Gowsky decided she must think he posed no threat. She must view Neurians as a soft race she could simply dismiss. Tara was challenging his warrior abilities, and he was furious.

After all, his pride was at stake. He couldnat turn and humbly leave as she suggested. Gowsky would show her that Neurians could fight! He jumped back into the jeep.

Tara folded the tent and pulled the twine attached to its outer side until it was a compact bundle. She secured it to the back of her bike. As she reached for the tent poles, she saw the jeep approaching at high speeda"straight for her.

Jumping on her bike, Tara skidded out of the way just as he ran through the center of the small camp, sending pots rolling from either side of the jeep as he ran over them. Twenty yards or so past the camp he slammed on the brakes and turned the jeep around, preparing for a return drive-by.

She aimed her laser and shot out the back tire. She accelerated toward the jeep and then slammed on her brakes, skidding to a stop within a few feet of Gowsky.

Aiming her laser at his head, she said, aI told you to leave.a This time, Gowsky was prepared. He yanked the hand holding the laser. His strength overcame hers, and he pulled her forward off the front of her bike.

Tara came at him full force. The two flipped out of the other side of the jeep.

Gowsky twisted his body and landed on top of her. He slammed her hand against the ground and the laser fell free from her fingers. She completely relaxed her body underneath his, which caused him to relax his grip on her, although he watched her warily.

Instantly, Tara brought up her leg and kneed him hard in the crotch. He lunged forward, fell to the side, and she squirmed out from underneath him.

aYou insult my fighting abilities and mock Crator,a he snarled, doubled over on the ground from pain. aDo you really think our Crator would protect a Runner from a Neurian bullet? Crator protects Neuriansa"not Runners!a aIam not insulting Crator, Gowsky. But I am protected from your gun. A Runneras outfit is bulletproof.a Her deep blue eyes shot daggers.

Gowsky raised his gun toward her.

She jumped into the air, kicking him straight in the chest, He fell backward, and she pushed him to the ground.

This time, she was on top of him. She grabbed the laser with one hand, while her other hand leaned on his chest. Raising the laser to his face, she snarled, aI could kill you out of spite, and it would be completely justified.a aI canat just let you walk away.a She shoved the laser into his nose. aThen youall die.a He looked at her eyes and could tell she meant it. aWeare not prepared to be at war again.a She jumped off him. aAre you going to let me go?a Gowsky scrambled to his feet, staring at the laser in his face. It was way too close for comfort. aI donat have much of a choice. Youave disabled my jeep, and you have a gun pointed at me.a He gave her one of his charming smiles which didnat faze her a bit. aTara, I wish we could have known each other under different circ.u.mstances.a She backed off, but kept the laser pointed at him. She walked through the campsite backwards, looking at what was left, continuously glancing at Gowsky to make sure he didnat try to stop her again. The tent poles were bent and broken. Most of the food was smashed and scattered. She reached down, maintaining her watch on him, and picked up the grate that had been over the fire and one lone pot that had been on the grate.

Securing the grate and pot to her motorcycle, she straddled it and started the engine. Tara moved the bike slowly until she was next to Gowsky. aGood luck with your Southland.a Tara left him in a cloud of dust.

Gowsky brushed dirt out of his face and aimed his gun at her, firing several shots. To no avail. Her motorcycle soon disappeared from sight as he stood at the ruined campsite with a disabled jeep and an injured shoulder.

Tara continued to drive at high speed for several hours. She mentally tried to calculate the distance she would have to travel to reach Gothman. Yes, she would go directly to Gothman. Her children were there, she was sure of that. Patha would not oppose Darius in raising his own children, especially if Patha thought their mama was dead.

It had taken her a day and a half to drive to Semore in much slower transportation. However, she didnat know the best way to drive north. As she tried to determine her route, Taraas mind flickered to her children, Patha, Reena, Hilda, Torgo and Syra. And Darius.

She wondered if head claimed another woman. It was a recurring thought shead had ever since Gowsky had told her how long shead been unconscious. Night fell and Tara continued to drive, lost in her thoughts.

Tara imagined Andru and Ana walking. Her pudgy infants would now have legs strong enough to stand on. Which one had taken their first step? Tara imagined Ana would have taken the first stepa"she was the one who appeared more daring, putting everything in her mouth. But Andru would run first, she guessed, because he had to be fast to take everything from Ana and inspect it. Her heart constricted with pain at how much she had missed in her childrenas lives. For a moment, she couldnat breathe from the pain. With a deep inhalation, she told herself she would see them in the next day or two, and then work to make them know her again.

And what of Darius? If he had another woman in his life, perhaps she had attempted to make the children her own. Tara scowled at the thought. She would not allow someone else to raise her children. Not even Darius would be able to prevent her from being with her children, no matter the current circ.u.mstances.

She set up a makeshift camp when it grew too dark to drive safely, tore it down the next day, and drove through the wilderness without being disturbed by man or beast. Late that afternoon, she was riding along a high prairie trying to remember if she had been this way before. The hills and trees appeared in more abundance the farther north she drove, but after traveling for hours, all hills and trees appeared the same. She worried she had somehow altered course, although she still drove north.

Then she saw it. Ahead in the distance, several trails of smoke filtered slowly up to the sky.

Tara slowed her bike, her senses alert to the oncoming situation. Her body stiffened as instincts kicked in. The smells around her became more apparent. Any movement to the right or left caught her eye immediately. She heard every bird sing, every rock pop under the wheels of her tires.

She wasnat familiar with people living this far south of Gothman in Freelander territory. This land had always been uninhabited. There was no reason she would be considered an enemy unless these people knew of Runners and feared them. Still, caution was in order. Tara veered out of the prairie and decided to approach the camp through the trees bordering nearby hills.

She was ecstatic when she realized the camp was a Runner clan, though she didnat recognize the clan flag flying high from the center trailer. The black outfits of the men and women walking through camp were a welcome sight.

Several Runners noticed her approach and pulled their lasers. She knew they were skeptical because their equipment would not have acknowledged her as a Runner without her landlink.

aHold it right there,a the closest Runner approached her motorcycle as she slowed within yards of them.

Tara stopped her bike and held her hands out to show she came in peace but did not speak until questioned. She knew the routine.

aRunner, where is your landlink?a aIave been to Southland. It was stolen. Iam lucky to be alive.a She dismounted to show her non-warrior intentions as was customary. aIam glad to see a Runner clan.a aYouare welcome to hear the stories at the fire.a This was the usual greeting offered to a visiting Runner, and Tara smiled her appreciation.

aIave got much to catch up on. Iave been traveling for awhile.a aCome back for the test, have you?a They were walking now, and the two Runners led.

Tara pushed her bike. aThe test?a aWell, you have been out of circulation for awhile. No landlink, too. You navigate well.a aI wasnat sure I was, to be honest. What test?a aThe Test of Wills.a Tara stopped walking and stared at the Runner who had just spoken. The Test of Wills was given when the leader of a clan died or stepped down and had no heir.

aWe will be continuing north in the morning. Most clans are headed that way, Iam sure. Youare more than welcome to travel with us. Weall take you to Rolko, but Iam sure heall give consent.a As Tara walked, her mind raced with questions. Why was the Test of Wills being offered? What happened to Patha? She decided to remain silent. If she made her presence known after the Test of Wills had been issued, it would stir up a commotion among the clans. Tara hoped she would learn more when she listened to the stories around the fire, later that evening.

She was accepted into the Four-Circle clan as a traveling warrior. This meant she could sleep by the main fire, use their water supplies, probably be fed, and if she still had her landlink, use their main board to transmit. To refuse their acceptance of her as a traveling warrior would dishonor the clan, especially since they were going in the same direction. So even though she would arrive at Gothman much sooner if she traveled alone, she graciously thanked Rolko for his hospitality.

Tara was left alone to move through the campsite after leaving Rolkoas trailer. She decided to go immediately to the main fire, hoping for food and, if she was lucky, the offer by a compa.s.sionate soul to let her take a shower.

aHey, wait up!a The voice came from behind Tara. aIam Male, Rolkoas daughter.a A girl several winters younger than Tara hurried up. aPapa asked me to come get you and offer my hospitality. My traileras over here if youad like to clean up or anything.a Maleas trailer was simple. The floors were bare; a wooden tile covered the kitchen and living area. The countertops were spotless, and two overstuffed matching chairs with a rectangular oak table between them, provided all the furniture for the small living area. A folding table extended from the wall of the kitchen and a shelf mounted on the free wall of the living area housed her landlink.

Male moved into her kitchen area and pulled a ceramic pitcher out of the small cooler in the wall. Handing a chilled lemon drink to Tara, she sat in the one chair at the kitchen table. She gestured with her cup to the matching chairs. aSit. Be at home.a She smiled and loosened her head cloth, revealing dark curls. aI hear you have no landlink. And that youave come all the way from Southland. Where are you going?a aNorth, for the test,a Tara lied.

aWhat were you doing in Southland? My papa will probably report you, you know.a aReport me, why?a aWhy? Because itas forbidden, thatas why.a Tara wasnat sure what to say. What was forbidden? Male saw the confused look in her eyes and squinted at her. aHow long have you been without a landlink? You do know Runners are forbidden to enter Southland, donat you? Patha of the Blood Circle Clan pa.s.sed the law himself. Thatas why weare having the Test of Wills. His daughter died down there.a So Patha was alive. At least, it sounded like he was. If he had officially announced her death, she guessed her login number would be detached from the system. She would need a new number in order to access a landlink, any landlink. How would she explain no login number without revealing who she was?

aWould you like to contact your family?a Male asked.

aWould it be all right if I took a shower first?a Male jumped up and walked down the six-foot hallway, opening the first door and turning on the light. She entered her room and returned immediately with a thick cotton towel.

The shower felt good. Afterward, Tara decided to walk around the camp. As she approached the main fire, she saw ten to fifteen Runners surrounding it, sipping ale and chatting among themselves. A large woman dipped wooden mugs into a barrel and handed them out. Tara slipped in inconspicuously and accepted the mug of ale offered to her.

She tried to remember the last time shead enjoyed this Runner tradition. Gatherings around the evening fire at the end of a day, listening to the old Runners tell their tales of victories and places traveleda"these were good memories. She recalled hearing the news from travelers of other clans, enjoying the screams and chatters of the younger children as they ran and played on the outer edge of the circle. These were the parts of her childhood of which she was most fond. This clan made her feel right at home.

The stories she heard that night shocked her. It was Rolko, himself, who explained the latest conflicts between the Gothman and Runners. Lord Darius wanted to be part of the judging for the Test of Wills. Rumors also circulated that several Gothman wanted to partake in the test. Many Runners had complained loudly to Patha. The test was for Runners only. Rolko felt safe in a.s.suming that Patha would not allow Gothman partic.i.p.ation.

Tara wanted to say this was true. She knew her papa, and he would want a Runner to succeed him. They had an alliance with Gothman, but she knew he wasnat ready to integrate the two nations that quickly. Chaos would result if they did.

Tara was called upon to tell her stories of Southland. She found herself telling the Runners about Crator. She explained that the Southerners believed that Crator made the planet and all races on it. She told the myth of the Guardians, saying that they brought messages to the people from Crator and could take the form of animals. The Runners loved her stories and applauded as they refilled her mug.

She sat at the fire well into the evening, sipping the ale and catching up on the tales of the Runners. She felt relaxed, at peace and very much at home as she walked slowly back to the trailer later that evening. In a few days, she would have her children in her arms again. Then there was Darius. Would she make peace with him? She wondered once again if head found another woman. What would she do if he had? Probably kill her. Tara giggled to herself and realized the ale had hit her.

Tara knew no other woman would be able to prevent her from returning to her life. She hadnat asked to be gone for six cycles, and she never intended to be separated from Andru and Ana. It tore into her like a jagged warrioras knife that her children might not recognize her. Every time she thought of how the twins might react to her, she filled with trepidation.

Male was working at the landlink when Tara slowly pulled open the door to the trailer. aDid you catch up on all the latest gossip?a Male didnat turn around as Tara entered.

aIt was great to sit at a fire once again and hear all the stories.a Tara sat in one of the stuffed chairs and glanced at the monitor.

She leaned forward as she realized Male had logged onto the Blood Circle Clan site. Tara quickly scanned the screen, trying to see what the clan was broadcasting. She tried to sound nonchalant as she looked over Maleas shoulder. aWhat are you looking for?a aIam going to submit the written part of the Test of Wills.a Male glanced up at Tara and smiled meekly. aI donat expect to win or anything. Papa thinks it would be good experience. Youad have to understand what itas like to be the daughter of the clan leader, I guess.a Trust me, I do understand. aWhy donat you print one off for me too?a she said instead. aThereas no harm in trying, right?a aSure, as long as we donat get killed in the confrontation part.a Male groaned. aI can handle the first part of the test, I think. But, I donat know about the second portion. Papa has never been too satisfied with my warrior skills.a aMaybe I could help you.a aIf you want to take the time. It couldnat hurt.a Male printed two ten-page tests and handed one to Tara. She clicked through the information on the Blood Circle Clan and stopped on an article with a large color picture of Darius.

Taraas heart skipped a beat.

aIsnat he handsome?a Male leaned back and breathed deeply. aI hear heas an incredible warrior. He was able to defeat Pathaas daughter, Tara.a aWhen did he do that?a Tara asked the question without thinking.

Male turned to stare. aI guess not everyone follows this news as closely as I do. Thatas how he claimed her as his wife. She couldnat tame him, though. So she left.a Tara couldnat help smiling and had to stifle an uncontrollable giggle that climbed within her. aHas he found another woman?a aNo. I hope to see him in person when we arrive at the Blood Circle Clan,a Male said. aI wonder if heas as good-looking in person.a Tara wanted to say that he was much more handsome. She gazed at the picture of Darius on the monitor. Her body warmed as she studied the blond curls and deep gray eyes. She hadnat realized how much she missed him until that moment.

She wondered if she could trust him again. But then, only Darius could answer that. He would have to show her, through his actions, that he could be trusted. And that would take time. Taraas heart told her that now, she would offer him that time.

She smirked. Darius definitely had his work cut out for him, if in fact, he still wanted her to be his claim.

At least now she knew she wouldnat have to kill anyone.

Chapter Twenty.

The sunshine seemed a little too bright the next morning as Tara wiped down her bike and prepared for the dayas journey. She had declined breakfast, but eagerly worked on her second cup of coffee. The camp was dismantled, and everyone appeared ready to leave.

aItas just occurred to me that I donat know your name.a Tara looked up to see Rolko speaking to her as he and two other Runners approached. aGood morning.a She tried to sound polite as her mind raced for a response. aIam Leetha,a she decided quickly.

aLeetha, weave brought a landlink for your bike.a He gestured to one of the men with him, and he produced a small flat black panel. aWhich clan are you from?a aThe Blood Circle Clan.a aWell, we really are taking you home, arenat we?a He smiled, but the look in his eye let her know he had more to say.

She stood silently, showing her respect.

aYou violated our law by entering Southland, Leetha. Male has told me you plan to enter the Test of Wills. I canat permit you to do that. Iall turn my report into Patha and make him aware of your violation. Youall have to approach him personally to argue your case once we arrive at our destination, before your entry can be accepted. Iam sure youare aware of the laws.a aYes, sir. Thank you for the landlink, sir.a Tara stood perfectly still until the men were finished with her bike and had left her. Her heart sank. The only way she could enter the Test of Wills now was by using her own login number. Furthermore, she knew the second Patha received a transmission saying a Runner named Leethaa"from his clana"had just come over the border, her cover would be blown.

There was no Leetha in the Blood Circle Clan that she knew of. She could only hope Patha wouldnat review the reports from the clans right away. After all, there was a lot going on to distract him.

Somehow she needed to remain undetected until the Test began. She knew she could prove herself in battle. In fact, unlike Male, she looked forward to that part of the test.

Everything was ready to go. Tara tested her landlink, and the travel plan for the day appeared on the small screen. They were scheduled to arrive at the Blood Circle Clan that evening! This was perfect. Arriving in the dark could only be to her advantage.

She shut down the landlink and quietly entered Maleas trailer. Tara already knew the young girl was not there. Shead taken off earlier to help some of the mamas organize their children for the day. It was a job that had often been a.s.signed to Tara when she was that age. Male would be gone for a while.

She sat down at the landlink and took a deep breath. This would either work or it wouldnat. She held up her fingers, hesitated for a second, and then typed in her login number. The landlink buzzed quietly, and the proper lights lit up accordingly. She waited for what seemed like an eternity. Come onacome on. Male wouldnat be gone forever. Tara wanted to submit the answers to the written test before she was discovered. She couldnat remember the last time a landlink moved so slowly.

At last, the picture on the monitor flashed and the selection screen appeared. It worked! Her logon number hadnat been deleted. She realized that meant shead not yet officially been determined dead. Why then, were they conducting the Test of Wills? She had no time to ponder this mystery but instead selected a blank page and began answering the questions that Male had printed.

She was familiar with the test but still read over each question carefully. Because the leader of the clans would have to know all the laws of the Runners very well, each test question asked about a particular one. Also required was the origination of laws, which one best suited a particular situation, and how she would interpret several selected laws. Tara typed quickly yet answered each question thoroughly.

After Patha reviewed the tests, he would name those who could compete in the Confrontation. This part of the Test was no longer a fight to the death. That law had been changed over one hundred winters ago because too many good warriors had been killed. The fight would last until the surrender of one of the compet.i.tors. Nevertheless, this still resulted in a fight to the death all too often, at least according to the stories. Theread never been a Test of Wills called as long as Tara had been alive.

Her fingers ached, and her back was sore. Over an hour pa.s.sed. Tara clicked on submit and leaned back in the chair.

It was done.

Whether this would cut her throat or lead her to victory was undetermined. Tara knew if the test with her logon number was identified before she got to Gothman, Runners she didnat know would arrest her, and she would be delayed. But if she could get into Gothman before her test submission was discovered, she could speak to Patha, convince him of her need for the test to continue, even though, strictly speaking, it was unnecessary. Indeed, she could imagine Pathaas outrage that shead enter the Test of Wills instead of simply acknowledging shead returned.

She stared at the blank monitor for a minute, wondering who would first notice a written test had been submitted on her logon number. Would they a.s.sume it was fraud, or would they suspect it was her?

Tara smiled to herself. Could she actually win the Test of Wills and be heir to Patha twice over? If so, she would rule the clans completely. Her authority would be unquestioned. And then there was Darius. She wanted him to see her earn her way to victory, conquering each hurdle every step of the way.

The winner of the Test of Wills wore the t.i.tle of Head Warrior. It was the highest honor a Runner could receive and always fell upon the ruler of a clan. Not as many women won as men did, but Tara knew she hadnat lost a compet.i.tion ina"winters. She could not think of any warrior she couldnat defeat. And if Darius could witness her taking the t.i.tle of Head Warrior, he, as well as all of Gothman, would see that a personas s.e.x had nothing to do with what skills they possessed. Taking the t.i.tle would be one more step toward earning the respect Tara needed from Darius, and from his people.

Her heart ached and her blood warmed as she thought of battle. Her pregnancy might have stopped her from partic.i.p.ating in the last war, but nothing would stop her from using her warrior skills for the test. She was free to soar to her highest potential.

Who would the other contenders be? Would they be allowed to use weapons on a field, or would it be in an arena with hand-to-hand combat? How many finalists would there be? Tara had studied a few Tests of Wills during her childhood, and knew the leader of Runners had complete control over how the test would be conducted. Tara couldnat help but hope for an arena. More people could witness the victory.

Questions continued to swarm as Tara stared into the screen. The sounds of starting motors brought her back to the moment, and she jumped up. Turning off the landlink, she hurried outside to her bike.

By the middle of the afternoon, Tara began to recognize the countryside.

They were coming up on the southern tip of the Gothman nation. The ground was hard, and the dark gray clouds hung very low. Her eyelids burned from the cold wind that had slapped her face for the past few hours, and she guessed snow would fall before they arrived on the western side of Gothman where the clansite was located.

She suspected her logon number had been discovered by now. It wouldnat be difficult for the authorities to determine its source. It was quite possible Rolko would be notified that one of his landlinks had transmitted using her logon number. Then, they would search for the one who had used the number.

Tara wondered how much information Patha would give the clan leader. Would Patha tell Rolko that an illegal number had been used? Or would he specifically say that Taraas number had been used? She could only hope they arrived at their destination before Rolko was contacted.

Over the next hour, snow began to fall, drastically limiting visibility. Tara was forced to slow down, as was the rest of the clan. She strained to see the pa.s.sing countryside, trying to determine how far into Gothman territory theyad come.

The wind picked up. For a brief minute, she thought she saw something in the distance, but then it was gone. She focused on the ground immediately in front of her. Several riders ahead yelled, and she looked up. One of the Runners was pointing to something, and Rolko pulled up alongside him.

Tara looked in the direction the pointing finger indicated and could just make out several brown figures ahead. She squinted and refocused, watching through the snow as the figures drew nearer.

Four Gothman approached. Rolko, with the surrounding Runners, slowed to a stop. Her heart pounded through her leather coat as she watched the men talk to Rolko. She couldnat tell if she knew the Gothman or not.

The one speaking to Rolko was long-legged and broad-shouldered. Through the blowing snow, she couldnat determine his hair color. He turned his head to scan the Runners scattered across the meadow. Rolko gestured for the Gothman to follow him. They drove slowly through the hundreds of parked Runners.

Tara watched carefully as the four Gothman approached. One of them was Darius!

He pa.s.sed within a few feet of her motorcycle, head held high in the blowing wind. Blond curls stuck out from underneath a black hat.

His hair is longer. Everything inside her reached to him like a magnet, yet he never glanced her way as he slowly drove by.

The Gothman and Rolko drove back to where the trailers were parked with the Runners congregating in their wake. Tara was near three Runners, and several others joined them to discuss the possible reasons for the Gothmanas arrival.

aThey said something about a wrong logon number being used.a aThat doesnat seem like a reason to stop us in this bitter cold.a aThe Gothman are looking for an excuse to search our clan.a aWhy would Lord Darius come himself?a And so the chatter continued.

Taraas mind was far from their conversation. Rolko would figure out what landlink transmitted the illegal number, and when the transmission had occurred. Once he had that information, he would know either his daughter, or she, had sent the transmission using the illegal number.

She couldnat conveniently disappeara"she was surrounded by clan members. Even if she could slip away, the snow was blowing hard enough to become lost. Not to mention the fact that they could easily track her with the landlink theyad a.s.sembled on her bike.

Tara was trapped.

She waited for the inevitable to happen. Within a short amount of time, it did. A motorcycle approached their group, and one of the Runners whoad been with Rolko gestured to her.