Rise of Primus (The Image Maker Book 1) by Michael Zadai & Connie Cahoon

Author:Michael Zadai & Connie Cahoon [Zadai, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-12-12T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

When morning came, they emerged from the veranda to find that the preceding night had indeed seen a savage struggle between predator and prey. Pollinator flies, whose diet had consisted solely of vegetation, now swarmed animal carcasses, and herbivorous birds, squealing and squawking, rifled through the remains.

The grisly sight made Aurea queasy. She clutched her stomach with one hand and reached for Valerian with the other. For the first time, she doubled over retching, and vomited on the Garden’s befouled ground.

A mournful whining, within earshot of them, led to the discovery of Zenia rocking back and forth cradling what was left of Zuma in her arms. Valerian groaned aloud over the rending of life and the cruelty it imposed. It seemed all consuming. Zenia ambled over to the Master of the Garden and laid the remains of peace-turned-sacrifice, at his feet, then lumbered away, her little one’s blood matted red within the white of her fur.

Aurea sank to the ground, beaten. She clutched at the mud—a mixture of soil and blood—as if to retrieve the life soaked into it. Despairing, she squeezed fists full of hair at the sides of her head and wailed in fury and protest.

Primus watched from a distant tree. Amused, he congratulated himself. He had lured the perfect pair into a seamless snare and had drained them of life’s vitality.

Now he would lead them far from home and farther still, he hoped, from the reaches of Abba’s grace.

Since his initial reconnaissance of the garden he had handpicked a number of Muspellum from Tyrannous and brought them to Earth. They set up a village, superb in design, and outfitted it with custom accommodations for the unwitting couple. A charming community of residents had been installed—and for reasons undisclosed—a temple had been erected.

I wonder what Abba thinks of the hapless turn his Garden has taken, he chuckled, and of the misfortune that has befallen his little family of. . . two! He laughed aloud at the humorous thought. In fact, since no one could hear him above the Garden’s present mayhem, he gave free vent to his glee, laughing with arms wrapped round his waist. A tear slipped down his cheek. “Ahh. . .ha, ha, ha! What a pity! Whatever will they do?”

At last he collected himself and wiped away the tear that streaked his ill-disposed face. Rubbing it between his fingers he cast his mind back to the last time he had shed a tear, but he could not or would not remember. He shook himself to be rid of the happiness he felt, for it brought back memories of better, brighter times. Let bygones be bygones! He resolved sourly. It looks like this is my cue. And he swung from the tree to insert himself into the situation. Upon his approach he stopped abruptly a few yards in front of Valerian and Aurea. He looked around as if in total shock. His jaw dropped open and he slapped his brow. “What in Abba’s name has gone wrong here? This place is a shambles! And the two of you look.

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