Heart's Lair (20 page)

Then she'd set out across the high plains to the farmlands and the large city of Lyrae. She hoped to discover a new life there, far from Karic and even farther from Primasedes and Necator's evil clutches. Someday, if she were fortunate, she might even be able to find a way back to Bellator.

It was a difficult and dangerous plan, but it gave Liane hope and a sense of purpose. She would not look too far ahead or the potential problems would be too daunting. Better to break it into easily attainable steps, and the first one was to get through the mountains to Fodina. As she struggled over rock-strewn paths and precipitous turns, Liane wondered if anyone would be sent after her. One way or another they wouldn't discover her absence until solrise, when Agna always came into her bedchamber to rouse her. More time would then probably be wasted searching the valley, for Liane had been careful to make her bed look as if she'd recently slept in it. She had left most of her belongings behind as well.

No, her plan had been well thought-out to buy as much time as possible. Now it was up to her to gain as great a lead as possible. Her trackers, if they came, would be skilled and swift. She had to make it to the safety of Fodina. It was too large and heavily guarded for the Cat Men to dare enter, especially not for just a solitary femina.

For a fleeting instant, Liane wondered if Karic would be one of the trackers sent out after her. He alone might attempt to find a way into Fodina to bring her out. The thought frightened her. The fear that he might succeed warred with an ever greater fear of the danger to him in trying.

With a fierce effort she quashed the unsettling emotions. She couldn't spare any energy worrying about him. She needed all she had for herself.

Solrise found Liane not quite as far as she hoped she'd be and much more tired than she had anticipated. The trail had been primitive, and she had lost valuable time negotiating it. She had hoped for a few horas of sleep to refresh herself, but knew now she couldn't spare it. She forced herself to go on.

About midsol she reached a small mountain stream, coursing merrily through a rockbed. She paused there for a short while to refill her water flask and refresh herself. She looked up to the top of the next peak, barren and windswept. It was all that separated her from Fodina. Finally, she shouldered her pack and headed out.

Dusk was filtering through the mountains when she reached the top of the peak. Liane paused, exhausted. Down below, perhaps a half sol journey, mere the lights of the Fodina mining camp. She knew it was too dangerous to travel on in her weary condition and the rapidly fading light. From her vantage point, the path down the mountain looked treacherous. Better she find a safe place to hide and set out again at first light. Surely any trackers would not catch up with her by then.

As she stood there, surveying the area for a cave or rock outcropping to find shelter under, a high-pitched wailing drifted to her ears. It was quickly snatched away on the rising breeze, then came again. Liane froze.

She glanced up. There, even then turning into a headlong dive, was a deadly rapax. And it was plummeting straight toward her.

Karic spent a restless notice. He'd drift off into fitful slumber only to be jerked awake. Something was amiss. He sensed it. Finally, several horas before solrise, he rose.

Though Karic knew he shouldn't be in the vicinity of Liane just now, something compelled him toward old Agna's lair. His presence would only upset her, but he couldn't seem to help himself. Something was wrong. The closer Karic drew, the stronger he felt something was wrong with Liane.

He halted in front of the healer's cave, his heart thudding, his mouth gone dry. The closeness to Liane was nearly palpable. To catch just one glimpse of her, even if asleep, would be enough, he told himself. It would still the niggling fears. Then he'd leave, as silently as he'd come.

Karic crept into the cave, knowing neither Liane nor Agna would ever hear him. Though the old healer was full-blooded, her hearing had weakened with age, and Liane's ears weren't Cat-sensitive. He followed one tunnel off the main room and found Agna, sleeping soundly. Returning to the main room, he quickly headed to where he now knew Liane must be.

The bed was empty. Karic glanced around the room. Liane wasn't there. He stepped closer to examine the bed. It was mussed, the furs flung aside, as if she'd left it but a few moments ago. Karic felt the spot where her body had lain. It was cold, the scent of her weak. She hadn't slept in her bed.

With a low curse, Karic stalked back into Agna's bedchamber. He gently shook her awake.

"Agna, where is Liane?" he demanded, when the old woman groggily sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

For an instant Agna just stared at him, not quite believing the Lord of the Cat People's son was standing there. She blinked once, twice, and the image remained. It was he.

"Whwhat are you doing here, my lord?" she croaked. "Is someone ill?"

"No," he said impatiently. "Where is Liane? She's not in her bed, hasn't been there all nocte. Did she tell you where she was going?"

Agna shook her head. "No, my lord, she gave no hint of any plans last nocte." Her eyes widened. "Do you think . . . no, she'd never . . ."

"Think what?" Karic's hands gripped the old woman's arms. "Tell me, Agna. I care only that she's safe."

"It's of no import. I only thought, for a passing moment, that she might have slipped away to meet one of the young males. But not Liane. She'd never do such a thing." Even the possibility Liane might be with another, lying naked in his arms and loving him, was like a hot poker ramming through Karic's gut. For an instant, the pain of it left him breathless. Then, fiercely angry, he shoved it aside.

He was the one who had given her free choice and now must live with the consequences. All he dared let matter was her continued safety, and, like Agna, Karic found it hard to believe Liane's absence was due to some lovers' tryst. She wasn't one to give her affections easily, at least not when it came to mating. He, above all others, knew that from bitter experience.

"Do you know where she might have gone? Does she have any favorite spots she frequents? There's something wrong here, Agna, and I cannot rest until I know where she is."

"Well, there's the stream that flows down from the mountains and the small forest nearby," the old healer hesitantly offered. "I've taken her there to gather herbs."

"Thank you, Agna."

Karic strode from the cave, his mind racing. The valley must be scoured immediately and thoroughly, for precious time was already being lost. A nagging feeling that Liane wasn't even in the valley began to gnaw at him.

The possibility, once recognized, rapidly grew to a full-fledged certainty. It was the only way she had to fight back against a fate no longer in her control. And fight she would, while there was still breath left in her body.

Karic cursed the folly of allowing her to slip away. If he had not been such a coward, unable to bear the silent recriminations and the pained betrayal burning in her eyes everytime they would have met, he never would have permitted her out of his sight. It was guilt, pure and simple, that had brought them to this. And now Liane was out there somewhere in the mountains in untold danger.

His pace quickened. It was a simple matter to rouse a large search party, for the Cat People were ever ready to react to an emergency.

The hunt was quick and thorough. Two horas later, as the sun's rays began to light the sky, the men regrouped before the Lord's lair.

"She's not here," Karic tersely informed his father. "We found her scent heading out of the valley. I've got to go after her."

Gerlic stepped forward. "Do not send him, my lord. She's created nothing but problems since her arrival, and Karic has already all but given her up anyway. It will ease his sacrifice if he's not forced to see her, sol after sol. A hard decision to forbid him this, but a kindness all the same."

"And what is it to you whether she dies out there?" Karic wrathfully demanded, rounding on Kalina's uncle. "You care only to pave the way for your niece's life mating. You care nothing for all Liane has sacrificed for us. But I say," he said, turning the full force of his gaze upon his father, "that our debt is not ended, not until she is safe."

His father eyed him intently. "It might be more of a kindness to kill her when you find her than bring her back. Do you realize what you'd be returning her to? She'd have to be constantly guarded. We can't afford to let her escape again and fall into the wrong hands, not with the knowledge she has about us. Is that what you want?"

"Nothing I want seems to matter anymore, Father," Karic answered, his face ravaged with worry. "All I know is that, whether you grant me leave or not, I'm going after her."

A sad, gentle light gleamed in Morigan's eyes. "I thought as much. I will not stop you." He paused for the merest secundae. "Will you bring her back?"

Karic hesitated. He could never kill Liane, no matter how much it endangered his people. But dare he tell his father the truth? This time it would be Liane's choice, and hers alone, what would be done. It went against their laws, but that could be dealt with later.

"I don't know," he replied, squarely meeting his father's gaze. "It depends on Liane. Whatever I do, though, I'll ensure our people are not endangered."

"You may be gone for a time then."

"Yes."

Morigan extended his arm. "Safe journey, Son."

"Thank you, Father," Karic said, relief and a fierce love flooding through him.

They clasped arms. For a long moment the two men stood there, eye to eye, heart to heart, a mutual understanding flowing between them. Both knew they might never meet again. Though Karic fully intended to return once he'd seen to Liane's needs, the dangers outside the valley were as great for him as for her.

But it was the only solution to an increasingly heartrending problem. Liane didn't want to stay, and it was eating Karic alive to see her suffer. If she were forced to return, their laws demanded she submit to them once again.

For a secundae longer the two men maintained their grip. Then their hands fell away.

Lowering his head, Karic removed his Cat's claw chain and handed it to his father. "This, as well as my true identity, will once again be safer here with You.''

Morigan smiled. "Until you return."

"Until I return."

Karic turned and strode into their lair. After quickly loading a backpack with provisions, he grabbed a blaster from the wall. Slinging both over his shoulder, he hurried from the cave and into the already bright sunlight. Without a backward glance Karic headed out. The farewells had been given; there was nothing more to say.

Liane had left the valley by passing the outpost near Agna's cave, and he easily picked up her spoor. Not wasting a secundae more, Karic began his climb up the mountain. His pace was swift, and a fine sheen of moisture quickly built on the hard, naked planes of his chest and shoulders.

She could have left as early as dusk, when the guards changed, Karic realized. That would give her over an eight hora lead. He quickly ascertained her course was headed north, across the remaining mountains toward the plains.

The area was sparsely populated, but the Fodina mines and its mining camp were just a little over a sol's journey away. If she reached it before he caught up with her he might never get her out of the heavily guarded compound. And that camp, lacking in femina, might be more than she bargained for.

All sol Karic traveled at a relentless pace, cursing the trail as it grew increasingly rocky and hard to traverse. He took no breaks, eating his noon meal on foot, quenching his thirst the same way. On and on he went, heavy sweat and dirt coating his body, his breath ragged, his powerful muscles cramping with fatigue. But he drove himself on. He had to. Liane was out there somewhere ahead of him, and he had to catch up with her.

Dusk settled over the mountains as Karic wearily approached the last peak. As he neared the barren, windswept summit a series of excited howls drifted to him on the breeze. He paused, well-aware it was the cry of the half-wolf, half-bird rapax. The wildly ravenous, viciously cruel monster was known to haunt these high mountain peaks, blindly attacking whatever it came upon. He wondered what it had found.

A shrill scream pierced the sudden silence. Fear, stark and vivid, rocketed through him. Karic bolted up the mountain.

It was Liane. He knew her voice anywhere. And he also knew she'd die a horrible death, torn to shreds, if he didn't get to her soon. Somehow his muscles, already driven to the brink of exhaustion, responded.

Karic scrambled up the steep incline, his lungs burning, and all the while he felt the terror grow. For all his efforts, he still might not reach her in time.

As the rapax dived toward her, Liane wildly looked around for some place to hide. There was no shelter on the summit. She ran for the path leading down toward Fodina, hoping to find something, even a rock outcropping to slide under for protection from the monster's attack.

A series of crazed howls warned of the animal's approach. She threw a frantic glance over her shoulder. Slavering jaws and huge hooked claws were coming at her.