Stud (40 page)

Lucy glanced up as Terufen parted what was left of the curtain of vines, its lovely purple flowers now limp and tattered, and peered out into the night. “Think there’s any of that qualskin left?”

“If there is, we should drag it well away from here. That carcass is nothing but vrelnot bait now.” Tarq’s voice resonated through her, the mere sound of it providing reassurance and hope.

“Yes, but what about the vrelnot carcass?” Natasha sounded worried. “Won’t it draw other vrelnots too?”

“Probably,” Vertigan agreed. His voice came from directly behind Lucy, sounding much less self-assured than usual. He’d said very little since their private conversation, but she’d felt his eyes on her, just as she now felt his hand lightly touching her shoulder.
So, he does care…
“Though we might be able to move it if we all got together and pulled.”

“It would be much easier to move ourselves,” Walkuta pointed out. “Dawn is approaching.”

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m not sure I could sleep after that,” Traldeck admitted. “After all, there’s nothing quite like getting an early start.” Clearly as shaken as the rest of the group, his attempt at a hearty tone sounded a little forced.

“We’ve all had at least
some
sleep,” Tarq said, which confirmed Lucy’s earlier suspicion. “And we’ll be traveling downhill from here. We can take a longer lunch break if need be.”

“But what if the vrelnots attack us?” Crilla asked.

Bratol chuckled softly. “I believe we have proven to be quite capable of defending ourselves. I vote we move on.”

Lucy’s eyes searched the semidarkness. Everyone was nodding.

“Then let’s get moving,” Terufen said with a shudder. “That dead bird is starting to give me the creeps!”

Chapter 26

The trip down from the mountains was uneventful and though reaching the river was a goal of sorts, as far as Lucy was concerned, it was more akin to the fiery pits of hell than the Promised Land. She wouldn’t have wanted to wander in the wilderness for forty years the way Moses and the Hebrews had, but their arrival in Noklar would mark the end of her “marriage” to Tarq. She wasn’t ready to face that yet and probably never would be.

Vertigan, however, seemed more anxious than ever for them to move on, almost as though he knew that Lucy and Tarq would part ways when they reached the end of their journey. Traldeck might have told his brother of his suspicions about the questionable nature of her relationship with Tarq, but though Vertigan was gradually becoming more attentive to Lucy, at the same time, he was also backing off in his resentment of Tarq. He seemed to be demonstrating the advantages of having two husbands and also proving that he could live in harmony with the existing pair.

Lucy kept these thoughts to herself, not even discussing them with Walkuta, who had first mentioned the Mordrial polyandry custom to her. Since his initial claim that Lucy was his mate, Tarq hadn’t acted as though he considered Vertigan a potential rival. Lucy had assumed it was due to Tarq’s generally nonaggressive attitude, but could it be that he was aware of what Vertigan was attempting to do? Would he take it a step further and actually welcome Vertigan?

No.
His allowing Vertigan to approach Lucy was one thing.
Lucy
would have to be the one to accept a second man. But should she? Right now she had no desire to divide her affections between the two men, and not only because she wanted to savor her last days with Tarq. The difference in the way she felt about each of them was staggering. It would be unfair to Vertigan to see how much more she cared for Tarq than she did for him. She loved Tarq with all her heart, but she felt only friendship toward Vertigan. Would that change once Tarq was gone? Or would his memory lie between her and Vertigan forever? Somehow, Lucy thought it might.

Tarq glanced back over his shoulder. Vertigan was keeping pace with Lucy and had been for the past several days. He knew that she was only staying back in the pack to prevent her scent from distracting him, but it also gave Vertigan the opportunity to score points with her. Thus it was Vertigan who helped her over the more difficult terrain, Vertigan who smiled and attempted to tease her into a better mood. Tarq’s only consolation was that she wasn’t sleeping with the Mordrial.

Would she compare the two and decide that Vertigan was the better man? Tarq knew that Mordrials didn’t have the sexual abilities that Zetithians possessed, but there were other factors to consider. Vertigan was handsome, capable, and
intelligent
—and he hadn’t fucked his way across the galaxy. Lucy might see this as a plus.

Tarq’s worst fears were realized after dinner that evening. He and Lucy were sitting a little apart from the others when Vertigan approached with a tight smile that changed to a frown as he spoke. “There is a… matter I wish to discuss with you.”

Tarq glanced at Lucy. Her eyes were downcast, avoiding the gaze of either man almost as though she knew what the “matter” was and didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Unfortunately, Tarq had been expecting it as well.

With a brief nod from Tarq, Vertigan sat down on the ground, facing them both. “I don’t know how much you know about my people, but I must tell you that it is not uncommon for a Mordrial woman to take two husbands.”

Lucy made a sound that could have been anything from a gasp of dismay to a protest. Tarq considered telling Vertigan to get lost, but the Mordrial held up a hand.

“Please, hear me out,” he said. “I realize that neither of you are accustomed to this practice, but”—he paused, glancing at Tarq—“I want you to know that I seek to join, not to supplant. There are… physiological reasons for this among Mordrials, and while those reasons do not apply to humans, a Mordrial male does not see a woman as truly taken until she has two husbands.”

“So you wish to share her?” Tarq was surprised he could even voice the question.

“I wish for the permission to—”

Lucy interrupted Vertigan with a slight cough. “—demonstrate your affection?”

Vertigan nodded, but with a sigh of relief at her understanding. “I do. However, I realize that this is not your way. I only ask that you… consider my… offer.”

“I’ll… think about it.” Lucy spoke quietly, only allowing herself a quick glance at Vertigan. She didn’t even look in Tarq’s direction.

Tarq’s heartbeat slowed to a dull thud. He had no intention of sharing Lucy with anyone. As he saw it, if she accepted another mate, it would be an indication of how little she cared for him. He consoled himself with the fact that she hadn’t greeted Vertigan’s offer with a big smile and an enthusiastic hug, but her response could mean almost anything. She could be trying not to hurt Vertigan with an outright rejection. Or she could be searching for a way to let Tarq down gently. The hardest part for Tarq to endure was not being able to voice his own opinion. If Lucy had truly been his mate, it would have been different. As it was, he didn’t have a leg to stand on.

When they finally reached the valley floor and the source of the river the next day, Tarq was treated to an even greater display of Vertigan’s worthiness. He worked tirelessly with his brother to fell trees for use in building the raft, never surly or impatient, always cheerful and willing. Was Lucy seeing this? Would she come to prefer him over Tarq? Their union wasn’t real. He’d never asked Lucy to be his mate, and she had never accepted him. He’d forced it on her. What would she do if she had a choice?

***

Having had plenty of time to work out the details, the building of the raft progressed so quickly—
too
quickly, in Lucy’s opinion—that after only two days of intense teamwork, the raft was ready to embark on its maiden voyage. Walkuta performed yet another ritual to ensure their safe passage, but when Lucy climbed aboard and took a seat near the makeshift sail, which had once been her blanket, she was shivering with dread.

To make matters worse, Tarq sat down beside her, leaving the steering of the raft to Kotcamp and Vertigan, both of whom were experienced sailors. “You aren’t afraid of boats, are you?”

“N-no,” she replied. “At least I didn’t think I was.”

“Don’t worry about a thing, Lucy,” Terufen advised. “Compared to what we’ve already been through, this little boat ride will be a picnic in the park.”

Lucy doubted that. She’d heard stories about the settlers who’d tried to establish farms in the Noklar river valley. Those who’d made it out alive told horrific tales of vrelnot attacks and floods from the mountain storms. Given that the rainy season had only just begun and the ground was still dry enough to absorb the water, floods were unlikely, but the vrelnot threat remained.

She turned to gaze at the snowcapped mountains rearing up behind them and then at the peaks that flanked the river all the way to Noklar. Viewing them from her current vantage point, she considered it a miracle they’d made it this far. An excursion down the river couldn’t possibly be that easy.

Kotcamp poled the raft away from the shore while Vertigan summoned up a stiff breeze. Once they reached midstream and were cruising along at a brisk speed, Lucy began to understand why people had tried so hard to settle this region. Though the mountains and coastal regions were by no means completely barren, this valley was peaceful and green and teeming with wildlife. The river was broad, with a lazy current that would’ve made for slow going without a sail and the wind Vertigan provided. Swaying trees along the grassy banks trailed branches in the water, while birds as colorful as the flowers flitted from tree to tree, their calls blending together in harmonic song. If it weren’t for the vrelnots, this would’ve been a genuine paradise.

As the river carved its way through the valley, it was joined by tributaries from other sources high in the mountains and the current grew stronger, increasing their speed. If this kept up, they would reach Noklar in no time. Under any other circumstances this would have been a cheery thought, but as matters stood, Lucy’s heart grew heavy with sorrow as she watched the picturesque valley slide past.

With no guarantee they would find a safe place to camp, they decided to continue on even after dark, risking a possible vrelnot attack for greater speed in reaching Noklar. The trick would be stopping the raft before it went over the falls at the valley’s end. They would have to rely on the rudder and Vertigan’s ability to control the wind to reach the shore, but the current there was bound to be strong.

Since Tarq’s night vision was better than anyone else’s, he slept that day to enable him to remain alert at night. Not having anything better to do and wanting to spend as much time with him as possible before the end, Lucy opted to doze beside him. The gentle rocking of the raft wasn’t making her feel sick—yet—but though they had managed to catch a few moments alone during their descent from the mountains, they’d had none to speak of since. She cherished every second she spent with him and deeply regretted that last silent speeder ride to Traldeck and Natasha’s farm. She viewed it now as time wasted, thinking that if they’d tarried on the road for just a little longer, perhaps none of this would have happened.

She reminded herself that if they’d never had to take refuge in the mountains, she would never have known what had become of Natasha, which was an important factor to consider. But even though Natasha meant a lot to her, Tarq was beyond price. She gazed at him as he lay sleeping, taking note of the way the breeze ruffled his hair, smiling at his occasional purr, and hoping that she played at least a small role in his dreams. Surely he wouldn’t forget her. Her eyes clouded with tears and her heart ached as she realized how much she longed to keep him there beside her forever—vibrantly alive and loving—rather than the faded, lingering memory of someone long gone.

He must’ve felt her eyes on him, for he awoke, and with a loud purr, he pulled her closer to rest her head on his arm. He even kissed the top of her head as he wrapped her in his embrace. It was all she could do not to sob, for these were the times she would miss even more than the ecstasies they shared as lovers—the quiet moments spent together, the warmth of his smile, and the sound of his laughter. Closing her eyes, she could still picture him lying there beside her, and the image lasted on into her dreams.

Tarq longed to tell Lucy what was in his heart, but first he had to see her safely to Noklar.
Then
he would tell her. He knew he must’ve had a good reason for making that decision, but at the moment he couldn’t recall what it was. “I love you, Lucy,” he whispered.

But she didn’t hear him. She was already fast asleep.

***

Night fell, leaving only starlight glistening on the waves as the raft drifted onward. Cloaked in an eerie darkness, the valley no longer seemed peaceful and serene but was instead filled with a deep sense of foreboding. Even the bird calls had changed; while the songbirds slept, the air was filled with the menacing cries of predators on the wing.

Tarq sat near the front of the raft scanning the sky, though he doubted that even he would see more than a shadow blotting out the stars if a vrelnot were to approach. The last quarter moon was rising late; it would be midnight before there was enough light to see well, and clouds off to the west heralded another storm. With a steady wind behind them, Vertigan lay sleeping, his services no longer required. He and Kotcamp had agreed to split the night into two shifts at the rudder, while the watch was divided into three. Kotcamp maintained a course down the center of the river with Lucy posted at the stern and Terufen near the mast. The others lay grouped together in the center, sleeping fitfully until the time came for them to take over the watch.