Tara The Great [Nuworld 2] (18 page)

He then noticed a lone tear glide down her cheek and reached to stop its path.

No response. Her eyes remained wide, staring straight ahead.

He looked in the direction she stared and saw nothing but flowing prairie grass and

distant mountains, barely visible on the horizon. She saw something though.

Suddenly, she cowered, just slightly, then more tears came.

He wiped them away, too.

He’d never seen her like this before, but suddenly he was sure of what was

happening. Crator. The dog-woman. She was having a vision.

But why was she so upset? What was she seeing?

“Tara,” he gently touched her clenched fist. “Can you hear me?”

She was icy cold and didn’t stir, yet the tears flowed.

Darius scooted closer and put an arm around her while continuing to hold her

clenched hand. He wished he could see what she saw.

What frustration! He didn’t like being in the dark about anything. And he despised

not being in control. He’d only seen the dog-woman in dreams, and those had stopped

after Tara returned. Why did she come to Tara?

Tara’s sobbing grew louder.

“Why are you doing this to her?” Darius looked around him. “She doesn’t deserve

these tears, no.”

Nothing.

Tara continued to stare and cry.

“Stop this, I say!” He yelled to the empty field. He held her closer, tighter. “Please,”

he calmed his voice, feeling her pain. “Please,” he begged. “I know I’ve questioned your

existence, I have. But you know my thoughts and I do believe in you. I’m just not good

at accepting the fact that there’s someone out there with more control. I’m willing to try,

I am.”

Still she sobbed bitterly.

“Please. Torture me. Tara’s done nothing wrong, she hasn’t. Don’t do this to her,

don’t.”

Her eyes stared widely at an unknown source and she whimpered as her tears fell.

He continued to hold her, letting her cry like a child. He watched their

surroundings protectively, waiting for whatever might happen next.

* * * * *

Tara awakened suddenly in their tent and realized morning had come. She wasn’t

surprised to see Darius sleeping next to her. He hadn’t moved as she slowly pulled back

the covers. His long body rose and fell slowly, and his breathing was deep. She’d stared

at him for a moment and had a sudden desire to crawl into his arms and cuddle up to

his broad, perfectly sculptured chest.

His blond curls half-covered a face deeply tanned from the sun. Oh, how she’d

wanted to wrap those curls around her fingers and roll him onto his back. Her bruised

ribs and torn arm hadn’t allowed that pleasure though. Not to mention the fact that she

was supposed to be angry with him. Furious was more like it.

She hadn’t felt fury at that moment, though. She’d wanted him, desperately.

Yes, she remembered they’d fought the night before. He always pushed the fact that

he was the lord and outranked her. His arrogance infuriated her. She was nothing until

her papa died, and that was something she didn’t want. The last thing she could

imagine was Patha being gone from her life forever. But until then, she had no rank

other than the claimed one of the Lord of Gothman. Which meant nothing.

Tara would have helped organize the camp after they had arrived; she knew

military strategies as well as he did. She knew some of them better than he did. But

Darius hadn’t permitted her to give one little order. Not one. So she’d ignored him and

cleaned her bike, a ridiculous thing to do in the dark.

However when the two of them were alone in their tent sleeping together, then she

could give orders. Tara could tell him to roll over and please her, and he would obey.

That thought had brought a smile to her lips. But no, she had to punish him.

As she had awakened, she hadn’t even dwelt on his crimes. Not right then. She’d

felt in good humor, full of desires she knew he could satisfy.

But then her thoughts had grudgingly drifted away from the sleeping man. She

needed to contact Patha, and she knew he would be awake by now. She would check in

with him and see if the scouts had detected any sign of the Lunians.

She’d leaned across Darius in order to grab his boot, suspecting his comm would be

inside it. He always put valuable items in his boots when he retired at a campsite.

Her body had scorched with desire as she felt his firm muscular body underneath

her.

No, get those thoughts out of your head. He’s done you wrong and there’s only one way to

teach the man manners. Ugh! Why did it have to be such torture for her, too?

She took his comm, put on her boots, and slipped outside. Cold air wrapped

around her, making her shiver. Her muscles tightened, the dull throb of pain from her

injuries slowing her movements. Everything was damp with dew, and a dark shroud

made the multiple sleeping bodies around the camp appear like dark mounds. She

closed the tent securely and walked silently through the sleeping camp.

“No, we haven’t found anything unusual yet,” Patha said after she’d contacted him

with Darius’ comm.

“Do they know what they’re looking for?”

“What do you mean?”

“Patha, these people live on the moon. I don’t think they’re accustomed to living

out in the open. Certainly, they didn’t live out in the open on the moon. There are no

trees or grass there, it’s all just…white.” Tara had explained her thinking. “When they

came here, the first place they went was underground, and they’ve probably set up

camp there. The terrain to the north is rocky. It’s sandier to the south. I’d guess they are

to the west or east.”

“Good logic, Tara-girl.” Patha’s tone had been tense. “You should have told me this

last night.”

“I wasn’t permitted to have any say last night.”

Patha sighed with exasperation. “My patience tires with this, Tara-girl. Accept him

as your commanding officer and share any ideas that might be constructive. That’s how

a good warrior behaves.” His words had been sharp and their accuracy stung. “I

shouldn’t have to tell you this. You know it already. You won’t be a successful leader if

you can’t separate your ill will toward him with the need to lead a race. I have higher

hopes for you than the way you’re acting.” Silence prevailed as he let his words hit

home.

He had been right and she’d been negligent in her duties. Tara had focused all her

energy in making sure Darius suffered for how he had wronged her, and she had

accomplished nothing. He didn’t see the error of his ways.

“I’ll let you know if I have any more ideas.” She’d reached to shut off her comm.

“Tara, I want you to talk to Torgo.”

“Why?”

“He needs a speech similar to the one you just got. And, I think it would be a good

idea for you to give it to him.”

“Because Syra’s missing?”

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t Darius do that?”

“I want you to do it.”

“Okay. I’ll contact him now.” Tara had switched off the comm and had decided to

walk out to the edge of the campsite to talk to the boy privately. She’d always treated

him gently. The other soldiers didn’t need to overhear her conversation with him. It

wouldn’t help his reputation. He was already a shadow of his brother. She would give

him the respect of a warrior, allowing him to receive his reprimand in private.

The strange rock formation had been visible across the field. She’d walked toward it

and leaned against its jagged edge, putting it between her and the camp. A strange

smell had suddenly tickled her nose. No, not strange, appealing. Her mouth began to

water.

It was the smell of coffee.

Strong.

Hot.

She’d inhaled deeply and turned her head.

The dog-woman had been squatting on the ground at the other end of the rock

formation. A small fire burned in front of her and a grill lay over it, supported by rocks.

She had pulled a metal pot off the grill, and poured its steaming contents into a large tin

cup. “Good to start the day off refreshed and alert.” She’d slowly walked the hot cup

over to Tara, shuffling her old leather boots over the uneven ground in small steps.

Tara had accepted the hot brew and looked at the old lady’s glassy brown eyes.

“And why do I have the honor of this visit?” She’d joyfully sipped the hot coffee…what

a coveted treat.

“You need help, the evil is strong.”

“My faith is strong.” Tara had smiled as she kept the cup to her face enjoying the

heat on her skin. “I know you’ll take care of me.”

“Crator will take care of you.”

“Yes, and I’ll accept His help.”

“He knows that.” The dog-woman smiled then, and the wrinkles on her face

intensified. “Oldworld was destroyed for its evil.”

Tara hadn’t responded, not knowing what to say. The existence of Oldworld had

been mentioned in some of her studies, but it wasn’t a subject she knew much about.

“They’ll destroy you, if you don’t fight.” The dog woman’s look was stern. “You

must fight with no other thoughts but survival.”

“Are they going to take my children?” Tara had known she was being mighty bold

to ask such a question about the future.

“They will try.” Then the old woman looked down. “Crator wants you to know

more. It will help you defeat the evil.”

“What does he want me to know?”

The dog-woman had disappeared and so had Tara’s hot cup of coffee.

* * * * *

She wasn’t in the field anymore.

Cold stale air settled in around her. The darkness increased, limiting her vision,

pressing in around her like an old thick blanket.

No more wet grass smells, or hot coffee. Everything smelled foul, an unclean

stench. She covered her nose.

As her eyes adjusted, she realized she wasn’t alone.

She was in a large room and there were people everywhere. Women everywhere.