by L. S. O'Dea
Cack shook his head, nudging her with his face. The current was stronger out there.
“Listen to me.” Hugh pulled the Grunt’s head toward him. “You can do this. You have to. I promise that once we get there you can eat all you want and rest. Araldo, yes, we’ll all rest, but you have to make it to the rocks.” He wrapped his hand more securely in the harness.
“Hold him tight.” She let go of the collar and moved down Cack’s back being careful not to get kicked. A hit like that, in her condition in this freezing water, would be the end.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“He’s going to need both of us to block the current.” Plus, Hugh was beat and the current was stronger on his side. There was no way he was going to be able to fight the water and help Cack.
“Stay where you are. We made it this far. Let’s not change anything.”
“This is better.” She sidled around Cack’s rump and over by Hugh. She needed to be close to grab him in case he went under. She wasn’t going to lose him not after working so hard to free him.
“Do you ever listen?”
She choked on a laugh. “Yes, to Gaar.” She grinned at him. “He knows what he’s doing.”
“Brat,” he said, but there was no venom in the word, only exhaustion.
They moved into deeper water. The current was strong and insistent. They pushed for the rocks. It was their only chance to keep from drowning. She could no longer feel her legs, but she was sure they were still moving.
“Only a little farther,” she mumbled to herself or the others she wasn’t sure anymore.
Cack’s pace picked up as he neared the refuge. She pushed on his side, giving him a shove toward the rocks when a fast-moving current wrapped around them, pulling her under.
CHAPTER 7: TRINITY
THE WATER WAS DARK and cold. Trinity kicked, swimming upward, not bothering to fight the current. She needed air first. Her legs screamed from exhaustion. It’d be so easy to stop fighting and drift. The water was warm now, her arms and legs heavy. Little Fool, the water isn’t warm. Get to land before you become dinner for the fishes or that River-Man you like so much. Gaar’s voice raged in her ears. He was right. The water was freezing, but she couldn’t feel it and that wasn’t good. She kicked harder. She wouldn’t die like this, alone in the river. She surged upward, breaking the surface. She gasped in air as the icy wind whipped over her. She had to get to land. The island was close.
Go, Little One. Get out of the water.
She shook her head. “I have to help the others.”
You’ll never make it. Get to land you little fool.
Cack was struggling nearby. She ignored Gaar’s command and swam over to the Grunt. She exposed her claws and swatted him on the side of his neck, slicing through his skin. He burst forward toward the rocks.
She treaded water, scanning the surface for Hugh while Gaar’s voice nagged at her.
He’s gone, Little One. You don’t have time to find him. You need to get to land. Now!
“Not yet. I can’t leave him.”
He’s dead. You can’t help him.
“You don’t know that.” She was going crazy, arguing with Gaar when he wasn’t there, but she couldn’t give up on Hugh. She fought the current to stay near the island. If she drifted too far away, she’d never make it back. The river was fast and strong, but Hugh couldn’t be gone. He was stronger than this. He’d survived jail and losing everyone and everything that mattered to him, but that took mental strength not physical and he was an Almighty. A break in the waves caught her eye. Something bobbed at the surface only to disappear. She swam toward it. “It’s him. It has to be. Please Araldo, make it be him.”
Hugh appeared for a moment and then was swept under again. She dove and swam hard in his direction. She didn’t know how much more fight he had in him. She wasn’t sure how much more she had in her either, but she refused to give up. If she lost him, they lost everything.
She surfaced, drawing in breath and looking to see if she could get her bearings on his location again. It was hard to see anything through the waves and then something moved toward her. It had to be Hugh. River-Men didn’t hunt in the sections of the river with strong currents, but they did travel through them. She treaded water. There was no reason to flee. She’d never outswim a River-Man. A gray wave washed over whatever was heading toward her.
Hugh’s head broke from the water. “Wh..what are you do...ing?”
Relief washed through her. She hadn’t lost him. She hadn’t failed.
“Get to the rocks,” he yelled as another wave crashed over his head. “Or do you want to drown?”
“You’re a jerk.” She grinned as she swam toward him and the island. He wasn’t dead. He really wasn’t dead.
Cack was pulling himself onto the shore. She was glad that he’d made it. It would’ve been her fault if he’d died. She’d asked him to help with this mission. She crawled onto the rocks and dropped to her back. Cack was lying on the ground, his sides heaving. Hugh climbed out of the water and flopped next to them.
She didn’t want to move ever again, although the cold breeze was making her teeth chatter. “We ne..need t..to mo...move.” She didn’t budge.
“Wh...where?” He didn’t move either.
She leaned up on her elbows, pain racing through her muscles. They were visible from shore. The Guards could arrive any minute and then their struggle would’ve been for nothing. She rolled over and forced herself to her knees and then to her feet, her body aching from the cold and exertion. She grabbed one of Cack’s front legs, trying to pull him up. “Come on. You can do it.”
The Grunt snorted at her, but struggled to stand.
“That’s it. Just a little more. I’ll take you somewhere better. Safer.” She needed help. She turned toward Hugh. He was standing and staring at her, his eyes a brilliant blue in the sunlight, his face hard as if carved from these very rocks. She shivered, but not from the cold. The way he was looking at her made her uneasy. Instinctively, she exposed her claws. “Stop staring and help me.”
He blinked and when his eyes met hers again they were friendly, not intense. “Sorry.”
She retracted her claws. This was the Hugh she knew.
“I thought you could do everything yourself.” He smiled at her as he moved closer to Cack. “I guess you do need me.”
“Even a stomach ache can be helpful. It can tell you what not to eat.” Yeah, this was the same old, annoying Hugh, although he wasn’t old. He was only about ten years older than her, not that it mattered.
“You wound me.” He bent toward the Grunt and Cack’s eyes widened as he lurched upward, getting his legs under him.
“Watch your feet.” She scooted away. If the Grunt stepped on their toes they’d be smashed.
He ignored her, reaching out to steady Cack. “I’m not going to hit you again. I promise.” His hand went under Cack’s front leg. “Trust me. I only did it to make you swim. You were giving up back there.”
Cack snorted but leaned more heavily on Hugh.
“I had to do something, but I promise I’ll never hurt you again.” His voice was soothing. “Unless you give up on me, but you won’t do that. Will you?”
Cack shook his head.
“This way.” Her legs trembled. All she wanted to do was collapse and sleep, but she couldn’t. Not yet.
She stayed at arm’s length from the stumbling Grunt as she led them toward the boulders. She squeezed around a small rock and then between two larger ones. She grabbed the harness and pulled while Hugh shoved Cack through the narrow passage until they entered an open cave-like area under the rock island. The air was damp and cool, but without the wind it was warmer than outside.
“Over here.” She walked across the cavern into another opening between the rocks. This passage wasn’t as narrow and the two males had no problem following her. Sunlight drifted down from an opening above. She stepped into a section that was like a small room of rock. The o
thers followed her out of the passageway.
Hugh’s hands skimmed across a boulder. “It’s warm.” His eyes were wide with surprise.
That was exactly how she’d felt the first time that Gaar had brought her here. The water was freezing but the rock island was enveloped in warmth. “Find a spot and rest.”
She helped Cack over to a large patch of rocks. As soon as the Grunt was resting comfortably, she leaned against a large boulder and sighed, the heat soaking into her bones and sore muscles.
Hugh found a spot directly in the sunlight.
“It shouldn’t take too long before our clothes are dry. The rocks and sun absorb the moisture. I think it has something to do with the next section.” She pointed farther back in the room.
“What’s back there?” he asked.
“An oasis of plants.”
“That can’t be. We’re on rock.”
“You may think it’s impossible, but it exists.” She smiled. She couldn’t help it. She loved this place. “I don’t know how it came to be but it’s beyond imagination.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it.” He stood, wrapping his arms around himself.
“Sit down. I promise that we’ll go back there after we dry. No sense in catching your death from the cold.” She adjusted her position, stretching out on the boulders. The warmth was more important right now than food.
He grumbled but moved back to his rock. “How’d you find this place?” He sat, taking off his shoes, socks and shirt.
“Gaar.”
“How’d he know about it? Handlers don’t exactly love water.”
“Don’t know. Ask him.” She wasn’t in the mood to chat. All she wanted was to rest and soak up the heat from the stone.
“I will.” He frowned at her and spread out his clothes to dry.
Soon, the only sound was his steady breathing and Cack’s snores and occasional snort. The sunlight heated her face and chest and the heat from the rocks took care of her back. It wasn’t the most comfortable of beds, but it was warm and that was what they needed right now. Before long, they’d have to leave. She closed her eyes. They still had a long journey ahead of them.
Since Hugh had ended up with her instead of Dad, she was stuck escorting him to Ray’s warehouse. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the city. She went there every couple of months to hang out with Sassy at the clubs and to see if she could recruit any of the young Guards and Servants to their cause, but the area was dangerous, almost as wild as the forest. She looked at Hugh who was stretched out on the rocks. Traveling through those neighborhoods with an Almighty wouldn’t be easy, but she could handle herself and take care of him. What bothered her was that he annoyed her more than anyone she’d ever met and she wasn’t sure why.
CHAPTER 8: TRINITY
CACK’S FIDGETING WOKE TRINITY. The sun was no longer directly overhead but the room was still warm. She stood and stretched. Her muscles were sore but the nap had helped. She was no longer exhausted which was good because they needed to leave soon, but first they had to eat. Hugh was still sleeping, so she motioned for Cack to follow her.
She led him through a passage to the garden. It was lush and green similar to some areas of the forest but the vegetation was different. In here the grasses were thick and soft and the trees and bushes were filled with fruit and nuts, as if someone had planted them for sustenance. Cack pushed past her into the room. He lowered his face to the ground, moving from spot to spot and nibbling on all the different delicacies. Grunts were the only creatures besides some of the forest animals who could eat fresh grass.
She picked an apple and some nuts and then sat on the ground, running her fingers through the dirt as she ate. The soil was amazing, rich, dark and fertile. She’d never seen anything like it. She tossed the last of the nuts into her mouth. It was time to wake the lazy Almighty. They couldn’t stay here forever, although there’d been days when she’d considered it, days when Gaar and Mirra were nowhere to be found and she was alone, like before. Their camp was home to members of all classes, but she didn’t fit in with any of them. The only place she belonged was with Gaar and Mirra in the forest.
She stood, wiping her hands on her pants. She’d delayed long enough. Hugh needed to get up and eat so they could leave. She headed down the passageway and was right outside of the other room when Hugh stood up. Her breath caught in her throat and she froze, hidden in the shadows.
He raised his arms above his head, stretching. His pants slipped down on his hips. The prison garb had hung on his lean frame before, but now that it’d gotten wet it was almost indecent. She couldn’t pull her eyes away. They’d spent some time together before he’d been arrested and he’d been in decent shape, but now he was all long, lean muscle. She counted the ridges on his abdomen and flexed her claws, wanting to run her fingers down his stomach to see if it was as hard as it looked. Her face heated. She should stop staring but she couldn’t. She’d seen Travis and some of the other Producers without their shirts and it’d never affected her this way. They were too big, with their thick, heavy muscles. They’d be slow and ponderous, but Hugh looked fast and lean and hungry. She took a deep breath. Looking at him like this wasn’t right. He was her uncle and she didn’t even like him very much. He was bossy and annoying. She retracted her claws, giving one last glance at his chest as the stepped out of the shadows. “Good. You’re awake.”
He yawned, displaying his straight white teeth. “How long have you been up?”
“Not long.” Her eyes darted to his chest again. He didn’t even try to cover himself. What was wrong with him? She was a young female. Of course, she was going to look. She hadn’t mated yet, and she was curious. That was all. Plus, her fascination was probably because his build reminded her of Jethro, although Jethro had been more lanky than muscular.
“You should’ve woken me.” He stretched again.
She tried to keep her eyes on his face, but they seemed to have a mind of their own and kept skimming down his body. She turned away, blushing. “Get dressed and follow me.”
She slipped between the rocks. She shouldn’t have said anything about his clothes. It wasn’t like he was naked, but she hadn’t been able to stop staring and if he’d caught her that would’ve been too embarrassing. She’d hate to have to kill him.
She went back to the apple tree, her eyes darting to the opening between the two rooms. Not because she wanted to see his bare chest again. She didn’t want to miss his reaction to the garden. That was all.
When Hugh stepped out of the passageway, his jaw dropped open. He’d put on his shirt, but carried his shoes and socks. She frowned. She was glad he was clothed. Really, she was. His eyes locked with hers and he grinned. Her heart skipped a beat. He looked boyish and happy. She’d never seen him like that. Before his arrest he’d been so focused and driven that he’d almost vibrated with energy.
He moved forward off the rocks, digging his toes into the grass. “You have to feel this with your feet. Take off your shoes.” He smiled again. “Not that there’s much left of them after our trip through the Mile of Fire.”
This dirt and grass felt wonderful on bare skin. She’d done exactly what he was doing her first time here but her instincts warned that it’d be dangerous to be playful around him and she always trusted her instincts. “I’ve gone barefoot most of my life. It isn’t that neat.”
“I was a child the last time I went without shoes.” He pulled up strands of grass with his toes. “I’ll have to remember to do it more often, maybe once a week or so.”
She stopped herself from smiling with him. He was charming like this. She didn’t like it. She forced her tone to be snappish. “Why would you do that?”
He ignored her attitude. “Because it’s fun.” He walked over to her and pulled an apple from a nearby branch. “Let me give you some advice.” He polished the apple on his shirt.
“Great. Just what I need.” She cocked her eyebrow, fighting to keep her eyes from the apple and his chest. It
wasn’t easy because she now knew exactly what the shirt hid.
“When people are young, like you, they pretend to be older than they are. Don’t. Enjoy your age. Have fun. There aren’t that many opportunities in life for pleasure.” He took a large bite of the apple.
“I’m twenty-one. That’s old enough to know I don’t want to go barefoot in the grass.” She’d been gawking at him as if he was some sort of god and he saw her as a child. She crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’ve made you angry. I’m sorry.” The smile in his eyes told her that he didn’t mean it.
“I’m not mad. I just don’t like being treated like a kid.” She met his eyes. “A kid wouldn’t have been able to break you out of prison.”
“I said you were young, not a child.” He finished the apple and tossed it to the side. “There’s a big difference.” He reached up, his chest coming within inches of her, as he grabbed another piece of fruit.
She couldn’t stop herself from inhaling to catch his scent. He smelled like the river and a male.
“What’s this?” He walked over to one of the bushes with nuts on it.
“Cakaonuts. They’re good. They have a mild, nutty flavor.”
He used two rocks to break the shell and then ate the nut. He sat and began cracking more.
She wasn’t hungry but she grabbed two more apples and moved over by him, not because she wanted to be near him but they’d be traveling soon and she should fill up. She sat and began shelling the cakaonuts. “We can’t stay here much longer.”
He sighed. “Yeah, I figured as much.” He ate a handful of nuts. “Who knows about this place?”
“This place?” She glanced at him from under her lashes. “Just me, you, Cack, Gaar and Mirra.”
“You said that like there are other places similar to this one.”
She eyed him for a moment. They weren’t exactly friends, but the existence of these oases wasn’t a secret any longer. “Yeah, but some of the others are more well known. We stayed at a few of them right after the Night of the Trackers. It was after you were arrested...” She stopped herself from adding that it was before the fighting had started. He still didn’t know about the war and it was Dad’s job to tell him about that, not hers.