Free John Carter by Stuart Moore

hand, and he may yet conquer.” Tars grinned then, the ghastly Thark smile. “Now go!”
    As Carter started running, followed by Dejah and Sola, he realized in surprise: I’m almost getting used to that grin.
    The three figures galloped across the sands, each astride a swift thoat. Carter heard a noise and turned swiftly, expecting pursuers. But a familiar figure whooped along after them, kicking up a cloud of dust.
    â€œWoola!” Carter exclaimed. “How in the world—”
    â€œYou belong to him,” Sola said. “Woola would find you anywhere on Barsoom.”
    Dejah Thoris pointed ahead. “Follow me!”
    They rode for many miles, past trackless wastes dotted with a startling variety of ruins. Once, Dejah explained, this had been a lush sea covered with islands, settlements, and ports. But the waters had dried up long ago, and the moving, predatory city of Zodanga had soaked up most of the planet’s remaining resources. Barsoom had become a shadow of a world, a barren desert fallen largely into savagery.
    Carter was captivated by Dejah’s beauty, her energy, and her passion to save her people. But more and more he came to realize she wasn’t telling him everything.
    On the second day, as Dejah rode ahead under the hot sun, Sola frowned up at the sky. Then she pulled her thoat over alongside Carter’s.
    â€œDotar Sojat,” she said. “I mean, Carter . I do not think she leads us to the Iss.”
    Carter nodded grimly. “Play along.”
    Then he galloped up fast behind Dejah. As she turned in surprise, he reached out and grabbed the reins of her thoat. “What did you think I’d do when I saw your city?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYou’re supposed to be taking us to the river.”
    Sola trotted up alongside and pointed to the twin moons in the sky. “Cluros and Thuria. They should be at our backs by now. You lead us toward Helium.”
    Dejah grimaced and moved to slow her thoat—but Carter tugged on its reins, urging it forward. “Once we reached Helium,” she said, “I knew you would see the virtue of our cause.”
    â€œEveryone thinks their cause is virtuous, Professor.”
    With a swift motion, he yanked at her saddlebag. Its contents spilled out onto the sand. When Dejah turned in surprise, Carter shoved her roughly off the beast and released its reins.
    Dejah tumbled to the ground. The thoat dashed off, riderless, disappearing quickly over a rise. Carter and Sola broke to the side, riding off together in the opposite direction.
    â€œNo,” Dejah cried. “John Carter, you can’t!”
    â€œI like this plan better,” Sola said.
    Carter motioned the Thark to silence.
    â€œYou mad fool!” Dejah ran after them on foot, gasping for breath. “You’re not from Earth—and there are no Therns! I only told you what you wanted to hear so you’d help us—so you’d help me .”
    Sola looked over at Carter questioningly.
    â€œWait for the truth,” he said, too softly for Dejah to hear.
    â€œStop,” Dejah called. “I can’t— I cannot marry him !”
    Carter reined in his thoat and wheeled it around to face Dejah.
    â€œCan’t marry who?” he asked.
    She glared up at him. “Sab Than. The Zodangan Jeddak you fought aboard the airship. He offered a truce in exchange for my hand. My father fears the Zodangans’ new weaponry, so he consented, but I—I could not.”
    â€œYour father?”
    â€œTardos Mors.”
    â€œThe Jeddak of Helium?” Sola rode up, her voice sharp with shock. “She is a princess!”
    â€œA princess of Mars.” Carter pulled up alongside Dejah, began to circle around her. “A princess who didn’t want to get married, so she ran away.”
    He suddenly felt angry. She’d used him, lied to him, placed hundreds of lives in peril. And for this?
    He turned and trotted