Warrior Rogue (The Drift Lords Series)

by Nancy J. Cohen

  “But not for long. See the junk? It isn’t just sinking. It’s dissolving.”

  “Huh?” She could barely discern the ship’s outline. His eyesight must be sharper than hers.

  “That’s acid, not water. Stomach acid, to be precise.”

  “Oh, Lord.”

  “By Thor’s hammer, do something.” Smitty waddled over to them. “Get us out of here.”

  A rumble sounded, and the ground underfoot shook.

  “I second that.” Jen placed a hand on the nearest wall to steady herself. Grimacing at the slimy surface, she jerked back when it quivered under her fingers. “Listen, maybe we should tickle it?”

  Paz glanced at her as though her mental threads had unraveled. “What would that accomplish? We’re not in its lungs. It can’t sneeze us out.” His gaze darkened. “You may be onto something, though. If we irritate it─”

  “It might spew us out, like in the biblical story of Jonah. He was swallowed by a big fish, and after he prayed to his god, the creature vomited him out.”

  “We could pray to the gods.” Smitty nodded vigorously, his eyes glistening with hope. He sank to his knees. “Mighty Odin, hear our plea. Deliver us from the evil servant of Loki so your chosen ones can fulfill the prophecy.”

  “Like that’s gonna work.” Jen rolled her eyes. “I meant we should do something practical. We can give it heartburn.”

  Paz swung his gaze toward her. “We are in the belly of the beast, nowhere near its heart.”

  “Heartburn is what you get when you eat something that upsets your stomach. It’s a burning sensation in the esophagus.” She pointed to the ship, tilted at a precarious angle, twenty-five percent gone into the swirling depths. “We have plenty of timber. Not all of the wood is wet. We can build a fire.”

  In two steps, Paz reached her. He grasped her in his arms and kissed her straight on the lips. “You’re brilliant. I can generate a spark with my PIP. Wait here.” He loped off, using his handheld device to illuminate the way.

  “Be careful! The entire junk could slip under the surface at any time.”

  As though to emphasize her words, something cracked and tumbled off the ship into the acid, spewing a lethal spray into the air.

  She cried out in horror. Paz had just boarded the slanted deck. He leapt back, shielding his face with his arm. Her beam didn’t reach that far, and she lost sight of him.

  Her heart lodged in her throat. “Paz, are you all right?”

  No answer. Had he crashed through the decking? Was he even now lying unconscious or trapped inside the doomed ship?

  “Hold on, I’m coming.” With a grimace of determination, she stepped forward.

  Smitty’s pudgy arms wrapped around her from behind. “You’re not going anywhere. The Drift Lord ordered us to stay here.”

  She fought against him, but his arms were surprisingly strong. “Let go of me. He needs my help.”

  “No, you’re not leaving me alone.”

  Jen stomped on his instep. He cursed but tightened his grip. She grabbed his pinky fingers and bent them back. With a howl, he released her.

  She spun around with her fists clenched. “I’m going after him and don’t you stop me.”

  A large groan sounded. As both of their heads turned, another quarter of the ship sank into the vile pool. Paz would die in there if she didn’t hurry. She’d kill the dwarf for delaying her in that event.

  She stumbled over a series of spongy ridges toward the sinking junk.

  Just then, Paz’s head surfaced. The ship’s deck had risen with the tilt, and he peered over the side rail. She’d never been so happy to see his handsome face. He thrust one leg over the edge, followed by the other. Then he jumped from the ship toward a patch of relatively dry ground.

  He raced toward her as a plume of smoke curled up from inside the wooden hull.

  Reaching her side, he prodded her to move on. “I set a fire. There’s still plenty of broken wood that’s dry enough to kindle. We’d better return to the ledge and hope the smoke doesn’t kill us before the creature coughs us out.”

  As they picked their way over the undulating surface, Jen worried her lower lip. If this ploy didn’t work, they’d end up being digested same as the ship. Grit irritated her lungs, and her throat constricted. Maybe they’d suffocate first.

  The ground bucked under them. She clutched at Paz for support.

  Compressing his mouth, he took her arm and guided her along until they stood beside Smitty. The bearded dwarf acknowledged them with a glum nod.

  Her pulse pounded in her ears. Fluid sloshed somewhere, and a droplet fell on her wrist. She shook it off, grateful when it didn’t eat into her flesh. It must have only been water.

  Only water. Good Lord, they could still drown.

  They might be deep under the sea, meaning even if the creature spit them out, they’d be too far beneath the surface.

  She turned to Paz to express her latest fear, but a roar of flames from behind stopped her.

  The junk’s wood had ignited. Smoke clouded the air, making her cough and choke. Their environs tilted and swayed. What if the creature spewed them out along with a plume of acid? They wouldn’t be any better off. How could they protect themselves?

  She posed the question to Paz, but before he could answer, a light opened far in the distance. Ripples cascaded along the moist walls of their cavern. Then an inrush of seawater headed their way like a tidal wave. It passed below their ledge, spraying the junk and dousing the fire. When the tide subsided, a faint luminescence flickered like fireflies in the dark.

  “Smark, the beast has swallowed more food.” Paz indicated the tiny pinpoints of light. “Those types of fish are usually found deep under the ocean. The serpent must be feeding along the bottom. And now the fire will go out from all that fresh intake of water.”

  Jen’s heart sank. “It’s still smoldering. Maybe we’ve upset the beast’s stomach, and that’s why it swallowed more water.”

  “What if the food is spoiled? That might make the creature regurgitate,” Smitty said, offering them a new option with a hopeful expression.

  “True,” Paz said, stroking his jaw. “You know, I read that mercury has been poisoning fish in the sea here. Is gold just as toxic?”

  “Gold is inert.” Smitty’s brow wrinkled. “If ingested, it’ll just pass through the digestive system.”

  Paz referenced his PIP. “Gold doesn’t dissolve in nitric acid like most other metals. That’s where your term, acid test, comes from. It refers to a test that will determine if an item holds any real value.”

  “What about stomach acid?” Jen’s spirits soared as she caught on.

  “Gastric acid consists of hydrochloric acid plus potassium chloride and sodium chloride. And gold reacts to chlorine.”

  Jen wondered how Paz had become so familiar with chemistry. “Why are you asking about gold anyway?”

  He pointed to Smitty. “Tell her about your gift.”

  Smitty shuffled his feet, staring at a spot on the ground. “I can turn inanimate objects into gold. That’s why the Trolleks were holding me. They need gold bars to buy goods in your world.” He waggled a finger at her. “Don’t tell anyone, lady. It’s our secret.”

  “Of course, but I don’t see how this relates to our situation. Are you thinking of turning the ship’s remains into gold? That could work if the metal acts like a lead weight in the monster’s stomach.”

  “Or it could dissolve in the gastric acid and sicken the beast. But further action on our part may not be necessary.” Paz coughed, waving away a plume of smoke.

  So, the wood still burned. Only a portion of the junk still showed, the rest gone. Bits of debris scattered around the area.

  Another ripple passed along the ledge, making her feet stumble and fear shoot through her. What if some sort of valve at the far end had opened, and they were about to proceed to the next phase of digestion?

  Smitty’s sudden cry made Jen’s pulse spike. The ridge crum
pled where he’d been standing, and he plunged down a slippery slope toward the churning, boiling pool below.

  Paz didn’t hesitate. He leapt down from their foothold to the lower surface and charged toward Smitty, still sliding, his arms flailing. Paz grabbed a nearby beam and used it to vault himself over and beyond the hapless dwarf.

  He landed upright, cast aside the wood beam, and spread his feet. Smitty flew in his direction. Paz stooped and caught the little guy with barely a stagger.

  That’s when the beast gave a huge bellow, opened its mouth, and belched them out. Jen’s legs flew into the air. Her body tumbled, and along with a flume of water, she rushed down a tunnel toward a wide gap with light beyond.

  She got a glimpse of spiked, uneven teeth that started to come together, and a moment of panic hit her. In the next instant, the serpent upchucked her out to sea level.

  Gasping and choking, she kicked to maintain her head above the surface. A wave battered her face, and salt water trickled down her throat and stung her eyes.

  She sputtered and coughed. The effort made her sink. With a gasping breath, she kicked upward and tread water. Her arm muscles quickly tired. Another wave swamped her, making her senses reel and disorienting her. Where was up? It was daylight, so she followed the sun’s rays.

  Blinking and sucking in short gasps of air, she managed to keep her face free of the water. How long could she last before fatigue sapped her energy and she sank into the depths? Would drowning be painful?

  Sunlight glared into her upraised face, blinding her. She squinted, imagining her lungs burning for oxygen while her muscles gave way. Her body would sink, her limbs paralyzed by fatigue. Should she suck in big gobs of water to quicken her demise? She’d die alone in the vast ocean.

  Tears of despair filled her eyes as she visualized the end, her respirations slowing with lack of oxygen, her consciousness fading. She’d become another nameless victim of the sea.

  Through her blurry vision, she glanced around for Paz and Smitty, but the crests obstructed her view. Waves lapped and swelled and dipped, and she struggled to maintain her balance without being knocked over as water beat her from all sides.

  Bits of wood drifted her way, remnants of the junk.

  “Paz, can you hear me?” She could barely hear herself. Her voice came out a raspy whisper.

  No one answered. Not even a seagull flew overhead. Another swell washed over her. Salty brine filled her mouth. Kicking to the surface again, she spit it out.

  Her chest heaved. It was getting harder to breathe. Her arms and legs felt heavy and trembled from exertion. Maybe she should just let go.

  So much for her destiny. So much for her dreams of expanding her business worldwide. So much for finding true love and having a family.

  Did any of that count at this point? Her parents were what mattered, and so were the friends she’d leave behind. They’d all think she’d died in a plane crash anyway.

  Her consciousness detached from her body, as though it were someone else about to drown. Another flow of salt water flooded her mouth and stung her nose as a swell impacted her. She gagged and coughed, breathing in short, frantic pants.

  She couldn’t fight the waves any longer. Her muscles, strained beyond endurance, froze with fatigue.

  Her legs, which she’d been kicking in a slow rhythm to keep her head upright, floated uselessly downward.

  She slipped below the surface, hoping the end would be fast. Her lungs cried for air, the pressure building inside her chest. She couldn’t hang on much longer.

  She’d have to inhale, and then would begin the gasping, choking, painful finale.

  Just as she opened her mouth, ready to give herself to the Almighty’s embrace, strong hands gripped her and hauled her to the surface.

  Chapter Twelve

  Paz gripped Jen by the back of her shirt and swam upward, his heart pounding in fear that he was too late. Breaching the surface, he dragged her onto the floating piece of mast he’d found and flipped her onto her back. Smitty hung onto one edge, his breaths wheezing gasps punctuated by splashes as waves crashed against them.

  Jen’s eyes were half shut, and her mouth gaped open. Her face was pale as a newborn babe.

  With trembling fingers, Paz pressed the side of her exposed neck. By Odin’s grace, a weak pulse still beat but it was erratic. He needed to breathe life back into her.

  “Is she dead?” Smitty croaked.

  “Not yet.”

  Holding onto the log, he bent and sealed his lips over hers as he’d learned at the Academy. He blew in a lungful of air.

  Come on. Wake up. Respond to me.

  When she still lay motionless, he sucked in a deep breath and repeated the action. Her limp body made him more afraid than he’d ever been in his life. They’d been through so much together in a short space of time. She couldn’t quit on him now.

  “Don’t you die!” He gave her another frantic breath then bent over her silent form with a muted cry.

  “Keep trying.” Smitty waved a feeble hand. “Sometimes it takes a while. She won’t leave us. She’s vital to the prophecy.”

  Paz covered her mouth again, remembering the kisses they’d shared. He hadn’t sought her sweet lips merely for protection against the Trolleks. He’d be lying to himself if he used that excuse.

  He wanted more from her, everything she had to offer. When had this Earth woman come to mean so much to him?

  Her mouth moved under his, and suddenly she lay on her side, gasping and choking. Paz supported her while she coughed and spit up salt water. When her lungs cleared, she drew in deep, shuddering breaths.

  “It’s good to have you back.” Paz gave her a sardonic grin when she finally had the strength to gaze at him.

  “Thanks. Is this what it takes to get you to kiss me again?” Her frail attempt at humor ended in another coughing fit.

  It was then he noticed she still had her handbag, fastened by a sturdy shoulder strap diagonally across her body. He shook his head. Leave it to a woman never to let go of her valued possessions.

  He felt his trousers pocket. The PIP was still there, but without a waterproof housing, the electronics would be useless.

  That was the least of their problems.

  He glanced around, glare from the sunlight off the ocean nearly blinding him. Waves swelled and receded, pushing them to and fro as they clung to their bit of flotsam. Everywhere, the sea stretched to infinity. Not a single vessel came into view.

  His legs dangled underwater. He dared not think of sharks. They were fortunate the temperature was warm enough that hypothermia didn’t pose a threat.

  Jen blinked at him through waterlogged eyes. “You both made it.” Surprise registered in her voice. “How did you─”

  “I was still hanging onto Smitty when the creature burped us out. Lucky for him, since our dwarf friend can’t swim. I saw this beam floating among the bunch of debris and retrieved it.”

  A wave splashed them. Opening her mouth, Jen gasped like a grounded fish. “My back hurts. I can’t lie here like this.”

  She slipped into the water, clinging to the log with both arms like him and Smitty. A slimy strand of seaweed floated by along with pieces of wood, remnants of the junk.

  Hours passed. The sun arched overhead, crossing from one horizon to the other. But still they hung on, desperation fueling their efforts. They couldn’t stop being vigilant. Exhaustion was their enemy, and they’d fight it as long as there was breath in their bodies.

  An attempt to summon saliva to soothe his parched throat failed. Paz pressed his cracked lips together, tasting encrusted salt. His mind drifted, and his consciousness ebbed away.

  He forced his eyes open, unwilling to yield to blissful sleep from which he might not awaken. He was a Drift Lord. Drift Lords stayed stalwart to the bitter end.

  Maybe he’d been regarding their situation the wrong way.

  When he’d wanted a means to speed the space comm network, he didn’t think about how garga
ntuan a task it would be to overhaul the relays. He’d considered the end effect first and then developed the architecture to make it work.

  Think of the solution, not the problem.

  An insane idea popped into Paz’s brain.

  He swallowed, his tongue thick. “Jen, listen. Remember what I told you about your wristwatch? It works like a Trollek vector shift device.”

  Ignoring him, she glanced over his shoulder, and her eyes widened. “Look out!”

  He turned just as a big wave crashed over them. Losing his grip, he tumbled into a frothing, hissing sea of foam. His lungs burned for a breath. He hadn’t had time to suck in any extra air.

  Before the current could pull him under, he blinked to clear his vision and kicked toward the surface. He broke free but floundered in a trough. A wall of water sloshed over his head. He waited until it passed, filled his lungs, and then searched for his friends.

  The log floated several feet away, Smitty and Jen barely hanging on. With every swell, it moved farther from him. His arms ached as he paddled in their direction. His heart banged against his ribs in protest.

  He gained on the mast, cast a leg over, and got a grip. His fingers touched Jen’s outstretched hands. She gave him a wan smile, seemingly too tired to speak. Smitty inched over, looking a sodden mess like the rest of them. His beard glistened with droplets of moisture. His short fingers crawled across the wood until his hand covered theirs in commiseration.

  “Oh God, Paz. We almost lost you.” Jen’s brown eyes soaked him in, while damp strands of hair clung like seaweed across her face. “We’re not going to survive the coming night, are we? Once it’s dark, we won’t be able to see each other.” Her lower lip trembled. “I never thought it would end this way.”

  A shiver ran through him. She already looked like a corpse with her pale, wet face and bluish tinged lips. Her body temperature must be dropping. Helpless to do anything about it, he entwined his fingers with hers.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Her voice quaked. “Those Trolleks might have come after me somewhere else if not on the jet. I just wish we’d made it to the mainland. I could have caught a commercial flight from Hong Kong. They wouldn’t dare expose themselves so overtly by attacking me in front of other people.”