe you’d been born into. I figured you’d return there someday, and since I couldn’t just set up camp at a ruined village, the nearest town was my best bet. The tavern was the main place, so I got work there, thought there’d be a good chance you might show up. It was a gamble, but I was right. You’ve proven that.”

  Tanis indicated each twin with the point of her blade. “I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw you both at the tavern. You look so like Theron did.”

  “I misinterpreted your stare.” Blake’s jaw clenched in anger. “It wasn’t because they were twins, it was because you’ve been waiting more than a year for them to show, biding your time until you got a chance for revenge. You helped Kale at the tavern to lull us into a false sense of security, but only so you could attack later yourself. You stopped the drunkard’s strike, just to try and deliver a fatal blow.”

  Tanis condescendingly clapped her hands. “Aren’t you a clever girl?”

  “What about Lykos? His attack on you?” Blake slapped her thigh, as if berating herself. “I knew something about that didn’t ring true. Was it all a setup?”

  Tanis nodded in a self-satisfied manner. “I had to play on your sympathies so you would allow me to tag along. I set off early from the tavern to get ahead of you, fetched Lykos, and we laid in wait. I paid Lykos to attack me. He didn’t even need an explanation why, he was only interested in the money.” She sneered mockingly. “He was quite shocked when I killed him though. The fool simply didn’t see it coming.” “And you didn’t bother to tell Agathon you were leaving because you no longer need the job, not now that you’ve found your target.”

  “I’m starting to genuinely like you, Blake.” Tanis grinned at her. “I tell you what, if you stand aside, I promise not to harm you.”

  “I’m an Amazon,” Blake said. “From your warped perspective, isn’t that reason enough to kill me?”

  “I have no qualms with the Amazons. That was Theron’s fixation, not mine.” A carefree shrug. “Abandonmen
t issues. I followed because he looked out for me my entire life. I owed him.”

  Amber couldn’t imagine Theron watching out for anyone. He was a monster. Though, apparently, not to the adopted sister he’d been raised with.

  “Theron tried to kill us,” Shale said angrily. “We merely defended ourselves.”

  “Doesn’t change the outcome. The one person who cared about me is dead. I will have vengeance.”

  “To what end?” Shale asked. “Avenging him will not bring Theron back to you.”

  “Vengeance has no end. As a warrior, you should know this.”

  Blake took a threatening step forward, the usual warmth in her green eyes now replaced by chips of ice. “If you hurt anyone here, I’ll kill you myself.”

  “See!” Tanis released a high-pitched laugh. “You’ve proven my point. It’s neverending.” Her gaze latched onto Kale. “I challenge you to a fair fight. To the death, with no interference.”

  Amber scoffed. “Why should she accept such terms? We outnumber you four to one. You had your chance—you failed.”

  “To pay me the same honor that I paid you.”

  “Honor?” Blake barked a laugh. “What do you know of the word? You’ve been sneaking around behind our backs, waiting to stick a knife in.”

  “Or in my case,” Amber tapped the bloody cut that Tanis had inflicted. “To slit my throat.”

  Tanis sniggered, looking completely unrepentant. “Very true. But those are at least physical attacks. I don’t think you realize I could’ve killed you all that first night.”

  “Oh?” Kale sounded highly dubious. “How so? With that cowardly whip of Theron’s? Look how it worked out for him.”

  Tanis’s fists clenched in rage. “I’m starting to regret my lenience.”

  Her knuckles whitened, as she clearly fought to control her temper. After several moments, an insidious grin appeared. “I could’ve simply poisoned your food, and watched as you writhed around in agony, twisting and moaning until you died.”

  Around her, Amber saw the horror as that realization sank in. She felt slightly sick, recognizing that Tanis could have indeed killed them if she’d so wished.

  Shale noticeably swallowed. “So why didn’t you?”

  “I’m a warrior. I want the satisfaction of feeling your blood on my hands.”

  Kale nodded to Tanis in consent. “I will fight you. But first let me see to Amber. She’s bleeding pretty badly.”

  Tanis narrowed her eyes in obvious distrust. “Fine. Only you though. Everyone else stays where they are.” She paused, then amended her conditions. “In fact, everyone else sit down.”

  Shale and Blake sat down without argument. Amber remained stubbornly standing as Kale moved toward her.

  “Down!” Tanis yelled at Amber.

  Amber reluctantly dropped to one knee, though she kept the other raised, entwining her hands around her upright calf.

  “Shale, do you have anything that I can treat Amber with?” Kale asked.

  “The medicine bag’s here.” Shale leaned sideways and picked up the satchel, hefting it over her head to launch it the distance needed to reach Kale.

  As the bag flew through the air, everything happened at once. Kale, in her distraction to catch the bag, left her side unprotected to Tanis, who shot forward as if she was an arrow, and had just been fired from a tightly strung bow.

  At the same time, Amber threw her weight forward and rose up from her knee, bursting into motion as if starting a race. Amber pushed Kale roughly aside to get her out of harm’s way, then bodily blocked Tanis, tackling her back toward the river as they both wrestled with the dagger.

  Since Tanis had cleverly insisted that everyone sit, neither Shale or Blake were now in a position to help. The moments lost in getting to their feet, though fractional, were enough to delay them from reaching the altercation in time.

  Amber disarmed Tanis with a swift blow and shoved her back, intending to send Tanis to a watery grave. But Tanis somehow managed to reach out and snag her, and they both fell headlong into the churning river.

  IN THE SAME instant that Amber fell into the raging river, Shale took the offered rope from Blake, relieved beyond measure that Blake had brought it along.

  Shale sprinted to the river bank, readying the rope to throw as she scanned the turbulent water for Amber.

  “There!” Kale shouted, pointing downstream.

  Shale spotted Amber’s bright red hair. Even though it was sodden, it still stood out, allowing her to easily identify Amber from Tanis, who, like Amber, was trying valiantly to swim against the current. Though they’d fallen in together, Tanis was now on the far side of the river, whereas Amber was in the middle.

  “Amber! Here comes the rope,” Kale yelled.

  Shale watched the flow for a moment, trying to gauge where the rope would end up. The last thing they needed was for Tanis to get hold of it. They only had the one rope so she had to make it count. Shale threw the rope upstream of Amber, and the current pushed it toward her.

  “Swim, Amber!” Blake encouraged frantically. “You can do it.”

  As if seeing the rope, Amber began to swim with renewed determination, but as she was forced downstream, the onslaught of water visibly increased, the current pushing faster as the waterfall neared. Amber’s dogged persistence paid off, and she snatched hold of the rope with both hands.

  The rope quickly snapped taut, and Shale, Kale, and Blake all heaved in unison, pulling hard. Amber came to an abrupt halt, but they struggled to make any headway against the strong flow. The three of them together had impressive strength, but it still wasn’t a match for the relentless rush of water—they couldn’t reel Amber in.

  “This isn’t working,” Shale said. “We need to think of something else, and fast. Amber can’t hold on forever.”

  Blake’s response was immediate. “I have an idea. Can you hold the line without me?”

  Shale nodded. “Be quick.” She didn’t question what Blake intended, she simply trusted her to do it.

  Blake’s part of the line fell slack as she released the rope. She then picked up the rope’s tail end, running off with it as it uncoiled behind her. She raced to the closest sturdy tree and threw the rope around its thick trunk, grabbing the end once more and returning with it.

  Blake reeled in the slack, and once it was taut, Shale transferred her hands on to that rope, comprehending Blake’s plan. Kale copied an instant later.

  “On three,” Shale said. “One, two, three, pull!”

  Using the tree as leverage, the trio pulled Amber through the water in heaves, the anchorage of the tree helping immensely.

  They felt little sympathy for Tanis as she was washed over the edge—her scream, like her body, was swallowed whole by the waterfall.

  They were reeling in Amber quickly now, and as she neared, Kale climbed down the steep riverbank to haul her out of the cold, tumultuous water. Amber could barely stand, her strength seemingly depleted from her extra-strenuous efforts. Kale lifted Amber up to Shale, who sat her down on the higher, flat ground.

  Blake wrapped a blanket around Amber’s trembling shoulders, and Amber produced a shaky smile.

  Kale hopped up beside them a moment later, busily drawing in the rope.

  “I really don’t see your fondness for waterfalls, Kale.” Amber coughed several times. “They’re bloody awful.”

  Kale chuckled as she enfolded Amber in a hug, rubbing her arms as if to try and get the heat back into them.

  “That was quick thinking with the tree, Blake.” Shale rewarded her with a proud smile.

  Kale thumped Blake on the back. “Yes, well done.”

  “Ow,” Blake said pointedly. “I don’t think I like your type of praise, Kale.”

  Kale shrugged. “There’s no pleasing some people.”

  “What happened to Tanis?” Amber looked back to the river. “I wasn’t able to keep track of her in the water.”

  “Dead,” Kale said. “She went over the falls.�
�

  “You saw? She didn’t manage to get out on the other bank?”

  Shale nodded. “We saw.”

  Despite witnessing it, she realized it’d be wise to check that Tanis hadn’t somehow survived, as a vendetta like Tanis’s could only be sated by blood. She patted Amber’s knee reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ll go and take a look, make sure Tanis hasn’t resurfaced.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  BLAKE LOOKED UP as Shale strolled back into camp. “Anything?”

  “No sign of Tanis.”

  Kale shrugged. “Well, if the fall didn’t kill her, she drowned. Can’t say I’m sorry about it.” She tipped her head toward a section of freshly dug earth. “I buried Theron’s whip. I didn’t think you’d want to see it again.”

  As Shale patted Kale’s back in obvious gratitude, Blake felt herself smile—Kale could be quite thoughtful when she wanted to be.

  Shale sat down opposite Kale, and smiled across at Amber. “Did these two take good care of you?”

  Kale snorted in outrage. “Of course we did.”

  Amber still had a blanket around her shoulders, and she tugged it tighter to herself. “They did indeed. I’ve been stitched, treated, and bandaged.” She tapped the steaming mug in her hands. “And the herbs in the tea are helping with the pain.” Amber took a sip of the drink, then nodded. “I’m feeling better already.”

  Kale’s smug look was easy to read, it said, I told you so.

  “I’m going to have a beauty of a scar.” Amber’s gaze flitted between the twins. “I was starting to feel left out, what with you two picking them up left, right, and center.”

  “You’d think it was a competition.” Blake shook her head despairingly. “Oh, wait, it is with you lot.” Three sets of expectant eyes turned her way, as if waiting for a specific response. Blake didn’t disappoint them. “Warriors.”

  The three warriors laughed, clearly not the least bit offended.

  “Do you have any scars, Blake?” Kale asked.

  Amber’s laughter increased. “Oh, she does. But I’m telling you now, you’re not going to get to see it.”