“Well, there is no other plan. You’ll just have to do as your told,” Olivia said, her cheeks flushing with crimson blood.
“I’m not a child, and you can’t tell me what to do,” Rogue said.
“Would you two keep it down, please?” Seth said in a fierce whisper. “You’ll alert the herds.”
Rogue pressed her lips together and folded her arms. “What do you suggest then?”
“Let’s do what Ric says and join the youngsters. How bad can it be?” Seth asked.
Rogue shot him a dirty look. “Fine, but if this goes south, it’s your fault.”
“Whatever it takes to get this over with,” Seth replied with obvious impatience.
Olivia sighed. “Please, no more fighting. Brittany and her friends are waiting over there.”
She pointed to a clump of bushes off to the right. It abutted onto a section of the field covered with Parksosaurus nests. Rogue immediately spotted Brittany and gritted her teeth. “Alright. Let’s go.”
“Please, be careful,” Olivia said.
“I’ll try my best, Mom,” Rogue said, privately wondering what the teens had in mind for her and Seth.
Seth moved toward the group in a crouched run. When he paused behind a tree, he turned to Rogue. “Whatever they’ve got planned, we can handle it.”
“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that,” Rogue replied.
“Just keep your eyes and ears open, that’s all,” he added before closing the final distance between them and the youngsters.
Rogue heaved an internal sigh as she followed him. I wish I had his confidence, but at least he’s here to back me. I don’t think I could’ve done this alone.
“Hey, you two. Glad you could join us,” Brittany greeted in a stage whisper.
Rogue suppressed the urge to snort. Instead, she asked, “Well, we’re here. What’s next?”
“Next, we wait for Ric’s signal. Once he gives it, we dash onto the field, grab an egg or two, and hoof it back here.”
“That’s it?” Rogue asked with a doubtful frown.
“Try not to run into an adult,” Brittany added. “We don’t want to alarm the herds and cause a stampede.”
“Won’t they freak out if they see us?”
“Not if we stay out of their way and don’t do anything threatening. Most of the dinos are quite placid. Ric and the guards will tackle the more aggressive types.”
“Got it,” Rogue said.
“Also, don’t drop your eggs,” David said. “And if you can go back for more, do it.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Rogue muttered.
“We’ll see,” Sandi said with a flick of her hair.
Rogue stared at the girl’s purple streaks, wondering how she managed to get it that color. She’d never seen the like before, but now was not the time for stuff like that. Instead, she focused on the task at hand.
The Parksosaurus eggs were nestled together in clutches ranging anywhere from three to fifteen. Their shape was almost spherical, typical of a herbivore, and they were relatively small. It shouldn’t be too hard to grab a few.
The main problem lay with the adults. A few roamed across the field and would have to be avoided. The small bi-pedal dinosaurs were known to be mild-mannered, but at a meter high, and weighing in at a hundred and fifty pounds, they still posed a threat. Let’s not find out how tough they can be if provoked.
Rogue set her sights on a nearby nest. It was close to the forest, and no parents were around. A good target if Brittany and her friends played nice.
Seth must’ve had the same thought because he leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “You grab the eggs while I watch your back. Got it?”
Rogue nodded. “Smart.”
“And stay away from the Zuniceratops and the Stegoceras. They’re aggressive and can seriously injure or even kill you,” Seth added.
“I’ve already had a run-in with the Zuni’s. They’re mean little bastards. Like mini tanks with horns,” Rogue said, a shiver running down her spine.
“I know, and the Stegoceras aren’t much better. They love butting heads with those thick skulls and could easily break a few bones,” Seth said.
“Understood,” Rogue said, readying herself to run.
Now that the time had arrived, she found herself nervous but excited. Her heart beat faster, and her muscles tensed in anticipation. At a hand signal from Ric, the hunt began.
Brittany and the rest dashed onto the field with Rogue close on their heels. She reached her target and grabbed two eggs before sprinting back. Her legs pumped as she navigated the uneven ground, her bounty clutched to her chest. The shells were warm to the touch, the texture rough and uneven.
With no adults to block the way, it was a clear run. She reached the safety of the forest without mishap and dropped to her haunches. With a grin, she placed her eggs next to her backpack and prepared for a second try.
Brittany and her friends had also scored, and their triumphant attitudes were catching. With adrenalin fizzing through her veins, Rogue went back for more. Each time, Seth stuck close to her side like a watchdog.
After her fourth run, Rogue paused to catch her breath. The sun was high in the sky and rained heat upon the earth below. Sweat pooled beneath her armpits, but she hardly noticed. The hunt was a lot more fun than she’d thought it would be, and all thoughts of karma and foul play were forgotten.
With a grin, she surveyed the field. David was on his way back with two eggs while Aret juggled three. As the girl dodged a pile of rocks, an adult spotted her and bugled a warning cry. Immediately, the stakes rose as two more Parksosarus stormed in to protect their nests.
“Watch it, Aret,” Brittany cried in a low voice, waving her hands to distract the Parksosaurus. They swerved toward her, and Aret was able to reach the forest without trouble.
She flashed Rogue and Seth a challenging grin. “What’s wrong? Are you scared?”
Without waiting for an answer, Aret dashed into the fray once more. Brittany had hunkered down behind a scraggly bush while David, Aret, and Paul plundered more nests. Sandi was nowhere to be seen.
With her blood boiling, Rogue threw herself onto the field. This time, she was determined to outdo the rest. Scared, my ass.
With her initial target blocked by an angry adult, she picked another nest. This one was a lot riskier. It edged onto the Stegoceras’ territory, where several of the beasts patrolled.
Suddenly, a rock hurtled past her and hit a nearby Stegoceras. It whirled around and spotted her nearby. Instantly, it charged. With a cry, she threw herself to the side. It missed her by mere inches, its thick skull brushing past her arm. Seth hung back, his crossbow ready to fire. He shot off a bolt, but it glanced harmlessly off the beast’s head.
Trumpeting its rage, the Stegoceras rallied the rest of its kind. People went flying in all directions, and Rogue heard someone cry out in pain. She scrambled to her feet and looked for Seth. He was dodging one of the beasts, too far away to be of any help.
At the same time, several other things went wrong. A second rock sailed through the air and hit a Zuni on its head. The creature snorted with anger and stormed at Jamie who was unlucky enough to be nearby.
Brittany yelled, “Mom, watch out!”
Jamie’s head swiveled on her neck as she looked for the source of the danger. She failed to spot the Zuniceratops, and it hit her full-on in the back. She went flying through the air before crashing to the ground.
Immediately, Olivia and Ric rushed to her side. A guard shot the Zuniceratops with an arrow, and the beast veered away. Brittany ran to her mother while David and Aret dodged angry dinos in a frantic race to safety.
A loud snort alerted Rogue to her own predicament. She whirled in time to see a Stegoceras charge. This time she was too slow, and it hit her a glancing blow on the hip. Pain lanced through her body, and she rolled across the earth head over feet.
Rogue slammed into a rock, and the breath left her lungs in a rush. Disoriented, she
lifted her head and blinked. Her eyes were full of dirt, and her vision hazy. She could see well enough to know that everything had gone to hell, though.
Fully-grown Triceratops rampaged across the field ahead of a couple of Lambeosaurus. Ric shouted at everyone to retreat while the guards attempted to divert the tide of death. People ran to safety, but many more were injured. Some had to be carried, including Jamie.
With a grunt, Rogue levered herself off the ground. She had to get away, but her head spun, and her side ached. Where’s the damned forest?
“Rogue!” Suddenly, Seth was there. He grabbed her arm and hauled her toward the tree line. Each step sent a stab of pain through her hip, but she kept going. To stop meant being trampled, and she did not relish the prospect.
Dodging dinos, rocks, nests, and bushes, they reached the forest in the nick of time. Behind them, the once peaceful nesting grounds had turned into a whirling maelstrom of panicking beasts.
The noise was incredible. Trumpeting cries pierced Rogue’s eardrums, and the earth trembled beneath her feet. Seth paused to grab her backpack and stuffed the eggs she’d stolen inside. Then he dragged her deeper into the forest before the stampeding herds could crash through the trees.
With Ric shouting directions, everyone made for the relative safety of a small clearing deeper within the forest. Once there, he called a halt. It was time to do a damage report, but one thing was for sure: The hunt was over.
Chapter 9
Rogue sat at the table with her head hanging low. She stared at her knotted fists while Ric ranted and raved non-stop. He’d been at it for the better part of ten minutes, and she was growing sick of it.
It took every ounce of self-control Rogue had to bite her tongue. But there was more at stake here than either her reputation or her temper. Prime’s fate hung in the balance.
Seth sat next to her, his expression blank. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. The entire journey back to the Zoo, he’d remained silent. Even when she’d pressed him, he’d refused to talk. Does he blame me too? Everyone else does—even my mother.
Hot humiliation flooded her chest when she thought back to that afternoon. Throughout the trip, she’d been aware of the looks and whispers. Brittany was quick to blame the stampede on Rogue and Seth, plus she had her friends to back her up. And who’d believe me, a treacherous Prime, over one of their own?
With most of the eggs lost in the rush and many people injured, the hunt was considered a failure. Even worse, Jamie’s life hung on a thread. The Zuniceratops had gored her through the back, and the wound was likely to be fatal. Luckily, Rogue had gotten off with only a bruised hip. It hurt when she walked but wasn’t serious.
“Are you even listening to me?” Ric asked, slamming a fist on the table.
Rogue lifted her eyes with grim composure. “Oh, believe me. I’ve heard every word so far. It’s hard not to.”
Ric bared his teeth. “Mind your manners. I’m not the one on trial here.”
Rogue’s eyebrows arched. “I didn’t realize I was on trial. What do I stand accused of?”
“You know exactly what you did!” Ric thundered.
“Do I?”
“Please, stop it. Both of you,” Olivia pleaded. She wrung her hands together, her face drawn and pale.
“I knew I shouldn’t have let you go on the hunt. I knew it, but I allowed myself to be swayed by the pleas of others,” Ric said. At the word others, he shot Olivia an angry look that sent her into fresh paroxysms of tearful distress.
“I didn’t know, Ric,” Olivia pleaded. “I thought it would be okay.”
“Well, it wasn’t. This year’s hunt was a disaster, and it’s all their fault,” he replied, waving a ham fist through the air.
“How on earth is any of this our fault?” Seth asked, speaking for the first time.
“She was the one that alerted the Stegoceras by venturing too close, and you compounded that mistake by shooting at it,” Ric cried.
“I didn’t alert the stupid thing,” Rogue protested. “Someone threw it with a rock.”
“Really? And who would do something like that?” Ric asked.
“Ask Brittany and her friends,” Rogue said. “It was one of them, I’m sure of it.”
“Brittany and her friends?” Ric echoed, followed by harsh laughter. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that.”
“Why not?” Rogue said. She gazed at him with cold eyes. “I saw the rock fly past me and hit the Stegoceras. That’s the only reason it charged.”
Ric snorted. “Now, I’ve heard it all.”
“She’s telling the truth. I saw it happen as well,” Seth said.
Rogue flashed him a grateful look, relieved to know he was on her side. “That’s right. The rock hit the Stegoceras on its side, and it charged. That’s when Seth shot it with his crossbow.”
“I was trying to save her life. I couldn’t just let the thing trample her to death,” Seth said, spreading his hands apart. “Or is that what you would’ve preferred?”
“No, I wouldn’t, but it would’ve spared me a lot of trouble,” Ric growled.
Olivia gasped. “Ric. You can’t mean that!”
“I’m sorry, Olivia, but I’m too angry to think straight right now.”
“Then maybe you should listen to what we’re telling you,” Rogue said. “There’s more to the story. Straight after the first rock hit the Stegoceras, I saw another one fly right past me.”
Ric rolled his eyes. “A second rock?”
“Exactly. The same one that hit the Zuniceratops. It freaked out and attacked Jamie,” Rogue said.
“I see. So, you’re telling me that Brittany or one of her friends threw a rock at the dino that nearly killed her mother,” Ric said. “You must be crazy if you think I’d ever believe such nonsense.”
“Believe what you want, but it’s the truth. They had it in for us right from the start. The whole thing was a set-up. Why do you think Brittany asked for us?” Rogue said. “Because they were planning it. Maybe, the second rock was a mistake. Maybe, it wasn’t meant for the Zuni that gored Jamie. Who knows? A lot can go wrong in such a situation.”
“You should be asking them these questions, not us,” Seth added.
“They’ve already told their side of the story, and it makes perfect sense. Unlike yours,” Ric said, turning on Rogue. “You alerted the Stegoceras, and he shot it trying to save your ass.”
“And you believe them over us, of course,” Rogue stated.
“Why wouldn’t I? They’ve never caused any trouble before. They’re upstanding citizens, the children of fighters and leaders. People who were here from the start. “
“As opposed to a couple of Primes, right?” Rogue said with a bitter smile.
“Right,” Ric affirmed, folding his arms across his chest.
“What does that mean, Ric?” Olivia asked.
“It means that I don’t believe their story. At best, I think your daughter made a stupid mistake. At worst, she did it on purpose.”
“Why would I do that?” Rogue protested. “I have no reason to sabotage you or anybody else here. Quite the contrary.”
“You tell me, because I sure as hell don’t know what’s going on inside your head,” Ric said.
“It seems there’s nothing more I can say to convince you,” Rogue said, the sour taste of defeat in her mouth.
“Ric, please. What’s going to happen now? What are you going to do?” Olivia asked.
“Yes, do tell,” Rogue said, striving to maintain a semblance of calm.
Ric shook his head. “I can’t prove that you did what you did on purpose. And because you’re Olivia’s daughter, I’m forced to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“How generous of you,” Rogue replied, her lips twisting into a sneer.
“Don’t test me,” Ric roared. “Be glad I’m not tossing you both out on your ungrateful asses.”
Rogue closed her eyes for a second, reminded of the moment she got
kicked out of Prime. That sickening, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was back. How did it come to this? How?
“As it is, I’m ruling the whole thing an accident,” Ric continued in a calmer tone of voice. “You’ll be allowed to stay, both of you, but you will not be allowed to participate in any further activities.”
“Anything else?” Rogue asked.
“As your punishment, I’m sentencing you to a month of cage duty. You’ll clean the cages, shovel manure, and feed the animals. Perhaps, in some small measure, you can repay the damage you’ve done to our community.”
“And if I refuse?” Rogue asked.
“Then you’re welcome to leave,” Ric said. “That’s my final decision. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” Rogue said.
Seth remained silent.
“I expect to see you both at dawn tomorrow,” Ric said. “Or, I want you gone.”
“Ric, please,” Olivia said.
“Don’t try to sway me, Olivia. My mind is made up,” Ric replied. “All that remains is for them to make up theirs as well.”
“What about Prime?” Rogue asked.
“What about it?” Ric said.
“Do I still get the chance to speak to the council, or is that gone as well?”
“You’ll get your chance to petition the council, and what they decide is up to them,” Ric said.
“Why aren’t we standing in front of them right now?” Seth asked. “We are on trial, right?”
“They left your fate up to me, and you can be glad they did. Or else, your punishment could’ve been a lot worse,” Ric said.
“Or, they know they don’t have the proof to convict us of anything,” Seth pointed out.
“You forget your place, Prime. We don’t need proof of anything to make a decision. You’d do well to remember that,” Ric said.
Seth’s eyes narrowed, but he refrained from speaking.
“I think we’re done here,” Ric said, nodding at Olivia. “I’ll either see you two in the morning, or I won’t. Your choice.”
Without further ado, Ric left the cottage. In his absence, a thick silence descended over the kitchen.
Rogue licked her lips and reached for a glass of water. The liquid quenched her thirst, but not the fire that raged within her chest. She raised her eyes to Olivia’s. “Who do you believe, Mother? Them or me?”
The Extinction Series | Book 2 | Primordial Earth Page 5
