Understanding that their safety depended on her ability to run, the badly winded Qalae took a step with her swollen foot and took another. She was breathing heavily, and her face was gaunt and sallow, her ordeal at the post robbing their queen of her usual formidable strength. But she tried. She gave it all. And when Oh’nil saw that Qalae was moving, he broke into a run, leading the way, hopping over rocky obstacles, turning and twisting to avoid the predators, his long legs eating ground with ease despite his load.
They ran for a long time, and when Oh’nil stopped and lowered Addie to the ground, the sounds of Wrennlins’ carnage were coming from far away.
Qalae dropped down like a dead weight, groaning.
It was peaceful here, where rocky hills offered protection from the view of the predators. Addie knew it was an illusion. But for the moment, she allowed herself to think they were safe, resting against the moss-covered rounded boulders, with the wind blowing gently, rustling the leaves.
The remnants of their tribe were gathered here. Several women huddled together. Illied was crying. Oma was holding one of Mekni’s children. A warrior was laying at their feet covered in blood. His chest was rising but he appeared unconscious.
“Where’s Zoark?”
Oh’nil trained his light-green eyes on her. “He’s still out there.”
“There” was death. “Why aren’t they retreating?”
“They are.”
As if on cue, several shapes took form from behind a rock. Her eyes greedily latched on the dusty, bloody, badly disheveled warriors. At first, she couldn't find Zoark among the small group. And then she did. He was limping badly under the weight of another man he was carrying in a fireman's hold.
They survived.
Chapter 42
When Addie awoke, she was laying across Zoark’s lap, and his swollen fingers, scraped raw, were gently untangling her matted hair.
Slowly, reality returned, and her hand convulsively clutched her belly. “The baby! Zoark, the baby… ” She couldn't feel anything. Why wasn’t the baby moving? Why wasn’t it… And then it moved.
She burst out crying.
“It’s alright,” Zoark’s voice broke. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” He kept repeating it over and over again as if he couldn't believe he was holding her in his arms. “I couldn't find you back there. And my mind nearly cracked. I can’t lose you, Addie. I have no sanity if you’re not here with me.”
“I’m safe now. We’re safe.” She touched his face, so battered and swollen, so ugly and animal and foreign. So dear.
They stayed glued to each other, touching, kissing in full view of their tribesmen, and they didn’t care.
They didn’t care.
Nothing else mattered but feeling each other’s touch and knowing that their life would go on unbroken.
Others weren’t so lucky.
When Zoark finally let go of Addie, she had to face the world.
Illied had stopped crying and was sitting hunched over with staring blankly in front of her. Her mate Klarm became one of the casualties, and now Illied faced the prospect of raising her unborn child alone. Again.
Melmie knelt far from Illied but with a similar blank stare. Melmie was still young and resilient. She would bounce back, but at this moment she looked old and despondent.
Beautiful Vircea, full of life, was not among them. Iguell was holding his head high and his shoulders squared as he went about helping men and women to organize a shelter, but he kept covertly glancing around and back to where they’d all run from as if he waited for Vircea to appear at any moment. She wouldn't.
Neither would Mekni and her youngest baby.
Neither would Shur.
Silent tears began rolling down Addie’s face.
There was no Chele. Trussed up in her teepee when Wrennlins attacked, she had had no hope of escaping. Despite their falling out, Addie’s heart hurt badly at losing the old woman. It was all so senseless.
Her eyes went to little Oh’na who was now sleeping snuggled in the moss, amber tear tracks visible on her plump cheeks. In a world of loss and hurt, Addie felt almost guilty for her own good fortune, for keeping the people most dear to her. Zoark. Little Oh’na. Melmie. She glanced sideways and caught Qalae’s haunted eyes. Yes, Qalae. She cared for Qalae. If they had lost Qalae, that loss would have been one of the hardest for Addie to bear. How did their bond happen? Truly, life worked in mysterious ways.
