by Liss Thomas
“It’s a wonder you’re not dead,” Vrag lectured. He visibly cringed at the stern look Elyen gave him. She moved closer to Missy and examined the girl for injuries. When she saw the ugly dark purple bruises marring the girl’s upper arms, she pulled Missy closer and rocked her like a child.
Charlie sat in quiet, painful misery as he saw again the evidence of the injuries he’d inflicted on his new mate. Atian saw the hurt in Charlie’s eyes and rescued him from his misery.
“It is fortunate for us that Charlie had enough control to stop the frenzied attack before Missy was seriously injured.” He squeezed his son’s shoulder in reassurance. “Our concern now is finding out who sent the package, and how they got it in the first place,” Atian said.
“I assume no one from the Bullclan would bring it? How would they react to the garment?” Elyen asked.
“In other worlds, the color doesn’t affect us, it is only when we are in this world that it is a danger. No one from the Bullclan would bring it back here,” Sophie explained.
“The only other candidates would be myself or the dragons,” Vrag said. “And I never travel unless absolutely necessary. I believe the same is true for Drago and Drina.”
“That leaves the jackals,” Atian said. “We can only assume they’ve found a way to travel between worlds, just as Drago said.”
“But why would they try to kill Missy?” Elyen asked. “That’s the only reason for sending it to her, right?”
“She did reveal their treachery to the dragons,” Vrag suggested. “She is becoming a nuisance to them.”
“I’ll double the guards around our borders. Anything suspicious will be reported immediately,” Atian said.
“What about my quest?” Missy asked.
Vrag took up pacing the floor. Missy watched as he mulled the decision over in his mind. After several minutes of silent consideration, he stopped. “I’m not sure it is wise to send you on another quest after this incident. We may want to wait a while,” he said.
“But if I can figure out how the jackals are moving between worlds, we could stop them,” she insisted.
“No! We will find something less dangerous for you. It would be best to leave the jackals to Atian and myself,” Vrag said between clinched teeth.
“But … ” Missy started.
“No, child!” Vrag yelled as he turned to face her. “You will not go, and you are not to leave Bullclan territory until the situation has been taken care of. End of discussion!”
Missy recoiled at his vehement tone. Elyen hugged the girl once more and kissed her cheek.
“Go to your quarters, children,” she told them.
Charlie pulled Missy from Elyen’s arms and led her through the door. They walked the hallway wrapped around each other.
“He’s worried about you,” Charlie began. “He also feels guilty for leaving you in hyena territory on your last quest.”
“He’s not to blame, Charlie! It was the only way the plan would have worked,” Missy argued.
“He saw how weak you were and still you wouldn’t quit. You proved yourself worthy in that moment to him. After that, he would have given you monster status without hesitation.” They walked on then he added, “Elyen has loved you since she first saw you. She and Vrag have tried to have offspring without success. She’s always wanted children and you fulfill that need in her. I think Vrag now thinks of you as a daughter as well. He is not willing to put you in any more danger. I imagine your next quest will be easy.”
“I hadn’t thought past becoming a monster. What will I do now? I’ve trained and focused so much on that goal, I haven’t really looked past that,” Missy said.
Charlie laughed and kissed her hands. “You can do anything you want. Have fun. Enjoy yourself a little,” he said.
Chapter 22
The cooking fires were warm and inviting, the smells tantalizing and the conversation lively. All of it was lost on Missy as she sat picking at warm bread and fruits in front of her. Charlie sat in with his father as the Bullclan discussed strategies to increase security of the territory. Missy, left to her own devices, spent her time visiting Egan at the stables and walking around the courtyard for hours. She picked small pieces off the bread not bothering to eat them.
“Hey, little human, what’s your problem?”
Missy looked up to see Dozer leaning over her table. His hair looked matted and he seemed eager to finish off her plate. She’d nicknamed him Bulldozer because he stood decidedly taller than any of the Bullclan.
“Hey, Dozer, too much free time and nothing to do,” she said as she pushed the plate toward him. Dozer plopped down and devoured the bread in two bites. A servant came over with more food. She slapped his hands away from Missy’s plate and put another in front of him. She refilled Missy’s plate with more bread and meat, and slid it back to her.
“Ump,” Dozer muttered as he started in on his plate. Dredge came over to check on his son.
“He’s not harassing you, is he?” Dredge asked.
“No, I needed the company. I’m bored out of my skull,” Missy complained.
“Well, to tell you the truth, I’m glad you’re not leaving the clan for a while. You really get into trouble out there. Maybe I can make you a special meal, seafood perhaps. Something to cheer you up,” he offered.
“You’re so sweet, Dredge, but I don’t want to put you through any trouble.”
“Do you like to fish? You could come with me; it will at least get you out of the complex,” Dredge said.
“Is it within the borders?” she asked.
“Well within the borders. The water source is less than half a day’s ride. We could go and be back in one day. I’ll clear it with Atian and Charlie first. Dozer here can come along as extra protection. I need a day away from here myself and a bit of civilized conversation, if you know what I mean,” Dredge said, pointing to Dozer, who was arms deep in his meal and not paying attention.
“I’d really like that,” Missy said.
“Good. Eat up! We’ll leave early tomorrow morning. I’ll pack a picnic and the gear. We’ll meet at the stables,” he said, dropping a flower on Missy’s plate before turning to leave. She picked up the flower and laughed at the intricately carving of flat bread. Missy popped it into her mouth and savored the sweetness as it melted away.
“You gonna eat that?” Dozer asked pointing to a piece of roasted and glazed game. Missy smiled and traded the meat for his fruit. They finished their meal talking about fishing.
Missy rose with the sun the next day and arrived at the stables long before Egan wanted to be awake. He nipped at her once, showing his distaste for early morning wake-up calls.
“Come on, lazy boy, we can go for a ride today,” she told him. His ears perked up and he rolled over. Missy fed him a carrot as she got him ready for their trip. A half hour later, Dredge and Dozer appeared.
“The packs are ready. We just need to load up,” Dredge said as Dozer got their cabas from the stables. They put the lunch basket on Egan and then loaded the gear on their cabas. Dozer led the way toward the water source. Missy inhaled deeply feeling free. She kept Egan from going too fast even though she sensed he wanted to.
“Let him loose for a bit; he needs the workout,” Dredge said.
Missy smiled and a second later, Egan burst into a full gallop. Dozer tried to keep up, but the little cabayo galloped too fast for him. She let him go over two miles of open field before she reined him in. They turned and did a fast gallop back to the slower moving party. Missy pulled up beside Dozer as Egan pranced with delight.
“What happened to you?” she asked still smiling.
Dozer growled. “He has less weight to carry! That’s all.” Missy laughed and patted her friend’s arm. They trekked through a small dense forest an hour before coming into a clearing where the water could be seen for several miles away.
“It’s massive, like an ocean!” Missy said when she caught sight of it. Dredge laughed.
“
It is very impressive. The other side is several miles inside our boundaries,” Dredge told her. He continued the guided tour until they reached the rocky shoreline. A pier of sorts, made with downed trees, jutted out several hundred yards from the rocks. They let the cabayo wander to eat the sweet grass while Dredge and Dozer took the fishing supplies to the pier. Missy carried the basket of goodies and soon they were set up and ready to fish.
“What kind of fish are in these waters?” she asked.
“Nothing you would be familiar with but nothing that’s not edible,” Dredge said as he baited her hook and cast. Dozer had two lines in and began casting a third. With Missy’s line in the water, Dredge baited his own hook and cast the line. The fish couldn’t wait for breakfast. Missy’s line went taut after a few minutes, and she reeled in the catch with difficulty. Dozer secured his lines and helped her pull the mammoth fish to the pier.
“This is an insanely large fish,” Missy gasped. “What is it?”
“It is called a rook. It is small, though. We usually throw these back.”
“In my world this fish would feed an entire army of humans.”
“We’ll keep your first catch then,” Dredge said.
Dozer helped her cast again. Missy gazed down into the ultra-clear water. She crumbled small pieces of bread into the water and watched as fish of every color jostled for the small morsels floating around her line. Most measured over three feet in length, their mouths constantly open to capture the treats. A large violet fish that dwarfed the others muscled his way to the top, mouth open, waiting for a snack. Missy dropped a large chunk of bread into its waiting jaws. It swallowed the bread in one gulp before it sank back below the swarming mob.
They continued, and by midafternoon, Dozer had managed to snag a staggering amount of fish the size of alligators. Missy even managed a respectable sized rook by Dozer’s standard at the very end.
“Nice one, little human,” he teased. He and Dredge created a sleigh made of branches to carry the food back home and loaded the gear. Missy looked for Egan. He and the other cabayo rested across the field. Egan appeared to be napping. She had made it halfway to them when Dozer threw her to the ground. He cupped his hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear.
“Shh, something’s not right. Stay down.” He released her slowly and stood looking for his father. Dredge had his staff in hand listening intently. The unmistakable sound of a shotgun split the quiet. Missy had only heard the sound on television, but now the sound chilled her bones. Dozer staggered then crumbled a few feet away from her. Missy scurried over, keeping low.
“Dozer, don’t move,” she whispered in a panic. She looked at the damage. The bullet had hit his shoulder, and the wound quickly coated his tunic in blood.
“On fire,” he whispered. She ripped a section from his tunic and pressed it into the wound to stop the blood flow. Missy saw Dredge coming toward them faster than she thought possible.
“Jackals!” he hissed. “Stay down, Missy. Son, are you ok, what was that?” Dredge asked.
“I’m ok. Where are they?” Dozer asked.
As if on cue, the jackals emerged from the nearby forest. Shocked at the size of the beasts, Missy stood motionless watching in disbelief. They were giants compared to normal jackals. Their lips pulled back in trembling snarls, showing sharp and deadly canines. Even more shocking, one walked upright on two legs. She’d seen pictures of the Egyptian god Anubis but never thought she would see his likeness in the flesh. He wore brown leather pants tucked inside soft black leather boots. His all too human torso, only covered in a brown leather vest, revealed the sculpted muscles and scars of an efficient killer. As they came closer, another of the jackals stood upright and morphed into the half-human half-animal. The guns slung across their backs, Missy knew, did not belong in this world. Dredge readied himself for a fight while Dozer slowly got to his feet. Missy tried to hold them back.
“No!” she whispered. “Those weapons are from my world and they will kill you!” She hid behind Dozer as Dredge took the lead. Dozer turned back to face her.
“If you get the chance, get to your cabayo and get out of here!”
Missy looked toward Egan. He grazed in the tall grass but looked wary of the strangers and too far away to reach. The jackals encircled them and without warning, attacked. The jackals, in dog form, pulled Dredge down first while the other two overpowered Dozer, who’s shoulder bled heavily. Missy tried to protect Dozer from the jackals’ attack. She pulled her staff and stood over him. She stole a glance at Dredge who still fought against his attackers. He landed a well-placed staff to one of the animal’s head, leaving it motionless.
“Enough!” the lead jackal said as he sized up Missy. “Watch the old bull and make sure he doesn’t cause any more trouble. Prepare the other one for transport.” He moved closer to Missy. She swung her staff at his head but he knocked it away with minimal effort. The nearly seven foot tall jackal grabbed her arms and pulled her from the ground. “And what is this?” he asked no one in particular. His grip crushed her arms as she tried kicking him. He didn’t seem to notice as he sniffed her all over in curious wonder. “Ah,” he finally said. “This must be the human girl child, Anukhan spoke of. We shall take her as well.”
Dredge exploded from the ground ready for another round only to topple over and land twitching on the ground. Missy saw the other jackal had a stun gun.
“How did you get these weapons?” Missy asked, shocked at their use of them. No one answered as they left Dredge where he lay and shot Dozer with the Taser next. Missy sent out a thought to Egan.
“Run home, Egan, quickly! Bring help!” Egan’s ears perked up and he snarled showing his teeth.
“No! Go, dear friend, please! They will kill you if you try to help me. Go now!” Missy felt one hint of regret from the cabayo before he bolted into the forest. One jackal gave chase but came back only minutes later.
“He’s gone, Saal,” he said returning to the lead jackal. Saal sneered his disapproval.
“Gather the remaining animals and load the bull. Make sure he is secure. If he makes trouble, shoot him again. As for this one,” he said pulling Missy from the ground again. “Tie her up and put her on the other cabayo. Make sure she can’t escape.”
The jackals worked with efficient precision to secure their captives and then they headed back into the forest toward home. When they crossed out of Bullclan territory, Missy saw two inert figures in the tall grass. The stink of blood and death assailed her nostrils. She looked away from the carnage and met Dozer’s gaze. She could tell from his sickened expression, he knew them.
They ran without stopping for two days. The cabayos looked exhausted but the jackals did not. Missy stayed tied to the caba the entire time, and after two days felt sore, hungry, and exhausted.
“We should have a good head start on the Bullclan,” Saal said. Rest the animals and tie the captives to trees. Kell, take first watch.”
“What do you want with us?” Missy hissed at them as they moved her from the caba to a tree.
“Gag the human,” Saal said, ignoring her question.
Chapter 23
Kell tightened the ropes around Missy’s hands and ankles before he went to secure the cabayo. She sat watching in silence. Dozer sat a few feet away, snarling in anger. His gunshot wound had been bandaged. It became obvious they were wanted alive. Missy watched as Saal left the clearing in search of wood. The other two jackals made the camp. Missy looked Dozer’s way and tried to reach his mind.
“Dozer,” she sent out. He looked at her, confused. “Listen, I think I can get free,” she continued.
“How,” he whispered. Missy rolled her eyes.
“Use your mind, Dozer, don’t speak aloud. Just think it,” she sent again.
“What do you want me to do?” he thought, while still moving his lips.
“Nothing, I can burn the ropes, will you be ok?”
“Go! I’ll be fine,” Dozer sent back.
Missy c
oncentrated on the ropes and the dragon’s gift of fire. It wasn’t long before her hands broke free. She kept them hid as she worked on the ropes binding her feet. Her eyes never left the jackals as she worked through the ropes. As soon as the bonds on her feet fell away, Missy bolted. She ran through the trees not looking back, trying to ignore the sounds of panic that erupted behind her. She ran, trying not to focus on leaving Dozer behind. She heard a pursuer behind her but she didn’t look back. She ran. Suddenly, Missy’s leg erupted in pain and she fell hard. She slid on the leaves and collided into the base of an old tree. Kell sank his teeth harder into her ankle. He never lost stride as he turned and pulled her back toward camp by her foot. Missy fought to keep the branches and rocks from skinning her alive. When they reached camp, Kell dropped her and trotted away. Saal appeared, standing over her, a menacing sneer on his face. He pinned her before she knew it.
“You cannot escape from me, human,” he snarled. “We are faster and stronger. I may have underestimated your abilities but I have a way to keep you from escaping again,” Saal growled, his lips curled back to show long incisors dripping with saliva. He snatched the shotgun from his shoulder and slammed the butt of it down on her thigh. A piercing scream erupted from Missy’s throat punctuating the unmistakable crack of bone. She flushed as blood began to soak her leggings. Saal slammed the butt down again on her shin. Missy gasped for breath before unleashing another ear-shattering cry. Her hands shook violently, unable to close around the wound to stave off blood loss. Missy sucked in air like a drowning victim, her ears ringing. She clamped her eyes shut to keep the nausea to a minimum. Saal stood up, adjusted the gun back to its position and walked away.
“Tie her up,” he said.
Kell tied her hands again around the back of the tree. He bandaged the bleeding wounds and splinted the broken bones with sticks, wrapping them tight with vines and a few strips of cloth. Then he tied her ankles together as before, oblivious to Missy’s wailing screams. She faintly heard Dozer flinging insults and curses at the jackals but his voice faded into a dull hum. Exhausted and weak from the pain, the blackness claimed her.