A smile touched his mate’s lips and reaching down, she entwined her fingers with his. As she held his palm to her stomach, he felt the soft movement of the life within. Tears stung his eyes as images of a future yet to be flickered before his mind.
They are but a few weeks away, my mate, she said softly. These children will be everything you have ever wanted, she hesitated, her eyes growing uncharacteristically distant. But I cannot do as you suggest.
Why? he asked, reaching up to cup her cheek. The fate of our entire world rests upon your survival. Should the humans strike a lucky blow, should you fall…
I will not fall, Maya replied, a soft smile upon her lips. She turned away then, eyes drifting to the mountains above. Still you do not understand what is at stake, Tangata, she said. Once, my parents delayed their assault upon the humans, sought safety that my siblings and I could be welcomed into this world. It cost them everything. She turned abruptly, her deep grey eyes catching Adonis’s. They are a plague upon this earth, the humans, a flame that grows brighter with every day we delay. Did you not see the magic the one in the mountains wielded? Grant them time, and soon a hundred such will come against us. She shook her head. Or worse, rediscover the magics of their ancestors. No, we must crush them now, grind them back into the mud from whence they came.
Adonis shivered at Maya’s words, for they were accompanied not only by her Voice, but images of her past, of a man and woman standing in a cave, of skies stained red, of horizons turned black with ash, an abyss that would never be filled. He swallowed, wondering at such a time, at a world twisted by the old magics of humanity.
A warm hand touched his cheek, drawing him back, and he found himself staring into the dark eyes of the Old One. For a second he glimpsed something there, a flicker in her mind, a hint of yellow fear, of doubt. But what did Maya, a being capable of defeating even the Anahera themselves, have to fear? Surely she did not truly consider humans such a threat?
Maya stroked his cheek again, then smiling she moved away, calling for the Tangata to join her, to make ready for the journey, for the next desperate race across the wilderness. They couldn’t be far from the great river that marked the border of human territory, just a few more days. Would they meet the humans there, or would their human captive’s words prove true, and they would find the creatures busy warring amongst one another?
Adonis shook his head at the thought. Maya might fear them, but it seemed to him that if anything, humans had become like the Anahera—a shade of their former greatness. How could a species that spent half its time murdering one another possibly pose a threat to the Tangata?
But there was no arguing with the Old One, no dissuading her with his own Voice. So they would march north and fall upon the enemy, slaughter them where they stood.
And then he would welcome his children into a new world…
“She’s using you, you know.”
Adonis started as a voice carried from the shadows. The soft tapping of wood against rock came from a nearby building as the human, Maisie, appeared. While she still required bearers to carry her across the endless wilderness, her twisted leg had healed enough that she could hobble around the village with the aid of a wooden crutch. Only one guard was with the human, but Adonis was irritated to see it was the woman, Nyriah. At least she kept her face stoic today, her grief concealed.
Scowling, Adonis swung on the human woman. What would you know, human? he snarled, before realizing belatedly that she could not hear him. Cursing, he gestured for the Anahera to translate.
Maisie laughed before Nyriah could finish. “Your words might be hidden from me, Adonis.” He started at the use of his name, but the human went on before he could interrupt. “But the body language between you and your master does not lie. One gets to know these things, when your survival depends on reading those around you.” She leaned casually against a building, appearing relaxed, though she faced a creature capable of tearing her in two at a whim. “Yep, no doubt about it, she’s using you.”
A pounding started in Adonis’s ears at her words and he felt the Tangatan rage coming upon him, felt its burning, the longing to grasp the pitiful creature before him and throttle the life from her.
In an instant, he snapped, launching himself forward. The human’s eyes widened—then he was upon her, catching the woman by the throat, hauling her into the air. A squawk escaped Maisie as she struggled, but it was little use. Her face contorted in pain as Adonis shook her, her injured leg bumping against his shoulder. Gasping, she slumped in Adonis’s grasp, helpless before his rage.
Still trembling, Adonis dumped the woman to the ground, not caring about the scream as she struck. Lips drawn back in a snarl, he faced the Anaheran guard.
Translate, he snapped, then turned to the human without waiting for a response. “You know nothing, human. Maya is the only reason you still live. You had best show more respect to the Matriarch of the Tangata if you wish to see another day.”
The human lay panting on the ground for a long moment after the Anahera translated his words, gasping, moaning as she struggled with the pain of her leg. Adonis felt no remorse—she was only a human, a plague upon this world, as Maya had said. What need had he to pity such a creature?
“It was obvious…even back in…the Anaheran city.”
For a moment, Adonis did not recognise the words amongst her gasps. When understanding finally dawned, he blinked, shocked at her continued
