Earth Called, page 42
Nik blinked in surprise and then he grinned happily. “And I love you, Moon Woman Mari, Companion of Rigel, daughter of Leda.”
He bent to kiss her, and Mari wanted so, so badly to let him—to lose herself in his taste and touch—but she would not dare take that chance that she might infect him. She would not leave him sickening, even though Sora could Wash him of this disgusting disease.
Mari turned her head and coughed into his shoulder. She made herself laugh and then kissed him quickly on the cheek and stepped out of his embrace.
“Just because I can Wash you free of illness does not mean you’d enjoy catching this.” She turned away and coughed again as Nik grimaced. “And now I’m going to soak.” She met his gaze. “I love you.”
“You already said that.”
“Can I say it too much?” she asked.
He grinned. “Never. I love you, too. Have a good soak.”
Mari watched him join O’Bryan, who waved at her again. She returned the wave and felt Laru’s gaze on her. The big Shepherd hadn’t left Rigel’s side, though he stared at her, not his son.
Mari touched his mind and painted a picture of the four of them together, curled up in her Moon Woman burrow, cozy and safe.
In return Laru filled her with warmth and love. Before he turned to go to Nik she saw that tears leaked from his eyes.
Mari and Rigel took the long way to the front of the walled valley. They did not walk down the wide main street where the Herd and Pack gathered to share dinner. She could smell roasting meat, which made her so nauseous she struggled not to throw up again. She could hear the indecipherable sounds of conversations drifting on the cool night wind. Mari wanted so badly to join them—to ask Sora to draw down the moon and Wash her free of this terrible disease. Mari wanted so badly to live.
But as she moved silently through the shadows, first to the nursery where she grabbed a long, triple-braided rope, and then to the wide ramp that led to the top of the wall, she concentrated on the good that she was doing. Her life as an exchange for the lives and futures of all those she loved was a small price to pay. She was keeping the beautiful, lush plains of the Wind Riders from becoming a place of disease and death—of slavery and darkness. She was keeping her people safe, which was the ultimate destiny of every Moon Woman.
Mari and Rigel paused in the shadows by the ramp. She waited a few minutes until she was sure people would be distracted with filling their plates, and then she made her sore, feverish body hurry up the ramp. She nodded at each sentry they passed but spoke to no one. Mari knew where she was heading. River had made sure there were sentries posted to look out over the lake, but she remembered an area of the wall, just before it curved to meet the sluiceway, where the rock formation created a natural alcove. It would not be easy, but Mari had no choice. Hidden within the alcove, she would tie one end of her rope around one of the jutting rocks that created the wall and the other around her waist, and then she would climb down the side of the wall, much like she had rappelled with Nik from his city in the trees to the forest floor.
They arrived at the alcove much faster than Mari had anticipated. It seemed to her that time had begun to behave strangely. It had taken so long to move through the shadows to the ramp that Mari had been worried she wouldn’t have the strength needed to do what must be done. And then it was like she’d blinked and suddenly she and Rigel were there. Stiffly, Mari tied the end loop of the rope securely around a nearby rock, wiped the sweat from her face, coughed, and crouched before Rigel.
It was time to say goodbye to him, and she wasn’t entirely sure she could do it. How could she leave him? How could she break his heart and hers? He was part of her, and she him. She sobbed silently as she pressed her face into his thick fur and tried to find her lost courage.
“You infected yourself, didn’t you?”
Sora’s voice came from behind her. Mari stood and whirled around as she wiped tears from her face. “What are you talking about?” She lifted her chin and tried to sound indignant, but her outrage disintegrated in a bout of coughing that had her leaning against the wall for support. When she could speak again, she met Sora’s gaze and nodded. “I did.”
“And now you’re going to go to Death.” Sora didn’t phrase it as a question, but Mari answered.
“I am.”
Sora looked down for a moment before she met her gaze again and asked, “The Great Goddess spoke to you?”
Mari nodded. “Twice. That night in the nursery when She manifested I thought the Goddess meant for me to be Her vessel, but I did not know how—or even if it was just my imagination. Then She came to me in my dream the night Death poisoned the lake.”
“She did more than just warn you about the lake?”
Mari nodded again, coughed, cleared her throat, and continued. “Yes, She told me how to defeat Death. I drank from the poisoned lake. The Goddess said She would prepare Death—that She would make Him believe She wants to awaken, and set Him up to use me as the vessel. Now all I need do is get beyond the wall so He can believe He’s captured me…” Mari had to pause as she coughed up blood and bile again. “Sora, please don’t try to stop me. It has to be this way. It is the will of our Great Earth Mother. You know River should not make this sacrifice. She leads this valley. They need her.”
“We need you!” Sora brushed angrily at the tears that had begun to leak from her eyes.
“No, my beautiful, capable best friend. You will be their Moon Woman.” As Mari spoke, she felt the truth of what she said and knew the knowledge was another gift from her goddess. “You will train Danita and Isabel to be Moon Women, as well as the daughter I know you will bear O’Bryan. You will lead our Pack to establish a home on these amazing plains where they will prosper for generations.”
Tears flowed down Sora’s cheeks, but her voice was steady. “We were supposed to watch our children play together. We were supposed to grow old together. I do not want this. I do not want it to be this way.”
“Neither do I, but it is the Goddess’s decision and I have made the choice to accept my destiny.”
Sora’s gaze went to Rigel, who sat silently pressed against Mari’s leg. “Will Rigel go with you?”
“No! He must stay here. I—I can’t do this if Death can harm him. The Great Goddess promised me She would not allow him to be in pain. Remember what She did for Bard?”
Sora nodded.
“The Goddess will touch Rigel, too, so he will be free of the pain of losing me.” Mari’s hand went to her Companion’s head. “I want him to Choose again. I want him to be happy and have a long life. Please tell his new Companion that.”
“I will.” Sora drew in a deep breath, wiped her face, lifted her chin, and said, “Come with me. I will help you.”
Mari’s brow furrowed. “How?”
“Just come on. Try not to cough, which means don’t talk, because I had that terrible sickness and talking only makes the coughing worse.” Sora turned and headed along the narrow ledge toward the lake.
Mari was too sick and weak and sad to argue with her, so she followed silently with Rigel beside her. When they came to the familiar part of the wall above the sluiceway, Sora greeted the sentry stationed there.
“Hey there, we’re your dinner relief.” Sora spoke in a soft, conversational tone. “And no need to hurry back. We’ll keep watch over the lake tonight.”
The young Rider who had been standing guard smiled in surprise. “Truly? I expected to be here until the moon was well over the trees.”
Sora shrugged. “We’re early. We like looking out on the forest. It reminds us of home.”
“Well, then, thank you.” The Rider nodded to Sora and Mari, and then moved past them with a light step.
After he was out of sight Sora went to the wooden box that held the ropes and planks they’d used the day before to descend to the ground. While Mari coughed and petted Rigel, Sora readied one of the lifts, wrapping the ropes around the lever and wheel system.
“It’s ready,” Sora said.
Mari nodded and crouched before Rigel again. She took his face between her hands. “I’m sorry this causes you pain. If I could change that, I would. If I could make any other decision than this one, I would. Please know that you have been my greatest surprise in this life, as well as my greatest joy. Stay close to Sora. Help Nik and Laru. And always, always remember that I love you with every part of my being.” She kissed Rigel on his muzzle and pressed her face into his fur one last time. She breathed in his scent, trying to embed it into her memory. Rigel pushed his head against her as he whined softly. Then she kissed him again and stood. “Be brave, my sweet boy.” She turned to Sora and wiped her face with her soggy sleeve. “I’m ready.”
As Sora helped her onto the plank and secured the ropes around her waist, she asked, “What is your plan to find Death?”
“It has to appear as if He finds me. I will go directly into the forest from here so that no sentries see me. Then I’ll simply wander toward where I know His army is camped.” Mari jerked her chin in the direction of the many campfires that glowed through the forest. “I’m close to delirium already, so when I’m found I’ve decided to say the most logical thing—that I was searching for an herb to relieve my fever and got lost. I have to trust that the Goddess has taken care of the rest of it.” Mari cleared her throat again and added, “Keep Rigel with you tonight and for as long as you can. Nik thinks I have a cold and Rigel is upset because of what Death attempted to do to us. I told him we’re going to soak at one of the mineral pools.”
Sora stroked Rigel’s head. “I will take care of him.”
“Thank you.”
Sora tied the last knot. “It’s ready for me to lower.” She put her arms around Mari and hugged her tightly. “You became my sister. Thank you for saving all of us.”
Mari couldn’t speak. She only nodded and clung to Sora. Finally, Sora stepped back, wiped the tears from her face, and smiled. “Tell Leda I said hi.”
Through her own tears Mari nodded and managed two words. “I shall.” Then she cleared her throat and added, “I love you.”
“I love you, too, my sister.”
Sora lowered Mari slowly to the ground and then Mari walked as quickly as she was able to the distant tree line. She glanced over her shoulder constantly, memorizing the two faces that stared from the top of the wall down at her. Sora stood beside Rigel, who had lifted his front paws to the top of the wall so he could stare after her. Mari saw Sora put her arm around Rigel. She felt her Companion; she would until the moment she died. Even through his grief he sent her warmth and strength and love, always love.
CHAPTER 36
Thaddeus woke shortly after dawn. He stretched and scratched and then on all fours crawled from his tent—the biggest and most well-appointed tent in the army except for Death’s ridiculously huge shelter. The morning was so cold the browning grass was covered with frost, but the cold didn’t bother Thaddeus. He barely felt it, which made him smile. It is our thick fur that keeps me warm, Odysseus!
The dog-man made his way to a tree far enough away from the sleeping area that he was free to relieve himself. Instead of standing, Thaddeus lifted his leg and, huffing with humor exactly as his Terrier would have, urinated a dark, steady stream onto the trunk.
He did stand then, but only so he could stretch again. Then he scratched himself behind his ears, which had become pointed and considerably larger than they were before he’d merged with his Companion. It felt so good to scratch that Thaddeus lost himself in the sensation as he wandered in the forest—going in no particular direction except purposefully not toward the heart of the army where Death would surely be.
There would be time enough for the God to order him around as the day progressed, but Thaddeus had discovered that, unlike the Storyteller, Death did not call for him immediately upon rising, which mean Thaddeus sometimes had most of the morning to himself. I need the quiet time, Odysseus. We must plan where we will go after the walled city falls. Thaddeus remembered the lush valley at the base of the Rock Mountains. Perhaps there, Odysseus. It is weeks away from here, which means Death cannot easily meddle in my business. Yes, I think that would be perfect, my—
His thoughts broke off as a tantalizing scent lifted with the cold morning breeze to his enhanced nostrils. Thaddeus froze. He raised his head and sniffed, tasting the scent in the wind.
Disease was unmistakable. Thaddeus would never forget that particular scent. But it was paired with something much more delectable—a female. A human female. Panting, Thaddeus kept scenting the breeze. He dropped to all fours and stealthily followed the delicious smell. Soon his Terrier-sharp hearing caught another all too familiar sound—that of someone coughing.
Thaddeus was pleased by the coughing. It helped to spew her scent into the forest, leading him to—
Once more, Thaddeus froze as he finally recognized the female’s scent.
It was that bitch of a scratcher, Mari! The whore who had caused the death of his beloved Odysseus—the one Death had called Sun Warrior and stared at greedily when she appeared on the city wall just days before.
For a moment Thaddeus considered not taking her to Death. He could track her and capture her and do whatever he wanted to her out here in the thickness of the woods, away from Death’s censuring gaze.
Thaddeus’s body stirred with lust. He hadn’t been with a woman since they’d left the Tribe of the Trees. During the journey Death had made it clear His little bunny women were off-limits to all but His touch, and Thaddeus suddenly realized that he craved the release the scratcher mutant would provide him, especially when that release came after he had made her pay for all that she’d done to him.
But Thaddeus was no fool. After they defeated the Wind Riders and he had his own Tribe, he could take any female desired, whenever and however he desired. But first Death must allow him to leave—to establish his own Tribe—and Death would be most likely to do that if Thaddeus kept Him happy.
Bringing the scratcher bitch to Death would definitely keep Him happy.
* * *
The night had passed like a waking nightmare. The one good thing about the fever that burned through Mari’s body was that it kept her warm. There was nothing else good about the skin-sloughing disease. Her cough was terrible, and the green phlegm she kept spitting up had turned pink with blood. She thought she might be done vomiting, which was a nice reprieve, but her skin felt on fire. Mari had checked on the pustules once. They’d gotten substantially bigger and were weeping rancid liquid.
Had she not still been able to feel Rigel and his love and strength and belief in her Mari might have just sat down, closed her burning eyes, and slept forever.
Mari realized she’d stopped walking and shook herself, grimacing at the pain in her swollen neck. “I cannot stop. I must keep going.”
“Must you, scratcher bitch? Why? Where exactly are you going?”
Mari blinked her blurry vision clear and looked around the lush forest for the source of the voice. What she saw had her questioning reality. Surely this was just a fever dream.
“W-who are you?” she asked, and then coughed and spit blood onto the forest floor.
“I am offended you do not recognize me,” he said.
Mari stared at him. Then her mind cleared enough that she recognized him. From the wall he’d appeared changed, but seeing the thing he’d become up close was almost incomprehensible.
“Thaddeus?”
On all fours, the mutated man circled Mari. “So you do remember me. How touching. Now, answer my question. Where exactly are you going?”
“Into the forest. I—I need herbs to ease my fever,” said Mari as she turned to stare at him. Except for his mean little eyes, he was utterly changed. Thaddeus was covered with black fur. His spine was curved. The shape of his legs and arms had changed. His face was horrible—not man and not dog but something in between that lacked the beauty and grace of either. “I got lost. I don’t want any trouble. I’m sick and need to gather willow bark and medicinal herbs I cannot find within the walled city. That’s all.”
“You made a fatal mistake today, scratcher.” Thaddeus’s voice was different, deeper, and even crueler than before. “Now you will come with me.”
Mari coughed violently and wiped her mouth before she could speak again. “Please, Thaddeus. Just let me go. I’m really sick and just want to collect some herbs and bark.”
“Oh, but you will do so, so much more than that. That way, scratcher. Move!” On all fours, Thaddeus began nipping at Mari’s calves and heels, herding her back the way he’d come.
Mari let him. She knew Thaddeus was taking her to Death, which had been her plan all along, but she was too ill to feel victorious and too filled with grief to do much more than stumble along, only once in a while complaining as the creature that used to be a man bit her legs and drove her forward.
When they reached the edge of the army’s encampment, Thaddeus stood upright and kept shoving her in front of him. Mari observed everything through a fever haze, which intensified the strange, nightmare intensity of the day. There were bison everywhere. Most were grazing quietly. Several were being roasted over open fires. There were more Terrier-mutated men like Thaddeus. They joined him, occasionally pushing her and laughing when she tripped and fell or had to stop to cough and gasp for breath.
Then more mutating dog-men joined them, only these men were clearly becoming Shepherds. They were even more horrible than Thaddeus and the Terrier men. The most disturbing thing about Shepherd men was what was happening to their faces. Fangs had grown in mouths meant for human teeth, pushing their jaw structure to elongate with their noses. Mari thought they were the most horrible living things she’d ever seen.
She stumbled past men that stared at nothing with white eyes and skin the color of old bones. They were silent and unnaturally still.
