Free Robinson Crusoe 2245: (Book 2) by E.J. Robinson Page A

remembered Friday’s most valuable lesson: when in doubt, attack.
    Robinson bounded up the nest of tree branches and leapt over the biggest Render. It lashed out with its long claws, catching the sleeve of Robinson’s coat and tearing it away. Robinson landed behind the creature and rotated quickly with both blades. The creature roared, its fetid mouth inches from Robinson’s face. But slowly, surely, the two axe blades tore into its chest and sent the beast collapsing to the earth. It writhed before ceasing movement altogether.
    Robinson was in the process of taking his first real breath since the fight began when the third and final Render charged from his side. Robinson tried to extract his axes from the dead render’s chest, but both were lodged in bone. In a desperate act of preservation, Robinson threw up an arm, but the mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth never reached him. Instead, a wave of arrows stitched the creature’s flesh, and it fell at his feet and moved no more.
    Robinson turned quickly to see who had saved him. On the shore, some twenty paces away, stood a dozen human figures wearing loincloths and covered in blue, black, and silver body paint. Half held bows and arrows, while the other half gripped spears. At their heels were the canoes from across the river.
    How could they have crossed so quickly? Robinson asked himself.
    He instinctively took a step back, but the locals notched more arrows and began yelling at him in some incomprehensible language. He raised his hands, noting the men seemed more frightened than angry.
    Just when it seemed like the painted men were about to attack, a young child pushed her way to the front, motioning for them to lower their weapons. They did so, reluctantly.
    The girl was also painted in silver, black, and blue, but Robinson thought he could see auburn hair underneath. Her complexion looked lighter than the others, and she had eyes that bore intelligence.
    Once the men had lowered their weapons, the girl stepped closer to look Robinson over. When she finally spoke, he was stunned by her words.
    “You must be Cru-soe. I’ve been expecting you.”

Chapter Fourteen
Revelations
     
    The ship was in full sail when Friday finally awoke. The room was dark, and the endless swaying made her want to vomit.
    A blurry figure set a damp compress to Friday’s head before wiping spittle from her mouth. Friday wanted to bat the hand away but didn’t have the strength.
    The woman slowly came into view. Friday recognized her as one of the older slaves. She muttered something unintelligible, motioning to Friday’s right eye. Friday reached up and discovered it was closed. She briefly wondered if she had lost it, but there was nothing to be done, so she chose not to worry about it.
    With her remaining eye, Friday took in her surroundings. She was shocked to see she was not in the hold but in Arga’Zul’s berth. She tried to sit up, but something cold and hard tugged at her ankle. She glanced down to see a leg iron tethering her to the hammock. The skin beneath it had already grown raw.
    Friday collapsed back into the hammock, and pain stitched her body from side to side. Her fingers reached under a blanket to find heavy bandages covering her ribs. She instinctively took a deep breath, and it felt like her lungs were being ripped out of her chest. She fought another wave of nausea and tried to remain still.
    The slave woman patted Friday’s hand and whispered more words she couldn’t understand. Friday wanted to ask her about Nameless but was afraid to hear the answer. The last thing she remembered seeing was one of the Flayers duck into the beaver dam and leap back as if being attacked. She couldn’t remember what happened afterward. So be it. Friday had done everything she could to help the girl, even after she had betrayed her. Friday hoped the Goddess would take pity on the child.
    Friday was startled from her reverie when she felt something cool against her lips. She