Darius’ shot rang through the air with a high-pitched whistle.
Mikel was thrown backwards from the close impact of the laser. As he slammed into the side of the house, both of his lasers went off, one into the air and one straight toward Tara.
Instinctively, she threw herself to the ground, feeling the loss of air in her lungs. She turned to land on her side, holding her belly with both hands, as her laser fell into the powdery snow next to her. The ground came fast and hard, and the pain was so intense she wasn’t sure if she’d been shot or not.
Darius was by her side instantly.
The discomfort and pain racking her body overwhelmed Tara. She fought to stay conscious. “I fear I’ve thrown myself into labor, my lord.”
“Shh. Be still.” Darius lifted her into his arms and was up the porch stairs and into the house within seconds. He seemed completely disinterested in his dead brother lying out front, focusing only on Tara’s condition. He took the wide stairs three at a time and had her on the bed before she realized it.
“What about your brother? You can’t leave him here.” Tara watched Darius as his hands went over her body, as if searching to see if anything had broken.
“Don’t worry about him right now, my lady. It’s you I am concerned about.”
A sharp pain riveted through Tara’s body, starting somewhere in her middle and ending halfway down her leg. Tara caught her breath and then exhaled when the pain subsided.
“How do you feel?” He stroked her hair and looked calm yet concerned for her wellbeing.
“Am I shot?” She wanted to ask if his brother was dead.
Darius was talking into his mouthpiece. “Patha, I need Dr. Digo sent to the house immediately.” He was silent for a second and then flipped the mouthpiece off. “Where’s Reena?” he asked her gently.
“She’s working on the quilts with the other ladies.” Suddenly, Tara was confused. “Darius, I think I’m okay. I guess I knocked the wind out of me.” She attempted to sit, and a sudden pain flashed through her gut and down her legs.
Darius eased her back down.
She grabbed his hand with both of hers and squeezed harder than she’d ever squeezed before. The pain subsided as she lay back down, and she eased her grip.
Darius’ face was expressionless. He tapped his comm. “Send someone to find Reena. I believe she is at one of those quilting meetings, I do.”
Tara felt another wave of pain, and Darius offered his hand again, which she squeezed without mercy. She yelped with the intensity of the pain this time, and watched Darius’ mouth move, but couldn’t quite make out his words.
“And I don’t want a trace of blood visible,” she thought she heard him say, but another wave of pain hit her before the last one completely ended.
It seemed like hours passed before Dr. Digo appeared. Not long after, Reena arrived. Tara could hear Hilda’s excited voice although she didn’t see her. Whenever she opened her eyes, it was Darius’ face she saw.
He watched her, his expression assuring her everything would be all right. Her claim stroked her head with a damp cloth, which felt better at that moment than she could have imagined. Then she felt his cheek brush hers, as he placed gentle kisses on her forehead. She focused on his touch, as wave after wave violated her body.
She turned her head to see the activity in the room. Everyone around her seemed surreal. Reena appeared to be bouncing from one side of the bed to the other. Dr. Digo placed a needle in her arm, and everyone suddenly seemed very far away.
Tara understood the conversation but had a hard time focusing on it. Her thoughts kept going inward. She vaguely paid attention as her legs were lifted and placed on cold metal. She blindly obeyed when Reena stood between her legs and instructed her to push.
“Tara,” someone was speaking to her and there was cold water dripping slowly down the side of her forehead. She reached up with her hand and brushed the water off. “Tara, girl, open your eyes.”
“Say hello to your son, my lady.” Darius stood by the bed holding a bundle of blankets.
Tara focused on him and realized he was holding a baby in his arms. She had done it. It impressed Tara how easily she was able to sit up, and she looked around the room at her exhausted audience. Tara knew she should feel as tired as they looked, but a sense of exhilaration flooded her and she felt overwhelmed with happiness.
“Where are my babies?” Her throat was dry, and her voice cracked. She blinked several times to clear her thoughts.
Darius sat next to her and placed the bundle of blankets in her arms. Hilda approached with another bundle.
Tara wrapped her arms around the two babies and looked down into their squishy pink faces.
“We have a boy and a girl.” Darius ran his fingers through her hair and lifted her face to his. “You were quite impressive, I must say.” He leaned forward and kissed her gently.
She smiled. “I want to name them Andru and Ana.”
Later that night, Darius crept into the dark room where Tara lay, cradling her sleeping babies. She smiled as he leaned down to kiss her.
“I wanted to wish you good night,” he whispered. “But I fear I woke you, I did.”
“I’ve been sleeping on and off, I guess. But I’m glad you are here.”
“You were wonderful birthing our children, my lady.” And when he kissed her again, she smiled against his mouth and returned the kiss until he backed away a few inches to study her.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” she whispered.
He looked at her seriously. “I only have one brother, and he knows nothing of my papa’s philosophies.”
“Darius?” She looked up anxiously as he turned to leave and he stopped in the doorway. “Do you have any other children?”
“No.”
The door closed, and the room became completely dark again.
Chapter Eleven
“Come on, you can do ten more.” Tara was dripping with sweat.
“Can’t we take a break?” Torgo dropped to the ground. “If I do one more pushup, my arms will break.”
“Okay, a little break.” Tara laughed and fell to the ground as well. She was exhausted and it felt really good. “You don’t know how happy I am to have my figure back.”
“You do have it back at that, my lady.” Lord Darius walked out to the backyard and looked at the two lying on the ground. “Duty calls, however, the cherubs are up from their nap.”
Tara jumped to her feet and straightened her shirt. “I guess we’ll continue your training later.”
Torgo didn’t mind a bit. He had a hard time keeping up with the new mama, and he didn’t want to admit it.
Tara went upstairs to greet her beautiful children. Each lay in his and her own cradle and smiled at the sight of their mama. She’d grown accustomed to picking them both up and laying them at opposite ends of the diaper-changing table. The two children would kick at each other’s feet and giggle while she blew on their tummies, changed diapers, and dressed them.
“I can’t believe how much you two are growing.” She kissed fingers and toes. “You’re six cycles old today, did you know that?”
“Oh, good, they’re awake now.” Hilda entered the nursery with a bag in her hands. “I bought these while I was in town this morning, I did. They were such cute outfits I couldn’t resist. Don’t you agree?”
The two outfits were made from blue denim. One was a pair of overalls and the other a dress with the straps like overalls. Hilda also produced a white blouse to go with the dress and a white shirt for the overalls. The two women struggled to get the lively children into their new outfits then placed them on the floor.
Tara laughed as Andru tried to inspect the shiny buttons on his sister’s outfit. Ana slapped at his hands for his efforts.
“I heard news in town this morning, you know—catching up on the gossip so to speak.”
“Oh?” Tara never appeared interested in any of the goings on of the community, but Hilda was determined to teach her daughter-in-law the fine art of gossiping.
“Ah, yes, I did. I heard Patha is planning to head south for a few cycles. It was Gertrude’s daughter who told me, you know the baker’s claim?”
Tara was less interested in the source of the gossip than the news itself. “Patha is leaving? I just saw him the other day, and he didn’t mention it. Do you know when?”
“Now that I don’t know, but here is the kicker.” Hilda lowered her voice as if someone might be listening. “He has asked Reena to go with him, he has.”
“What did she say?”
“Well, I would think she would say no.” Hilda thought the question absurd.
Tara picked up the babies and walked into the large adjoining bedroom she now shared with Darius.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to say goodbye to my papa.” Tara pulled a clean headscarf from her top dresser drawer.
“You’re taking the babies?”
“Can you tend them?”
Hilda looked at her watch and shook her head. “I’m having tea with some of the ladies over at Roga’s in an hour. You really should hire one of the girls in town to be a nanny, you should.” The old lady scurried off to prepare for her outing.
Tara was left alone with her babies. She thought about asking Torgo or Darius to go with her, but neither was in sight as she loaded the babies into the back of the jeep. The weather appeared conducive to the activity, so she pulled the top off the jeep hoping the babies would enjoy the fresh air.
“It will get you accustomed to riding on a bike.” She watched them look up at the endless blue sky.
There were signs that many of the clan members were preparing to leave. Doors stood open as trailer interiors were dismantled. Breakable items were being boxed before being placed in compartments under the trailer. It was summer and the best time to travel the country.
Tara suddenly felt a longing to be going. It surprised her. She’d been so busy with the babies and so wrapped up with her love for Darius that she hadn’t even thought about the summer journeys.
The clan would move around for the next four to five cycles and then settle down again when the weather turned bad. The alliance built with Gothman enabled the Runners to leave some of their possessions on the land, with Darius promising protection. Patha and Darius agreed that the acreage on top of the hills just to the west of Gothman would be Blood Circle Clan property. The townsfolk had grown accustomed to Runners entering their stores. Tara had even heard business owners speak favorably of the race since the Runners had begun stocking up on supplies for their journeys.
“Hi, Syra.” Tara pulled up to Patha’s trailer and smiled at her niece. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.” Syra’s tone was sulky.
Tara was about to ask her what was wrong when Patha and Balbo came around the other side of the trailer.
“I heard you were leaving,” Tara greeted her papa as she reached for her children.
“In the morning.” The old man smiled and went to look at his grandbabies. “These babies will be walking by the time I get back.”
Tara handed Andru to his Grandpapa and held Ana in her arms. “What’s wrong with Syra?”
“Believe it or not, she doesn’t want to go.” Balbo shrugged his shoulders at his daughter’s behavior. “I don’t understand her lately.”
“Why not let her stay with me? I need a nanny for the children. I could pay her, and she could have her own room. It would help her save money for her first bike. She’s about ready for one, you know.”
Patha looked at Balbo, who showed his approval of the suggestion.
“She’s growing up so fast.” Balbo shook his head. “Nothing I do is right for her anymore. Are you sure she would be a help with the babies?”
“I was caring for babies at her age if not younger. Besides, Balbo, it might make it easier to find another wife. Syra is quite the young lady, and another woman might think she has competition with her around.”
“Don’t try to argue with her, Balbo.” Patha laughed. “Sounds like she has her mind made up.”
“Okay. I’ll speak to her. That is, if she’ll talk to me.” He walked over to the sulking girl.
Tara watched her own papa play with her son. “I’ll miss you. You better stay in touch with me.”
“Don’t you long to travel, yourself?”
“I hadn’t thought about it to be honest with you. The twins keep me so busy; there is little time to think of anything but tending them.” Tara squinted from the sun, as she looked around the clansite. Runners loaded bags onto their bikes and locked down trailers. “Coming out here does put the yearning into a person, though.”
Patha looked at her, but instead of saying anything he reached out and tickled his granddaughter.
She noticed the look of concern in Patha’s eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I am happy. Really I am. I’ve found a good man.”
“Good. You have an obligation here. The Runners have never had land like this before, and a lot of that is due to you, my dear.”
“I know.” Tara was aware the Runners viewed her as being responsible for a pivotal turn in their history. She received more respect from them due to the Lord of Gothman claiming her, than she did from the Gothman.
Balbo and Syra walked up to them, and Tara noticed the young girl was all smiles.