Zombie Day Care (20 page)

Venir was charging behind her, yelling for her to stop, but her finishing blow was too fast as she crowned the man between the eyelets of his helm. The soldier was dead. She turned just in time to see him coming for her and she began laughing.

“
It seems you are too late to save this man,” she said, ripping her axe from the man’s head. ”Now, can you save yourself … yellow hair?”

Venir paused ten steps away from her, heart thundering in his temples, brandishing his longsword and hunting knife. Beside him, Chongo barked and growled.

“
Mmm … dog meat, my favorite,” she said, licking her maroon lips.

He measured his next move, knowing that he had more support than she. She did not seem worried about the likes of him, though, or the rest of them. She stood before him, tall and proud. Now, Venir was so close that her ranking features captured his imagination. Her dark blue eyes burned from behind the eyelets of her helmet, intelligent and cunning. He yearned to know more about the woman with blood dripping from the axes that hung loose in her hands.

“
Hey … yellow hair,” she said in a taunting voice, “… if you see something you like, why not just come and get it.” He didn’t know what to say as she added, “Seems I have a mute boy hear, it’s a shame, all muscle and no tongue.”

A bright white smiled grew under Venir’s nose as she stepped forward, then back. He sheathed his sword and knife and folded his arms over his chest.

“
I can’t help but wonder why, a woman such as you, would run around with filthy gnolls? Surely you can keep better company?”

“
Ah, the boy has a tongue. I might have use for you yet.”

She stared back and took better measure of the man she faced. Her battle-hardened body began to loosen. He felt her eyes bore into his chest as if she liked what she saw. He was ready for her to spring at any moment, fighting to maintain his composure. He felt something churning inside of him as she continued to look him up and down.

Rivets of blood slid off her coated helmet as she removed it. Her face was beautiful, slender and strong, her dark eyes searching his. Her blood smeared skin was browned by the suns, her cheekbones high and noble, scarred and somewhat disfigured; but he kept his gaze on her eyes alone. She seemed to like that, a smile coming and going from her lips. The closer she came he seemed to fall under her shadow, for she was taller than him. If this woman isn’t the Brigand Queen, he thought, she must be the queen of something. She stopped just out of striking range as he hushed his barking dog that dropped to his haunches. Danger still prickled the air, but it could wait.

“
So tell me, yellow-hair,” she said in a voice as polished as silver, “why did you kill my men? They had no quarrel with you … or yours.” She looked around, but there were no signs of his companions.

“
My name is Venir,” he said, “and gnolls are not men, they are beasts that we like to kill. Luckily for you, you are not a gnoll, and we don’t like to kill women, or you would be dead too.”

“
Hah!” she said. “Even if I were a gnoll woman, you wouldn’t be able to kill me.” She waved her battle axes in front of his face. Their craftsmanship was of the likes he had never seen. He found them almost as fascinating as her.

A few silent moments went by and the tension in the forest seemed to ease.

“
I tell you what, Vee-neer. I’ll spare you and your men if you tell me what business you have in my forest.”

“
Spare us? Now it’s my turn to laugh. Hah!” he said, not hiding his chuckle. “…anyway, we are looking for some people.”

“
What kind of people?” she said, wiping blood from her lips.

“
Ones who follow a brigand queen named Jarla. If she lives in your forests you may have heard of her,” he said, not withholding an ounce of sarcasm. “I hear she mates with gnolls and has a butt like an ogre. Ever hear of her, princess?”

“
You are a witty one, Venir, I will give you that. It’s been a long time since a man made me laugh.” She gave him another once over as she looked around. “It seems I’m in need of a new escort. I need to report back to this queen you spoke of.” She rolled her eyes. ”Perhaps I can help, she is very fond of me.”

“
Eh … that would nice.”

“
I suggest you watch your tongue in the meantime, yellow hair. I think you have seen what I can do to people I don’t like.”

He nodded, not certain what to say.

“
So … why did you take them down? Royal houses are not often trifled with.”

Her face darkened into another identity.

“
It was payback.”

Seeing her glare, he backed off the topic.

“
So, now what?”

“
Tell your two men to come on in. I’ll take you back to my camp and feed you. But, don’t kill any more of my gnolls. Got it?”

“
I’m not promising anything ….”

Billip and Mikkel were quiet as they accompanied their friend back to her camp. It was unsettling. Marching a more-than-capable warrior back to her own camp, containing natural enemies among the ranks, was not the best idea for survival. Chongo stayed back with the two men. Venir was oblivious to their concerns. He didn’t know why he followed, but he did, his passion overcame his reason. He didn’t notice the dour looks behind his back, but he would have done the same for them. Melegal, however, managed to evade the situation and she had given no indication that she knew of his presence.

From the trees on the higher ground, the rogue watched them go, shaking his head in disgust.

“
Stupid …”

Melegal worried he would never see his comrades again.