Koran flew ten feet back and hit the ground, just narrowly missing a tree. Before he could get up Tantor jumped on top of him and wrapped his hand around Koran’s neck, as he had done with Katie. Koran too struggled with breaking Tantor’s grip.
Katie saw the branch that Tantor had used and hit him in the back of the head. Tantor didn’t release his grip but was distracted for long enough that Koran was able to break free. Koran threw an awkward uppercut and shoved Tantor off his body.
Koran scrambled and put distance between himself and Tantor and stood near Katie. Tantor stood on and stared at the two of them. He was opening his mouth but again only bubbling saliva fell from his mouth. His eyes were red and his pupils were small. He made some gurgling sounds as he stomped his way over towards Katie. Koran got in front of Katie, ready for Tantor’s next move.
Tantor opened his mouth again, but this time managed to make sound and yelled into the night with a roar. He charged at Koran. Katie noticed that Tantor had seemed to have grown a bit and was larger and more powerful. Koran wrapped his foot around Katie’s ankle and tripped her, sending her to the ground. When Tantor arrived, Koran ducked and with enormous effort, threw Tantor’s body away. Tantor didn’t go far but fell onto a jagged rock.
Tantor was still for a moment. Koran ran over, pulled out a dagger and carved it into Tantor’s stomach.
Katie gasped as Tantor’s sputters went quiet. She walked closer to look. Koran had stabbed him and dragged the knife down, creating a large gash that quickly leaked blood from his body.
Koran stared at Tantor for a second; he was still on his knees. He made sure that Tantor was dead before pulled the knife from his gut.
“You killed him,” Katie said in a small voice. She was shaking.
At first, Koran didn’t answer. He continued to kneel there, with his eyes closed, slowly catching his breath.
“Had too,” Koran said after a few moments. “Otherwise he would have killed us both. Then he probably would have found Tyson and do the same.”
Katie examined Tantor’s body. It was thicker and larger than it had been when she met him.
“What happened to him?” she asked.
“It looks like he was infected,” Koran said. “I’m not sure with what. But I think the pirates did this to him. Maybe it’s a game they play with their prisoners. Some plants can cause a similar reaction, but those are rare and grow only deep underground, so I don’t think he caught some here.”
“Is it like rabies?”
“In a way,” Koran answered. “This might be more brutal though. This changes your thought process and your memories, causing you to hear things and see the world differently. Everything around you becomes an enemy, but studies have found that you are still you, you just can’t control yourself anymore.”
“There were times when he seemed scared while he was attacking me,” Katie said.
Koran sighed. “He probably was. Only he couldn’t control himself. It’s too bad that there isn’t a cure for it.”
“How did you find me?” she asked Koran.
“Good ears,” he replied. “I am surprised that he dragged you so far away, instead of just killing you right by our camp.”
Katie heard footsteps approaching and tensed up. Instinctively, Koran got up and stood by Katie, in case something else was ready to attack them.
Relief flooded Katie when she saw that it was Tyson. His face was white. “Katie? Where the hell have you been? I woke up and no one was around! Do you have any idea what I thought may have happened, especially after what we just went through?”
Katie opened her mouth to explain, but Tyson saw Koran standing behind Katie and didn’t want to hear it.
“So you decided to take the son of a bitch for a walk?” he said, angrily and cruelly. “We barely know the dude, and he isn’t even fully human!”
“Don’t call him that!” Katie yelled.
“What? He’s descended from dogs! Back where I’m from—no, back where we’re from, that isn’t a thing. And if it was it would be an abomination and would be locked up in a lab or executed.”
Katie was shocked that Tyson was saying things and didn’t find any words to say. Koran didn’t look hurt, or phased at all, and also stayed silent.
“Where’s Tantor?” Tyson asked.
“Dead,” Katie told him. “If you paused in your ranting long enough you would have known that. He was attacking me.”
Tyson didn’t hear her. “Why is he dead?”
“Because I killed him,” Koran replied before Katie could. “He was going after Katie, trying to kill her, so I did what I had to do.”
Tyson scoffed. “Of course. You killed him and found the perfect excuse to do so.”
“He saved my life!” Katie shouted back, walking towards Tyson.
“I don’t trust him!” Tyson yelled.
“He saved my life,” Katie said softly, trying to reach reason in Tyson.
Tyson shook his head. He looked into Katie’s eyes with a hard, cold stare. “I’m done with this. You’re coming with me.”
14
The Queen Rising
“Let Ariah know that he is to command the third ship,” Queen Nayara told her daughter. “You’re to command the second one. And take Emily with you. Nothing will get in our way, not even our dull-minded servants.”
“On it,” Sabrina replied.
“Hurry,” Nayara said sharply. “Our ships have already set course. Soon you won’t be able to transfer ships. I’ll contact
