by Luna Voss
A part of me registers the fact that neither Kyrzon makes any attempt to eat until all three of us have had our fill. It’s unspoken between them, as though obviously, the women get to eat first. I won’t go so far as to say that I’m grateful, considering they’re keeping us captive, but the gesture doesn’t go unnoticed. At least, it reassures me that they have some level of concern for our well-being. When they finally do begin to eat, I can’t help but watch, fascinated by how they manage to do it without removing their masks. (In case you’re wondering, there’s apparently enough of an opening at the bottom of the masks for them fit food through.)
After we’ve all finished eating, the mood turns slightly awkward. The presence of food had created a momentary sense of camaraderie, but now that the meal is over, the fact that we three women are captives in a strange land, stolen from our home by these aliens, lingers between us like a stench. Sam, May, and I should be going to bed in our own beds tonight, not tied up and scared around a campfire in the middle of who knows where.
“Where are you taking us?” I ask in a small voice, looking at Karsh and Judd. The two Kyrzons trade a look.
“We are taking you to our homeland,” says Judd. “You will be sold as Brides.”
“And where is your homeland?” May asks.
“We live in a region some distance from here,” Karsh explains. “I believe it is an area that you humans would refer to as the Far Territories.”
My eyes widen. I look at Sam and May, and see that they both are having the same reaction.
Humans know very little about the Far Territories. The term refers to the realms of Planet Kyrzon so far from the borders of Human Territory that our people have had very little interaction with their native inhabitants. The town of New Byzantium, where I grew up, has more contact with them than any of the other human settlements, due to its location on the border. But even we know next to nothing about how these aliens live. Occasionally, a band of warriors from the Far Territories will attend an auction, and their chief will purchase a Bride. As far as I know, that’s about it. My understanding is that the journey is extremely treacherous, and significantly limits how often warriors from this part of the planet can visit Human Territory.
So it sounds like we have a hell of a trip ahead of us. Great. And when we finally do settle, it will be in a place so far from our home that there will be little hope of ever seeing New Byzantium again.
Sam, May, and I all understand this as we sit next to the fire, our stomachs settling from the bread and cheese. We haven’t just been kidnapped by any old Kyrzons, we’ve been kidnapped by Kyrzons from the Far Territories. A realm where women are scarce, and the tribes follow customs that are strange and exotic even to other Kyrzons.
We spend the night in camp, all five of us packed into the tent with the Kyrzons on either side. They insist on tying our ankles before we go to sleep, despite our protestations that we won’t run away.
“It’s for your own safety,” Karsh explains as he tightens the rope, making sure not to cut off my circulation. “Human Brides are not safe in these woods. I have heard stories of women killed by animals in the past.”
“We’re really not going to run away,” says Sam, sighing as Judd ties her legs.
“We know,” says Judd with a slight smirk, fastening the knot.
Chapter Six
We rise early the next morning and continue to ride. The two Kyrzons seem eager to cover distance. It must be a long way before we reach their home. I ride with Karsh, while Judd takes Sam and May. We only stop briefly for lunch, which consists of some type of animal jerky and a handful of nuts.
Traveling without a blindfold is an incredible experience. I’ve seen nothing of the world outside Human Territory, and in truth, the vast, vast majority of my life has been spent inside the walls of New Byzantium. Just getting to experience the trees, the hills, the wilderness, is breathtaking. I’ve been imagining this, or some version of this, ever since my name came out of the lottery and I was designated a Kyrzon Bride. It’s one of the things that always consoled me somewhat about my status: in many ways, the other 90% of women in human society are lucky, but only a Kyrzon Bride gets to experience the world outside of Human Territory.
But my fantasies of what entering the Kyrzon world might be like could not possibly capture the reality of it. The world is vast and beautiful beyond my wildest imagination. The trees are green, like in Earth movies, but so much bigger, and different in ways that I don’t even know how to describe. I’m astounded by the size of everything. It feels as though the entire planet was designed for giants.
I cower slightly as I hear some kind of animal roar in the distance. Behind me, Karsh exhales as though in amusement, wrapping a comforting arm around me. I cling to it for just a moment, and then release it, embarrassed.
“That’s a tusk-bear you just heard,” he tells me. “But it is some distance away, and it will not attack us while we are mounted. Fear not, little one.”
I glance at the other tusk-ox right next to us. Sam and I make eye contact. I can tell from her expression that she’s just as amazed as I am to be traveling in the Kyrzon wilderness.
An hour or two later, I hear a sound that I imagine to be running water. We end up riding down a ravine until we reach a cool, clear stream, where we stop for more food, and the Kyrzons give us a chance to go to the bathroom and wash ourselves in the stream. They even untie our hands while we wash, opting instead to tie cords around our wrists and hold them like leashes from the beach. This, apparently is enough security for them, as they turn away and allow us some privacy while we bathe.
“This is so pretty,” I say to May and Sam as we stand together in the shallow water. None of us know how to swim, not having ever had the opportunity in New Byzantium.
“It’s beautiful,” May agrees. She lowers her voice. “So what do you guys think? Do we try to escape? What’s the plan?”
Sam leans her head back, casually washing her hair in the water. “Where would we go?” she replies, her voice quiet. “I have no idea how to get back to Human Territory from here, do you?”
May looks a little bit crestfallen as she answers. “No,” she admits.
I get the impression that May is having a harder time with this and Sam and I are. This makes sense to me, as she is the only one of the three of us who didn’t grow up destined to become a Kyrzon Bride. For us, this is little more than the inevitable coming a year early. For her, it’s the end of life as she knew it.
We finish washing and step out on the beach. The two Kyrzons face the other direction, still holding our leashes, allowing us to dry off in the sun before we put our clothes back on. I’m more than a little bit impressed that I don’t catch either one of them peeking. For kidnappers, they’re actually pretty respectful.
“Okay, we’re all dressed,” says Sam, and Judd and Karsh turn around.
“Wrists,” orders Karsh, walking over to me and standing in front of me.
For a moment I’m confused, and that I realize that he expects me to offer him my hands so that he can tie them up again. I give him my wrists, annoyed, refusing to look at him as he ties the rope.
* * *
I had thought that after stopping at the stream, we might switch tusk-oxen, so that I would be riding with Judd, and May and Sam would ride with Karsh. Or perhaps we would change the grouping, and either May or Sam would come to ride with me. Instead, we continue just as we did before, with me riding in Karsh’s saddle. I have to admit, I don’t mind. I’m getting used to riding with Karsh.
Around nightfall, we stop to make another camp. This time, the two Kyrzons are comfortable giving us less supervision as they set up the tent and the fire.
“Where do you think we are?” May whispers as the three of us stand together, watching our captors assemble our camp.
“Far from Human Territory, that’s for sure,” Sam whispers back.
“I wonder what happened to Barbara and the rest of them,” I say. “I hope t
hey’re all right.”
May looks distressed. “I hope they aren’t still blindfolded.”
I shuffle my feet. “I got the impression that the other Kyrzons wanted to sell them. They said something about getting rich.”
“Sell them? Not keep them? I thought this whole thing was about their tribe needing Brides.”
“I don’t think those other two Kyrzons wanted to be with the tribe anymore. It sounded like they were done with the Far Territories. Maybe they’re planning to stay on the border of Human Territory and keep capturing women.”
Sam shakes her head in amazement. “What the hell is going on in the Kyrzon world right now? War bands kidnapping women inside Human Territory?”
I think back to the argument from the night before. “I remember Karsh saying something about their homeland needing Brides. He said they were on a mission to save their society, or something like that. Maybe the Far Territories are really low on women?”
Sam frowns. “That would make sense. If they’re that far from Human Territory, transporting Brides back home must be dangerous. I wonder how they were able to sustain their society for so long without women.”
I indicate my tied-together wrists. “Yup, it definitely seems like they have a bit of a complex about not wanting to lose any Brides.”
May chuckles. “Hey, our ankles are still free. Maybe we should make a run for it.”
Sam snorts. “Great idea, genius. Then we can get eaten by a pack of raptors for real.”
“At least they aren’t mean to us,” I say. “Karsh actually seems kind of nice… for kidnapper,” I amend, withering slightly as both of my friends raise their eyebrows in disdain.
“Yeah, well, of course you think he’s nice,” says Sam.
I cock my head in confusion, feeling a little hurt. “What does that mean?”
May rolls her eyes. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”
“Noticed what?”
“The fact that Karsh totally has a crush on you,” says Sam, sounding slightly annoyed.
“What? No. Why do you think that?” I protest, feeling my cheeks get hot.
Now Sam rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on, Selena. You haven’t noticed the way he treats you? The way he looks at you? The way he made sure that you would be riding with him all day?”
My face is burning now. I guess I did notice, but I just didn’t want to acknowledge it. Or maybe I liked it, and didn’t want to admit that to myself. Still, I kind of think my friends are jumping to conclusions. We know almost nothing about the way Kyrzons communicate, or how they show affection.
“I think you guys are imagining it,” I say, watching over Sam’s shoulder as Karsh kneels down to light the campfire. “I don’t think that Kyrzons get crushes.”
“Hey look,” says Sam, “we’re not criticizing you. It’s not your fault. Really, all it means is that you’re cute as hell. We’re just pointing out the obvious.”
We break off our conversation quickly as the two aliens wave to us from the campfire.
“Come over here,” calls Judd. “We’ll have food ready in a moment.”
Chapter Seven
All five of us sit together around the campfire, finishing our dinner. May, Sam, and I sit on a fallen log while the two Kyrzons sit on rocks on either side of us. Karsh is roasting a piece of cheese over the fire.
“More cheese, anyone?” asks Judd, offering the stick with the cheese.
“I can’t have another bite,” says Sam, shaking her head.
“I’ll have it,” says May, extending her mouth to eat the cheese off the stick.
Karsh opens his mouth to say something, and then he stops. He and Judd make the briefest of eye contact, and then Judd grabs another piece of cheese to roast, as though nothing happened. Although his demeanor is casual, I can suddenly sense a high level of tension below the surface that I don’t understand.
“You sure you don’t want another piece of cheese?” asks Karsh, leaning over next to me. As he does so, he drops his voice, and whispers his next words right into my ear: “Someone is watching us. Don’t do anything, just act normal. When I give you the signal, I want you and the other women to drop to the ground and stay there.”
“No, thanks, I’m stuffed,” I say loudly to Karsh, my heart rate increasing. I give him the slightest of nods. On the other side of the log, I can see Judd passing the same information along to Sam and May.
“I’m going to get more food,” says Judd, getting up from his seat. Then suddenly, he yells “Now!”
Sam, May, and I all dive to the ground next to the fire. Next to me, Karsh springs to his feet, drawing his sword from his belt. From the trees all around us, Kyrzon warriors appear, roaring as they charge at the campfire. I can’t see how many of them there are, only hear them yelling and their blades clashing with those of Karsh and Judd.
May screams, and Sam rushes to quiet her, putting an arm around her quaking form. I cover my head with my hands, worried more than anything about getting trampled. I have no idea what is happening in the battle around us, just that Kyrzons are fighting.
“Protect the women!” I hear a voice scream that sounds very much like Karsh’s. A moment later, an ax embeds itself in the ground next to me, inches from my head. I stare at it as it quivers, a droplet of blood running down the blade.
“We need to get out of here,” says Sam, grabbing my shoulder. “May, get ready to run.”
Sam, May, and I look at each other for a moment with terrified faces, and then we jump up from the ground and run together into the woods, leaving the sounds of battle behind us.
“The women are escaping!” roars a voice that I don’t recognize. “They’re escaping into the woods!”
Adrenaline pulses through me and I start to run faster, pushing myself as hard as I can go. It’s difficult to run with my hands tied together, and I stumble awkwardly through the thick underbrush, my friends right alongside me. Behind us, I hear what sounds like a Kyrzon giving chase.
“Split up!” screams Sam, veering off to the left. I take off to my right, tearing through the woods, hoping that May and Sam are going to be okay. I’m more or less acting on instinct now. I have no idea where I’m going, or how to keep myself safe in this unfamiliar wilderness. I just know that I need to put as much distance between myself and the attacking Kyrzons as possible.
Suddenly, I lose my footing in the dark. Or, more accurately, I start to run down a hill without having any idea that there’s a slope, thanks to the fact that I can’t fucking see anything at night. I tumble head over heels, and I’m lucky that I don’t hurt anything when I land.
But the Kyrzon chasing me is right behind. Before I’ve even had the chance to pick myself back up, I feel a set of enormous hands grabbing me, restraining me.
“Get off of me!” I scream, scratching and fighting.
I’m in survival mode now, ready to kick, bite, do whatever it takes. Unfortunately, my ability to defend myself is almost nonexistent, thanks to the rope tying my hands together. The alien merely picks me up off the ground, lifting me like I’m nothing and throwing me over his shoulder. I squirm and pound on his back, but to no avail. I’m helpless.
He carries me back to the campsite, going slow, taking his time. His lack of urgency worries me, gives me time to think. The fighting must be over. Does that mean that Judd and Karsh are dead? Whose property am I to become now?
As we reach the campsite, I become aware of bodies strewn everywhere. I scan the faces, searching for Judd and Karsh. I’m relieved that I see neither of them among the dead.
“Caught one,” growls the Kyrzon holding me, talking to another warrior standing next to the fire.
“Oh yeah?” the other Kyrzon responds. “Let me see her. She’d better be a pretty one. Make all this carnage worthwhile.”
My captor turns around, pointing my face at the other alien. He grabs a handful of my hair and forces me to look at him. His bearded face breaks into a grin.
“This one
’s mine,” he growls. “I want her.”
“Get your own fucking human,” the one holding me snarls. “She’s mine.”
“I’ll fight you for her. You and me, right here. For the woman.”
The alien holding me sighs and puts me down on the ground, turning to the other Kyrzon. “No, Zaz, I’m not going to fight you for her. There were two other women in the camp. Go search for one of them if you want a human. Now fuck off and leave me alone.”
The other Kyrzon growls, his lips flaring, and soon the two aliens are chest-to-chest.
“We’re all in this together. We should share the spoils.”
“Then where were you when I caught the human in the woods? Because I didn’t see you anywhere. I’m pretty sure that was all me.”
The other Kyrzon starts to answer, and then suddenly, there’s an ax sticking out of his neck that wasn’t there before. He crumples to the ground, gurgling, blood seeping out of him.
“What the—” the Kyrzon who captured me turns, just in time to get absolutely floored by Karsh’s elbow as he bursts out of the woods. A moment later and Karsh is on top of him, hitting him in the jaw with several more brutal elbow strikes that render him unconscious.
I look up at him, my mouth hanging open, and see that his clothes are torn, his chest is heaving, and every muscle in his body is taught. Two more Kyrzons appear out of the woods, talking casually, and they stop as they see him, immediately drawing their swords.
Karsh pulls the ax out of the other Kyrzon’s neck and flings it, embedding it in one of their heads. The other one charges, and Karsh sidesteps the attack easily, flinging the alien to the ground, diving on his back, and wrapping an arm around his neck in a choke hold. He squeezes until his opponent goes limp.
Even through his spiked mask, I can see the burning intensity in Karsh’s eyes as he stalks toward me over the fallen bodies of his foes. He doesn’t say a word to me, just picks me up in his arms and carries me off into the woods, away from the scene of the battle. I let him hold me, feeling small and vulnerable, but at the same time, incredibly safe. I feel like nothing could ever hurt me while Karsh is holding me in his arms.
