Blaidd tumbled and somersaulted to the edge of the platform. He writhed on his back. Screaming.
“No, no,” Blaidd yelled. “Get away. Get away from me.”
Dax rose to his knees. He pushed himself up and staggered across the platform to Blaidd’s contorted body.
Blaidd’s jaws clamped tight. Saliva foamed through his clenched fangs. Blood vessels burst across his eyes.
Blaidd’s razor sharp claws tore at his own face. “Get them out,” Blaidd whimpered. “Please, get them out of my head.”
Dax stood over Blaidd. He locked his gaze with the frantic, wild eyes of the Lupos commander.
“Behold the power of the humanity,” Dax said.
“Tell them I did what I had to, please,” Blaidd said. “Make them forgive me.”
“They cannot,” Dax said. “Because it is you who cannot forgive yourself. It is your own self-hatred you face.”
A glimmer of understanding lit up Blaidd’s eyes. He convulsed and slipped over the edge of the platform.
“No, I need you,” Dax shouted.
Dax threw himself across the platform and reached out. He grabbed Blaidd’s arms. The Lupos swayed in the air.
“I can save you,” Dax said.
“Let me die,” Blaidd said. “I can’t live with the shame.”
“What did you mean when you talked of treachery?”
“You humans betrayed us on Mars.”
“Betrayed you how?”
Blaidd shook his head feverishly. “Get them out of my mind.”
“Consent to an alliance with me, Blaidd.”
“Never.”
“Then I shall find your family and tell them of the shame you brought to their lineage.”
Blaidd looked up with pleading eyes.
“Please,” Blaidd said. “I’m begging you. Make it end.”
“An alliance.”
Blaidd howled and then nodded. “I consent.”
As Blaidd’s eyes rolled back into his head, and his body slumped, Dax felt himself enter Blaidd’s mind.
He summoned the memories of murdered souls.
“Gather before me,” he said. He felt himself reach out. “Your soul’s torment has been heard. Your command obeyed. Your vengeance reeked. Peace is offered.”
A wind howled inside Blaidd’s mind and spoke with a thousand voices. “No peace without redemption.”
“I shall hold this soul to the mark of redemption,” Dax said. “Do you consent to release this soul to my custody?”
“We do...”
Dax hauled Blaidd onto the platform. Blaidd’s eyes opened.
Dax felt someone behind him. He felt a sharp incinerating pain in his shoulder. He dropped to one knee as the flaming shadow of a Falcata cut through the air. Dax rolled to one side.
The Falcata missed and rose for another strike.
Dax spun on the balls of his feet and thrust himself up like an arrow. He caught the high arc of the Falcata and barreled his screaming shoulder into Iago. Hurling the Vanguard off the platform.
Iago plummeted to the ground. He twist like a cat as he fell. He opened his cloak and like a hawk catching an updraft under spreading wings, he soared and glided to land on the balustrade.
A gasp from the crowd was silenced by the hand of Chief Justice Meuric.
“Ingenious, inventive solution to dispute, Zen Dax,” Meuric said. “Perhaps there is hope for you.”
“And the others?”
“You disobeyed our directive,” Meuric said. “Watch them die like the herd of animals they are.”
Dax heard a scream from beneath the platform. It was suffocated by a huge roar as a Tyrannosaurus Rex bounded out of a tunnel and charged at the prisoners.
CHAPTER 65 - GLAW’S JOKE
Dax felt the stench of a T.Rex pummel his nostrils and turn his stomach. A group of Polar Ursu were gathered around Glaw. The Tyrannosaurus Rex charged at Glaw. But he had his back to it. He seemed busy sharing a joke.
“Hey, Glaw, wrap it up,” Dax shouted down from the platform.
Glaw waved him off. “Dude, can’t you see I’m busy with the second best joke in the galaxy,” Glaw said.
“See what I mean?” Dax asked Fyre.
Glaw took a deep breath for the punch line and slapped his thighs. “This will kill you guys,” he said, “and so then I said...”
The Polar Ursu seemed disinterested as they stared over Glaw’s shoulder.
“And then I said... no, you’ll love this one, so wait, I said... no, really this will slay ya. So I said...”
No one seemed to be listening to Glaw. Everyone stared over his shoulder. They began to run.
“Hey,” shouted Glaw. “What? The second best joke in the galaxy not good enough for you, guys?”
“Glaw, look out!” Myf shouted and pointed over his shoulder.
Glaw felt a breeze on his neck. He shivered and turned to face an adolescent male T.Rex with its tongue hanging out.
Glaw froze.
“Glaw,” Myf whispered, “step back slowly.”
Glaw grabbed the T.Rex’s tongue with one paw and yanked it hard. With a right hook punch to the side of its head, he slammed the T.Rex to the ground.
He turned back to the others and met their dumbfounded looks with surprise.
“What?” Glaw said. “It killed my joke.”
Myf walked away with the Polar Ursu.
“It was the second best joke in the galaxy,” Glaw said. “What would you do if it ruined your punchline?”
“Everything is a joke to you,” Myf said.
Glaw scratched his head. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Sometimes life deserves more respect,” Myf said.
“It’s all in the delivery,” Glaw said. “I can teach you.”
“I don’t tell jokes,” Myf said.
“That’s ‘cos you’re afraid of getting it wrong,” Glaw said. “Life’s about throwing off the shackles and rubbing your belly in the dirt.”
“If you break into song,” Myf said, “I will shoot you dead and feed you piece by stupid piece to that T.Rex’s parents.”
Glaw stared at Myf’s back.
“I know one big joke,” Myf said over her shoulder, “and I’m looking at him.”
“You couldn’t make me laugh,” Glaw shouted at Myf, “even if your life depended on it.”
He realized no one was around to listen. “Yeah, she’s just embarrassed ‘cos she don’t know any jokes,” Glaw said. “Right, Codi?”
Codi was nowhere to be seen.
Glaw shrugged. I guess the pup took my advice.
“Glaw, maybe Myf’s got a point?” Bron said.
“Et tu, Brute?” Glaw said and clutched at his heart as he winked. “You could at least stab me in the front so I can see your betrayal in your eyes.”
Bron sighed and walked away as she mumbled to herself.
Glaw sighed and looked around for Codi again.
Why didn’t the pup take his sister with him?
“You seen Codi?” Glaw asked Bron.
She stared over his shoulder. Her eyes popped wide. She began sprinting to the unconscious T.Rex. She stopped and screamed and pointed at it.
Glaw looked to where she was pointing. The T.Rex lay on its side with a pair of human legs sticking out form under its bloated belly.
“Codi!” Glaw roared and leapt at the boy. He barreled his shoulder into the dinosaur. But it remained stuck fast.
“Help me,” Bron shouted at the Polar Ursu.
“Here, let me,” Glaw said.
“Bron lashed out with her fists. “Get away, it’s all your fault.”
Five Polars ambled over.
“Grab the neck,” Glaw shouted to them. “On three. One. Two. Three.”
They lifted the T.Rex and tossed it to one side.
Glaw knelt down beside Codi. His arms were thrown up over his face. The dented and buckled Crash-guard covered his arms. His face was covered in blood.
Glaw nudg
ed him with one hesitant paw.
“He’s not breathing,” Glaw said.
Glaw leaned over Codi. He gathered up Codi in his arms.
Struggling to see through wet eyes he looked up at Bron. “I don’t know what to do?”
“Lower him,” Bron said.
She took a deep breath and knelt next to Codi. She tilted his head. She placed her mouth over Codi’s lips. She blew out.
She repeated this five time quickly.
“Come on, kid,” Glaw said and let his tears fall across Codi’s cheeks. “Remember what we said. You’re tough. Come back to me.”
Bron lifted her head. “You’re not helping, Glaw,” she shouted. “Go away.”
“Not this time,” Glaw said. “Do something.”
She placed a flat palm over Codi’s heart and pumped at his chest rhythmically.
“Come on, Codi,” Bron shouted. “You little runt, I need you. Don’t leave me here with these freaks.”
Codi’s chest remained still. His skin turned a deathly blue.
“Come back to me, Codi,” Bron pleaded. “And I’ll do whatever you want.”
Codi’s eyes sprang open.
“Kid!” Glaw shouted.
Codi coughed and retched.
“I missed the punchline,” Codi said in a rasping whisper.
Glaw wrapped Codi up in his arms and hugged him. “You’re the best punchline, kid,” Glaw said. “And I don’t care who knows it.”
The platform lowered and Dax leapt onto the ground.
As Dax approached Glaw he watched the Ursu whispering in Codi’s ear, conspiratorially. The boy nodded. He reached out to his sister and she helped him to his feet.
Codi whispered to her.
Her eyes popped wide. She shook her head.
“You owe me,” he said.
She sighed and nodded. “It’s crazy,” she said. “But, OK.”
She led him away.
Glaw looked at the fur between his paws, covered in Codi’s blood. He turned to Dax. “It’s high time I took this seriously,” Glaw said.
“What do you have in mind?”
Glaw looked up at the Justices. “I demand the right of a final say,” Glaw roared.
“Request denied,” Chief Justice Meuric said.
“I am Glaw, of royal house Brynmor. Rightful heir to the Great Claw Throne of Ursu,” he said. “I evoke the Galactic Royal accord. I claim my birthright to address all Vanguardian royal houses.”
“What the hell are you doing, Glaw?” Myf asked.
“No harm can come to a member of a royal household,” Glaw said, “and all those in his charge, even if war has been invoked.”
He felt Myf’s hand in his. “Are your mad, Glaw? You know your brother’s spies will see this broadcast and dispatch a ship for you.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“But Barrex will take your head and leave your corpse to rot on Vanguard.”
“You let me worry about the details.”
“Suddenly you’re a details person?” Myf said and coughed. “Since when did you become the brains of the outfit?”
“When I realized I can’t keep running.”
The Justices whispered amongst each other.
“The coward prince?” Justice Sentinel said.
“That is a name I spurn,” Glaw said.
“Your brother, the Sun King, who sits upon the Great Claw Throne?”
“Half-brother. Barrex stole it from me.”
“Nonetheless,” Meuric said. “Barrex, the Sun King, Helarctos Malayanus, is recognized by all royal households as the one and only true king of all Ursu houses.”
Trahaearn, the Polar, stood next to Glaw. “The Polar house, Ursus Maritimus, do not recognize the Sun King,” Trahaearn roared.
He glanced across to Glaw and bowed. “As the second house of Ursu,” Trahaearn said, “our word carries across the civilized galaxies. We recognize the rightful authority of Glaw Brynmor.”
An unsettling murmur amongst the crowd spread like wildfire around the arena.
“Who’s got fur balls stuck up their butt, now, Glaw?” Trahaearn asked.
“What made you change your mind about me?” Glaw asked.
“Any Ursu willing to put his neck on the chopping block for his people, deserves respect.”
“It’s your neck, too.”
“Polar fight, not cower.”
“The one thing I can promise you Polars, is the best damn fight of your lives.”
“Deliver the fight, and I promise you Polar support, my king.”
“Glaw Brynmor,” Justice Sentinel, “you evoke parlance to claim your birth right?”
Glaw avoided Myf’s glare and straightened his back. “I do.”
The Justices whispered to each other.
“Proceed, Glaw of House Brynmor,” Justice Sentinel said.
Glaw watched out of the corner of his eye as Codi and Bron disappeared down a dark tunnel.
CHAPTER 66 - T.REX STABLES
Codi limped into the darkness of the tunnel. The flame torches seemed to throw shadows or ghosts on the walls. With each step the stench of dinosaurs grew worse. Codi held his hand over his mouth and pressed on.
Bron padded behind him. “Did that T.Rex squash your brains out your ears?” she whispered. “For the record, this is a terrible idea. Your worst ever.”
“Post it on the Q-NET,” Codi said, “under ‘don’t give a crap what you think’.”
A long, low moan echoed around the tunnel. Codi felt Bron’s fingers dig into his shoulder.
“What was that?” she hissed.
Codi stopped and listened. A howling wind seemed to beckon them around a wide corner. At least he told himself it was the wind that was howling.
“It’s nothing,” he said and shrugged off her grip. “There’s not much time. Come on.”
They found the entrance to the stables guarded by two Vanguard Legionnaires on sentry duty.
Codi and Bron pressed their backs hard against the cold, damp wall of the tunnel.
“What next genius?” Bron hissed.
“You distract the sentries.”
“Why me?”
“They’re men.”
“So?”
“So, you’re a hot girl. Do I have to paint you a picture?”
“Huh?”
“Just act normal.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Codi rolled his eyes. “Act like a total bitch. Men love when hot girls do that to them.”
Bron chewed on the inside of her mouth and smoothed her hair. “You really think I’m hot?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Codi whispered and shoved her into the arc of a flaming torch.
Bron stumbled towards the sentries. They looked up and drew their Makhairas.
“What are you doing here?” one of them called out.
“You’re wanted in the arena?”
“Who sent you?”
“Um.”
One of the Vanguards ignited his Makhaira. He swiftly brought the blade to Bron’s throat. “One last time,” he snarled. “Who sent you?”
As the blade burned her flesh, Bron frantically searched her mind for a name. Any name.
“She’s an escaped slave,” the other Vanguard said. “It’s almost feeding time. Slit her throat and dump her in the Rex stables.”
“Commander Iago,” Bron gasped. “And he won’t take kindly to damaging his property.”
The blade lowered. “You’re Iago’s slave?”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “He paid dearly for me.”
The Vanguards looked her up and down. “I’ll bet he does.”
The Vanguards stepped forward. One of them caressed her sweating brow.
A cruel smile developed on his face. “So what does a slave like you do for her master?”
The other Vanguard laughed. “Careful, Rhian,” the other said and a placed firm hand on his shoulder. “If Iago finds out you spoiled her...”
&nbs
p; The Vanguard, Rhian, whipped around and stared at the other man.
“Shut it, Rhonwen. He’s not going to find out,” he said.
Rhonwen backed off. Rhian turned back to Bron. “Is he, pretty thing?”
She dug her thumbnail deep into her forefinger. “I know both your names, Rhian and Rhonwen,” she said. “Anything happens to me and--”
“And what?” roared Rhian as he grabbed her throat and lifted her feet off the cold stone ground.
“I’m not Iago’s slave,” she said and winked. “He’s mine.”
Rhian’s eyes popped wide. His cruel smile evaporated. His jaw grew slack.
“She’s got Iago wrapped around her finger, Rhian,” Rhonwen said. “Forget her. She’ll get us both crucified.”
Rhian’s eyes narrowed. He flickered his tongue over his fangs. “Not if she has an accident,” he said.
“Iago sent me personally,” Bron said. “He knew it was you two on duty.”
Rhian stared into her eyes. “You’re lying, girl.”
She shook her head. “Fine, I’m lying. And by dawn you’ll both be begging to die.”
A nervous tick twitched under Rhian’s left eye. He sighed. He lowered Bron to the floor.
“Say nothing, girl,” he said.
She nodded. “Hurry, before I change my mind.”
Rhian and Rhonwen broke into a jog and disappeared into the darkness. When she was sure they were gone, she collapsed to her knees.
She vomited against the stable doors.
A shadow moved in the corner of her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She jolted and spun around.
Codi wore a crooked smile. “‘He’s my slave’?”
Codi shook his head.
“What?” Bron said and wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her body suit. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“I pity your next boyfriend.”
“Screw you, Runt.”
Codi gripped the giant steel latch on the stable doors.
“It’s stuck fast. Help me.”
With trembling hands Bron gripped the latch.
“Three, two, one... turn.”
The latch squealed and the doors swung inward. They stepped inside. Codi slammed the door behind them.
A guttural roar emanated from the darkness.
Bron turned to Codi. “You did make sure there was a latch on the inside first?”
Codi shrugged.
Valiant (Jurassic War Universe Book 1) Page 31
