Prison Moon_Ice Heart

by Alexandra Marell

  Janie paused in her snapping of the boot fastenings. “You know what happened? The whole story?”

  “Not all. Only that tragedy followed a noble act and it has cloaked him in shadow ever since.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?” She couldn’t leave Kelskar half naked and vulnerable. But would she be able protect him if challenged by more leather-skinned men or worse? Any man would outrank her physically and mentally in a real fight so what use would she be to him? Laeesha had the baby to look after. She should have someone with her.

  Laeesha tilted her head as if listening for something beyond the trees. “I need no one’s protection and I’ve lingered too long. I have to go.”

  “You can’t go back out there by yourself.” A warrior woman with supernatural powers but still a lone woman in a violent man’s world. Laeesha ignored her, taking long determined strides in the direction of the stream, the cloak floating behind.

  “Leave the child at least. Hell, come back. It’s going to be a cold, night. You can’t go out there alone in the dark. What if there are more out there, looking for you. I have to stay with Kelskar.”

  “Thank you for the meat, Janie Roberts. Stay with him, he needs a woman like you.” Laeesha raised an arm in a backhanded wave. “If I find a paradise in this place, I’ll send word.”

  She blended with the shaded trees, leaving the portentous words hanging on the night air. A prickle crept over Janie’s skin. What did she mean by that and was something out there? Is that why she left?

  Kelskar groaned. His head rolled to the side. He should be dressed and ready to run if danger lurked, not sitting there in a naked daze.

  Please let the chip be deactivated. How long would he sleep?

  Janie sank onto her heels, helpless and alone. How long for the gunk slithering a green trail over his skull and patchy hair to do its thing? Let him sleep it off, cross everything and pray Kelskar killed all the pursuers.

  She strained her eyes in the gloom, seeking out Laeesha’s undulating walk, the cloak flowing behind. No sound of her, or the baby.

  Okay, it’s up to you right now. Make a plan, be decisive and look after your man.

  Dragging to her feet, Janie surveyed their makeshift camp. Store the remnants of Laeesha’s concoction to use again. Cover the meat with flat leaves to keep it dry. She should hang it from a tree, like they did in TV survival shows to stop wild animals and insects taking it. Nothing to wrap it in. She left it near the fire on the hot stones.

  The housekeeping distracted her from the horrible vulnerability of being so alone while Kelskar slept. With his long knife hooked in her belt, the short sword strapped at her side, Janie sat beside him, her head on his shoulder and waited for him to wake up.

  So solid beneath her cheek, his breath lifting his chest with slow, even movements.

  “You always know what to do,” she whispered. “I’m so lost. So want to go home. But I don’t want to leave you. I think I’m falling in love with you” She smiled sadly. “No thinking about it. You’re not even my type. But you’re so kind, so patient with me. You make me feel...” Her gaze dropped to Kelskar’s lap, to the coat barely covering his impressive package. Who needed heating when only thinking about what he did to her made her blood boil?

  Tracing the line of his muscled forearm, she watched a bird land beyond the glow of the dying fire. Temperature dropping fast, the forest was coming alive with rustling and background murmuring. The perfect night for a mad axe man to creep up on an unsuspecting woman lost and terrified in the forest.

  Like a persistent shadow, this background frisson of tingling fear followed her everywhere since the abduction. Long hours passed, Janie’s nerves stretched to breaking and still Kelskar slept the sleep of the dead.

  “Wake up.” She shook him gently. His head lolled back and forth. Nothing. What if he stayed like this? She shook him again, almost knocking him sideways in her panic. Please wake up. I need you.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Nights here became blacker with each passing hour. No moons tonight to mediate with the dark and give warning of lurking creatures waiting to pounce. Only the scratch of crisp leaves under questing feet and slithering bodies to keep Janie awake and alert while Kelskar slept on.

  Did dragons venture into forests to kidnap maidens and tie them to trees, waiting for brave knights to rescue them? Why would Kelskar say they had the ability to morph into the shape of a man if it wasn’t true?

  An acrid, smoky smell drifted on the air, but that could be from the dying fire not the burning breath of legendary creatures. Everything here was still so alien.

  And Laeesha showed no signs of returning.

  Definitely something out there, though. Widening her eyes, like Kelskar did to see better, Janie scanned the dark shapes of trees, seeking the source of the new sound. A faint, but more cautious crunch of leaves on the forest floor. Like something deciding when to step. Groping for the long sword, hidden under a pile of leaves, Janie hefted it onto her lap. Too long for her to wield with any grace, it at least gave her much needed reach.

  Her stomach fluttered in anticipation. If a large animal rushed her now she’d scream the place down.

  Okay, calm. Rising to her feet, she adjusted to a two-handed grip, wrapping her fists around the cross metal of the hilt. Surprisingly light for its size. Almost as tall as she, too. Putting it carefully down, she unsheathed the short sword at her hip. Lacking the reach, but at least she wouldn’t fall over the thing and impale herself instead of the lurking threat.

  Something out there, holding its breath now like her. Circling around, planning to come at her from behind? Kelskar would know. Or was it simply Laeesha returning from her bath? Why would she take so long and not announce herself on approach? Janie waited for the swirling cloak, the imperious length of the woman and baby to materialise from the gloom. Her arms shook.

  Shit. What would Kelskar do? What would he want her to do? Standing between his sleeping form and the threat, she made a pathetically small shield. She took a step, then another, scanning the dark. More likely an animal lured by the scent of roasting meat. It could have it. Feeling with her toe, she kicked the remains of the haunch from the hot stone, toppling it into the bed of leaves and grass. Another shove, but the damned thing had caught on a stone and refused to roll away.

  She dipped, intending to pick it up and throw it. But that meant taking her eyes off the rustling behind a trunk to her left.

  Lord have mercy. The thing was huge, stepping boldly from behind the trunk. Shaped by her lurid imagination into a lion, a bear, a dragon and then the silhouette of a tall man, arms held wide, like men did when they were about to say “I’m unarmed, don’t shoot.”

  Kelskar, wake up. Kelskar snored heavily in response. The man took another step.

  “That’s a waste of good meat.”

  His voice, modulated low to the night, floated across the gap between them. Janie’s fingers tensed on the sword hilt. None of the halting speech caused by the translation chip’s learning curve. Which meant the man might well be speaking real English.

  “I know how to use this thing.” Could he see her arms trembling? See Kelskar out for the count behind her?

  “Your man drunk is he?” The stranger lifted his chin, peering over her shoulder. “Snoring like a sleeping dragon, so he is.” Another step and the man was much nearer than she realised in the deceptive gloom. “Don’t come any closer, he’s about to wake up. And he’ll likely kill you where you stand.”

  “So you weren’t begging him to rouse just now? You’re new here, or you’d know how sound carries in these forests.”

  Hell, what did she do? Issue a challenge? Order him to leave?

  Yeah, that would scare him.

  She’d moved about two lengths from Kelskar to shove the meat. Too far to kick Kelskar awake. Still too out of it. Damn Laeesha for choosing now to put him in a trance.

  “What do you want? Don’t come any closer. I’m not afraid to us
e this.”

  “So you keep telling me.” The intruder raised his face to the canopy. Becoming more distinct with each insolent step. Dark hair, in keeping with the night, swept back from a high, ridged forehead and tied at his nape. A patched jacket. Tight-fitting pants moulded to his thighs. Knee length boots.

  “What do I want?” I want so many things I can’t tell you. Though a few slices of that meat would be a good start.”

  Janie blinked. Something about the intruder’s face, a mask of sublime beauty and rippling pleats forming wavy patterns at his forehead, sketching the lines of his cheeks and jawbone caught and held her. Like a fallen angel auditioning for a sci fi movie, she thought and shook herself free of the pull. “Take it.” She edged one toe toward the haunch. “Take it and go before he wakes up.”

  The intruder’s lips quirked in a faint smile. “Why thank you, ma’am.” He bowed low, a sudden swooping movement flowing into a twirl, almost like a dancer. Too late, Janie swung the sword and found herself holding empty air, the sharp tip now grazing her throat.

  Fuck. How did that happen so fast? Throat straining away from the blade, she wanted only to look at Kelskar one more time before the man dragged her off into the woods to do his worst and slit her throat. Her eyes slid upward. She didn’t dare move her head. Where were the freaking cameras when she needed them? The Corporation didn’t pay for this senseless, private death with no one watching. Did they?

  The man followed her gaze.

  “I had a couple of the smaller cameras following me for the past four days so I took them out. Gets to a man, you know, when he’s watched day in and day out. It won’t endear me to them.” He put a heavy emphasis on the word them. “I generally like to keep a low profile. But I’m seeking something so I had to show myself.”

  Janie swallowed. The blade kissed her skin, lifting her chin higher. “Seen what?” Now, Kelskar. Now would be a good time to wake up.

  “If it helps, you did look a little bit fierce, there protecting your man. He’d be proud of you, so he would. I’m seeking a woman. Sun kissed skin, tall. An Earth woman like you. She may have a baby with her.”

  “I haven’t seen any women since they dropped us here.”

  Don’t be fooled. Don’t give anything away. Whatever made Laeesha run into the night carrying a newborn baby, this man was a part of it.

  He pursed his lips, tilting his head for another long appraising glance at the sleeping Kelskar. “You’re a terrible liar, don’t you know? I suppose it was you administered that healing paste?”

  Oh Lord, didn’t all her friends say her game face sucked? No use lying. He knew about Laeesha’s healing skill? What did she do? She couldn’t run and leave Kelskar defenceless. She had to stand here, between him and this guy and hope Kelskar woke up before the guy decided to kill them both.

  She had to die defending him, if it came to that. The thought hit Janie like a jolt of electricity that straightened her spine and filled her veins, every cell in her body with determined resolve.

  She’d do it. Right now she’d lay down her life saving the man she loved. How could she not? She’d face the dragons themselves if they swooped down and threatened him with obliterating fire.

  “Brave little thing, aren’t you?”

  Was she? Brave had been giving up a safe job to follow her dreams. Taking out a massive bank loan to buy smart oak and chrome tables, commercial ovens and muffin tins. Brave had been trusting Justin.

  “Your man, he’s waking up.” The sword flipped in the man’s hand, reversed in one deft move. Offering her the hilt he made another stately bow. “Here, you have this. Your man catches me with a sword at your throat I’ll have a fight on my hands and I’ve things to do right now. Take it and for Meekar’s sake, hold it like you mean it. You grip it like a woman, so you do.”

  “I am a woman.” Janie groped for the sword before the man changed his mind. Behind her, Kelskar made a low, rattling groan. Was the intruder toying with her? Laughing at her pathetic attempts to appear tough and in charge? Should she kill him while she had the chance? Snatching the sword from his loose grip, she leaped backwards, almost stumbling into the hot charcoal of the fire. The man waited for her to regain balance.

  “That’s better.” He nodded at her hand. “The grip’s oval for a reason. Tells you which way the blade is pointing. Twist your fingers like this and aim here, for the large vessel in the neck. It’s less protected than the heart.”

  “Who are you?” He could disarm her in a heartbeat but told her how to kill him instead. Could this get more surreal?

  “Dailam’s the name. Private assassin working for anyone who can afford me. I killed one wrong person too many and because I’m such an entertaining fellow, I landed here instead of the death pod.”

  “Assassin?”

  “I know, hard to believe with a face like mine.” His smile nearly blinded her. Full of swaggering confidence. Tied back hair dancing with streaks of yellow and red like the embers of the dying campfire. Skin a dark mottled brown, like the mouldering leaves at their feet.

  An assassin who decided to let her live.

  “So, pretty lady. Did they drop you here for The Chase?”

  “The Chase? What’s that?”

  Kelskar coughed. His fingers twitched.

  Come on, wake up.

  “Don’t tell me you’re here on a felony charge?” Dailam raised finely arched eyebrows, obviously impressed at the notion. “Don’t they always say the most deadly things smell of the sweetest spice? So what did you do?”

  “What did I do?” She could hardly speak for the sudden choking laugh clogging her throat. Behind her, Kelskar groaned, mumbling a string of incoherent words. Waking up. Thank God.

  Without the chip. Please, let the chip be dead.

  “What did I do to land here?” It seemed so ludicrous now. One day it might all make sense. “I baked one cupcake too many. That’s what I did.”

  She loved him. Words he thought never to hear again. Kelskar lifted his head, tensing for the clanging bells, the hammers banging his abused bones. He twisted his neck to the left and the right, relieved to find the clamour in his brain dimmed to a background thump at the base of his skull. Nothing like the vertigo-inducing noise endured in the past few days. Blinking, he remembered the kills, man and beast. Stripping naked before Laeesha. Janie holding the baby.

  Janie. Dark gods, he left her alone and slept?

  “Kelskar, it’s all right. Kelskar, speak to me.”

  He recognised the tone, the question she’d asked so many times since the abduction. No extra night vision in his eyes, he remembered her, his wife and child. The princess he vowed to save. Sagging against the rough trunk, Kelskar gathered every scrap of reason and forced himself fully awake.

  Himself again—for now. The panic of Laeesha reactivating the chip, drained away. He would have killed her where she stood, had he the will. Foolish beyond measure to put himself into the hands of a stranger with unknown motives and leaving Janie defenceless.

  Without thought, Kelskar sought out a weapon, digging into the leaves where he left the long sword. A move that had become second nature to him as head of royal security and then as Gladiator Kelskar. A dizzying wave rolled over him. No sword. Was Janie holding it? He thought he saw her holding the greatsword at a man’s throat.

  “Kelskar, this is Dailam.”

  Dailam? Should he know the man? Cool night air whispered over Kelskar’s short-cropped hair, his bare legs. He sniffed the sweet scent of water. Dehydrated, fuzzy headed and on fire. The wounds awoke, along with his addled brain, burning like the unquenchable blazes of Krell in each place Laeesha administered her potion. Of no concern, his body would fight its own battle with the infection. Fight and win. His eyes adjusted to the gloom. Made out the shape of a man.

  Janie holding a man at bay with his sword? The picture made no sense. A man of size, balanced in fighting stance, wary and watchful and completely unconcerned at the blade touching his throat. Ja
nie recognised none of that.

  “Janie, pass me the sword, but slowly. Don’t turn around.”

  “Kelskar, this is Dalaim. He smelled the meat and he’s angling for a dinner invitation. I have it all in hand.” The last she said with a hint of injured pride. He would apologise later for questioning her authority in front of this stranger who only appeared mildly amused at the exchange. Smiles meant nothing. A killer could smile as well as a friend.

  Janie held the man only as long as the intruder allowed.

  “The sword.” No watching cameras so not a set up for the viewing masses. If Janie didn’t give him the sword he’d be forced to take it, to make a sudden move and propel the stranger to action. Why didn’t she understand that?

  “I’m looking for something, friend. A woman and a baby. I mean you nor your woman any harm.” Arms spread, away from any sudden drawing of some concealed weapon, the man appealed to him directly, warrior to warrior. Letting him read his face in the glowing firelight.

  A skill Kelskar had once practised to perfection as head of security in the royal household, reading intention in the slightest of moves, in the twitch of an eye. And then again in the arena where he knew a man’s mind and soul in one swift glance.

  The man’s skin and hair seemed to blend with the night, the forest and fire. Memory sparked in Kelskar’s brain of other beings with similar skills. A Chameleon child? Somewhere in his secret service past he had dealt with these rare genetic anomalies. With hair and skin that that morphed and changed with background colour, they carried perfect camouflage and made the best assassins.

  “A woman and a babe?” No sign of Laeesha and Dimo. Did this man know they’d given the runaway sanctuary?

  He’d slept too long.

  No sign of the sword forthcoming. Locked in Janie’s fist, she must mistrust his reactions after the healing and the sleep. He couldn’t blame her for that.