Captive (22 page)
The servant cowered, and then ran to the garments hanging on the wall and searched for the missing thermal suits. He’d never find them. They were on Max and Addy.
Duncan had been right five days ago. Somehow the pair had escaped.
On hands and knees Regan scoured the floor. If Max had been in this room, he’d find the evidence. It didn’t take long before he spotted a long strand of strawberry-blonde hair beneath the garbage chute. It wasn't Max's. “Hey. Over here. I found human hair.”
Xanthrag strode across the room to take the proffered strand. He held it up, examining it.
“It’s my broodmare’s,” Regan said, though he knew they didn’t understand a word. “She escaped with Max.” He dropped to his knees again. Max must have left some evidence behind. There’s no way his little pet got in and out of this room on her own.
How they did it and where they were now, he didn’t know. But he sure as hell would figure it out.
That goddamn loser would not cause him to be tortured again.
W
ith every step Addy and Max took inside the village, the scent of black licorice grew stronger. Though no one had bothered them so far, almost every Hyborean outside had glanced their way as they passed. Addy’s heart rate increased. Her hands itched to reach out and take hold of Max’s arm. She refused to do it though. She would not let him know she was scared.
Especially since he radiated confidence.
There was an energy coming from him she hadn’t noticed before. He hadn’t drawn his sword or adjusted his baldric like he often did. He simply strutted by the houses, chest puffed and arms out slightly away from his sides like a gunfighter in what must have been his relaxed ready-to-fight stance.
She prayed she didn’t have to see his battle stance.
The Hyboreans had left them alone to enter the center of the village where people, dressed hood to boot in fur, gathered in a crowd around them, speaking a strange language.
Addy plastered on a smile and nodded. “Hello.”
One young woman stepped forward. The glossy animal hair fringing her hooded parka blew in the wind. “Why High People come to Tuniit village?” she asked, not unfriendly.
“I’m looking for Kaskae,” Max said.
“Who you?”
“Suinnak Tiglikte.”
She smirked, eyeing him up and down. “Nukka,” she called. A girl of about eight came to her side and the young woman spoke to her in the native language. The little girl nodded before pushing her way out through the crowd.
“Suinnak...?” Addy whispered to Max, trying to pronounce the unfamiliar words.
“Tiglikte. It’s what their leader calls me.”
“What does it mean?”
His grin beamed proudly. “‘Good-for-nothing thief.’”
“Glad to know you made an impression last time.”
While they waited, more Tuniit people gathered around them, speaking in low whispers. Children pointed at their tight, spandexlike thermal suits and giggled. Addy shifted on her feet and forced herself to keep smiling.
It seemed like forever before the crowd parted, permitting a man Addy assumed was their chief into their surrounding circle.
“Max.” He extended his gloved hand. “Why you come to peaceful village?”
Max shook the chief’s hand. “Refuge.”
“Again?”
“Yes, but this time I’m in better company.” Max wrapped his arm around Addy’s shoulder and pushed her forward. “She needs food. She’s—”
“Ahnah. Feed this woman.”
Obediently, the young woman who first spoke to them stepped into the circle. “What your name?”
“Addy.”
“Come, Addy. Eat.” Ahnah led her away from Max and the crowd, and they ducked into a domed icehouse. The temperature change was instant and dramatic. Who knew a house made of ice and snow could be this toasty? Compared to the little ice shelters they’d slept in over the past five nights, Ahnah’s home was a cozy five-star resort.
Light from a crescent-shaped, stone oil lamp burning in the center of the room set the smooth, crystalline walls ashimmer. Suspended above the oil lamp was a steaming pot. Ahnah stirred its contents with a spoon made from some kind of bone.
The home was bigger than it appeared from the outside. “Is that another room?” Addy asked pointing to the open doorway off to the left. She could see animal pelts on an ice shelf.
“Yes. Sleep there.” Ahnah pulled out a hunk of animal meat, squeezed the broth from it, and handed it and a knife to Addy.
“Thank you.” Grateful for a hot meal no matter what the animal might be, she moved to the small wooden table to eat. Ahnah brought her cold chunks of blubber, and some kind of thick soup.
“Again, thank you.” Addy dug in, too hungry to taste it and too hungry to care that she burned her tongue.
“Your first baby?” Ahnah pointed to Addy’s stomach.
“Yes.”
“Goddess Akna will visit you soon.” Her warm and friendly smile set her blue eyes sparking. She patted her own swollen belly. “Me same. First baby.”
“Are you scared?”
“Was scared. Today husband return from Southland. I no scared no more.”
Good for her. When the baby came, she’d not only have the support of her family and friends, but most important, she’d have a husband by her side.
Mom never had that. Her baby’s father had left her. Addy would never have that, either. The father of her baby took zero interest. Max never once asked about the pregnancy or Superbaby. But what had she expected? He barely said anything that didn’t have to do with survival.
It was nice to actually talk to someone about her pregancy, especially when that someone was another young mom going through the same thing. It was an instant connection. But as much as she would have liked to continue the baby talk, she needed to focus on the more pressing issue right now: getting information about the refuge.
“Is Southland at the equator where the refuge is?”
“This I don’t know. You can ask Yakone. Boats take men to Southland. They hunt and bring home much food.”
“I see.” The men must have traveled to the warmer environment to hunt. It made sense; the Tuniit band probably live on reserved land and couldn’t find enough food here. Relief spread from her thoughts to her cracked lips. Ahnah had confirmed that land lay past an ocean and people could travel there. It wouldn’t be long before Max and she stepped foot on Southland. They were one stride closer to freedom.
Ahnah sat across from her. “Where you from?”
“I escaped from a place called HuBReC, but I was originally taken from Earth.”
Surprise lit her eyes. “I heard of this village. Cam say he from Earth. You know Cam?”
“No, I don’t.” Addy handed her the empty bowl. “Thank you so much for the meal. It was delicious.” She yawned. Now that she was warm and her hunger was satisfied, fatigue took front and center. Until now, she hadn’t realized how tired she really was.
“You like to sleep now?” Ahnah asked.
It might have been the pregnancy bond thing, or knowing Max wasn’t far away, or maybe she was just too tired, but she didn’t feel the need to be wary of the Tuniit woman or her people. “Maybe just a little nap. I’m really exhausted.”
Ahnah led her into the adjoining room and helped her climb into the bed under the soft animal pelts. “Thank you, Ahnah,” Addy said, snuggled in a blanket of warmth. “For your kindness and hospitality.”
Ahnah smiled warmly and nodded before slipping out of the room. As soon as her eyes closed, Addy fell asleep.
* * *
Max licked the oil from the seal blubber he had just eaten off his gloved fingers and followed Kaskae to the edge of the village. Men unhitched teams of wolves, and unloaded thirty-foot umiak sleighs made of wood and covered with stretched skins similar in color to a seal. “I want one of those boats.”
Kaskae gave him a penetrating look.
“I mean to trade for it this time.” He unsheathed his gladimort and handed it hilt first to the chief. “With this.”
Kaskae accepted the sword, weighed it in his hand, and then shook his head no. He offered it back. Max didn’t take it. Instead, he pulled out his Flesheater and handed it over as well.
“Weapons good.” Kaskae turned the blades in his hands. Sunlight reflected off the gladimort's blade. “But no even trade.” He gave them back to Max.
“This is Hyborean steel.” Max held the gladimort out to Kaskae. It won’t break or chip.”
“Have no need Hyborean steel. Hunt bows and spears like ancestor. Need umiaks,” he said, tapping a boat, “travel to Southland. Bring food to Tuniit people. No even trade.”
Max dumped out his backpack gaining the attention of two men unloading wood from their umiak. “Is there anything here you are willing to trade for?”
As Kaskae knelt and rummaged through his belongings, the men peered over his shoulder. After a minute they went back to work and Kaskae stood and shook his head. “Naga.”
Max shoved his things into the pack, trying to hide his frustration. He was sure Kaskae would have wanted the sword. That was what Kedric said he had bartered with last time. He must have given them something in addition to his weapon. But what? Max zipped up his bag.
Dammit. He had to get one of those boats. What else did he have worth trading? The woman’s backpack didn’t hold anything of value, either. “Is there anything I have that you want?”
“Naga.”
Well, ever since they left the incinerator plant he’d been planning on leaving the woman with the Tuniits. She couldn’t possibly travel any further in her condition. She was struggling as it was. The village was the safest place for both her and the child. Since she was already staying, might as well find out if she were trade worthy. Lucky had seemed to think so. Max took a breath. “How about the woman?”
“Woman have something to trade?”
“I’ll give you the woman for the boat.”
“Woman stay. You come back with umiak. Take woman.”
It took him a moment to understand Kaskae thought Max wanted to borrow the boat and leave the woman as collateral until his return. He shifted his stance and cleared the lump that suddenly formed in his throat. “I’m not returning.”
“What you mean?”
The surprise in Kaskae’s voice gnawed at Max’s conscience. Could he feel any more like dirt? “She can’t journey any further. She’s having a baby soon. She needs to stay here in the village where it’s safe.”
“You stay. Build her shelter. Hunt for food. That is Tuniit way.”
She wouldn’t want him to stay. No one here would. The Tuniits were a peaceful people. Having a beast in their village would only be trouble. “I’m not Tuniit. Can’t she stay with someone else?”
Kaskae looked at him incredulously. “No Tuniit man take what not his. She belong to you.”
“She doesn’t belong to me. She belongs to herself. We just happen to be traveling together.”
“She not your woman?”
“No.”
“What child she carry?”
“Well, mine, but—.”
“Naga.” He waved his hand in Max’s face. “High People different from Tuniit. This I know. But you make life inside her. No Tuniit man keep her. She is yours.”
How many times did he have to tell Kaskae that she wasn’t his? The woman could barely stand him. The only reason she was with him was because he knew how to escape HuBReC. So what that the child growing inside her was his? He didn’t even get to enjoy conceiving it. Damn woman fought him off when he’d tried. If she didn’t want him around to make the kid, she sure as hell wouldn’t want him around when the kid arrived. Max scratched his beard in attempt to calm down. “So what happens to a Tuniit woman if her man dies?”
“Family make another match. Your woman no Tuniit family.”
“I told you, she isn’t my woman. Look, I’m leaving tomorrow night without her. You can tell everyone I died and let her choose a husband. She’s beautiful. She’s smart. She’s spirited. Man, is she ever spirited. She’ll have ten guys vying for her attention in three sunsets. All I want to know is that she’ll be safe. That no one will hurt her or cast her out of the village.”
Kaskae’s eyes twinkled with merriment and he nodded in understanding. “Ahh.”
“What?”
“Woman no belong to you. You belong to woman.” He slapped Max’s shoulder and walked away.
R
egan knew exactly where he’d start his search. The conduit system to his left, engulfed by steam and darkness, away from the stench of the main incinerator plant, and out of view of the control booths made a perfect hideout. Now if only Ferly Mor would stop talking to these damn workers and unleash him, he’d get on with his job.
The gray Hyborean reached down to unhook Duncan’s leash before his own.
It’s about damn time.
“Where are ye headed, lad?” Duncan called from behind.
Regan didn’t answer. Why the hell did Ferly Mor bring Gramps anyway? The old guy had been pissing him off since they left HuBReC with his nonstop talk and nervous behavior.
It agitated him. And he hated being agitated.
If they hadn’t been with a master all day, he’d have decked the old man hours ago.
As Duncan followed him through the maze of steam pipes, Regan thought about slugging him here, but through the white fog, something caught his attention. An unsightly structure of wood, metal, and other scraps pieced together to form a little hovel. This hole could only be the work of human hands.
A twinge of disappointment shot through him. Surely it wouldn’t be this easy. He would have preferred a challenge. Something to sharpen his skills for the survival race.
He reached for his sword but felt only his thermal gladiator suit. Ferly Mor hadn’t provided him with any weapons. It didn’t matter. His hands were just as lethal.
He slunk to the shack and touched the doorknob.
“Shouldn’t ye knock first, Regan?” Duncan shouted.
Regan turned his annoyed glare on the old man. “Why would you give up our element of surprise?”
Duncan’s shifty eyes looked everywhere else but at him.
“Uh-huh. Thought so.”
“Just dinna hurt the lass.”
His pathetic pleading boiled Regan’s blood. Redirecting that energy, he forced down the door.