Page 8 of Clan and Crave

A massive man waded between the startledboys. Conyod turned his stunned gaze toward the muscled behemoth inthe black armored uniform of a ground troop soldier. Where had hecome from?

A couple of the teens yelped. “Stay put!” themuscled Nobek shouted. Poised to run, they froze on the spot.Except for Gotas, who was still trying to learn how to breatheagain.

The soldier stared at the terrified-lookingyouths, his initial nonchalance disappearing behind a rictus offury. “What a company of cowards and assholes,” he snarled. “Names.Now. You first.”

He appeared so bestial, none of the teensdared to refuse. As his burning gaze lit on each of the youngerNobeks, they stuttered their names. Conyod heard none of them, hissenses overwhelmed by what had happened in a matter of minutes.

The presence of his rescuer held himastonished. He wasn’t the handsomest man the young Imdiko had everencountered, but he was perhaps the most riveting. Nearlywaist-length black curls framed a body carved from granite. Thearmored formsuit had no hope of hiding the strength of his thighsor the broadness of his shoulders. He looked like the strongest manalive to the boy.

Having gained the names of Conyod’sattackers, the soldier stripped off a thick strap circling histhigh, in which a knife had been sheathed. He tucked the knife andits pocket beneath the utility belt at his waist.

“Pay attention, shitheads. As it seems yourinstructors have been lax in teaching you proper behavior, class isnow in session,” he announced. “A Nobek’s first duty is to protectthe empire. His second duty is to protect his clan. And his thirdduty, which sometimes takes precedence over the first two, is toprotect those weaker than himself.

“Am I appalled to see the opposite occurringhere? To see five Nobeks of the Kalquorian Empire attacking asmaller youth, an Imdiko, no less? You’re damned right I’mappalled. More than appalled. I’m fucking livid!”

His fangs showed as he roared at them. Allfive, including Gotas, who was beginning to become aware of mattersbeyond his abused groin, moaned in terror.

“There is no excuse. None.”

“He was stealing—” one of the boys dared.

The soldier was a blur of motion. He grabbedthe teen who’d spoken by the back of the neck and yanked him to themiddle of the gathered. The strap flailed faster than Conyod’s eyescould follow, though there was no mistaking the thuds ofcontact.

The youth squalled and fell to his hands andknees. He dug his booted toes and fingers in the ground, trying toescape the beating, but the soldier held him fast and withoutobvious effort. The black strap flashed in the sunlight. Conyod andthe rest cringed, but they couldn’t tear themselves from the sight.Nor did the teens show any inclination to rescue their fellow.

I don’t blame them. This guy could tear uslimb from limb without trying.

His thought was as much worshipful asterrified. He’d thought his father Vel was the be-all and end-allof the Nobek breed until this magnificent warrior.

The soldier paused and shook the howlingyouth. “Now beg the Imdiko’s pardon or get a second round of thesame.”

“I…I’m sorry, Imdiko. Forgive me.”

The elder Nobek released the teen, whostumbled a few feet, then collapsed in a shuddering heap. Thesoldier glared at the remaining four.

“Look at this boy.” He gestured at Conyod.“It’s obvious to anyone who possesses half a brain he’s starving.Why else would he be thieving berries from a field? Yet it occurredto none of you supposed protectors to help him. You chose to bullyhim instead. You’re lower than thieves. You’re nothing.” Hespat.

The teens hunched. They looked at Conyod inshame. The sole exception was Gotas. His gaze betrayed blackhatred, though he was obviously too afraid of the soldier to voiceit.

“The rest of you will receive punishment fromme, after which you’ll also beg the Imdiko for pardon. If you tryto escape, you’ll get double. If any of you somehow manage toescape, I have your names. I’ll report all of you to the trainingcamp, not just the coward who runs off. Having graduated from acamp myself, I know exactly what you’re in for if your superiorslearn what you’ve done here today.”

The boys were shaking, but they didn’t movean inch. Would punishment at the camp be worse than a strappingfrom the Nobek? Conyod couldn’t imagine it.

It must have been true, because one by one,they submitted to his harsh discipline. Their cries rang out overthe field, and they begged Conyod’s forgiveness long before thepunishment ended.

The fourth youth, he who was named Hetnur andhad tried to reason with Gotas, tried to negotiate a lesser penaltywhen he stepped forward. “Nobek, I tried to tell them, I reallydid, I said it wasn’t fair for us to jump him—”

“You spoke, but you did nothing. Atrue Nobek isn’t wary of the numbers against him if an injustice isbeing committed. A Nobek would rather his breath stop than allowharm to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Except for this piece ofdung with the bashed cocks who led you, you’re the worst of thegroup for your failure to stand up for what you knew was right.You’ll be strapped harder than those who came before you.”

The soldier was true to his word. Hetnur’spunishment was the severest thus far. Conyod couldn’t help but feelsorry for him.

Then the soldier turned to Gotas. “Do youthink I’ll spare you because you’ve already suffered the greatestdamage? I see plainly you feel no remorse for what you’ve done.You’re the leader of these worms. You’ve set yourself up as theirsuperior only to terrorize the weak. Who else have you convincedthem to gang up on? How many innocents have been hurt because youdecided power was better than defending those who’d look to you forhelp?”

The soldier’s furious glare raked the others.“This is who you’ve chosen to fear…a spineless weakling who usesyou to intimidate those he hasn’t the strength to overcome alone.He couldn’t even defeat an underfed Imdiko. Are you truly sopathetic as to follow this pretend Nobek?”

Gotas said nothing, but he’d gone pale. Hewent paler as his howls were added to those of his fellows.

When the soldier had finished, he waved themoff as if shooing flies. “Get out of my sight before I decide youdeserve more than I’ve given you.”

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