Return of the Matka-Zem (The Sorain Chronicles) (32 page)

"
I'm not going to kill you, Thane." Valencia threw the blade away and the Mlinzi watched it disappear into a thicket. "I'm not going to have your blood on my hands." She turned her back to Thane, unable to look him in the eyes any longer, and whispered, "Why didn't you stop it?"

"
Because, I wanted you for myself." He grabbed her by the arm and spun her around to face him.

"
What about what I want?" She tried to yank her arm away, but his grasp was like steel. "What if I want someone else?"

"
You want someone else . . . ?" The shock on Thane's face lasted only a second before his cheeks grew crimson with jealousy, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and his fingers bit into her arm. "Who is he? A Torpek? Is he one of those arrogant, pampered asses? I'll kill him before he touches you."

"
No one . . . I . . . didn't say . . . I . . . did." The Mlinzi's fury was petrifying and Valencia stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

"
I'll be damned if I am going to forfeit my life so you can lay with another man." Thane hauled her close to him and hissed, "You belong to me!"

"
No, I don't. I don't belong to you or anyone else," she screamed back at the Mlinzi, finally finding her courage. She steadily met his gaze. "I am a free person and I don't belong to anyone!"

With a low growl, Thane released her arm and turned to leave the tiny clearing. Valencia let out a deep breath of relief as he stomped away. However, her reprieve lasted only seconds. When he spun around to face her, she quickly inhaled in fright. Thane was livid! His lips curled into a savage sneer and his yellow eyes blazed with rage. Thane bolted towards her like a charging bear. She quickly stepped back, afraid of the man before her. Before she could escape, he was upon her. Thane roughly pinned her arms to her sides as he forcefully pulled her close. A soft whimper escaped from her throat.

"I love you!" Thane spat the words as if they were poison in his mouth. He gave her one firm shake. "And you love me. But if you want to play this childish game, then so be it." He pushed her away as if the very touch of her revolted him.

She stumbled backwards, tripped over a branch and fell hard on her buttocks. Pain jarred her spine and her eye filled with tears at his revulsion.

"Get this through your thick skull, Princess," Thane said her title like an insult, "you are
my
woman and I will
never
let you go." Thane ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, untangling part of his long braid. His next words came out a little softer, although they still held a hard edge. "Come to me when you're ready to grow up, Valencia."

In shock, she stared after him as Thane stormed out of the clearing without a backwards glance.

No one tried to stop Thane as he stormed away from the encampment. In his fury, he blindly scaled the nearby hillside. It had never occurred to him that the princess might meet someone else in his absence. She was a beautiful woman, and any man would want to have her as his mate, regardless of who she was. Although she was young and naïve, he had been confident she loved him. Now that confidence was cracked.

With a lunge toward an overhang that was almost out of his reach, he began to scale a cliff that would allow him to peer down on the campsite. As he tried to control his anger, he hauled his long body over the ledge and rolled onto his back. The thought of another man making love to Valencia ate at his soul. Regardless of the circumstances, she was his woman and he would not hesitate to kill any man who attempted to take her from him.

"
She loves me," he spoke with uncertainty to the twinkling stars above him. "She has too."

Thane rose to his feet and peered down at the camp. Like a bird of prey spying its next victim, he watched the princess refuse the evening meal and curl into a ball to sleep. Tossing on the hard ground, she finally gave up the fruitless attempt, and returned to the fire. As he watched the Matka-Zem play with the hot coals with a stick, he went over their conversation in his mind.

"Ch'iidii, woman." Thane shook his head when he realized the princess had said, "what if I want," not "I want." On the battlefield, he prided himself on his calm, calculating mind. Nothing could rattle him there. Yet the confounded girl had thrown him into a frenzy on more than one occasion. Even as a child, she had possessed the ability to make him lose control of his emotions. "What have you done to me, Valencia?" He snorted in disgust at himself. "Only you can make me go crazy." Thane wanted to go to her, plead his case, and beg forgiveness, but the next move was hers to make.

"
You're out there somewhere, but where?" Thane heard her faint question in his mind as he saw her raise her head to peer into the dark. At first, he refused to answer. He was sure the princess did not fully comprehend their link, and doubted she really called to him. He concluded that she was just thinking, and he'd simply felt her mind touch his. Yet he felt her turmoil and his heart softened. With a sigh, Thane decided to show the princess just how linked they were.

"
Where I always am, Princess. I'm keeping a watchful eye on you." Thane smiled at her surprise.

"
I really do hear you." The princess turned her head in his direction and he felt her spirits lift. "I'm sorry, Thane."

"
I am too, Valencia." A long pause grew between them as he waited for her to speak.

"
Come back, Thane," Valencia softly ordered. "We need to talk."

"
Yes, we do." This was not their first argument and he supposed it certainly would not be their last. He felt her fatigue and wanted her full attention when they faced each other again. "But go get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning." Thane smiled at how she obediently rose to return to her bedroll and curled under the thin blanket.

Tomorrow would be their joining day
—he was sure of it. Normally there was a celebration for such an occasion, but they would have none. As he watched the Matka-Zem asleep on the ground, he made a sour face. He did not want to take her in the woods like an animal. He ached to hold her in his arms longer than to merely conceive the next Matka-Zem, and lying on dirt was not what he had in mind. He scanned the night, as he tried to remember where the closest cabana lay hidden, and recalled one was no more than three miles away. With another glance at the sleeping princess, he left to make the cabana ready for their joining.

***

Jolted awake by a cry of warning and a scurrying of running feet, Valencia instantly became aware of the sounds of fighting. She rose from her bedroll with a weapon in hand.

"
Get down."

Before she had time to survey the scene, an older Mlinzi pushed her into a squat and five Mlinzi formed a tight ring around her, blocking her view.

"Where's Donna?" She could not see a thing except the backs of the Mlinzi. As the warriors fought the unseen foe, she heard the beating of wings. A cry of pain echoed around her, and something warm splashed onto her cheek. She brushed the spot with her fingers and saw that it was blood. She felt like a coward, hiding behind the Mlinzi. She wanted to fight by their side. Another cry of pain broke into her thoughts and a hole opened in the Mlinzi shield. Not afraid to face the intruder, she rose to her feet.

Her first sight was one of chaos. Gigantic birds swooped from the sky, attacking their party with talons and dropping rocks upon the warriors
' heads. A huge, winged creature flew at her and she raised her curved knife and struck. The beast shrieked in pain as its left wing fell from its body. Stabbing the downed creature in the throat, she frantically searched for her friend.

"
Donna!" Valencia screamed in terror as she saw one of the birds grab the human by the shoulders and lift her into the air. As she raced to her friend's aid, Parth grabbed Donna's ankle and yanked her to the ground. The bird clawed him across the cheek as the large Mlinzi thrust his blade deep into its chest. As she ran towards her friend, Valencia remembered Thane's lecture on the yacht and realized the creatures were Minore. But why they were attacking? She had no clue. There were so many of the winged creatures they blotted out the suns.

"
Get her to the forest!" screamed a Mlinzi.

Valencia felt a Mlinzi grab her arm and haul her toward the trees. With a sickening thump, a huge rock crushed his skull and he fell to the ground. His blood splattered her in the face, half blinding her. As she rubbed her vision clear of the sticky goo, Alana pushed her aside as she held off the beast. Back-to-back, Valencia fought alongside the female Mlinzi as they slowly made their way into the forest. As a Minore dived towards her, she sliced open the creature
's belly, and it collapsed at her feet.

"
Valencia!" She heard her name and saw Thane running towards her. Relief filled her soul at the site of the man she loved. Suddenly, sheering pain shot through her head, as something hard struck her skull. Thane disappeared into a swirling black hole.

***

When Thane crested the hill, he staggered backwards in shock. A band of Minore, some fifty strong, was attacking the campsite. With a roar of rage, he raced towards the encampment, hoping he was not too late. As he entered the clearing, he hurriedly scanned the area for the princess. First, he spied Donna, fighting alongside Parth. A black-haired girl crouched on the ground between them. Dismissing the girl, Thane was relieved that the human was safe with the large Mlinzi. Thane entered the battle, sword in hand, and sliced the clawed feet off a Minore as it hovered in the air above him, ready to sink its claws into him. The creature's blood soaked his cowl. As it screeched in pain, another fill its place. A winged beast tried to grasp his blade but only received missing talons for its efforts.

"
Stay inside the ring, you stupid girl!" Thane yelled as he saw Valencia crawl out of the protected ring of Mlinzi. Yet, the sounds of battle swallowed his words. Another Minore blocked his path, preventing his forward momentum. Fighting the beast that blocked his path, he saw another Mlinzi grasp the princess's arm and pull her toward the forest. As Thane tried to close the distance between them, a Minore struck the princess's guardian with a huge rock before they could reach the woods. Thane watched as the man's skull burst open and knew his brethren was dead before he dropped heavily to the ground. Alana reached the princess's side as yet another Minore stopped him from reaching Valencia. The princess and Alana put their backs together as they slowly made their way towards the trees. As he tried to get to the Matka-Zem, Thane sliced another creature in two.

"
Valencia." As he drew closer, Thane yelled and he saw her look around. His heart soared with relief when Valencia smiled at him. The love in her eyes was unmistakable. Another Minore flew between them and he quickly dispensed with the creature, clearing a path to the princess.

With a war cry, he raced towards the woman he loved, yet he was too late. He was powerless to stop the vile Minore from striking the Matka-Zem on the side of her head and she crumpled to the ground. As the creature lifted the unconscious princess into the air, Thane decapitated another beast as it launched itself at him. Thane frantically ran after Valencia as another Minore assisted the first one, carrying the princess higher into the sky. With a hop, he jumped onto a downed beast and sprang into the air, reaching for Valencia
's limp hand. Their fingertips slightly brushed before he crashed toward the ground.

"
Nnnoooooo . . .!" Thane screamed his agony and punched the ground with his fist. As he helplessly watched Valencia disappear into the rays of the raising suns, the remaining Minore stopped their attack and fled into the sky. Viktor quickly reorganized the survivors. They had lost two Mlinzi and Alana was missing, captured by the Minore.

"
Where's Donna?" Thane asked the commander as calmly as he could. He'd seen the creatures take both Valencia, and Alana and he worried they had taken the human too.

"
I'm here." Donna pushed through the warriors, towing the black-haired girl behind her.

"
Who is this?" Thane glared at the child and she wilted before him.

"
Don't worry about Gabby, Thane," Donna said in a commanding tone. Her sapphire eyes were wide with worry. "Let's go after Val."

"
You're staying here," Thane said, pointing a finger at Donna. He turned towards the commander. "Viktor, I'll leave a trail. I can sense her presence and will find her."

Viktor nodded and ordered one of the warriors to locate the main force of the Mlinzi army.

"I'm going with you." Donna hovered around him as he hurriedly gathered supplies for the journey.

Thane abruptly stopped in his tracks and spun around to face her.

"You're staying with Parth." He glanced at the big man, who nodded his understanding and placed a meaty hand on the human's shoulder.

"
Now wait a minute, Thane. I love her too." Donna glared at Parth as she pleaded with Thane.

"
You'll just slow me down, Earthling." The thought of losing the human too was too much for him to bear, and he quickly turned away from her to hide his tears. "You'll be safer here."

"
But I don't want to stay. I want to go with you!" Donna whined in her defense, "I'm safer with you."

"
The answer is
no
, Donna." He finished gathering the needed supplies and faced his tiny friend. He knelt down on one knee and took her by her shoulders. "Promise me you will stay with Parth."

"
Okay, I'll stay with him."

Thane saw the set of her jaw and a flash of deception in her eyes, but he didn
't have the time to argue with her. He withdrew the short sword from his cloak and handed it to Donna. "I meant to present this to you in happier times. But you need this now."

"
It's beautiful." Donna stared at him with her wide, blue eyes. She quickly buckled the new weapon at her side. With a silent cry, she flung her arms around his neck. With her face muffled in his cloak, her words were barely audible. "You'd better be careful."

"
You are like a sister to me, little Earthling." Thane gave her a firm hug. "Stay with Parth. He will protect you." He rose and gave Parth his hand. The big man enfolded a meaty paw around his. "I'll find Alana too." Not waiting for a response, he ran off into the woods.

***

"You
do
realize he didn't mention anything about where you had to be," Donna said as they watched Thane disappear into the forest. "We may not be able to keep his pace, but we will be faster than the whole army." Donna waved her hand over the field of Mlinzi. The main force had begun to arrive and they were disheartened to learn of the Matka-Zem's capture.

"
The Earthling is right." Viktor stood behind them and gave an order to Parth, "Prepare a squad to follow Thane. Get those cuts cleaned and healed, too." He peered at her as Parth left to follow his orders, "I agree with my brother, though. You are safer here with the main force."

"
I'm going, Captain." She was not sure what rank he was, and really didn't care. "You'll have to tie me to something in order to stop me."

"
Are all you humans this stubborn?" Viktor placed his hands on her shoulders, spun her around to face the camp and gave her a soft push. "Go . . . gather your things and fill your water skin. Be quick about it."

"
Thank you and take care of Gabby for me." Donna gave Viktor a broad smile and scurried away to gather her things.

***

With a soft moan, Valencia opened her eyes and saw nothing. The room was devoid of light. The lack of light caused total disorientation. It took a few seconds to clear her head and she realized she was hanging by her wrists, her feet unable to touch the floor. As she hung in the blackness, she visualized hanging over an abyss by a frayed rope, and a shiver of fear raced through her.