"Fine," she says. "You bring my man home."
She looks at me when she says it. I nod accepting the responsibility.
"Let's go then," Rosalind says, walking past us and out the door.
Outside four more men have gathered. They carry with them metal barrels that I assume are weapons. They look similar to the ones I saw the Zzlo carrying. I wonder if they'll be effective against the armor of a zemlja but we'll find out in time. Touching my lochaber I catch Ladon's eyes and glance at the weapons the others are carrying. He shrugs so I assume he knows as much as I do about their use.
Ladon takes the lead and Rosalind walks beside him. We follow two by two, Jolie and I next and the others behind. When we reach the access tunnel to exit the shield, Ladon stops and turns to me. I step up and touch my symbol to the control panel which unlocks it and the outer door disappears and we walk out into the desert.
Ladon, this being his territory, once more assumes the lead. The sun rises as we walk and I make sure that Jolie is drinking often. She adds a powdered supplement to her water which seems to help as well as takes some small white tablets. It's past noon when Ladon holds up a fist.
"Are we close?" I ask, keeping my voice soft.
He points to a dune and when I close my protective lenses I can see a dark crack. Ladon resumes walking and now no one speaks. The men with us rattle bringing their weapons to the ready. Entering the shadowy cavern the temperature drop is immediate and welcome to Jolie I'm sure. It causes a shiver to run down my spine as my body temperature drops to match it.
The cavern is large and open. The ceiling is dozens of feet above us and the walls are distant. There is no epis in sight but that is to be expected. This opening is natural, not made by a zemlja so the required fertilizer would not be here for epis to grow. At the back of the cavern is a crevasse towards which Ladon is leading us.
Ladon presses himself into the rock. He has to turn sideways and is barely able to pass through. He's a ways in when the ground trembles and he freezes.
"What the hell?" one of the men behind me mutters.
I whirl around and slam my hand quickly over his mouth. His eyes widen and he raises his weapon between us and the other men bring their weapons noisily to bear on me but I shake my head furiously holding my fingers over my own mouth. He nods behind my hand and I remove it but the ground is still trembling. Dust and small rocks fall from overhead, raining down on us. It's coming closer. The man who spoke is shaking, his face turns pale, and he's looking around with his wide eyes. The moisture on his face is pouring out, dripping off of his chin as he starts turning side to side, his weapon rattling with each movement.
I shake my head trying to get his attention, trying to silently make him stop but he's not paying attention. The tremble becomes a rumble and larger rocks fall from above us. A slide happens on the far wall as a section of it crumbles falling loudly to the ground. The man shakes his head raising his weapon towards the slide then the thing in his hands barks wildly. The sound of it is deafening.
I leap and tackle the man dragging him to the ground. The weapon keeps barking until we hit when it stops at last. I hold him still despite his struggling. I'm larger and stronger than him but it's too late. The rumble grows louder still. The zemlja has tracked its prey, our only hope now is to run. We'll have to fight it but not here where we're confined by the cave.
"Out!" I yell, looking over my shoulder and spotting Jolie.
She runs obeying me without question. Good girl. The others move along with her. Rosalind stays behind yelling and pointing in her own tongue. Ladon is exiting the crevasse but the ground is bucking as the zemlja gets closer. He's almost out when I see the walls to either side shift and he cries out in pain.
"Ladon!" I scream, climbing off the man I'd been restraining.
"Get out of here," Ladon barks.
Ignoring him I grab his hand and pull back. He's stuck tight and I gain no headway. Placing a foot against the wall I pull again but he grunts in pain. The strain on his shoulder is too much. The ground is bucking up and down making the opening tighter.
"I can't leave you behind," I say, stepping back and crouching down so as to be jarred less while I survey the situation.
"Stay and we both die," he says. "Get out of here, survive, care for Calista and my child."
"No, I promised her I'd bring you home," I say. "I won't let my people down again."
The rocks shift and then I get an idea.
"You're being stupid," Ladon grunts.
"Spread your wings warrior," I order.
"I can't," he says.
"You can, you must! Spread them, it will ease the pressure but you have to do it now."
He cries out in pain but his wings spread out and I take his arm and pull. He pops out of the crevasse and we fall to the ground with him landing on top of me. He leaps to his feet, takes my arm and jerks me to my feet. Together we run out, the last to exit from the cavern.
"Sverre!" Jolie screams seeing me and starts running.
The ground between the two of us explodes. Sand and rocks fly upwards obscuring my view of her and behind the exploding earth comes the zemlja. I'm knocked backwards by the force of its eruption.
"JOLIE!" I scream
I'm tumbling head over heels uncertain of up from down. I slam into the ground hard and something breaks in my chest. I feel the crack, a stabbing pain, then a numbing sensation spreads. Climbing to my feet I waver then steady myself. Reaching for my lochaber my hand comes up empty. Twenty feet in front of me it sticks up out of the sand like a marker. On the far side of it, another thirty feet, is the zemlja. It's massive, forty feet around at least, rising twenty-five feet into the air. The earth-dragon is the most fearsome thing on the planet and this one is fully grown.
It waves back and forth snapping its maw. The body of a zemlja is round, supple and long. They travel under the earth digging tunnels as they inch their bodies along. They're meat eaters that hunt by sound. Anything along the surface is in danger as they dig up from below and catch their prey unaware.
They're also the source of the epis which grows in the tunnels that criss-cross beneath the surface of the planet and is fertilized by their excrement. Its body is covered with a shell-like carapace which layers one over another to protect it from any other predator. Jolie is on the opposite side of this one which means I need its attention to be on me. Away from her.
"ZEMLJA!" I scream to attract its attention.
It waves back and forth then locks on to the sound of my voice. It leans its mouth towards me and I run forward hoping to close with my lochaber before it decides to slam down and crush me. Stretching my hand out my fingers are almost close enough to grasp the hilt of my weapon.
"ROLL!" Ladon screams from behind me and I do so without thinking.
Tucking my head and pulling my tail and wings tight, I shoulder roll to the left and keep rolling, hoping I can make enough distance to escape the slamming worm.
It hits the ground and I'm thrown airborne again still in a tight ball. My ribs scream from the position and it's almost impossible to catch my breath. When I hit the ground I'm dazed. Can't clear my thoughts or take in enough air. Everything spins and all I can think of is Jolie. The sweet sound of her voice calling my name. Jolie, she's in danger. I have to save her. I stand up, pushing past the pain, past the confusion, none of that matters. Jolie needs me.
Stars dance at the edge of my vision. Every time I blink the scene before me blurs then comes clear then blurs again. The zemlja is rising back up into the air. People are screaming. There is an incessant barking sound followed by pinging. The men that came with us are using their weapons but as I thought they are ineffective against the zemlja. The projectiles they send at it are bouncing harmlessly off its scales but they continue trying as if it might change. Fools.
Ladon has his lochaber and is standing in front of the zemlja. I have to help him. My lochaber is still sticking out of the ground where I spotted it before but now it's dozens of y
ards away. I have to reach it to help him, to save Jolie. Where is she? I run for the lochaber looking for her as I do. There! I spot her behind the men with their weapons. She spots me running and screams my name.
"RUN!" I yell at her pointing towards the city. "NOW!"
I know she's going to argue, disobey, but I can't spare any more attention. I hope she listens. A shadow falls across me as I run. I glance up just in time to see the zemlja slamming down. I tuck and roll this time keeping my sense of direction and aiming for my lochaber. When it hits I'm thrown up but I'm in control now. I uncurl and spread my wings gliding to a stop next to my weapon which I grab up and whirl to face the monster.
I can't see Ladon. I hope he's alive, I can't do this alone. A zemlja has three weaknesses. The eyes, located at the top of it's head, very difficult to reach due to its size alone. The mouth, filled with acidic spit and rows of razor sharp teeth and the last place you want to be close to. Lastly the overlap of the scales. The lochaber is designed such that you can slide the blade between the plates. If you hit something sensitive you can kill it.
The eyes are my best bet on one this size. In order to reach its eyes I have to climb up on it and hope it doesn't dive below the earth before I reach them. Where is Jolie? Looking as I run for the monster I see her watching. She didn't run, damn it. I told her to obey me no matter what and she's still there behind the other men. They've stopped using their weapons realizing at last that they're ineffective. Rosalind has drawn a thin sword and is running for the beast just as I am.
Rocks strew the path in front of me and I leap up them gaining momentum. I target a large one as I leap from one to another reaching the biggest one that is closet to the beast. Leaping from it I spread my wings and strain with all I've got gaining height as I soar through the air for the zemlja.
"Sverre!" I hear Jolie scream but I can't spare even a glance in her direction.
If this doesn't work I hope she knows I did this for her.
The zemlja moves back and forth. I'm ten feet below it's maw when my feet touch its scales. I'm sliding down the side of it. Whirling my lochaber I grip it with two hands and thrust between two of the scales driving it into the tender flesh. It hooks and I use it to stop my slide. The zemlja screams, an ear shattering sound. I shake my head to clear it then move up the haft of my lochaber hand over hand.
Climbing up towards the worm's back, I see motion on the other side. Ladon and I arrive on top of the beast at the same time. Exchanging a brief nod I brace myself with my feet while grabbing an overlapping scale with my left hand. Using my right I jerk my lochaber free, stretch as far as I can and drive it between two scales.
The zemlja screams again and something pops inside my ears causing an explosion of pain that blinds me for an instant. My sense of balance is gone, dizziness rocks through me and I'm in motion causing even more confusion. I grip tight to my weapon knowing that an impact must be coming. It hits and I'm bucked up off the zemlja then slammed back down against it. Already broken bones stab deep inside my chest. Breathing becomes a labored affair but I can't let it stop me. Jolie is still too close. This thing must die. It will not harm her.
A few more feet. Only a few more feet and I will reach its eyes. Once more I clench a scale, free my lochaber, and then drive it in. Climbing up I'm close to its head. Ladon is beside me but we don't spare time for each other. The thing rises back into the sky, straight up, I'm dangling by my grip on a scale and the haft of my lochaber. It takes all my will to hang on despite the pain, the inability to breath, the dizziness all conspire pushing me to let go, to give up. Jolie swims in my vision and I find the strength in her to hang on.
It's moving, waving and I'm able to get my feet back on. I don't bother with the lochaber. The ridge of bone surrounding its eye is just beyond my reach. Bracing, I leap for it, spreading my wings and driving myself up. My fingers brush it and I start to fall but I push my wings harder and gain an inch then my fingers close on it. I'm hanging by one hand as it shifts and I lose my footing again. Straining I pull myself up. Every part of my body screams in pain. It's too much but I can't give in.
"JOLIE!" I scream.
A force from below propels me the last few precious inches up and I'm there! Ladon used his own body to help me reach the worm's weakness.
I draw my knife with my free hand and as my head comes up over the top of the zemlja I drive the dagger into its eye with all the force I can muster. It's massive maw opens, screams, row upon row of razor sharp teeth smash together. I push down with all I have driving the dagger in deeper trying to reach the brain behind the eye.
Wind rushes past as blackness closes. Stars dance in the blackness and my last thought is of Jolie.
"I love you Jolie," I whisper as the blackness claims me.
20 JOLIE
"Be okay. Be okay," I whisper over his still form.
None of us are familiar with Zmaj physiology so our treatment has been a guess and hope. I've been sitting here at Sverre's side for the past thirty hours. Waiting. Hoping. Praying.
The door opens and soft footsteps enter. A hand touches my shoulder, gripping, and Calista leans in to rest her head against mine. I cover her hand with mine and a tear slides down my face.
"He'll be okay," she says reassuringly.
Sverre's chest rises and falls with shallow, short breaths.
"He has to be," I say my voice choking. "He saved us."
"Ladon agrees. He says he's never followed a braver man into battle."
A smile plays at the corner of my mouth but it can't overcome the weight of my worry.
"Why doesn't he wake up?" I ask, my voice soft as it passes the lump in my throat.
"He's healing Jolie," Calista says. "A rib punctured his lung, three others were broken, his wing was damaged, and he fractured his wrist. Once his body catches up he'll wake, there's no signs of any brain trauma."
"I know, I just, it's been so long," I say.
"I know," she agrees.
She pulls a chair over and sits down close enough that she can put an arm around my shoulders. I lean over against her and some of the weight on me seems to lift.
"I don't want to be here without him. I can't imagine a world in which he's not by my side."
"You won't have to," she promises.
We sit in silence with nothing more to say. An hour passes when I notice that he's breathing deeper and with less effort. His tail shifts as he takes a deep breath.
"JOLIE!" Sverre yells, sitting straight up in bed. His arms flail out wildly.
"I'm here, it's over!" I cry out throwing myself into his arms.
He wraps them around me pulling me tight and cradles me against his chest while getting his bearings.
"You are not hurt?" he asks and I look up into his eyes.
"I'm fine," I say, tears streaming down my face.
"She is fine?" he asks Calista, apparently not believing me.
"She's fine, it's you we've been worried about," Calista says.
He nods still sitting up. He takes a deep breath and I see him wince.
"I'm fine," he says. "The zemlja? Ladon? Did we harvest the epis?"
"Everyone's fine," I answer him. "And yes, we got the epis."
"You took it? You must take it," he says inspecting me.
"Yes," I smile at him.
He nods satisfied then takes another deep breath. He grimaces showing it obviously hurts but it must be better than it was because he follows it with another.
"Ladon is fine?" he asks.
"Yes," Calista says. "He was bruised and strained his left wing but he's fine."
"Good," he says.
"Are you okay?" Calista asks.
"I'm fine," he says dismissively.
"Right," she says. "Are you okay?"
I sit up from him and he looks between her and I then nods.
"Yes, there is pain, some ribs are broken but healing. My wrist hurts and my wings are strained. A few days and I'll be fine."
"
Good," Calista says. "I think I'll leave you two alone for a bit then."
She smiles and leaves the room. I stand up and follow her out thanking her for everything she's done. I shut the door then stand with my hand on it before turning around.
"That was the dumbest, stupidest, damnedest thing I've ever seen and don't you ever do that again," I say stalking towards him.
He has the decency to not argue. Sverre hangs his head down and nods.
"I agree," he says as I tap my foot impatiently. "It had to be though. The men with their weapons would have attracted its attention which would have brought it towards you. I had to save you."
"I was fine," I say.
"No, you weren't," he says simply.
"You scared me," I admit the truth behind my righteous anger. "I thought I was going to lose you."
He touches my cheek, trailing his fingers along my jaw.
"I don't want a world without you," he says, his beautiful turquoise eyes swimming with emotions.
My smile pulls the corners of my mouth up washing away the fear and anger and upset.
"I don't want one without you," I say, kissing him and letting everything else go.
Footsteps run down the hallway, a lot of them, breaking our kiss.
"What is that?" he asks.
"I don't know," I say as I walk to the door and look out.
A man assigned to be a guard is running down the hall.
"What's happening?" I yell at his retreating back.
He looks over his shoulder and yells back. "Intruders at the shield. Amara's outside."
"Damn it," Sverre says from behind me then he's right there.
"You're injured!" I exclaim.
"I said this would happen. Others are coming. If they're here we need to reach them beyond the bijass. I need to be there, no one else understands this like I do."
"No, no way, you're still hurt."
He stares into my eyes, not arguing with words, but I feel him. I know what he's thinking, what he wants to say and he knows what I want to say. Our understanding of each other is so complete that words aren't necessary. He's right and I know it despite my fears of losing him or seeing him injured again. Giving in to it I step to one side and follow him out the door. We run the same direction the guard was running following the sound of his echoing footsteps until we're outside then it's a simple matter of following the crowd. Everyone is heading to see the action.
Dragon's Mate: A Scifi Alien Romance (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss Book 2) Page 14