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Mak spun back toward him with a curse and took a step toward him. The tool in Brady’s hand spat lightning and thunder. Mak screamed and fell over backward. An odd burning smell and gray smoke hung in the clearing.
“Are you all right, Bab?” Cara appeared silently at Tam’s side. She held the long, shiny branch in her hand that she usually carried at her side. Though she spoke to Bab, she watched and pointed the stick at the other men.
“Why did you come back?” Bab asked, not quite able to believe she and Tam weren’t going to die.
“Because, that’s what friends do.” Cara glanced at her quickly and then looked back at the cowering men. “Friends help each other.”
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Chapter Nineteen
Cara wondered how effective her sword would be in holding back the Savages. They apparently had no knowledge of metals and might not think twice about charging her.
But they crowded away from her, or maybe from Brady. The scent of burning powder hung in the air despite the breeze. Hop looked dead already, but Jak whimpered pathetically and curled on his side. The other one sprawled on his back, an ugly hole in his torso and a rattle in his breathing.
“You came back to help me.” Bab looked at Brady with shining adoration in her dark eyes.
Brady nodded toward Cara. “Cara’s idea.”
Bab frowned at Cara. “But you hate me for trying to take your man.”
“I knew you couldn’t take my man from me.” Cara didn’t want to explain it to this …
woman, but Bab needed an answer. “I know what it’s like to live in fear and terror of those stronger than you. You were very brave when you made your plan to run away. I wanted you to be free.”
Tam put his arm on Bab’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to go anywhere, Bab. I want you to stay with me.”
“Come here and help me.” Jak’s vicious tone was unchanged but there was little power in his words. “I’ll rip you to pieces if you don’t help me now.”
“You’ll be dead in a few hours.” Brady walked over to stand beside Cara and faced the other Savages. He reloaded his pistol with the smooth coordination of practice and pointed it at the males. “I think Bab should be your new leader.”
“She’s a woman!” one of males said. A few others mumbled under their breath.
Brady swung his pistol in a threatening arch that covered all of them. “Women are natural leaders. They’re smart, they don’t fight as much as men and they plan ahead.”
“And she will have me to back her up.” Tam pulled Bab tight to his side.
Bab looked at Brady with longing and then turned to Tam. She laid her head on his bare chest. “Tam is going to be my only mate. We’ll be your leaders together and learn this trade thing.”
Cara looked at Brady. Hadn’t he made up the story about trading? But he nodded his approval. “My tribe will gladly trade with you if Bab and Tam are your leaders. We can learn things from each other.”
“No!” shouted Jak. Bloody spittle flew from his mouth. “Kill them! Kill all of them including these two traitors to our kind.”
But none of the males made any aggressive moves. Cara wondered if Brady’s gun held them in place or the possibilities of having new leaders.
Jak cursed and spit at Bab and Tam. Then a new sly look came into his eyes despite the pain there. “Look at these bites taken out of me. These strangers are evil spirits that kill with magic. Look what they did to poor Hop and Mak. You should destroy them before they strike you all down.”
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Uncertainty and fear grew on the faces of the males. Even Tam pulled Bab away a few steps. But Cara understood the superstitious fear of Savages and knew simply denying magic wouldn’t work.
“He’s right, or course, about the magic. Brady is my guardian and has the power of lightning and storm. He carries them in that magic stick in his hand. Some of our tribes possess even more powerful weapons. If you had actually harmed us, the lightning would have blasted holes in all of you. And not like it did to Hop. His dying was easy. It would strike you as it did Jak. See how he suffers. He’s going to be a long time dying.”
Jak glared at her, his face the color of a bleached seashell. Bloody drool leaked from the corners of his mouth. His hands trembled where they clutched his chest. But even so close to dying he was dangerous. She would have liked to kick him in the face for what he did to Rena, but she wouldn’t take the risk.
“I’ll follow Bab,” one of the young males said. “I know she won’t hit me for not finding enough fruit.”
“You shouldn’t have killed Rena,” another one said. “She made a good baby, and she would have had more.”
Jak gasped and flopped over to his back. “Help me, bitch.”
Cara studied the males. They ignored Jak and most of them looked confused. The oldest one who’d threatened Bab and Tam alongside Hop looked angry but not brave enough to challenge Brady. As a group, they edged from the dead and the dying.
Angel’s quiet fussing burst into a wail, and Storm joined her with his own protest. Bab and Tam hurried to them.
Cara wondered what they should do next. In coming back for Bab, Cara felt she’d taken on some responsibility for the woman. “Bab, Brady and I are going back to the river crossing.
Why don’t you see us off?”
Tam picked up Storm and looked at Cara warily. He looked so human. He might have been a loving husband and father. Jak moaned and snapped her out of her reverie. She must not forget they were Savages.
“We’ll all go,” Bab said. “We can’t stay the night in this place of death.”
Brady cursed softly. He lowered his gun but didn’t put it in its holder. “Let’s go then.”
Bab pressed her lips together and nodded. The Savages had little in the way of belongings besides a few bags of food and some hides for sleeping. Jak moaned weakly, but he seemed to be unconscious. Cara spared him one last glance. He was like so many of those …
those animals who’d destroyed her life and her future. But this time they didn’t get her. She’d beat them.
“Cara?” Brady lifted a dark brow in a question. He stood tall and bruised before her.
His gun belt rode low on his hips and emphasized his lean waist compared to his broad shoulders. He was so beautiful physically compared to the Savages. She wanted to sit him down and wash the blood from his hair, make him a hot tea and then sleep beside him. First they had to reach a place where they could both sleep without one of them standing watch at all times.
Brady was as tense as she was as they walked along the river bank. A dozen Savages trailing them made for more than a little discomfort. Bab nursed the babies as she walked, with Tam looking over her shoulder and grinning proudly at the infants. Cara searched for the sense of distaste she should feel at the sight but instead a small hint of envy prodded her chest. Tam, Bab and the babies were a family, a family like she would never have. Never, because of creatures like them. But not like them.
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Brady strode at her side, his gun in hand and his other hand on his sword. His eyes were never still as he swept his gaze constantly over the Savages trudging along beside him.
It took nearly an hour to find the spot where their raft had drifted to the bank. The sun hovered a short distance from touching down on the western mountains. Brady frowned and stared across the river. “Maybe we should wait until morning.”
“I don’t want to spend another night.” Not here, with them.
Brady nodded his understanding. Their packs were in the same place, undisturbed. They still had a little food and most of the bullets.
“You will go?” Bab gestured at the river. “How can you make it across the water?”
Cara had never heard of a Savage swimming, but then she wasn’t very good at it herself.
“Our tribes know how to travel the waters.”
“But you will return someday?”
Bab asked.
Brady exchanged a look with Cara. “Someone from our tribe will be back.”
Another shiver crawled up Cara’s spine. Could they really ally themselves with these …
animals? Then Angel gurgled some baby word, and Bab smiled at her daughter.
“Our people will expect certain things from their trading friends,” Cara said. “You have to make sure of it, Bab.”
“What
things?”
“Safety for our people when they come to you. And clean places to sleep. Clean goods to trade. Your people need to take care of themselves like you and Tam. And our women cover their breasts except when we feed our children.”
Bab nodded in understanding. “Because your men like to touch your breasts when you mate. I know now it feels good. Tam showed me.”
Cara’s face heated. She hated being reminded Bab had watched her and Brady making love. “Yes. Men are easily distracted by attractive females.”
“But your men still take only one mate?” Bab’s hungry gaze swept over Brady.
“Yes. Our tribes are like that.” Cara couldn’t believe she was having this discussion with a Savage. “We have a celebration to make promises about taking care of each other.”
“You and Brady have made these promises to take care of one another?”
Cara found she couldn’t lie about it, but Brady stepped in and did it for her.
“We’re going to as soon as we return. Though we’ve yet to say the words, in our hearts we’re already promised to each other.”
Tam put his arm around Bab. “Would you say the words to us? Then our entire tribe will know that Bab is my only woman, and I’m her only man.”
Brady’s expression provoked a snicker from Cara despite the absurdity of the entire day.
He’d brought it on himself. He recovered quickly.
“I will. Take Bab’s hand, Tam, and say these words.”
Cara wasn’t sure where Brady came up with the words, but his deep voice and serious tone made it all sound very solemn and official.
“I, Tam, take Bab to be my one and only mate. I promise to watch for her in all things, sickness, injury and sadness. I will provide for her and all her children. I will give her only affection and never strike her in cruelty or anger. This I promise on all my strength as a man.”
Tam repeated the words, his brow crinkled with concentration. Did he understand the meaning of all the words and the spirit behind them?
“Now, Bab, you say these words to Tam. I, Bab, take Tam as my only mate for all our lives. I promise to be a good mother to our children, to keep a warm, safe home for our family ONE GOOD WOMAN SUSAN KELLEY 108
and stand beside you in all things. I will teach my children the goodness of life and laughter and welcome you in my arms for all my days. When we are old, I will stay to your side to the end of our lives.”
Bab repeated the words without a stumble. Brady put his hand on top of their joined ones, but his other hand still held his pistol. “With all the authority of a Captain of the Realm, I pronounce you the first husband and wife of this tribe.”
Bab and Tam smiled at each other. A few of the watching males made grunting sounds that might have been approval.
“Now you should kiss each other,” Brady said.
“Kiss?” Bab and Tam asked together.
Brady put his arm around Cara and pulled her close. There was laughter in his blue eyes as he leaned down to take her lips with his. His mouth moved skillfully on hers and with a familiarity she’d come to cherish. He broke it off soon enough but kept his arm around her shoulders. “That is one way we show affection to our mates.”
Tam looked skeptical, but Bab touched his cheek and brought her lips to his. It looked awkward, and they kept it short. Both appeared surprised when they pulled away from each other.
“I understand,” Tam said with a smile. “It wakes my rod.”
Brady laughed. “Yes, it has that affect. Now, to show our happiness at having you as our partners, I will release thunder into the sky.”
Brady pointed his gun across the river and pulled the trigger twice. Even though they weren’t far from the crashing waterfall, the boom of the gun smashed against Cara’s ears. The Savages jumped and a number of them ran away for a short distance.
The babies cried out their protests with lusty health. Tam and Bab tried to soothe them though they looked quite frightened themselves. Perhaps that had been Brady’s intention.
“What name should I give my people for your tribe?” Brady asked after the infants quieted.
Bab shrugged and looked confused.
Cara pointed to herself. “My tribe is called Solonian. Brady’s tribe is the Realm. What shall we call you?”
The oldest Savage took a step forward. He wore an angry scowl more typical of the Savages she’d met before, but his voice wasn’t heated with rage or spite. “I once heard us called Vitans. When I was a boy, one of the old men said when we were Vitans, we had the power to go on the water and travel to other villages.”
“Then you shall again be called the Vitans.” Cara wondered how much history and culture had been lost here. Had these primitives descended from some proud, seafaring colony?
“Maybe one day you’ll learn to travel the waters again.”
The old Savage shook his head, and now he looked more like a tired old man than a dangerous beast. “Water is dangerous. It grabs you and pulls you down to death.”
“It doesn’t if you know what you’re doing.” Brady picked up both packs. “We’re going across the water now. When we return, we’ll come this way. Watch for us before the cold season.”
“You could stay with us for a time. Teach us more things,” Tam said.
Cara couldn’t stay among them any longer no matter how far their strides toward civilization. Brady apparently felt the same way.
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“We must be going. We’ve been gone longer than we expected. More of our tribe will come looking for us if we don’t return soon.” Brady held out his left hand to Tam. “This is how we make promises. Take my hand and we agree to be traders together.”
Tam put his hand in Brady’s. Cara couldn’t quite believe the sight of Brady’s long-fingered hand clasped in the thick broad hand of a Savage.
Bab reached out and touched Brady on his cheek. “I will hold memory of you always, Brady with the eyes of the sky.”
Brady nodded solemnly. “You and Tam will be famous among your village and mine.”
Bab nodded to Cara, but resentment still seethed in her eyes. She would never forgive Cara for being Brady’s mate.
Brady took off his boots and shirt. He piled them with the weapons and packs on the raft.
The Vitans stood back from the bank so he could speak to her without being overheard. “Cara, you’re going to have to help me paddle. I’m pretty sure a few of my ribs are cracked.”
The Vitans watched them with wide, curious eyes. “Maybe we should stay long enough for you to heal.”
She feared the water nearly as much as she did the Savages. The experience coming over the falls had only added to her terror.
“No, I don’t know if their peace will hold. For all we know they could all turn on Bab and Tam. Or Bab could decide she wants two husbands.”
She sighed in relief. He didn’t trust them any more than she did. “I’m not a good swimmer.”
Brady grinned. “Cara, I remember enough of our arrival here to think you’re not a swimmer at all, not even a poor one. Get our paddles.”
She took off her boots and sword, securing them with his in the middle of the raft. He held the logs steady so she could straddle the raft in the back section. Her knuckles were white around the branch intended to be an oar, but she couldn’t find it in herself to relax.
Brady pulled the logs out into the water until it reached his knees. He swung one of his long legs over the raft, and they were afloat. Her heart leaped all about in her chest
as he adjusted his seat to find his balance. The logs rocked and bucked before settling into a swaying, unstable seat.
“Brady!” Bab called.
He raised his hand in farewell, but Cara could not let go of her oar let alone look over her shoulder. Water lapped at her thighs and over the edge of the logs.
“Don’t look down. Keep your eye on the far bank.” Brady used his branch in a sweeping motion as if he wanted to direct them upstream. The logs pitched and dipped as he forced them to fight the current.
No matter his efforts, the current carried them steadily toward the sea. When they neared the center of the river, it carried them even faster. It was a fight, Brady’s will against that of the water. And to lose that battle was to lose all.
Cara’s fear-frozen muscles thawed. She would not yield now to anything when they were so close to safety. The strokes of her oar seemed to make little difference as she added her efforts to Brady’s. Sweat coursed down his back and over the purple bruises marking his torso.