Bloodlust (30 page)

When barbarians tumbled out of the drawbridge, Lukor leisurely approached, although his leg muscles tensed, wanting to race over. The violet sun did not touch upon a blond head, and Lukor halted. Once the tide stopped with a single latecomer, Lukor grunted. Ivy remained inside, for whatever reason.

The sound of boots sloshing in the mud forced Lukor to turn from the fortress to see the newcomer. "Oh, Golic, what news bring you?"

"The goliaths and goliathas followed you here easily enough because you told us we were to wipe out the barbarians, yet an hour before we marched upon their fortress, you changed your mind and made us swear we would not harm one barbarian, but to smite all trolls. Now we remain here when the trolls have fled like cowards."

"My people are restless."

Golic's grimace spoke volumes, although his tongue wagged no more.

"They care not for how I rule."

"They are... questioning..."

Lukor shoved the handle of his axe into the ground so the weapon stayed propped up. "What do you think?"

"I think you have been rather, ah, secretive lately. No one can figure out what is going on with you. You're impulsive and rash and—"

"Enough." Lukor managed a small smile to soften his harsh tone.

When the golock remained silent, Golic bowed and wandered back toward their camp. Lukor watched as the barbarians dug around the fortress with large shields. A huge moat, rather wide. So wide the goliaths would have to move their encampment back farther from the fortress.

A soft hand touched the bare skin of his bicep, and he flinched.

"My, you act like someone is out to kill you where you stand."

He grunted. "Darcia. You look like yourself again."

Still too thin, but her skin had regained its normal dual green coloring, and the blood was gone from her body and clothes, a fresh sight to his worried eyes.

"That Ivy cares for you a great deal."

Lukor glanced behind him. None of the other goliaths or goliathas stood within hearing range, most milling about the various small camps in search of food. Still, he whispered, "She loves me and I her."

"I feared as much." Darcia sighed and shook her head. "You can't—"

"I must."

"You've always been an impetuous fool."

"You have your own flaws," he countered. "Running off and getting yourself captured."

"I never told you this because you would never have listened, but now you might. I don't think a barbarian killed Lucia."

He released a long, drawn-out breath. "Why say you?"

"Because the emblem she held was too intact, too perfect. Whoever killed her wanted us all to think a barbarian had committed the crime."

"A set-up." If only Darcia had told him sooner, so much of this could have been avoided. The chances of him believing her had been nil, however, and he never would have crossed paths with Ivy.

Of course, had he not, the barbarians would not be in such dire straits right now. Or, perhaps, even more so.

Unbidden, the words of Balog came back to Lukor. He, too, had said a barbarian had not killed Lucia, that the emblem had been planted.

Most likely by Balog himself. Even then, the goliath had been trying to find ways to distract Lukor from ever being interested in ruling the goliaths.

How Lukor wished he could kill the goliath again!

"There is much grumbling and talk." Darcia glanced behind her to their camp.

"Talk is nothing."

"They are conspiring to move against you. Frankly, I am surprised they did not start marching home already. You are losing them, Lukor, and if you do not do something to restore their faith in you and soon, they will rise up and kill you." Darcia lowered her head until her forehead touched the face of the huge wolf on his belt. "Cousin, forget the barbarians. Focus on the goliaths."

An idea had come to him late last night, or perhaps in the earliest moments of this day, one that returned to him now. "Karrina is quite capable."

"She is cunning and vile. You're golock now, which mean many goliaths have died."

"Aye, by Balog's doing."

"I wonder..." Darcia muttered, rubbing her chin.

Lukor followed her gaze to the next in goliathic line. "You think she gave him the idea?"

"Would not put it past her." Darcia stepped to the side to block his view of the other goliatha.

"How many goliaths did the trolls slay?"

"Ten times twelve battalions."

One thousand four hundred and forty.

Perhaps their best course of action was not to stay here and protect the barbarians, but rather go after the trolls directly and eliminate the source of the threat. The goliaths and goliathas could not disagree with the notion of avenging their fallen brethren. A great deal of trolls had fallen in the battle. Perhaps their numbers were close to equal.

Would Ivy sanction such a venture?

It mattered not. Until they were wed, he had to worry about his people first, then her and hers. His heart burned within his chest, begging him to reconsider, but his head ruled him. He was Golock.

Lukor stalked toward the largest camp and jumped onto one of their makeshift tables born of branches and a bush. "My fellow goliaths and goliathas." He held out his hands wide, turning in a circle to address each of them in turn. "We stayed here this past night to recover our strength and to refuel our bodies."

Karrina's smirk caught his gaze, and she glanced behind him toward the fortress, her lips drooping slightly.

She suspects about Ivy and me.
Although he had not bothered to deny the claim she had made last night, perhaps he should have. How convincing a liar he was he did not know though. He had once thought her an honorable goliatha. Now, he suspected that had all been an act.

Darcia stood beneath him, staring up at him. She nodded, her expression blank.

Lukor grunted. "A few days ago, I learned the truth concerning my sister Lucia's death."

The soft rumblings amongst a few of the goliaths and goliathas died.

"She had been killed, that we all knew, but not by a barbarian. A troll had killed her for no reason." Perhaps the truth, perhaps not, but the motive mattered not, only that his people agree to hunt down the trolls. "We came here not so much to aid the barbarians but to avenge her death. Perhaps that was rash, but the trolls have become far too powerful. Enchanted blades. They killed far too many goliaths yesterday."

Golic moved through the crowd and now stood beside Darcia. He handed a bloody object to Lukor, who held it up high for the goliaths and goliathas to see.

"I struck down their skuleader on this very field and still they fought on. The trolls are more intelligent than we have ever given them credit for. They are a very real threat to not only the barbarians, but to us too."

"If we never helped the barbarians in the first place..." Varo muttered.

Lukor fixed him a glower, and the goliath actually stepped back.

"The elves must be helping the trolls." Karrina approached Lukor and addressed the group.

He bristled but tried to keep his face a mask. "Perhaps, but if some of their blades are enchanted as we suspect, we can steal some and use them against the trolls. That will even the flow of the battle."

"'Tis suicide," a goliath shouted.

"There are one hundred barbarians left," Lukor countered. "Do you think for one moment that the trolls will not then turn against us? I would not even put it past them to go after their benefactors, the elves."

Karrina faced Lukor and threw him a wink.

His stomach muscles clenched in revulsion.

She addressed the crowd once more, "We should listen to Lukor."

Her acceptance of him made him all the warier, but the goliaths and goliathas slowly nodded.

"Pack up your things. We shall leave shortly," he growled.

Only a few of the goliaths and goliathas gave him a sign of respect before leaving.

The weight of the skuleader's head caused his biceps to scream, but he did not hand it to Golic. He eased off the table but neglected to speak as Karrina remained with Darcia and Golic.

"I hope you know what you are doing," the goliatha said, her tone cold.

"I hope you know your place." Lukor bared his teeth.

"Oh, so scary." She mock shuddered. "They are not yours but mine. If I lend you my words, they will follow you even to their deaths. If I don't..."

"Do not threaten me," Lukor growled. He would have to deal with her. He could not give her what she wanted — to rule by his side.

"Do not ignore me or my power." She whirled around, the long black hair of her high ponytail slapping him in the cheek. Karrina disappeared within a tent.

Lukor grabbed Golic's shoulder. "What had she done while I was gone that they cling to her?"

The goliath shook his head. "I think she was a voice of reason in a time of inner turmoil. Most everyone suspected Balog as responsible for the deaths, or at least most of them."

"So no one would have ever suspected her," Darcia cut in.

"Her connection to Varo?" Lukor asked, his gaze darting between the two.

"Distant cousins, I believe," Golic supplied.

Lukor rubbed his smooth chin. "If I were to name Varo to the line of succession, perhaps that would at least garner him to my side."

Darcia raised her eyebrows. They rose even higher when she glanced over his shoulder at the fortress. "Come, Golic, let us prepare."

The two goliaths walked away, and Lukor pivoted to see Ivy, dressed like a barbaroness, on the drawbridge, arms crossed, a frown causing faint lines to form on her forehead.

She did not move to approach him, nor to oversee her barbarians, so he walked over to her, back straight, chin up. As he neared, his steps slowed and he grinned. "Ivy. You—"

"You're leaving."

Karrina's cold tone was hot compared to Ivy's.

"Not without a farewell kiss."

Her frown deepened.

"The trolls," he explained.

"They will kill you for slaying their skuleader."

"You care for me. I'm touched." He placed his hands above his heart.

"Do not tease."

The pain and anguish in her eyes was more than he could bear. "What would you have me do?" he asked desperately. "My people do not accept me as their leader."

"And they will reject you all the more once they realize exactly how deep your allegiance is to the barbarians."

"If I thought I could leave them in a capable goliath's hand in my stead, I would hand over the crown immediately."

"Perhaps there is a goliatha," she said dryly.

He snorted. "Surely not."

"So nothing I can say will dissuade you. You're leaving."

Me
her eyes clearly added.

"At the very least we will distract the trolls and prevent them from attacking you again until your defenses are complete," he offered, knowing full well it would not placate her.

"You must do what you must." Her chin high, she pursed her lips.

He so wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss those lips and make her forget her pain.

But she rubbed her arms, head lowered. "I cannot tell them."

Ivy, uncertain? So strange and yet human of her. He loved her all the more for revealing her vulnerable side.

"I haven't either."

"We can't wait long."

"We won't." He had to touch her and settled for holding her hands. "We're both new leaders. Our people have suffered greatly lately, yours much more so. Once our peoples have accepted us, we can start our life together."

"Our life," she repeated in a daze.

"I swear to you, we will one day be happy and live peaceful lives."

She blinked and pushed him away. "Happy? Peaceful?"

"Stranger things have happened." His smile stretched across his face. "A goliath and a barbarian fell in love."

"True." Ivy inhaled deeply. "You will stay safe and return to me."

"I swear to you I will."

Why did he feel as if he was lying?

Ivy rushed into the fortress and, despite knowing tongues might tell stories, motioned with a flick of her wrist for Lukor to follow. His scent — natural mixed with wood and sweat and musk — filled her nose. Abruptly, Lukor yanked on her arm and forced her around, slamming her back against the wall. His lips assaulted hers, and she parted them to suck in a breath. His tongue invaded her mouth. The curves of her body melted into the firmness of his. She grabbed his black hair to tilt his head to the side, allowing them to deepen their kiss.