Zara pressed her knees against the horse’s flanks when she saw the black smoke in the direction of the farm. She rode through the forest at full gallop as she deftly guided the horse around trees and over bushes. She reined in at the forest edge. A shockwave of heat pulsed through her. Everything was burning including the stable, grain bin and smoke house. Her home was engulfed in flames. Her heartbeat pounding in her chest, she urged the horse on as the roof of the house collapsed.
Several hours later, Zara was drained. With no more tears to shed, she walked to the rubble to search for the bodies of her husband and son. She found her husband’s decapitated body near the rubble of the stable. After hours of searching, she gave up trying to find the body of her son. She was blinking back tears as she mounted the horse and headed north to the secret cave.
She hid the horse in thick bushes before climbing up into the rocks. Tearing away some brambles, she crawled into a small opening and lit a candle on a wall sconce. The light revealed a trunk. She opened the lid and took out a sword, harness and sheath. After strapping it on, she took out something wrapped in a soft cloth. The medallion took on a soft glow as it was unwrapped. It was attached to a leather neck strap. She put it over her head and tucked it beneath her tunic.
Four days later, Zara stopped to fill her water skin at a stream before pressing on. Her sole purpose was to rescue Miko from the band of Slayers. She knew they were responsible for murdering her husband and burning the farm because they had slaughtered her mother and brother when she was a little girl. The only reason she survived was because she had climbed a tree to play before they arrived. The horror was still fresh in her mind. It was an old wizard who found her wandering through the forest, tired, hungry and dirty. He took her under his wing, and later, when she grew into a woman, gave her the magic medallion. The Slayers always decapitated their victims and burned everything in their wake.
It was an overcast night when Zara crept to the edge of a rise. In the valley below were six campfires. She tethered the horse and staying in shadows made her way to the valley floor. Four sentries were posted at various junctures around the perimeter of the camp. It took her almost an hour to locate Miko. His hands and feet were tied. Another rope was looped around his neck and tied to a tree. He was positioned away from the fires and he had no blanket.
Zara clamped her hand over Miko’s mouth and whispered for him to remain silent and unmoving. Several Slayers were sleeping nearby. Very quietly, she drew her knife and cut the ropes binding his hands and feet. She loosened the rope around his head and lifted it off.
“Enjoying yourself?”
Zara whipped her head around. A huge man pressed the tip of his sword against her neck. She froze. He called to the two sleeping nearby and ordered them to tie the boy. He kept his sword positioned against her neck until they were finished. “Now tie her hands,” he commanded. When her hands were tied, he lowered his sword and backhanded her across the face knocking her to the ground. His eyes were cold. “Do you know this boy?”
“No.”
His voice was menacing. “Why were you trying to rescue him?”
Her look was contemptuous. “He is tied and left in the cold without a blanket. It’s barbaric!”
With one swift motion, he reached down and jerked her to her feet. He thrust her near a campfire and ordered her to sit. He sat nearby and studied her. “What are you doing alone in the wilderness?”
“I am headed for the South Lands.”
“Do you know who we are?”
She looked directly into his eyes. “You’re Slayers.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “And you had the audacity to come into our camp and try to steal the boy knowing who we are…why?”
“I didn’t know who you were until I came close. I knew it when I saw the boy tied and cold. It infuriated me. Isn’t he a little young to be tied up?”
He ignored her question as he gazed at her through half-closed eyes. She stared at the fire and tried to think of a way to free her hands. She murmured, “Is it possible for me to have something to eat?”
“We’re Slayers. We don’t keep prisoners.”
“There’s no need to kill me. I don’t care what you are about. Just let me be on my way.”
“I can’t do that.”
Zara lowered her head and stared at the ground. Her mind was racing. She looked back at him. “At least give me a fighting chance. I have a sword. Let me fight for my life.” Her tone changed to one of challenge. “Or are you afraid of a woman?”
He chuckled. His look was a condescending blend of cruelty and amusement. “I’ll give it some thought.” He stood, and before walking off, said, “Lie down and get some sleep. Tomorrow, you’ll have my decision.” Two men approached and sat nearby.
Zara feigned sleep. The fact she was still alive gave her hope.
Dawn’s light was pushing away the shadows of night when Zara sat up and scanned the camp. She saw Miko sitting near another fire. He was no longer tied. The leader walked up and asked, “Are you still hungry?”
“A bit.”
The leader motioned for one of the men to untie her hands. He tossed a chunk of cheese on the ground next to her. She watched him warily as she picked it up and began to eat. When she was finished, she said, “Thank you.”
The leader gave a barely perceptible nod to one of the men behind her. Zara was grasped roughly by the shoulders and forced to her feet. He smirked. “This is what I’ve decided. One of my men will fight you to the death. If you win, someone needs to die for the loss of my man. It will be the boy. You’ll be allowed to leave.”
Without hesitation, Zara replied, “fair enough.”
A hint of surprise flashed across the Leader’s eyes. “Don’t you care about the boy?”
“Not enough to sacrifice my freedom for his life.”
The leader tilted his head and squinted. “It’s a shame you aren’t a man. You’d make a good Slayer.”
“What does being a man have to do with it? I have a proposition for you. If I kill your man, I can replace him and there will be no need to kill the boy.”
Deep, raucous laughter erupted from the men standing around. Even the leader had a wide grin. He reached out and cupped her chin. “You’re going to be killed, so your proposition is meaningless.” He lowered his hand and motioned to the man behind her before he strode off to the center of the camp with Zara being shoved along behind.
Surrounded, she studied the men as she waited. A man stepped from the wide circle and drew his sword. Zara drew hers with her right hand while she pulled the medallion from under her tunic with her left. She touched the medallion to the blade. A flash of light ensued and the sword took on a glow. An eerie war cry undulated from her throat and echoed through the valley as she lunged forward. She parried his thrust and leapt to the side. She dropped to a crouch and brought her sword up and around in a right to left arc. It sliced through the top of the Slayer’s head. He slumped to the ground. Zara didn’t stop. She moved swiftly to two Slayers standing nearby and killed them before they could draw their swords. She whirled and plowed into three others before they could react. She moved to a small rise and turned to face the rest.
They ran at her from the front, left and right. She waited three seconds before diving through the legs of one of the men on her left. She jumped to her feet at the same time swinging her sword in a straight line across the back of three Slayers’ heads. She did a half-twist and brought the sword up to split a Slayer’s chin, up through his face. As one lunged at her from the right, she dropped to the ground with her sword held over her head. She rolled into his legs. His sword plunged into the chest of another coming from her left. She leapt to her feet and kicked him onto the other’s sword.
The Slayers that were left were hesitant. Zara took advantage and ran back to the rise. Her eyes focused on the leader. She pointed at him. “You take me on.” His men backed away.
Barely containing his fury, the leader drew his sword and stepped forward. Zara remained unmoving as he approached. He lifted his sword to bring it down on her when she moved with blurring speed. She brought her left foot up hard into his groin. A deep, mournful moan slipped from his throat as he slumped to his knees. Zara glanced at the others before bringing her sword down to sever his head. The others turned and ran.
She wiped the blade on the leader’s tunic before placing it in its sheath. Miko called out to her. She ran and scooped him into her arms. After hugging and stroking his face and hair, she put him on one of the Slayer’s horses, and taking the reins, led her son out of the camp. He asked, “Are we going home now, Mother?”
She wanted no more reminders of the Slayers. “How would you like to live by an ocean?” she asked.
This is the long-awaited 4th book of The Chronicles of Henry Roach-Dairier, a future world without people. Think Planet of the Ants, not Planet of the Apes, for young adults and adults.
What if all objects had a "consciousness" and were aware of the world around them? What if they could talk to each other? Award-winning author Deborah K. Frontiera answers this hypothetical what-if in an intriguing way as the items in a pawnshop come
Prince Charming in a Detroit warehouse? That's nothing! It's the throne that'll throw you! After freeing a ragged Prince Charming, two women discover dreams don't have to be fantasies -- and with enough elbow grease, anyone can create a kingdom.
