“What are you doing?” Darius appeared in her doorway, then leaned against it, watching her.
She’d forgotten to shut the door. Already having taken off one dress to put the other on, she worked desperately to get the zipper in back to close. “Would you help me with this?”
He walked toward her, turned her around, and zipped her dress. “You’ll take the herbs and come right back.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I find out why there are Runners at Reena’s.” She squatted down on all fours and reached under her bed.
“There are Sea People ready to attack Gothman. I’ll not have you running around the countryside.”
Tara ignored him. She took her Runner clothing out of the bag and set them on the bed, then slipped into her leather boots.
This was the first Darius had seen of her Runner clothing. More curious to him though was the small, silver bang stick she pulled out of an inner sleeve in the bag. Tara checked it like a seasoned professional. Then she opened another flap in the bag and pulled out a larger weapon. This one grabbed his attention. Darius leaned over and picked up the small laser to look at it. “This is what you used to shoot the trash can that day, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” She continued to get herself ready.
He put down the laser, then picked up the larger weapon, strode over to the balcony. Darius opened the doors, aimed the Runner weapon at a group of trees at the far edge of the meadow, and pulled the trigger. A branch on a tree a good half-mile away fell to the ground. Darius grunted as he scrutinized the weapon closely.
Tara reached into the bag and pulled out a small case. She opened it and removed a small flat disc. It was more minute than any coin and as flat as a piece of paper. She placed the disc on the edge of her finger and moved behind Darius.
“I like this one.” He held up the large weapon.
“It has four more shots in it.” She reached around him and pointed to the attachment on the side. “It works best at a distance. If it’s used at close range, it emits a large explosion. You may keep it. I’ll do with my laser.”
Darius put his arm around her waist and yanked her up against him. He held her to him in a possessive grip. Darius kept the powerful weapon in one hand at his side. But he held her in a death grip with the other arm.
Tara wrapped both hands around his neck and gently stuck the small disc on to his flesh just under his shirt at his nape. It held its place under Darius’ curls, and she prayed he wouldn’t detect it. Although she’d never used a tracker before, they were virtually undetectable, waterproof and would give her peace of mind if trouble was about to occur.
“It’s important that you listen to me. Gothman is going to be attacked sooner than I anticipated. I want you to be safe.” Darius searched her face as he spoke.
There wasn’t time to rejoice in the compassion she saw on his face, in spite of her heart skipping a beat. Tara pushed away and slipped a harness over her dress, then she slid her laser in it. “What do you know of the Sea People? Have you had contact with them before?”
This was a side to Tara he hadn’t seen before. She was preparing for battle. It would take many guards, and probably locks and chains to keep this woman at home. Tara was a Runner, something he’d always known, and staying put wasn’t her nature. Up until now he’d had no problem keeping her at home. The moment she heard word of her people, she prepared to leave. She wasn’t asking his permission to go; she was just going. He wondered if he would ever be able to tame that part of her.
Tara appealed to him because she was wild, untamed, outspoken and beyond sexy. Would taming any of those qualities make her less appealing? He worried the answer to that was yes.
“This is the first time the Sea People have come this close to Gothman. I’ll not stand for them pushing into my borders, though.”
“They’ve communicated with you?”
“I’ve received messages saying the Gothman have grown too large and they don’t intend to honor the hold I have on my land.”
“That isn’t true. The Gothman borders run into the Freelands. Darius, have you never been out of Gothman?”
He frowned and his gray eyes darkened. He wasn’t pleased that she questioned what he knew, or didn’t know. “Are you saying I can’t rule this land because I’ve never been outside its borders?” He scowled. “My papa didn’t need the help of outsiders and neither do I.”
“Understanding your enemy helps to defeat them.”
“So now you are telling me how to rule.” He looked fierce when he smiled and stroked her cheek. “You have until sundown to go and return home.”
Tara put her black leather jacket over her dress. Grabbing the bag, now empty and ready for Hilda’s herbs, she headed for the door.
Darius grabbed her arm. “Did you hear me? Before sundown.”
“I’ll be fine.” She went up on tip toe and rested her hand on his shoulder. She was reeling from the shock of him just saying this was her home. “I know this will take time for you to accept,” she whispered and brushed her lips over his. “Not only would I be safe outside after dark, but I would be the danger others should worry about.”
Tara reached up and pulled a band off his leather jacket sleeve that bore the Gothman seal and shoved it in to her bag.
“I’ll represent two nations today.” She smiled and kissed him again.
“You’ll be home before dark because no respectable Gothman woman is out after the sun goes down,” Darius grumbled, his expression still dark and dangerous. Then his voice went oddly flat. “Tell your leader that Gothman would be honored if the Runners would enter into battle with us against the Sea People.”
Tara stared at him, stunned. “Okay, I will,” she said, before turning and leaving the room. Now her head was seriously reeling as she ran down the stairs.
Hilda looked at Tara’s outfit when she reached the bottom of the stairs, but didn’t say anything. Her son stood at the top of the stairs with the large Runner gun in his hand. Hilda opened her mouth, but closed it and handed the keys to her groundmobile and the herbs to Tara.
Nothing she would say would make any difference. There had been many times since her claim, Jovis, had died that she’d been glad he wasn’t around to see what was happening. Jovis had encountered Runners many winters ago. Their culture and beliefs were very different from Gothman. Their nomadic nature had been proof enough to her claim that they were unreliable with no true honor or sense of commitment.
“They will infiltrate our society and breed weakness into our strong Gothman code of values. My warriors are superior because they’ve known since they were boys that they would be part of a powerful nation. Gothman is a mountain that can’t be crossed. Runners will never be allowed to impress upon my people their nomadic ways.”
Jovis had ordered any Runner entering Gothman to be shot on sight. Before that decision, her claim had left for Reena’s many times. Even as a girl, Reena had insisted on remaining in the forest outside of Bryton after her parents died. Hilda had feared her good friend was becoming a mistress to claimed men. Hilda’s fears had escalated when her claim had started riding out to the secluded home of her unclaimed friend.
Hilda already had two babies – two sons. She was claim to the Lord of Gothman. Some claims weren’t based on love but Hilda had loved her claim. It had been an early morning when she’d followed Jovis to Reena’s. That’s when she’d seen Reena with the Runner.
The Runner wanted Reena to leave with him. Hilda had rushed out of her groundmobile and wrapped her arms around Reena. She’d been a fool to doubt her claim’s love for her. Now all that mattered was saving Reena. Hilda had cried that she couldn’t stand living without her best friend. Jovis had held Hilda in his arms, soothing her, and forbade Reena to leave Gothman. The Runner had told Jovis if he gave Reena a claim it would mean war.
“You’ve tainted this lass, Runner,” Jovis had barked. “No honorable Gothman would want her. But hear me now. If a Runner ever enters my lands, mingles w
ith my people, they will be shot on sight.” He’d sliced his hand through the air with the finality of his command.
Hilda blinked away the memory and stared at Darius holding the Runner weapon and the Runner leaving with Hilda’s groundmobile. If she’d given up her best friend all those winters ago maybe her claim’s justified fears wouldn’t be coming true today.
Hilda’s groundmobile moved a lot faster than Reena’s, but it still took too long to get through the town and up the hill to Reena’s house. Two Runner motorcycles were parked in front of Reena’s house when she pulled up. Tara immediately recognized Patha’s. She got out of the groundmobile and ran to the house.
There was no one in the living room, and the house was too quiet. Tara pulled out her laser and aimed it in front of her as she moved toward the hallway.
The door to Reena’s bedroom was open, and she pointe d the gun at the empty room. Tara walked to the window and looked out at backyard. She didn’t see anyone. A group of five framed images on the dresser next to the window caught her eye. The first image she saw was of a small child picking flowers in a meadow. Others depicted the same girl at different ages.
The last image was of a girl in her adolescence sitting on a small motorcycle. Tara cocked her head sideways in puzzlement. The motorcycle looked very familiar. She looked back at the other images again.
They were all of her!
Tara’s heart tightened in her chest. She wiped her suddenly damp palms down her hips while staring at the images. For the sake of Nuworld! What was Reena doing with pictures of her at different ages? She hadn’t even known the images had been taken.
“Tara?”
She spun around and aimed her laser at the open bedroom doorway. The front door closed. It sounded like several people had just entered the house. Tara grabbed the framed images and walked down the hallway, laser in one hand and images in the other.
Reena called out again. “Tara?”
“I’m here.” Tara stopped at the end of the hallway.
Reena stood in the middle of the room while Patha and one of his guards struggled to help a Runner she didn’t recognize to the couch.
“Did you bring the herbs?” Reena asked.
Tara nodded and pointed to her bag on the edge of the couch. She then hurried to the large old man, setting her laser and the images on the table beside her. “Patha! It’s so good to see you.”
Patha turned to greet her and she jumped into his arms. Patha lifted her up off the ground and hugged her tight enough she lost her breath.
“What brings you this far from home?” No matter how many winters she had, she would never tire of Patha’s hugs. “What happened?” she asked, nodding to the injured Runner.
“Reena’s the best doctor in the area, and we needed her. We aren’t with the clan right now.” Patha squeezed her wrists with powerfully large hands. “Look at you, Tara-girl, all dressed up like a Gothman.” He held her hands out in front of her and took a good look. “I do believe she’s put on a little weight.” Patha looked at Reena for confirmation. “What do you think?”
“Maybe Gothman suits her.” Reena finished mixing together a salve from the herbs Tara had brought and knelt to coat the Runner’s wounded leg. She finished by tying a bandage around it then stood and moved to stand by Patha. “Your man should be fine. Mind you, those wild boar lashes can get infected, but I’ve got him good and cleaned up.”
“We’re closer to you than the clansite right now,” Patha explained. “I knew you could take good care of him.”
“I’ll be fine,” the Runner on the couch promised.
“Unlike that wild boar who threw you off your bike.” Duru, who was five winters older than Tara and had returned from his Age Of Searching before she’d left, laughed and slapped the man on the shoulder.
The two men joked about what had happened but Tara turned to Patha. “I’ve really missed you. I can’t wait to tell you what has happened.”
“I look forward to your stories around the fire.” Patha beamed and looked over her. “Gothman won’t know what’s hit it.”
“Tara, what have you here?” Reena interrupted, and picked the images off the side table.
“I found them on your dresser when I was looking for you. They’re images of me. What are you doing with them?” Tara watched Reena glance up at Patha. Patha looked at the images. He then looked at Reena and the two of them were silent for too long. Tara narrowed her eyes at both of them. “What’s going on here?”
Reena turned away from Tara. “How does that bandage feel?” She asked her patient.
“I’ll be fine.” The Runner started to stand and Duru helped him to his feet and allowed himself to be used as a crutch.
“Let’s put him in the bedroom on the right,” Reena instructed. “I’ll watch him for a bit just to make sure no infection sets in.”
“Reena, you didn’t answer me,” Tara persisted, after watching the two men disappear into the bedroom.
Reena didn’t turn around but stared at the hallway and the open bedroom door where the two Runners were. “Tara, I’m your mama,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
“What?” Tara gasped, and grabbed Reena’s arm to spin her around. “It sounded like you just said—”
Patha reached for Reena. “Tara,” he said in that soft warming tone that used to make her jump to do as she was told.
She wasn’t a child anymore. She stared at Reena, who was holding Patha’s arm as if she might fall over if she let go. “Reena, it sounded as if you just said ”
“I did,” Reena interrupted. Her face was white as a sheet. “I am your mama.”
Tara reached for the back of the couch to steady herself. The room started spinning. Reena wasn’t making any sense. “My…mama?” She barely uttered the words. “I don’t have a mama.”
“Come outside with us, child.” Patha pulled Tara to him and placed his other hand gently on Reena’s shoulder. “It’s time you knew the truth.”
Duru appeared from the hallway, and Reena turned to him. “Slice some pie for you two,” she said, gesturing toward her kitchen.
Tara noticed Reena’s hand shaking and turned to the kitchen. “I should help him.” But she didn’t move. Her brain wasn’t working.
“I can handle it.” Duru smiled at Tara and waved the group toward the door. “Go share your stories. If there is pie in the kitchen, I will find it.”
“You better save a slice for me.” Patha chuckled and again placed his hands on the two women, guiding them to the door.
Tara walked outside in a dazed stupor. She settled on the steps and frowned when Patha and Reena sat on the open room’s swing together. Patha’s large fingers wrapped around Reena’s small hand and the two held hands.
She stared at their hands, interlocked. “You told me that my mama died and that you never knew her name. You said you found me when I was three winters old.” She shook her head. None of this made any sense. “And what is this?” she demanded, staring at their hands.
“Child, I don’t know where to begin.” Reena’s eyes welled with tears. Now there seemed to be too much color on her face. “Patha and I have known each other for a very long time. He would come see me from time to time, but staying for too long was not his way. Patha and I fell in love. He wanted me to move to his clan but Lord Jovis would not permit me to leave.”
Patha patted Reena’s hand. “Lord Jovis ordered me to stay out of Gothman but I continued to come see you,” Patha chuckled, and Reena nodded, both silent for a moment as they relived a memory. “I wasn’t too good at following orders.”
“I do believe you threatened a war over me.” Reena beamed at Patha.
“No.” He shook his head and smiled at Reena in a way that Tara had never seen him smile before. “You’re remembering wrong. I would never have done that.”
“You didn’t want any other man claiming me.”
Patha leaned over and kissed Reena’s forehead. “I still don’t.”
“Hey, what about me?” Tara demanded. “None of this makes any sense.”
Seeing Patha this happy made it hard to be angry, but Tara was definitely confused.
“How are you my mama?” she demanded of Reena.
“When I found out I was pregnant I was so happy. I had a part of Patha that would stay with me, and I was free of the claiming forever. I had hoped, at first, that Patha would settle down with me here. Lord Jovis wouldn’t hear of it, and Patha was not the settling down type. I kept you until you were about three. Oh child, you were beautiful even then.”
“Why didn’t you keep me?” Tara pulled her knees to her chest, forgetting the Gothman dress she wore. She turned on the open room’s steps and faced both of them, engrossed in the story of her past. Try as she would, though, she didn’t remember Reena, or this home.
“When Lord Jovis learned I was pregnant with a Runner’s child he wanted to have you claimed to his son,” Reena explained.
“In spite of hating me, he believed my child would give way to great warriors if bred with his blood,” Patha intervened, sounding proud. His eyes glowed as he stared down at Tara.
“Now know that was his first-born son,” Reena continued, nodding as she spoke. “With you and Juro both being just children.” Now she began shaking her head as her mouth flattened into a strong, disapproving line. “Tara, it wasn’t the life I wanted for you. I wanted you educated, free to make your own choices. You never would have had that in Gothman. The next time Patha came through we talked about it, and he agreed to take you with him and make you part of his clan.” Reena began crying. At first she wiped the tears that streamed down her flushed cheeks. She gave up and smiled at Tara, letting the tears flow. “My dear child, you don’t know what it’s like giving up your daughter, especially one as perfect as you.” Her voice cracked and she looked at her hands.
Patha put his arms around Reena and she relaxed against his large barrel chest. “You never gave her up,” he whispered into her hair, then kissed her forehead.
Nuworld: Claiming Tara Page 14