Fractured Earth Saga 1: Apocalypse Orphan (37 page)

Wolf barely controlled his anger as he said, “I don’t care for your ways. Love is not a weakness.” Checking his anger, he made an effort to be civil. “I am called Wolf. I am from a land far away. Since I arrived in this kingdom recently, I have fought nonstop with savage beasts and violent people, many of them made crazy by a vile drug. I have joined with King Waylan because he has impressed me as a noble leader and a valiant warrior. Several warrior bands have sworn to me, including the Nanna warriors who follow your other daughter, Skylla.”

Dalla sprang to her feet enraged and shouted, “You lie! Skylla is under my command. As we speak, she is harrying that decrepit king’s land and killing his pathetic followers. Why would she change her allegiance? She would never betray me!”

“Skylla serves me now, and I support King Waylan. Your daughter put me through all the tests, and I will submit to any tests you wish. Let’s do them and get it over with,” Wolf said. He picked up a cup and took a careless swig of the beverage.

Dalla sneered at Wolf and retorted, “You think our tests are easy, do you? Well, here’s a test for you.” She picked up a heavy bench and smashed it over his head with no effect. Then, she drew her dagger, gripping it in both hands, and drove it into Wolf’s chest, expecting it to pierce his heart and slay him. To her astonishment, the blade of her knife bent at a forty-five degree angle and Wolf was unharmed. He gazed at her with a bored expression.

Without warning, Wolf grabbed the queen’s arms and pulled her into his lap. He grinned as she struggled against his strength and fought to break free. After restraining her for several minutes, he began to feel aroused and let her go, saying, “Dalla, I can’t be harmed, so can we move on to your toughest test?”

Humiliated at being manhandled, the queen replied through clenched teeth, “Leave me! Go to your shamed one. I will prepare a test for you. If you pass, I will withdraw my warriors from the conflict. I’m not sure I want to fight for Waylan…I joined Jonar to cleanse the land of petty kings.
If you fail my test, I will kill everything that walks or crawls in Waylan’s kingdom. Now get out!”

Wolf left the tent and set out to search for Nala on the outskirts of the settlement. He found her encircled by a dozen Nanna warriors who were jeering and throwing mud and animal excrement at her. Her body was laced with bright welts from their whips, and she was fighting back tears. Oblivious to Wolf approaching, the women suddenly attacked, kicking Nala in the ribs and stomping her hands. She crumpled, making no effort to defend herself. A few of the women stood back, cursing and spitting on the fallen princess.

Wolf’s anger flashed white hot as he ran to Nala’s rescue and pulled the attackers away from her. “Stop!” he shouted with such rage that he surprised himself and brought other warriors running over to see what had upset this giant from another land. “I will warn you all just once—no one is to touch Nala again. The next one of you bitches that harms her will answer to me, and I will break your neck. Do you understand me?”

A husky woman who had been among those kicking Nala drew her knife and pulled a whip from her belt. With a throaty growl, she demanded, “Who are you to interfere? She has been disgraced. She is worthless. No man will take her, except to use her as a whore. We follow the laws and do what is right. If you want it to stop, take her. Here and now.”

“Commander, do it,” Syn ordered in Wolf’s ear.

Nala looked broken and humiliated as she sat in the dirt and dropped her chin, avoiding Wolf’s eyes. She knew he was torn between wanting to help her and being loyal to Syn. He gazed at her and then back at the Nannas, responding, “She will be my woman—after the war. I will not have her hurt or disfigured before my night with her comes. The next one who touches or offends her will answer to me.”

The women laughed raucously, and several drew their knives and whips, advancing on Wolf. Acting as a single entity, they attacked together, slashing at him with unbridled fury, intent on sending him to an early grave. They soon discovered that the frenetic assault was futile. He stood with arms crossed, smirking. They tried every tactic to hack him to death or at least bring him down, kicking, biting, slashing, and thrusting. He let them continue until they withdrew in fatigue. The last warrior to give up backed away with a look of disbelief and hissed, “What the hell are you?”

“I am Wolf. I support King Waylan, and I have come to seek your aid in vanquishing Jonar. Your queen will tell you more. Now leave us.”

Wolf turned his back on the women and lifted Nala from the dirt. Bloodied and bruised, she forced a grateful smile and said, “I know I am not your woman, Wolf. You are Syn’s man, and I would never hurt her by taking you to my bed. I will kill myself first if it comes to that.”

“I love that woman so!” Syn gushed. “She is a true friend. Keep her safe, Wolf!”

“I will do what is necessary to save you,” Wolf vowed. “But I never again want to hear you talk about killing yourself, Nala. Now let us go to the lake so you can clean up.” He lifted her small body and carried her through the camp to a pristine, sparkling lake behind Dalla’s tent.

The queen had observed Wolf’s skirmish with her fiercest warriors, and the stranger’s actions confused her. He loved her daughter, that was obvious. He was an amazing warrior; yet, for some reason, he refused to take her. She thought to herself,
I may have to hurry this big man along. I want my daughter back and he can restore her honor.

Nala sobbed against Wolf’s shoulder as he carried her to the sandy shore of the lake. He lowered her feet to the ground and tore a cloth from the tatters of his uniform. Wetting it in the crystal clear water, he dabbed Nala’s face, wiping dirt and blood away from her fair skin.

“Nala, listen to me. I like you a lot, and I will possess you. But I am incredibly strong. I don’t want to injure you. I need time to figure some things out. Until then, I want you to stay by my side. I don’t want you hurt. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Wolf. Will you stay while I bathe?” Nala asked. She cast a sidelong glance at a handful of Nanna sisters who had gathered nearby to spy on them.

With a deep sigh, Wolf said, “Yes, Nala, I will stay. But hurry.” He turned his back to give her privacy.

Nala smiled shyly and removed her leathers, stepping into the water. She swam under it, allowing the cold water to clear her head. Her mind swooned with thoughts of Wolf and feelings of desire. She had never met a man like him. He was gentle and kind, yet he could be a terrifying and unbeatable foe on the battlefield.

After Nala had bathed, she was walking out of the water when an ear-piercing roar came from behind her. Wolf spun around and saw a reptile that resembled a gigantic crocodile bearing down on her. Nala saw the beast and froze as the creature attacked, its mouth wide open, as if it intended to swallow her whole. The beast was over thirty feet long with a broad snout that extended eight feet from its enormous body, which was covered in reptilian armor. Razor-sharp, three-inch fangs lined its enormous jaws, and its maw looked large enough to swallow a full-grown buffalo, hooves and all.

Wolf reacted instantly to the roar and sprinted to Nala’s rescue. The Nannas who had gathered nearby screamed and pulled back to watch the grisly scene from safer ground. Dalla ran towards her daughter, whip and knife drawn, yelling for Nala to run. Then, she froze in her tracks and watched, spellbound, as Wolf shielded her daughter with his body and stood fearless, ready to fight a Sarcosuchus, the terror of fresh waters on this world, with his bare hands.

The monster opened its massive jaws and angled its head to the side, preparing to strike Wolf. Its jaws were over seven feet wide, lined with instant, skin-puncturing death, and they engulfed Wolf, slamming shut with tremendous force. The water of the lake made Wolf buoyant, and he lost his footing as the predator sank into the water. The reptile shook its head from side to side, dragging Wolf under the water to what appeared to be a certain death.

“Nala! Get out of the water…these creatures hunt in pairs!” Dalla screamed as she raced frantically into the water’s edge. She grabbed her daughter’s arm, pulling her to the shore. “Nala! Are you all right?” Seeing that her daughter was in shock and non-responsive, Dalla slapped her face several times, bringing her to her senses.

“Wolf—where is my Wolf?” Nala cried, trying to break free from her mother’s grasp and wade back into the water to help him. Dalla motioned to several warriors who grabbed Nala and drug her away from the lake just as a second Sarcosuchus appeared. It floated on the water before them, baring its fangs. It taunted the Nannas, staring them down in a challenge to come closer to the water.

The first reptile surfaced, squealing in pain as Wolf rose from the water, holding the beast’s tail in his left hand and dragging it towards the shore. Its mate saw Wolf, bellowed in fury, and charged him. Wolf balled his right fist and cocked it by his right ear. When the enormous creature opened its mouth and sprang forward, Wolf's fist slammed into its snout. The collision produced a sharp crack and sudden death as the creature’s jaws were crushed into its brain. The remaining Sarcosuchus attacked, gnashing its needle-sharp teeth on Wolf’s body but breaking most of its teeth on his rock-hard skin. Wolf reached out to the dead reptile, grabbing its armor-plated tail, and resumed dragging both to the shore. The other creature dug its large webbed feet into the mud, trying to gain traction. It dug twin furrows in the mud as Wolf pulled the squirming creature onto the sand.

“Shall I kill it or let it go?” Wolf asked Dalla in an almost bored voice.

The Nanna queen gazed at the terrified reptile and then at Wolf in disbelief, whispering, “It is frightened. I can smell its fear. I doubt it will ever hunt a human again. Release it.”

Wolf dragged the beast a little further onto land, and it swung its head, attempting to bite him again. He caught the beast’s snout, clamping its powerful jaws shut. Looking into its fear-filled eyes, Wolf said, “Go back to hunting fish. If I ever hear about a human being killed here, I will drain this lake and bash in your brains.” He lifted the beast with both hands and threw it like a sack of flour out onto the water, causing a massive splash. The creature swam off in a panic, bellowing in pain.

Nala broke loose from her mother and ran to Wolf, crying his name. Still naked, she threw herself into his arms and kissed him, sobbing, “Oh, Wolf, I thought I had lost you.” Wolf returned her kiss and then pushed her away with a reluctant groan.

“I am fine, Nala. Put on some clothes.” Wolf turned away to give her privacy and waded waist-deep into the lake as the warriors who had witnessed the amazing spectacle applauded.

Nala smiled as her mother helped her dress. Gazing at Wolf out in the lake, Dalla sighed, “What a man he is, my daughter! Is it really possible he is the Warrior of Legend?”

“I do not know, Mother, but I want him!” Nala exclaimed, feeling a pang of guilt when Syn popped into her thoughts. Stepping away from her mother, she said, “I will return to my tent so I do not shame you by my lowly status.”

Dalla grabbed her wrist and said, “Nala, he kissed you in front of us all. He fought the lake monster for you. It is clear he has feelings for you. It is not full possession, but it is a start. Come, we have much to talk about.”

Nala followed her mother back to the tent as most of the warriors dispersed. A few stood frozen in place, staring at the dead reptile on the shore and at Wolf, who stood in the lake with his back to them, not believing what they had witnessed with their own eyes.

“I didn’t mean to kiss her, Syn. I’m sorry,” Wolf said, feeling guilty.

“It’s all right, Commander. It already has been decided…you two will marry.”

“No, it’s not decided, Syn,” Wolf argued as he soaked in the chilly water, trying to douse the fire in his aching loins. Nala’s naked body pressing against his had left him aroused and dizzy with desire. “Not until every possible solution can be tried.”

“Whatever you say, Commander,” Syn answered with a hint of sarcasm.

Chapter 26

S
yn had watched Wolf and Nala growing closer, and she knew it was just a matter of time before he crumbled to the woman’s seductive charms. She wasn’t happy about the prospect of Wolf lying in Nala’s arms, but she genuinely liked the woman and didn’t want her to spend the rest of her life shunned as an outcast.

Syn was in the engine bay, applying the finishing touches to her android’s second arm. She had completed the first arm yesterday, and it was a masterpiece. Both limbs were still robotic, but she had developed a soft, polymer/titanium skin to coat the exterior. It had the look and feel of human flesh but could withstand a bullet at close range or a life-ending blow from a sword. Each arm had seventy-two actuators, and both were plugged into the ship’s power grid for testing.

Substantial power would be required to run the android’s body. Syn needed to fabricate a mobile power supply, and her calculations indicated that a power pack from one of the damaged satellites would be adequate. She materialized three clones of herself, and each worked on a different body part. In just under six hours, both arms and legs were encased in the pseudo-skin. Soon, she thought, she would have a body to compete with Nala.

Five miles away, on a wooded hillside overlooking a scenic forest glen, Dalla sat on a chair, humming softly as she braided Nala’s long hair. She had mourned her daughter for a year when Nala vanished after a battle, and the prospect of losing her a second time melted Dalla’s heart. As she braided a strand of Nala’s hair, she said, “Tell me about my grandchildren.”