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The robocops whirred across the room, and as I scurried over to the wall beside the swinging door, two leaped over the counter. I gasped and lifted my hands, figuring they’d pass me and enter the kitchen. Like, maybe they wanted burgers. It was an inane thought, but it was all my frightened mind could come up with.
“Wait. What?” I yelped as the cops grabbed my arms, holding them tight enough to leave bruises. “I didn’t do anything . . .”
Fuck, my ex had found me. I’d taken a chance using my driver’s license to get this job and sign up for classes, thinking there was no way he could track me down, but it looked like he had.
Blubbering with fear and with my heart roaring up into my throat, I shrieked. My knees gave way.
I couldn’t go back to him, couldn’t let him throw me in jail.
One of the robocops poked my arm with something sharp, and the world swirled away . . .
Chapter 2
Aizor
“The hunt was good,” I said to my fellow clan members, and they nodded. Many of my people sat on stumps, eating from crystal plates around the fire in the ceremonial chamber, a tall, blue and teal crystal structure that had once hosted my clan’s god.
When it went silent, it took our future away with it.
My ancestors abandoned it, but I’d guided my clan back here not long ago. Now we couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
My gaze scanned the thirty males, four females, one of them elderly, plus our three precious young, only one of whom was female.
We few people were all that remained of my once thriving Indigan Clan. To think, when the crystals had been alive, there were so many Zuldruxians, thousands would attend the annual clan gatherings in the great valley below. Now we were lucky if a few hundred could make the trek to the event this coming season, the first to be held in years.
“Our hunters killedthreebribards today,” Jessia, one clan elder said, smacking her tusks. “We rarely see the like.” She pushed her long braid of silver hair back over her shoulder. All of us shared the same hair color. “We’ll smoke what’s left tomorrow and store it for winter.”
We’d all help. Ages ago, tasks had been divided between the sexes, but with so few females born to the remaining Zuldrux clans, duties that used to be exclusive to our females were divided among us all.
The bribard herds tended to cluster deep in the woods along the sides of the mountains during this season, making them a challenge to stalk. This hunt would feed my small clan for a long time, supplementing the food provided by our god.
The fire flared, highlighting the blue faces of those sitting closest to the warmth. Winter would be upon us soon, though we rarely saw snow in this part of the world.
The cold that came with the season was no longer a huge concern, unlike when we’d lived in rudimentary huts. Our god-given, crystal homes emitted heat, keeping us warm. In the hot months, they radiated cold, and it was common for us to remain inside, basking in the frigid air.
“Did you see any evidence of the Celedar Clan while hunting?” I asked Krute, my second-in-command.
He frowned into the flames. “Perhaps. Some crushed vegetation on one of the trails. The persistent feeling of being watched.”
I growled. The Celedar Clan lived in the forest between here and the central valley and their clan traedor, Nevarn, was determined to encroach on our land.
“Post more guards.” He’d be foolish to attack my clan with so few males of his own, but a strong traedor protected the people he served.
Krute nodded and lifted his hand. Two males left our group and melted into the shadows beyond our crystal dwellings.
We finished our meal, complimenting the gods on the spices used on the tubers and the sauce one of the males had suggested for the grains. After, we placed our dishes inside a bin and one of the males carried it into the dining area in the back of the building where they would be absorbed and brought forth for our next meal.
I added more wood to the fire, noting how low the ceremonial pile had become. I’d already dropped numerous trees in early summer, and they would be dry enough by now to cut into smaller chunks and split.
Someone elsecoulddo it. After all, I was the clan leader and supposedly above menial tasks such as this, but I enjoyed the mindlessness of the activity. The work kept me strong and ready to do battle.
Assuming another clan attacked. Back when our clans were larger, fighting was common. Now, no clan wanted to lose even one member to prove they were stronger than the other.
“Gather round, little ones,” Jessia said with a toothy smile, settling back in the comfortable chair I’d crafted for her last winter. I’d cut the lumber, carefully sanding it down to ensure no splinter would pierce her thin skin and covered the finished product with soft cushions. “Sit, and I’ll tell you the story of a world that once was, a world that now is, and a world that may yet wait for us.”
A hush fell over those who hadn’t left after the meal was finished. We’d all heard her tales numerous times, but each retelling felt fresh. It was good to remember, good to hear. Even better to believe that something would change to ensure that our world thrived once more.
Our two young boys left their indulgent parents and scurried around the fire to sit at Jessia’s feet, gazing up at her raptly.
