My mother’s words were on instant replay in my head, dancing around tauntingly. ‘You evil child’ she had used to say whenever I was naughty. It hadn't mattered if my sister was equally guilty. I was always the evil one. The adjective still triggered an irrational reaction into my adulthood.
I flopped back and let out a shuddering breath. Maybe my mother was right in some way. Look what I had become. Even if the killing was justified and necessary, I still was just as bad as the men who slaughtered for money. It was still killing. Maybe I was evil.
Some warrior I was. I refused to answer the two men below as they called up to me. I knew I was being childish but I didn’t care. Dantenn had stepped over a major line yet again.
“Dammit! Rain, we don’t have time for this! Ignore him and - Hello?! Don’t you dare ignore me, too!” I rolled my eyes as Cain tried and failed to jump for the roof ledge. I then heard a great deal of cursing. “What the hell did you just do, Dintenn?!”
I heard Dantenn say wearily, “I made a promise to her years ago I would never use the word ‘evil’ with pertinence to her. She has a certain horror about it. I was so angry, I forgot.”
“A horror?” Cain repeated incredulously.
“Her mother used to call her an ‘evil child.’ It had absolutely no truth to it, but it left a permanent impression. So considering how fragile her self-esteem is, I just landed a major blow to our truce.”
“And how the hell am I going to get her down?” Cain asked irritably, whether to Dantenn or me, I wasn’t sure. “We’re on a tight deadline and I can’t deal with nonsense. Afraid of a word? Are you kidding me? From an assassin; the assassin no less?”
“No. She’s just sulking. She isn’t afraid of me or of anything really... except herself.”
This caught Cain’s attention. “Come again?”
“She’d like everyone to think she’s frozen inside, but that isn't the case. It’s the opposite. She feels too much. She’s not only trying to save all of the poor souls. She’s trying to save herself. That’s her real problem and she’ll never admit it.”
There was silence for a moment after that. I wanted to throttle him for saying those things out loud. He had no right to talk about me that way, especially to these people.
“Then you should definitely know better than this,” Cain snapped. “Honestly!”
Another heavy sigh. ”I know. But maybe you can tell me how it is possible to love a woman and still not like her after two decades.”
A short pause. Cain said nothing. Then Dantenn spoke. “What is she to you anyway?”
“Why? You jealous, Dintenn?” Cain snapped. Then he seemed to rethink his nasty tone. “I’m shaitan to her. I haven't exactly been nice to her right off the bat, but I’ve been trying to fix that. She’s a great asset to have. She’s save my life - all of our lives - several times now.”
Dantenn grunted. “When I asked what she was to you, I wasn't asking in military terms. I can't tell if you two are friends or something else.”
“Depends on what you mean by something else…” he answered evasively. I snorted. Yup. If something else meant we didn't get along unless united against an enemy, it would fit.
“I believe I want to know if you two are an ‘item’.”
“Oh, yes,” Cain drawled over his question. “Can’t you tell how she loves me? I know what shaitan means in her tongue. Then again, with her that could be a term of endearment. Who knows!”
“You keep saying she. I’m asking you.”
There was more silence. Much to my interest, Cain neatly sidestepped the question by yelling up to me. “Are you ever going to come down?! I’m losing my patience-”
“It’s horrible, isn't it?” Dantenn interrupted suddenly.
“What?”
“Worrying about someone who will never care about you or anyone.”
“Speak for yourself,” Cain snapped. “She walked down into a hell fire of bullets to save us all.”
“Only because she doesn't want to have any more blood on her hands,” Dantenn said bitterly, causing me to clench my fists together. “It’s not personal and it never will be. I’ve never met someone so self-centered and so selfless all at the same time.”
I’d had enough. I had never known Dantenn could be so bitter and mean. He knew I could hear him. I had tried multiple times to discourage him nicely through the years and he hadn't taken the hint. He took it all personally and spun his own version of my personality. And it hurt.
I had had it between the two of them. I could find the damn nuke without either of them. I stood and walked over to the other end of the house. But apparently I had been seen.
“Damn it! Where’s she going now?!” I heard Cain exclaim.
I ducked low so no one would see which way I decided to go and headed toward the end of the building. Once there, I would be in the clear. I would slip out the back of the village and then -
I heard shots fired and froze. They were coming from where I had just left. Shouting echoed over the roof and I recognized the terrible voice even though I couldn't distinguish the words. Tiranshyck had returned.
Chapter Fifteen 03:05:25:19 to potential nuclear explosion
From my birdlike vantage point on the roof shingles, I could see there had been trouble. A few men lay dead from knife and sword wounds on the dirty street below. McRattin and Dantenn were back to back, surrounded. Both were defiantly standing their ground, having fought the slavers. Michael was at their feet, unconscious.
No one noticed me as I slithered along the rooftop, looking for the best attack point. But I was dismayed to see a lot more blood on Cain than Dantenn. Both were limping, circling to keep their enemies in view. They had obviously fought bravely, but there were too many for them to fight. And in any case, the snake in front of them knew it.
“I want my dog back on its leash,” Tiranshyck was saying, the ten or so men around him all nodding obediently. “Tell me where to find ‘violet eyes’ and I will spare both of your lives. I thought you had all perished, but I am wrong, I see.”
“She died,” Cain snapped, gun still trained on them. “She had a punctured lung.”
“Lies,” Tiranshyck said. “I found her doctor and strangled the truth from him! Where is she? Tell me or die.”
“Go to hell,” Cain spat immediately, prompting a wave of warmth to come through me.
“I second that,” Dantenn said, twirling his falchion in his fingers, a deep cut over one eye.
“Fools! She belongs to me and will be returned. It is the law of the land!”
Neither had anything to say to that. Indeed it was the law, and they both knew it. He probably still had my papers and would use them to order my return even if they died. And considering I was a fugitive from Nacin, no one would be willing to dispute it. If they brought it to anyone’s attention, Greyson Rogee would have full right to execute me unopposed. That was the punishment for a slave. You break the law; you die. You didn’t get a trial.
A cold shiver of fear ran through me as I sat there. Even the grey, nasty gleam in Tiranshyck’s eyes was reminding me horribly of my childhood. My wrists tingled at the scars, reminding me of what this man had done. Even now he still held a grip on me, keeping me immobile with panic. Could I face him now? Could I? Did I have the strength?
But I couldn’t not face him. I couldn’t leave Dantenn, Michael, and McRattin behind. I had to act. Now all I had to do was force myself to move. Easier said than done.
“She left,” Dantenn said with a shrug, bringing me back to focus. “She abandoned us. We have no idea which way she went. She slipped out the back hours ago-”
“But she was here. That means she is still within our grasp!” Tiranshyck shouted, prompting a wave of cheers from his men.
This had to end now. With all of the idiot henchmen staring at Cain and Dantenn, none of them had looked up and spotted me as I prepared to spring from the roof into the circle. Cain forestalled me when he said with a nasty grin and laughe
d. “No she isn’t. She is long gone until she decides to come around and smoke your ass. But first, I want to know where that nuke is. You do get that when it blows, we’re all going to go up with it, right?”
I did have to applaud Cain’s bravado, but apparently Tiranshyck didn’t care. He didn’t deign to answer, however, instead grabbing the nearest gun from the man to his left. His face contorted into rage. “Ask your government. Goodbye, General.”
Cain didn’t show any fear and instead gave him a rude hand signal in response. But I couldn't wait any longer to see what would happen. I had to act now. Tiranshyck was going to do it. He enjoyed killing. And even if I was afraid of this man, I couldn’t leave them behind to die.
I took a few steps back and then sprinted forward, drawing my swords. I pushed off on the last step hard as I could and I was flying. I fell toward the earth at an unprecedented rate, channeling all of my anger downward and leaving all of my fear behind. I angled my swords down sharply as I dropped, aiming at the cruel hands that had beat me to the edge of death.
I hit the dirt at the same time Tiranshyck screamed and the gun misfired. His detached arm and the gun hit the dirt next to me, splashing blood all over me. I straightened in front of him as he clutched at the bloody stump. I cocked my head as I prepared to swing the deathblow, adrenaline pounding in my veins. “Miss me?”
And then it was over. My greatest tormentor was dead. His headless torso crumpled to the ground like an accordion that had lost its wind. I wasn't sure where his head had gone, but I didn't really care.
A bunch of the men fled with some shouts of fear. Others stood in shock. Frantic energy shot through my heart ready for more action, but there was none. It had almost been too easy… in body only. My mind was still reeling from breaking free of my fear. My chest rose, heavy with exertion even though there had been none. I felt a hand on my back, jerked out of its grip, and spun around, but I stopped myself as I saw it was Cain's hand. “Easy,” he said in my ear.
To my surprise, the men who remained dropped to their knees in submission. I recognized it for what it was, but I doubted Cain did. They had their arms over their chests in a declaration of fealty. I was their new commander. It was their tradition that if their master was defeated, their loyalties would shift to the victor. They stood in unison and I nodded at them. I should have remembered this would happen. I wasn't prepared at all but it wouldn’t do to show my astonishment.
“Master,” they all said, bowing their heads. One stepped forward. “Lead us if you will. We are sorry for troubling you and wish to know how we can serve, mistress.”
“What?!” I heard Cain mutter behind me. “You have got to be kidding-”
“Where are the nuclear bomb, keys, and codes?” I demanded.
They all shuffled their feet, some looking downright terrified that they didn’t know. The fellow who had originally come forward spoke again. “We do not know. Tiranshyck’s sons may, though. They’re in Chernobial right now.”
That boded ill. I didn’t want to tangle with them at all costs. His sons would never help us and in turn would try to enslave me again. These men would likely turn tail and support them. Going to Chernobial was a very bad idea.
“Did Xorratti have it?” Cain asked, sounding shaken as he came to stand by me.
To our dismay, most of them nodded. The one who had previously spoken did, too. “Yes, but no longer. I know nothing else.”
I thought about it for a second as Dantenn paced up next to me, nudging Michael’s back with his foot. I could at least make these men useful for the short term.
“Gather your things and procure us transport,” I said in the steadiest voice I could muster. “And clean up this mess. We leave here in two hours. You will accompany us as we hunt down the bomb. If there are any women or children amongst you, and others unfit for travel, leave them here. And in the meantime, do not reveal our location or our identities to anyone.”
They all bowed their heads once more and started their orders. A few shot me fearful looks as they moved to pick up their dead. Others were resentful, but I knew that their culture was ingrained in them. It was on their honor that they serve me for now, even if it was repugnant because I was female. I turned to Cain and Dantenn. “Are either of you injured?”
Dantenn shook his head. Cain was still staring at the men over my shoulder like he still couldn't believe what had happened. I touched his cheek where I saw a horizontal straight line of blood. The bullet must have grazed him when the gun went off. “You’re bleeding.”
He focused on me after a second. “What? Oh, um. Yeah, I guess I am.”
“We should go inside,” I said quietly. He went inside the house without another word. He seemed uncharacteristically shook up. While he went, I ignored Dantenn, stooped down to Michael and took his pulse. Much to my relief, I felt it strong under my fingers. He was fine, just knocked out.
“Sierr-”
I forestalled Dantenn’s apology with a hand and pointed up at the cut over his eye. “You should go and tend to that. Also make sure Xorratti doesn't leave MoiRai until we’re gone.”
He took one look at my expression and knew what I was thinking. “You know I didn’t mean what I said.”
I smiled sadly, not believing. “Goodbye, Dantenn.”
He opened his mouth to speak once more and then seemed to think better of it. He patted my shoulder and ducked in to kiss my forehead. “Bye, Sierr. See you ‘round.”
He lingered there for a second and I patted his chest. Even though I didn’t feel for him as more than friend, I watched him go with a heavy heart. I felt a wave of nostalgia well up in me and I wished for a moment it didn't have to be this way. But I knew that he needed to get away from me. We would never be what he wanted us to be and he needed to move on. Forgive and, hopefully, forget.
I waved halfheartedly as he peeked over his shoulder at me, heading on his way. But then a loud groan alerted me to the fact Michael had awakened. I looked down to see he was staring at Tiranshyck’s decapitated head a few feet away. So that’s where it had gone. He groaned again and turned over. I looked away as he vomited onto the street. “What the hell-?! That is freakin’ gross!”
I patted his back. I was still unpleasantly numb with everything that had happened. Once he was finished, I helped him inside. He immediately headed into the bathroom, still shuddering. Cain was sitting on the bed I had previously occupied, dabbing at the cut with a cotton ball. The bloody knife, wet with others’ blood, lay next to him on a towel. I shook my head and took the cotton pad from him. “That will become infected if I don’t treat it. Allow me.”
I went over to a countertop of garden herbs and gathered a few varieties. I found a poultice bowl and pounded a selection of herbs into a paste. Over my mixing the herbs, I could hear the shower in the next room turn on and Michael cursing over all the blood. He was still freaking out. He was surprisingly squeamish. I shouldn’t have found that adorable, but I did.
I returned to Cain. He had been watching me with a weird expression. I sat down beside him and dipped a clean swab into the mixture. “This will prevent swelling and infection.”
“I thought you had left,” he croaked.
I shook my head. “Thank you for protecting me. I appreciate it.”
“Where’s Dantenn?”
“Michael is right in here wondering why he’s covered in another man’s blood,” Michael projected through the door. “But I’ll be fine, thank you. Geez! Absolutely disgusting!”
I dabbed the concoction on the cut, morbidly amused by his outburst. “Dantenn went home where he belongs.”
“And where do you belong?” Cain asked in an odd voice.
I shrugged. “Not sure. But I won't think about it until we find that nuke. Are there any other injuries?”
He wordlessly held up his arm and I rolled up the sleeve. Another long mark was there. But this one was old, hours old. It was a swollen, angry red. I realized with a start that it was a burn mark, on
e that matched the outline of a muffler to the motorbike. He had melted his skin off trying to get it off of me. That bothered me more than it should have and I sucked in a shocked breath, snatching his hand to treat it. “You should have said something. This is an ugly wound.”
“You had enough on your mind and I know you would have felt badly.”
“Still,” I replied over his muttering, “Burn wounds are different. You at least should have notified the doctor. I need to add vanilla, lavender, and perhaps some aloe to the mix.”
“So I’ll smell as sweet as I am, eh?” he said dully.
I smiled halfheartedly and went to add the ingredients. “What is it you are mulling over in that head of yours, Cain? I’ve never seen you so contemplative before. It’s worrying. You still might have some brain cells left alive up there after all.”
He didn't respond to my joke. It took him a moment to respond to me. “I’m trying to decide if I believe what Dantenn said.”
I paused for a moment, vanilla beans in hand. The idea that he needed to decide at all was strangely irritating to me. “Don’t. Our decade long separation has given him time enough to form incorrect assumptions about me. Plus I have to wonder if it is really just a fixation because he finally found something he cannot attain. He’s extremely competitive.”
“And,” I added, stepping over with the edited version of the mix. I took his wounded hand from him after dropping the knife into some hydrogen peroxide. “I had a tendency to think love does not last, so why try? I think he has somehow come to hate me over time. A deep-seated resentment is in place at the very least.”
Cain nodded, still looking dazed. “And now, about love? What’s your take on it?”
I wondered why he was asking such odd questions. They weren't exactly relevant at a moment like this. “I’m not in a position to answer that now. I am finding myself reevaluating a great deal of my life’s path, so perhaps you should ask another time. Tiranshyck is dead. That’s one goal scratched off my list.”
War Machine: Book One in the Destiny In the Shadows Series Page 19
