Maddoc was beyond frantic now. He had gone to see Clara and told her of the events of the last day. Clara became quieter with each new fact he lay before her.
“Do not play with this girl, Brother. I have just met my real family, yet I do not know the fabric of your integrity. You are Band but that does not resolve all.”
Maddoc raked a hand through his shoulder length bronze hair, so like his sisters. “I do not play with her! Lee made a grave mistake with his advances. She is not like the silly females of our clan that wish to play games. And,” his gaze held and locked with hers, “she is select. Even now, I can feel her blood, it calls to me.”
Clara hid a smile at his ardent feelings. He was so young yet...he did look very much the male. He was but an inch or two shy of where Matthew and Bracus stood. He would be fully grown mayhap one year hence.
Clara sighed, she never seemed to escape the dramatic events regardless of where she was. The brief time of transition between her being princess to queen the only peace she had known since the demise of Father.
“Turn about while I dress,” Clara said.
“No, do not rise. I know that it has not been long since your injury.”
“Do I still bear the bruise?” she asked.
She watched him as he searched her face, his seawater eyes intense on her temple. “It fades. You appear to be becoming a female of the Band moment by moment.”
Clara smiled. “It appears so. I would give much for a fraction of your strength.”
Maddoc smiled back. “Mother is fearsome,” then he grew serious. “But she is still female, a warrior of great skill. But against another of the Band with equal skill, but with the size of a male...” he let his statement run out and shrugged.
“She does not acknowledge that difference?”
He shook his head. “Our mother is not one for admitting weakness.”
Neither was Clara.
“Let us question the two females. Mayhap they know where Evelyn has run off to and Bracus should be made aware as well.”
Maddoc did better than turn, he waited outside for Clara. She quickly dressed and gazed into the small looking glass that had been made available. The blood of Randall of the Band had been cleared away but a new tightness had left its mark about her eyes, a fading blossom of chartreuse laying upon her temple.
She walked away from her reflection, never wanting to see another abuse on her face, but realizing it may not be the last.
Violence seemed to follow her wherever she may go.
****
Jocelyn and Ella were lying; Clara felt it with absolute certainty. Jocelyn kept her gaze sullen and locked on Clara's but Ella's eyes flitted about like butterfly wings, never landing on one flower too long.
Bracus was especially concerned. “Evelyn is not one to flounce about. She is responsible. She would not leave the womb of the Band overly long.” He wasted a scowl on the two girls and Rowenna came to his side. He unconsciously reached behind him and clasped her hand.
“If I find that you two females are in any way responsible for her absence you will be punished.” She looked from one to the other then added, “most severely.”
Jocelyn shrugged. “She is the one that absconded somewhere in a schoolgirl's huff. We cannot control her moods.”
That part smacked of the truth, Clara thought. But she could not put her finger upon the part that was false. She was surely missing some critical part to the puzzle. And they were completely mistaken of her character. Evelyn was neither moody or schoolgirl like. She narrowed her gaze on Jocelyn.
“It matters not. They do not know her whereabouts. Let us form a small search party. She is female, her feelings may be bruised,” Bracus rolled his massive shoulders into a shrug. “However, I do not take her absence lightly. I fully appreciate her awareness. She is not a trivial female, she will be mindful of the fragment. I know this of her,” Bracus clarified, tapping his head.
Edwin rushed up then. “Captain Goodman!”
They turned. “Your scout says there is a band of fragment that hovers at the boundaries of the clan.”
Clara saw Ella startle as if a ghost had wandered over her grave. She whipped her head to the two females and they shifted their weight uncomfortably.
Rowenna's eyes narrowed and she strode forward, tension singing along her toned body. She came to stand before the pair. Jocelyn tried to keep her natural resentment and contrary nature hidden. But to Clara it was seeping out from her very pores.
“Speak now. If you know where this girl is, tell us,” Rowenna held her gaze for an uncomfortable length of time, never blinking. Finally it was Ella that spoke up.
Maddoc watched the emotions play over her face and knew that they were close to recovering Evelyn.
Ella told them.
Maddoc roared, turning on Jocelyn. “You have endangered her you bitch!” The cords on his neck stood out and Edwin held him back with a hand on his arm.
Rowenna did not correct his slur.
Jocelyn shrank back. Even still, she fumed. He was worried about stupid Evelyn.
Rowenna did not need to be held back, she being female as well. She grabbed the girl around her neck and hauled her close to her body.
“Tell us where she is or I will beat you until your bladder loosens.”
Clara gulped. Mayhap she would have been inclined to speak without that gentle persuasion. She tried to work up to a point of sympathy with Jocelyn and found she could not.
Jocelyn tried to unfasten the fingers clinging to her throat, her eyes staring fixedly at the gills that were splayed open with Rowenna's rage.
“Rowenna,” Bracus whispered his head bent beside her ear.
“Yes,” she hissed, her fingers clenching the slender column of Jocelyn's neck as a fragile flower stem.
“She cannot talk with such a tight hold,” he said reasonably, with a touch of humor.
“Yes,” Rowenna said flatly and released Jocelyn. She fell to the ground in a heap, her legs splayed before her. She clasped her hands around her neck and rasped, “I will not say.”
Rowenna advanced on her, her fists balled and hard.
“Wait!” Ella yelled and rushed forward. “I will tell you where she lays.”
Jocelyn looked at her with such pure hatred that it was not guesswork for Clara to surmise the friendship had ended.
Maddoc grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Where?” he hissed into her face.
Ella told them where Evelyn was.
“How long has she been thus?” Maddoc growled at her and she lowered her eyes, shamed.
“Good Guardian!” Clara shouted. “What have you done?” Clara walked to her directly and with a mighty shove, she sent the girl sprawling.
“If one hair on her head is touched, female or no, you will know pain upon my return,” Maddoc stated, leaping on his steed.
“Wait!” Clara yelled.
He shook his head. “No, Sister. I do not want any females that I care about when I am about her rescue. I could not bear...” He looked into her eyes and she understood. He did not want her injury or death on his hands as well.
He roared off in the direction of the wood.
Edwin and Bracus conferred briefly. They did not have enough Band to spare. A hunting party had been dispatched and only a minimum number of Band remained behind to defend. Bracus was torn. He did not wish to leave Rowenna, his flesh wished to cleave with hers. He could not believe the process of mating had appeared to begun. But, a select of his clan lay bound in a deep part of the wood and he must rescue her.
Again.
“Go,” Rowenna whispered. “My son precedes you into danger. Protect him. I will be fine with Edwin, Lee, Joseph, Matthew and Philip.”
Bracus debated, hearing the list from her lips of the Band that would remain.
His soul torn, he finally decided duty would prevail. In that way he and Clara were much alike.
“Go after my brother, Bracus. He alone saves dear Evelyn,” sh
e said as she looked at Jocelyn in a pile on the bare earth. Her gaze shifted to Ella who silently shook with sobs.
They disgusted her.
Bracus nodded, drawing Rowenna and Clara into his chest, his arms circling them both easily. He smiled briefly at Rowenna, who thought herself a fierce adversary but built so small. He shuddered to think what would occur to her against a male of the Band. One such as Randall. Bracus pulled away and stroked a finger on the bruise on Clara's temple.
With a sigh and a last look at Rowenna he nodded at Edwin and turned, mounting Briar Rose with a pivot and practiced jump, galloping after Maddoc.
*
Bracus rode hard to the wood, coming to a skidding stop. Dismounting, he threw the reins over a stump and wound them quickly, Briar Rose giving him a soft neigh of inquiry.
He turned and ran, his throat slits opening fully. He allowed his eyes to close halfway, using his tactile and sensory abilities to navigate the forest floor with its slick and uneven terrain.
He soon came upon Maddoc on his knees, crushing something to his face.
He slowed to a stop, Evelyn was not there.
His eyes met Maddoc's.
The fragment had preceded them. Footprints, broken branches and disrupted earth a chaos of debris all around them.
Maddoc turned and stood, his eyes swollen and red. He had something clenched in his hand.
A sapphire ribbon fluttered in the slight breeze of the forest, waving like a desperate flag.
They turned and ran back the way they had come, soundlessly.
Their throat slits the only visible thing on their thick necks.
CHAPTER 27
A horrible pain penetrated the fog of consciousness that Evelyn found herself in. She realized the gait of a horse the instant she tore through the shroud of hazy wakefulness. Her hands and torso slapped gently along the flank of the horse that she rode upon. She had been thrown along its backside and was flopping along, tethered loosely.
Shards of glass stabbed her eyes and neck. The men of the fragment beat her until she lay still. The biggest finally picking her up when she struggled no more and tore her blouse from her body, grabbing her breasts and mounding them together. Then a rough voice had said they would have to be off. That a clan lay close-by and would miss this female.
The fragment had found it mysterious that a female of such quality would be bound and left as a gift in the forest. In all their years as they scavenged they had never tripped upon a prize such as she.
The leader had thought it was a trap. But after almost one half hour of careful waiting, it became apparent they were alone in the wood. They overtook her easily. Reveling at her fragile beauty, her obvious youth. She fought them like a tigress and they had needed to subdue her. As vicious as the fragment was, there were some that were uncomfortable beating a female.
Lyle was not, enjoying inflicting the pain. It was only when she fell into unconsciousness that he discontinued, much to his disappointment.
“Lyle, it was dumb of you to beat the girl. We will not get top trade for her with the Midwestern fragment. They sent message they travel this way. A beaten female will garner less.”
He gave Stephen a withering look. “Tucker will not care. It is female flesh that he desires, not the condition. Besides,” he lifted a piece of her hair as she lay over the horse, “she will heal.”
Evelyn rolled over smoothly on her back, which was arched fully across the horse's back and jabbed her hand into Lyle's nose. She allowed herself to slip off the opposite side and with a stumble she set off running. She didn't realize how badly she had been beaten until the sight in front of her doubled.
She plunged forward and was caught from behind. She screamed.
*
Maddoc pulled his horse up shortly, clutching his chest. Bracus pulled beside him, twisting the reins and bringing Briar Rose around.
“What say you?”
“I do not know. I have a pain here,” he stamped his fist above his heart.
“Are you an Intuitive?” Bracus asked quickly.
Maddoc nodded. “Mother uses me to locate enemy position during war.”
“She is in danger presently.”
“Evelyn,” he breathed.
“Yes.”
They turned, digging their heels into their steeds' sides. They galloped toward Evelyn.
*
Evelyn bucked, her head swimming with dizziness. Rough arms turned her and she raised her arms to ward off the blows.
But they did not come.
Slowly, she took down her arms and found herself staring into the face of one of the fragment who she knew from before.
Daniel.
And behind him she saw a cruel smile form on the male that stood behind him.
Tucker.
Evelyn's hand clutched against her chest as her heart broke from despair, the world swirling into a dark void of oblivion as she fainted.
Daniel's heart ached. He knew the girl was but ten and four and the fragment which held her had beaten her savagely. He hated them. They were worse than the one he traveled with.
He'd never felt like he belonged. He wasn't sure why, but fit badly with the men. However, he'd fought his way to the top. It was he and Tucker and no other. The small bundle of female lay in his arms and he instantly wondered where Clara was? Was she well? The battle had ended badly, the remaining of the fragment had fled. He saw the member of the Band slice the throat of the prince and beat Tucker's face into a bloody pulp.
It would've been fantastic if Tucker had been killed. Then he'd lead by himself.
He looked behind him and saw Tucker's crooked nose, the scars of battle still riding his face. It would always look mangled. He couldn't think of anyone who deserved it more.
He stood, the girl in his arms.
Tucker looked closely at her still form. “Those idiots. They have beaten her in the face.” He turned on Lyle like a dog in a fight.
“You idiot! You know you'll get less of a trade for a beaten female. Did you pleasure yourself with her as well?” he demanded.
Lyle glared. “No!”
“Well, there's that, at least.” He went back to inspecting Evelyn as she lay against Daniel. His eyes flicked to Daniel's. “This can't be the same girl that we had in our grasp just two months ago? She had the figure of a boy,” he said, looking at the curves revealed by the lightweight undergarment she wore.
Daniel looked down at Evelyn. As she slept gooseflesh appeared on her arms, her blouse gone. She was cold.
“It is.”
“Humph,” Tucker said. “How old do you guess she is?”
Daniel thought of the best answer. Tucker usually didn't attack females that were too young, he purposely guessed young, “Maybe ten and four?”
“Fourteen? I don't think so! Look at the figure on her?” he said, gyrating his hips rudely.
Daniel shrugged, trying to look casual. “Some look older but are not. I remember the princess said that she was young. That seemed the age I remember.”
Tucker shrugged. “It's excellent that they ran into her. Have they said where the princess is? I would love to lay my hands on her.” His gaze traveled off into the distance and Daniel could clearly see that he wouldn't rest until he had Clara.
Daniel wouldn't allow that to occur.
“Are we ready then? We will travel to her sphere. She does not need to be there but the princess will come when she discovers the overtaking.”
Daniel nodded. Clara had seemed to be a monarch that was not in name only. The Intel from the fragment told them that each sphere was run differently from the others. He hoped that if Clara were to return, that he was firmly in a position to help her.
After he murdered Tucker.
They assembled the men that they would need to travel to the sphere and were discussing taking the girl.
“We have already traded much with Lyle for her, it makes no sense to leave her!” Daniel argued, knowing full well that if they left
her, this fragment would not leave her untouched, even with the threat of retribution so real. Damaged goods weren't valuable.
“Then you'll be in charge of her. She is dead weight and wounded. I don't want the distraction. We need to be at the ready, when the element of surprise is most useful.”
Lyle was listening to their guarded conversation. “What do you hope to gain by penetrating their sphere?”
“Are you really asking that question?” Tucker scoffed, the scarred flesh of his face puckering as he sneered. “Their women, their meat, their clothes, whatever lies around will be taken. We'll kill the men and take the women. It's exactly as it has always been except that we do not have the Band to contend with for once.”
Lyle scowled. “The spheres are impenetrable,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.
“True,” Tucker commented easily.
Daniel knew the secret and stayed quiet.
Lyle walked over to him. “You seem confident of penetrating the sphere? How is this?”
“Tucker is an enterprising man,” Daniel said, holding his mocking tone inside.
Lyle turned his stare on Daniel. “You seem odd. I have never gotten the sense of you.”
Daniel shrugged, going for nonchalance. It was very near the truth and he didn't like this idiot showcasing that difference.
Tucker looked at Daniel thoughtfully. He'd always been set apart from the other men. He couldn't put his finger on that difference but it was there, nonetheless. He frowned, there was something on the edge of his consciousness but not fully formed...
Daniel said, “Let us make haste in our travel.”
Tucker felt the mental connection float away and frowned. He'd been on the point of a revelation. Whatever, he'd figure it out at another time.
“You're right.”
He looked at Lyle. “Until next time, thank you for this find.” His eyes traveled to the girl and his mind thought on the princess. That was the prize he really wanted. He would revel in her degradation. He had a feeling that she was strong-willed and would enjoy crushing her spirit.
The Savage Blood (Savage Series, Book 2) Page 20
