Oden

by Jessica Frances

  “I’m not putting her life at risk,” I tell him resolutely, not leaving any room for argument.

  As I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her against me, she feels stiff and cold. I know she’s only half paying attention to us, the rest of her is being tortured by those terrified screams.

  “She’s more at risk if she stays here. If we can make it through the… water, and to the rooms hidden under our home, there will be a bed for her, medical supplies… and access to food. She can stay there while we plan our attack and get back Oden.”

  I look down at Mattie, feeling her slight shaking. There are dark rings under her eyes, sweat over her brow, and her hair is half stuck to her face and neck. She looks stressed, scared, and tired. This is no place for her and our baby. She needs a place to rest and be away from any war.

  “I don’t like this; it’s too risky to get to the entrance,” I say this even though I know there is no other choice for us. We have to risk the tunnels.

  “We have no other options. We are stuck… on Edael otherwise. I’d prefer to do this with… you, but if you are too weak and scared, then I… will go into those tunnels alone. Your people, your… home, and your family need you. Our mother… is dead, Father has been captured, and Oden is… under attack. I already know you are a… traitor, but how can you turn your back on… us so easily? And all for a lowly human? It’s… disgusting, and if our blood wasn’t being… hunted and exterminated, I’d kill you myself right now.”

  I lock my jaw in place, refusing to express my shock and hurt over his words. As an alternative, I let my anger shine through.

  “I love Mattie. As far as I’m concerned, she is part of my family, and since she is carrying my child, she also carries our blood. Since we’re being hunted, you should be just as concerned about keeping her and the baby alive as I am, even if that is as far as your reasons can stretch.

  “I’m not saying I won’t fight for Oden. I’m not saying that I don’t want to see Jeprow and these Claws burn. I just think we should be smart about this and not get killed by the fifty or so Claws I saw earlier, milling about the entrance of the tunnels. Give me a plan that works, and I will gladly go there with you.”

  “Good, then we will get ourselves… to the tunnels and attack Jeprow from our… hidden advantage. Brother, some free advice for you. If you can’t… control your human, if she gets caught… then you know what will happen to her. Don’t… forget that look Jeprow was giving her. He knows… she is important to you. Her life already has… an expiration date attached. Keep her in the tunnels and… she remains safe. No one but our family knows of… them, and Father would rather die painfully under torture than… reveal our secrets to Jeprow. They will remain safe from—”

  “Will you two stop speaking in that fucking annoying language? It’s driving me insane!” Mattie cuts him off as she pushes away from me. I might have started off speaking English in front of her, but apparently, I stopped once Ival pushed my buttons and anger took over.

  “I’m sorry; we’re just trying to think of a way out of here,” I try to soothe.

  “Well, I am part of this, too, so there is no reason to keep it a secret from me.”

  “I know.”

  “You two are repulsive. You,” he points his finger at Mattie, “don’t speak to someone of Marduke’s… standing like that. And you,” now his attention changes to me, “should demand more respect. Why you… love a woman who treats you like garbage is beyond me.”

  “I think love is beyond your capabilities in the feeling department, unless it involves loving yourself,” Mattie mutters.

  When Ival glares at her, actually taking a step towards her in anger, I quickly intercede.

  “Ival, don’t—”

  His hand reaches out to me lightning fast, and before I know it, he has me against the wall in a choke hold. It appears his injuries are worse after running, but once he’s had time to catch his breath, he’s ready to fight.

  I wrap both hands around Ival’s, already able to pull his hand away so he has barely any pressure at all over my neck. If Ival hadn’t been injured, however, I wouldn’t be able to budge him an inch, even using all of my strength.

  I take a deep breath, opening my mouth to tell him to stand down, but I don’t get the chance before Mattie moves to his injured side and punches him hard in the ribs. He immediately lets me go, groaning in pain as he falls to his knees, his arms wrapped around him.

  In any other situation, I would have been in awe that Mattie has brought Ival to his knees like this and simultaneously terrified that her life would be over because Ival would never let someone live after knocking him down. Thankfully, he appears to be in too much pain to be focusing on his usual murderous rage that simmers under the surface of his everyday emotions.

  “Mattie was just defending me. Let it go, suck it up, and let’s get out of here. It won’t be long before this area is swarming with Claws, and we don’t have time for it. The sooner we are in the tunnels, the sooner we can get back to Jyin,” I tell him, moving to stand in front of Mattie just in case.

  I hold my hand out to him, ready to extend the offer of peace and help him to his feet. He ignores it, but when he eventually stands, he doesn’t make another move towards Mattie. She is smiling at him smugly, and I stare at her, trying to communicate without voicing it to not provoke him.

  When he begins stumbling forwards, I hold her back and lean close to her so Ival doesn’t hear me.

  “Ival isn’t someone you mess with, Mattie. We have to keep moving, and we don’t have time to be fighting with each other.”

  “I didn’t start that fight, Marduke. That was your asshole brother. I just ended it.” Her smug smile returns, and I have to hold in my exasperated sigh.

  “Please, just promise me you will stop antagonizing him?”

  “Never,” Mattie answers immediately, frustrating me until she throws herself in my arms. “If Ival is being a jerk, then I’m going to tell him. If he’s hurting you, then I’m going to kill him.”

  I can’t help smiling at her declaration. I would do the same to anyone who dared hurt her. I squeeze her body against me, savouring the fact that she is finally here.

  “Thank you for having my back, but Ival is not one to back off if—”

  “We need to… move now!” Ival yells, his words jolting me away from Mattie as I glance around us to see what threat is coming at us now.

  Up ahead, there are several Claws coming towards us.

  Ival jogs back our way, only one arm swinging while the other continues to hug his side. I take Mattie’s hand, and we sprint away from the Claws giving us chase.

  My heart almost jumps out of my chest when, again, I lose my grip on Mattie. This time, she pulls away from me and stops dead in her tracks. Ival has to dodge out of her way, almost crashing straight into her.

  “Mattie!” I scream, watching as the Claw gains on us.

  “I think… Did you see—?”

  I don’t let her finish; I grab her arm and harshly pull her forwards, ignoring her cry of pain as I drag her with me. The air sizzles, and I know a Claw is right on our tails, its saliva causing the ground to hiss behind us.

  Ahead, a building collapses under the force of hinemas charging our way. They’re coming for the Claws, not us. It’s still intimidating to run at the violent machines. These ones, unlike the ones we had seen earlier, have the modification that we changed to attack Earth. I hear the familiar laser-like gunfire propelling through the air and several Claws are either hit by the bullets and go down, or are thrown by the shock wave.

  Ival drops and rolls ahead, finding a small broken wall to shield him. The hinemas might not be aiming at us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be hit by accident.

  As I push us harder to get to where Ival is, the Claws overtake us, their main focus shifting onto the hinemas instead of us. Unfortunately, the Claw that is directly behind us hasn’t been distracted by the hinemas. One of its claws closes around Matti
e, lifting her off the ground. I only just duck out of the way of its tail swinging around and taking a snap at me.

  Mattie screams in shock as the Claw lifts her up high into the air.

  “No!” I scream, fearing I’m about to lose her and Riley.

  I kick and punch the Claw’s legs, however I have to duck and jump out of the way when its tail again comes back out attacking. I then hear sizzling as saliva dribbles down by my feet. If that touches me, it will melt through my skin and bones.

  I search for a weapon, finding a large boulder-sized piece of debris from a collapsed building. I barely take a step towards it before I see Mattie flung through the air. She lands on the ground several feet away, sliding along until she collides with the building on the other side of where we are. She doesn’t get back up.

  I glance at the Claw, noticing it is bleeding from one of its claws as a bullet makes impact with it. It takes a step backwards from the force of the bullet aimed by the hinema, but the shot doesn’t take it down. It charges at the hinema, thankfully forgetting about me and Mattie.

  Finding no immediate threat focused on me, I weave through the Claws, which are now actively being attacked by the hinema. I have many close calls as I edge closer to Mattie, and when I reach her, I discover she is unconscious. Blood oozes from her head and she has scrapes along her exposed arms since the Aeepla has been torn.

  I pick her up, holding her close to me in my arms and then find Ival scurrying out of the warzone that has appeared around us.

  I follow him, dodging between Claws and hinema as they attack each other. Fortunately, none of them pay us any further attention and we are soon free from the chaos.

  I follow Ival as we make our way towards the outskirts of the small city. There is just a small parkland area here with small, low to the ground bushes. Farther out is the ocean. If we get into trouble, we can always attempt the long and gruelling swim to Jyin. I would take the slim chance of not drowning over risking Mattie and Riley’s life captured by Jeprow where there is no other outcome other than a painful death.

  He moves us into the middle and stays low to the ground. I don’t have as much freedom while holding Mattie, therefore I simply hope no one is watching who means us harm.

  When Ival finally stops, I lose sight of him. He’s hugging the ground, blending in with the shadow of the small shrub. There is one just next to him, so I sit and settle Mattie down carefully across my lap. The sky is darkening and taking any heat the sun provided with it.

  Her eyes are still closed and blood is smeared over her forehead and my t-shirt.

  “She dead?” Ival asks quietly, not appearing all that interested in my answer.

  “No,” I snap, the anger in my voice a contradiction to the gentle touch of my hand moving over her face. I check her argu, making sure the claw wasn’t able to penetrate it.

  “Pity, she’s only dragging us down.”

  My hand stills and instantly fists. “Yeah? Was she dragging us down when she was able to get the monit off Jeprow? The only reason we are free of Jeprow right now is because of her. She got us off his ship, and we have a chance to fight back now. So if you don’t want to get into a fight with me, then shut up about Mattie and her only being human,” I growl at him, my hands flexing, desperate to take my anger out on Ival. However, I can’t bear the thought of moving Mattie out of my arms.

  “She is a disgrace. If you actually survive… this war, then you will have to run for your… lives to get away from Father. Once he… knows you have impregnated a human, he’ll be… after all of your heads. He’ll hunt that half-breed… child and slaughter it.”

  “Ival!” I bark, my fist punching the ground by us hard. “I said I would fight for Oden, but I don’t have a problem with taking Mattie now and getting away from here. I will let Oden burn to the ground before I abandon her and my child to our father. I will kill him, you, or anyone who gets in my way to ensure their safety. Therefore, if you want me to help you with this war, then shut up! I know how you feel on the matter, so repeating yourself won’t get the reaction you are hoping for. I will never leave Mattie. You can’t scare me away from her or our baby.”

  Ival glares at me, his gaze never wavering, and I resist even blinking. I won’t back down from this.

  “Fine. I am going to… check out the entrance to see if… the Claws have moved and the area is… clear. If it is, then we need to move.”

  I nod, watching him sneak away. The shadows will help him to remain hidden. The fighting hinemas are lighting up the sky and random stretches of light shine in the distance. Regrettably, there aren’t as many lights as I’ve hoped to see. Soon, the Claws will take hold of this area and we’ll lose Edael.

  Now that I have time to think clearly with Mattie in my arms, I recall the bunkers situated within many of the buildings. Once the attacks started to happen, there should have been a warning made to the humans here. With any luck, most are hiding safely within them and the few humans I have seen were only some unlucky ones who either didn’t listen, or were willing to fight and die.

  I glance back over Mattie, recalling her horror at seeing the humans being killed by the Claws. I know that memory will eat at her. Even though I’ve told Ival I wouldn’t risk our lives attempting to get into the tunnels if it was too dangerous, I can’t ignore that the tunnels are our safest bet. Once we are in there, we won’t only be shielded from attacks by the Claws, but also from the images of their killing. Mattie has already seen too much, her nightmares back on Roth a sure sign of that, she doesn’t need to add more to the awful acts of violence she’s had to witness.

  I stroke her hair, moving it away from her face, and quietly call out her name. The blood smeared over her forehead scares me. Even though she has a pulse, that doesn’t mean she will wake up. She might be in a coma. No matter what the situation is back at the entrance of the tunnel, if Mattie needs to be carried, it will put us at a serious disadvantage.

  I slowly coax her awake, first watching her eyes fluttering under her lids, and then her arm twitches against me. When her eyes open, I see her wince in pain.

  “Marduke?” her voice croaks out my name. She tries to sit up, but I hold her shoulders down, knowing she’ll feel worse from the sudden movement.

  “Just lie down, it’s okay. We’re okay,” I try to sooth, but she continues to squirm in my arms.

  “What happened? Where are we?” Her eyes roam over me as she slowly settles.

  “You were thrown by that Claw and hit your head. You were out cold, so I carried you here. We are on the outskirts of Edael. Ival has gone to check out what the situation is at the entrance of the tunnel. If it is clear, we will have to move.”

  She nods, her hands moving to touch her head and then she glances at her fingers, seeing the blood over them.

  “Did that creature…? Am I hurt anywhere else?” She tries to look down at herself, as a result I slowly help her to sit up.

  “I think you just hit your head. The Claw didn’t hurt you anywhere else.” I assess her again, seeing her Aeepla is still in the same state as before. Other than the open tear down the front showing her argu and the scrapes over her arms, the rest of it appears intact.

  “Were you hurt?” She turns her worried eyes onto me.

  “No, I’m fine,” I assure her.

  As soon as she looks me over, she wraps her arms around me, resting her head against my shoulder. Her tears instantly wet my shirt.

  “Are you sure? What about what happened to you on the ship with Jeprow?” When she asks me, I feel the shudder run over her body. I make a vow to never tell her about what happened to me on there.

  “It wasn’t as bad as you think. Just a few punches were thrown.” I shrug, hoping I give her the impression of being nonchalant about what happened. If I sound too casual, she will know I am lying, and if I sound tense, she will sense the pain I am hiding.

  She narrows her eyes at me. “A few punches? Yeah, right.”

  She doesn’t believe me
. I need to take the topic off me before she pushes.

  “You scared me before, Mattie. Don’t ever do that to me again!” My arms automatically tighten around her. “When we’re being chased by Claws, you don’t stop running, not for anything.”

  “I thought… I…” Her voice trails off, and she pulls her head away from me, looking up at me. “I swear I heard Logan’s voice.”

  “Logan?” My mouth drops open in shock. “No, you couldn’t have. I know you saw humans being attacked…” I trail off, watching the pain cross her face at the memory. “The humans would have been rounded up. They should have been placed in bunkers for safety. The women and children would absolutely have been taken away. Those humans we saw were only men. Logan, Lisa, and your sister will be locked up safely. I promise,” I tell her, not doubting for a second that I’m wrong.

  “I need to find them.”

  “I know, but right now, they are safer where they are. When this is all over, or when things are less volatile, we will come back for them.”

  She nods, a new sadness settling in her eyes. I hate to see it, yet I can’t risk her life, Riley’s life, and the lives of the humans who mean everything to her just in an attempt to ease that sadness living inside her.

  “Do you think… Do you think Jeprow did something to Riley? What if he injected me with something while I was knocked out on his spaceship? I lost a week of my life, Marduke.”

  An angry growl rumbles in my chest. I hate that Mattie was left alone and vulnerable. It is my job to protect her and Riley, and instead, I put her in a deadly situation and left her to fend for herself.

  “If Riley was hurt or worse, then your Aeepla wouldn’t have worked and you wouldn’t be alive right now,” I reason, hating that I have to voice that possibility, even given the fact that I know things didn’t turn out that way. The suit worked and Mattie landed safely, I remind myself.

  “But I fell really fast, faster than you, almost as if this thing,” she pulls at the suit, “wasn’t really working for me.”