by C. R. Pugh
“I cannot stay any longer. If you were planning to take me as your slave, you can think again.”
“I told you, it’s not slavery. We rescue exiles who want a better life than what can be offered in the Valley – running from Sabers or slowly starving to death. The Valley is a dangerous place. In Peton, we feed them. We give them jobs, clothing, and shelter. They earn their keep. We call them captives for no other reason than we have always called them such. Everyone in Peton works to earn their keep.”
“And what if they don’t want to go with you?” I challenged.
He narrowed his eyes at me, understanding exactly what I was asking. “You do not want a life out here.”
“You don’t know what I want.”
We both attempted to stare the other down, but I had a feeling we’d both still be standing there in the morning if I didn’t give in.
After shrugging my shoulders at him, I crouched down to reload my pistol. “I’ll warn you now. Those soldiers would not be good captives.” I kept talking while I worked. “They are machines. They’ve all been brainwashed and won’t take orders from anyone but General Wolfe. If they were in their right minds, they would have given up on me two weeks ago. They’ll keep hunting me just because he says so.”
Straightening up, I looped my bag over my shoulder and shoved my pistol back into my belt. My eyes wandered down to the intricate patterns etched on his arms. “I get it now; the thorns.” I gestured to his tattoos. “You’re a leader, aren’t you?”
“Commander,” he simply said.
When I smiled at him, his eyes flicked down to my mouth. I had to stifle the urge to lick my lips. Only Kieron had ever wanted to kiss me before, but we were younger then; kids, really. Soldiers at the compound had attempted to corner me, but their intentions were less than honorable. I had quickly put a stop to it. My experience with males was limited, but I knew why my mouth was suddenly a point of interest.
“You know, the last man to try and kiss me ended up with a bloody nose.”
He gave me a cocky grin. “Is that so?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t even think about it.”
His expression sobered. “Where will you go, Ravyn?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I was heading east, to the coast. Whatever I do, I can’t stay here.”
“Peton is near the coast. You would be wise to join us.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“It would be dangerous for you. The soldiers will be gunning for me again soon.” I looked him dead in the eye so he understood how serious I was. “They’ll always be gunning for me.”
12
Thorne
As we parted ways, I mulled over our strange encounter. To say that Ravyn was interesting would be an understatement. She was both beautiful and fierce. I could just drown in those liquid, blue-green eyes. It was the same extraordinary color of the Fairuza Sea; the waters that backed up to Mount Asa and my cabin on the far outer edges of Peton. Her hair was even lovelier up close. She did not tie it back or braid it as many of my female Warriors did. Only the front half was tied back, while the rest fell over her shoulders and down her back. ‘Stunning’ was the only word that came to mind when I thought of her.
And absolutely maddening! I truly believed she was talking me in circles on purpose. Was answering a simple question so difficult, or was she deliberately being obtuse? Whatever her secrets were, I was determined to uncover them. If I ever saw her again.
I struggled during our conversation, wondering if I should take her as a captive, but I rebelled inwardly at the idea. With her stubborn nature, she would have fought me every step of the way. Making her one of our captives just would not do.
It was only mid-morning when I returned to camp. The other Warriors had not returned from the hunt yet, so I washed up and found some food and drink. Archer was busy tinkering with the weapons in the cart. The man we took captive the night before was sitting up in his cage glaring at me in contempt.
“Why do you look so angry? We have not harmed you.”
“I want to know when I’m going to get out of here,” he snarled. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
I stepped closer to the cage. “Where are you from?”
The man merely glared at me.
“How long have you been exiled?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
The muscle in his jaw clenched. For some reason, he was refusing to answer.
“Well, we are taking you to Peton. You will have a home there, a job, new clothes, and food to eat. What does your life out here offer that is better than this?”
He glared at me in return. “I just want my freedom.”
“And you will have it. After you have completed your service and have become a proper citizen.” I moved even closer to him and leaned against the cart. “All freedom comes at a price.”
The exile huffed and kicked out at the cage, shaking the bars.
I shrugged my shoulders and walked away to await the other Warriors.
***
I awoke to the sound of the men coming in from the forest. Gunter greeted me while the rest moved to the supply wagon to find food for their midday meal.
“Well?” I asked him.
Gunter shrugged. “Nothing happened. It would have been more interesting if you were there to keep me company. Pierce had a bug in his britches … probably over you running off and not coming on the hunt. There were no exiles to be found to the north, though we didn’t travel more than three or four miles.”
I nodded. “We’ll hunt northwest tomorrow. Get some rest this afternoon.”
“I’ll get some rest after you tell me what happened this morning.” Gunter grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you find her?”
“Get something to eat, and then I will tell you.”
We sat down by the remains of the morning’s campfire and I recounted my adventure. Gunter was rendered speechless, which was an astonishing feat.
“All that happened this morning? In what, just an hour or so?”
“I didn’t keep track of the time. I promise to do so next time.”
Gunter rolled his eyes.
“At first, I thought there might be an opportunity for a few captives at the village, but I was amazed that they were forming a new clan of their own. They’ve built all their homes and shops in the trees. It was exceptionally done. I wonder how they keep the Night Howlers away,” I murmured, thinking out loud.
“I think you wanted to see that Ravyn again.”
The sarcastic retorts hanging on the tip of my tongue were only lies I wanted desperately to believe. Gunter was right. Part of me had wanted to see Ravyn again.
“She intrigues me,” I finally admitted to him after weighing my words.
“So, you talked to her, then?”
“Yes, in between the running and the fighting, we had a nice chat about the weather.”
He ignored my barb again. “Why not take her captive? Then you could bring her home.”
“I thought about it, but I do not want that; not with her.”
“So, you do like her.” Gunter smiled widely. “It sounds like destiny was with us on this hunt. Just yesterday you were against taking a life-mate, and now you are shirking your hunting duties to search for one. She must be a fine woman to warrant so much attention. What is she like?”
“She is …” I stared into the fire pit. “She is a warrior and beautiful, but … stubborn as a thick-headed mule! Obstinate, arrogant, and too clever for her own good!”
Gunter choked on his drink when I started railing about Ravyn and then roared with laughter. “She’s the female version of you! Sounds like just the thing you need.”
After glaring at his annoyingly cheerful remark, I reluctantly nodded.
“Then claim her, Thorne,” Gunter declared, slapping me on the shoulder.
I shook my head. “That is an old tradition …”
> “But it is still a Peton law. If you claim her, the clan would accept her under your authority. You are the commander. Your position demands their respect. They would not question you.”
“My father would have plenty of questions.”
Gunter said nothing about the discord between me and my father and gave me time to think on his words. It had been a long time since anyone had claimed someone from outside of Peton, but I was familiar with the custom and rules. While the captives were guarded and governed by any number of Warriors, a claimed person would only be under the authority of the Warrior who claimed her. No formal words were required, unlike the Binding Words that were said to join two people as life-mates. Claiming was merely a mutual understanding between two individuals and usually led to a serious courtship.
Ravyn was no ordinary exile. From what I gathered, she needed a place to escape to, but had been forced to stay on the run from the General those soldiers had mentioned.
“I will think on the matter. Even if I see her again, she might not consider it.”
“You never know, and don’t look so downtrodden.” Gunter studied me carefully, then asked, “How did she react to your scars?”
I clenched my jaw at his question.
“Don’t get a bug in your britches, too!” He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m only asking because I know how sensitive you are about them.”
Lightly touching the marks on my face, I thought back to the short time I had been with Ravyn.
“She didn’t even flinch, did she? I can see it in your eyes.” Gunter grinned. “I like her already. Look, she won’t reject you. At least …” he hesitated, finding the right words, “she won’t reject you.”
“That makes no sense.”
Gunter wiped a frustrated hand down his face. “What I mean is, she may have her reasons to reject the offer, but it wouldn’t be because of you. From what you’ve told me, she was trying to protect you from those soldiers. She didn’t have to save you.”
“She did not save me,” I huffed.
Gunter snorted at my attempt to argue. “She could have just left you to die out there. Perhaps she does care about you. If she does say no at first, it’s only because she’s being stubborn. But you are the most stubborn person I know, so you will simply have to convince her.”
“Humph.” Gunter was beginning to irritate me with his logical arguments.
“And just for the record, I would have been extremely annoyed if you had died.”
My lips twitched in amusement. This was why Gunter was my best friend. He was brutally honest, even if it was infuriating at times. I pounded him on the shoulder and retreated to my tent to find some solitude and to ponder what was to be done about the stubborn, spirited woman.
13
Ravyn
I didn’t actually believe that Thorne was going to let me walk away, what with all his talk of captives. I figured he’d try to lure me into his camp and have his Warrior buddies throw me in a cage. I guess I was wrong about him. Not that I liked him at all. He was pushy and overprotective.
You are such a liar!
So I liked him a little, but that didn’t mean the other stuff wasn’t true. Besides, I barely knew him. I’d known Kieron for six years, had trusted him like no other, and he betrayed me to General Wolfe. It was ludicrous to trust or have feelings at all about a person after only knowing them for twenty-four hours.
He probably thought I was a crazy person, cutting people’s throats after they were undeniably dead and charging into the fray without a thought for myself. Maybe that was why he’d let me go. He didn’t want a captive who was completely mad.
Maybe I was crazy. I was sitting high up in a tree, spying on the man. There was no way to hear what was being said, so I just observed. There were six tents in various places in the clearing. Through the branches of the trees, I spotted two wagons at one edge of the clearing. One of them held the exile I had knocked unconscious two days ago.
Thorne seemed to be alone, except for his captive. Couldn’t say I was sad about the exile being locked up. He deserved it. I still didn’t agree with Thorne and his clan’s custom of taking captives, but from what little I’d learned from the General, the tradition went back generations. If what Thorne had told me was true, then they were actually rescuing people. That didn’t seem so bad.
Thorne approached the captive in the wagon several times, bringing him food and water and sometimes speaking with him. He was never abusive or disrespectful. The Warrior disappeared into his tent for a while, most likely to go to sleep. I spent that time eating some food that Laelynn had packed for me. She’d stuffed blackberries in my bag along with some walnuts and a couple of fruits that looked like small apples. Some of the leftover potatoes and rabbit she had roasted last night had been thrown in my bag as well. I ate about half and saved the rest for later.
Just before midday, four men, who must have been Warriors, entered the camp. Their size was fairly equal to Thorne’s and it made me wonder if every man in Peton was built like a fighter. Were the women just as fierce? I was tall for a female, but still thin. Perhaps that was why Thorne had trouble believing that I had taken down those exiles?
Thorne emerged from his tent and immediately approached one of the men, most likely his second in command. The other three marched straight to one of the wagons and began preparing a meal. Thorne and his Warrior friend talked for a good half hour. I wondered what they were saying or if Thorne mentioned me at all. I mentally scolded myself for that silly thought.
There were times during the conversation that Thorne seemed flustered or embarrassed by the way he turned red around the ears. His friend laughed frequently, which irritated me. Thorne wasn’t a comedian so the man must be laughing at him. I scowled and wondered if he’d laugh after I broke his jaw.
Later in the day the Warriors sparred together. It was no wonder he was their commander. He moved with a lethal grace and swiftness that could not be matched, and his strength was truly remarkable. I felt foolish for thinking that I needed to protect him. How ridiculous I must have seemed to him.
The rest of the day was uninteresting and I knew I should get moving, but the sun was already beginning to set. Resigning myself to another sleep sitting up, I settled in to the branch and lashed myself to it, praying that the night was dreamless.
***
“You are Test Subject 1.”
I looked up at General Wolfe through my blood-soaked hair. I didn’t know if there was anywhere on my face that wasn’t bleeding. He’d been beating me for a while. I couldn’t even remember how long it had been.
“Say your new name,” he said menacingly. I didn’t reply.
He backhanded me across the cheek again. My head snapped back and, for a second, I saw stars. I slowly returned my head to its original position and stared back at General Wolfe. His own knuckles were bleeding from striking me so many times.
I hadn’t been outside this isolation chamber in days. Smoke had filled the room this morning to put me to sleep. When I’d woken up, I was tied down to a silver metal armchair. The walls were bright white and the fluorescent lights buzzed above me. One of General Wolfe’s scientists cowered in the corner by a long surgical table. I had been strapped down to that thing too many times to count.
“You are Test Subject 1. Say. Your. New. Name,” the General growled. I still didn’t reply.
Using his fist this time, he punched me across my other cheek. Blood filled my mouth. He’d been starving me for days now. The scientist observing in the corner of the room looked green with horror. I could see the pain in his face. He felt sorry for me. He felt the guilt every time the General punched, cut, or stabbed me.
I’d still rather be me than him. If he failed, the General would kill him.
“Who are you? SAY IT!”
He’d gotten so angry that saliva spewed from his lips when he spoke. He’d gotten out of control again. The scientist would have to stop him soon. They couldn’t afford to let
me die.
“WHO ARE YOU?!”
“Ra-vyn …” My words slurred because my mouth was swollen. I was pretty sure my jaw was broken too, but my hatred for this man drove me to continue fighting.
“I … am Ravyn. Never … be your … slave. You … never be … master.”
His face turned purple with rage. It had been weeks since he’d been trying to break me. He’d been attempting to change me into one of his soldiers; one of his mind-slaves. I wouldn’t do it. He’d taken everything from me. He couldn’t have my name, too.
“My … name … Ravyn. Not … test subject!”
General Wolfe raised his fist, ready to punch me again. The scientist approached the General to stop him but was slammed against the wall. The General had definitely gone over the edge this time. That was never good. The General stormed over to a table that was lined with his tools of torture to grab a large blade.
This was it. He was finally going to do it. Surprisingly, I felt a wave of relief that the time had come. I sat up as straight as I could in my chair to meet my death with dignity. The General swung the knife down and …
***
I grabbed for my heart and gasped loudly as I awoke from my latest nightmare.
Resting my head in my hands I wondered, When are these horrible dreams going to leave me?
The tears I had woken up to kept dripping down my face, even as I wiped them with my sleeve. They were not just nightmares. I had actually lived through each one, and re-lived them over and over in my sleep. At least I’d slept the entire night this time. The sun’s first rays were peeking through the trees.
I wondered how Thorne would react if I did confide in him about my past; if I trusted him with my secrets. It made me feel sick to my stomach imagining being so vulnerable with him. Even so, he didn’t seem to be the sort to look on me with pity or judgement. He hadn’t reacted that way when he learned I’d been a soldier once. The only emotion I could detect in his eyes had been concern for me. Maybe he only looked that way because he saw me as a potential captive.