Page 10 of Wind Rider

Much like—and not alike at all. Death tasted and touched the Companion bond as He ended life after life, and was intrigued by it—by its fierceness and its loyalty. Except for Thaddeus’s small group, the only real resistance to His Reapers came from the canines—huge Shepherds that fought valiantly beside their humans, not faltering or retreating, even when their Companions were cut down. Death watched a ferocious Shepherd stand over the body of his fallen Companion, still battling with his last breath.

Perhaps I shall have a canine—the largest, fiercest of the Shepherds—a God of Canines for the God of Death!That thought had Him smiling as He came into full view of Thaddeus and his men.

Death stood still and observed. Arrows still rained from Thaddeus and the Warriors, but it was easy to see that they would soon run out of ammunition and be overwhelmed by His Reapers, who milled anxiously around the tree, taking turns drawing their fire.

Death reached out, following the connection that had already been established between Him and the anger-filled Thaddeus when he’d chosen power over love and sanctioned the death of his canine Companion. The God saw Thaddeus startle, as if he’d backed into a hot coal, and his arrow went wide, missing the Reaper he’d aimed at and harmlessly embedding into one of the tall pines nearby. Thaddeus looked around, obviously searching the crowd.

Death raised His mighty trident and stepped forward, shouting,“ENOUGH!”

Every living thing within hearing of the God’s voice reacted by pausing as their bodies—be they human, canine, bird, or insect—all responded on a visceral level to Death’s command.

With no hesitation, Death strode toward the tree. One of Thaddeus’s men panicked and fired a crossbow at the God. It hit him in the middle of His massive chest and, chuckling, Death brushed it aside as if had been an annoying, but harmless insect.

Several of his Reapers snarled and lunged forward, obviously determined to take the tree.

“Reapers—hold!” Death commanded. His army, though still snarling and bellowing, lowered their bloody, triple-tipped spears, and the exhausted Tribe dropped to their knees or leaned against trees, gasping for air and trembling with fatigue. “Thaddeus! Command your Warriors to hold!” Death ordered as He continued to approach the tree.

Thaddeus stared at the God and shock flashed across his easily read face, followed closely by recognition and then fear.

“Stand down! All of you—stand down!” Thaddeus shouted.

“Very good,” Death said, looking up at Thaddeus. “I like this beginning, Thaddeus, though this is not, of course, the first time we’ve met.”

Death saw the way the Tribe looked at Thaddeus. His small group of Warriors kept glancing from Thaddeus to the God—back and forth. Not in fear or anger, but rather curiosity, as if waiting to hear the rest of the story.

The rest of the Tribe reacted much differently. Their voices began to lift in concern and confusion. Many stared at Thaddeus with more disgust than they appeared to have for the God and His Reapers.Ah, so, he has not yet found a way to control them all. I shall aid him with that, and when I am done using him, he will go the way of his canine and be sacrificed for the greater good.

“Thaddeus, your people are weak. Your city is destroyed. It is time to choose.” As Death spoke the Tribe fell silent.

“You say we have met before, but you have changed, Dead Eye.”

“Indeed I have,” said Death. “Dead Eye is no more. He willingly sacrificed himself to awaken me, the God of Death. Much like your beloved Odysseus sacrificed himself to awaken the true Warrior within you.”

“Odysseus died because of a mutant Scratcher bitch,” Thaddeus hurled the words through bared teeth, looking so much like Death’s Reapers that it caused the Tribe to gasp.

“Ah, but you and I know the truth of that, don’t we?” Thaddeus began to spew more words at Death, but the God lifted His hand, cutting him off. “No. Save your lies and excuses for others—if you survive. Now you must choose. Put down your weapons and ally yourself with Death—or be claimed by it.”

Thaddeus’s gaze was sly. “Allies do not surrender to one another.”

“Yes, well, Thaddeus, if you were the God then you could make the rules. You are not. I am. And I demand my ‘allies’ drop their weapons,” Death replied conversationally.

“Don’t do it!” shouted someone from the crowd.

“The Tribe will not surrender to Skin Stealers!” called another.

Death ignored them and locked His gaze with Thaddeus, speaking calmly, as if they really were old allies. “You have had a taste of it—of real power. Only I can show you how to feast upon it. Or I can kill you. Yes, certainly, a few of you will escape, but to what end?” The smile that spread over the God’s face was feral. “You can always retreat to our city. The People and I will not be there. We shall be here, building a new city in the sky.Make your choice!” Death commanded in a voice that shook the boughs of the pines surrounding them.

“Tribe of the Trees! Drop your weapons!” Thaddeus shouted.

All around Death came the sound of crossbows, arrows, knives, and swords falling to the ground as the Tribe reluctantly did as the new Leader of their Warriors commanded.

CHAPTER 3

The night sky filled with clouds and darkness came swiftly and completely to the Umbria River. Mari couldn’t help but think it was a reflection of the dark, disturbing horrors they’d left behind.

From his seat on the left ballast of the little boat that held Mari, Nik, Rigel, and Laru, the big male Shepherd whined, pulling Mari’s attention from the oppressive sky.

“Hey, it’s okay, Laru. I know this will take some getting used to, but it’s going to be a long journey so you might as well settle in,” Mari told Nik’s Companion.