Free The Swords of Gregara - Jenala, a sci-fi romance by Cynthia Woolf

coward?   Is that what you did to my father?   Did he trust you or did you catch him unaware when his back was turned.   Did you lie in wait for him like the zogamac you are?”
    “Insults will only get you killed sooner, bitch.   You should have sold to me.   The Delasa Mine belongs to me.   I want it.   I offered to buy it.   But your father laughed at me.   It was the last time he laughed at anyone.   He was a stupid man.   You never turn your back on your enemy.”
    He struck another blow, this one breaking the shovel handle.   Jenala dropped the shovel’s scoop and used the handle as a sword and blocked the next blow.
    “Zlaten!”   Santro appeared behind him in the tunnel.   “You can’t fight me like a man, so you attack my wife.   Turn and defend yourself or I will run you through where you stand.”
    Zlaten turned.   Attacked.   Their swords clashed again and again.   Jenala stood transfixed.   She watch Santro play with him, watched as Zlaten tired quickly his strokes slower and less powerful.
    “Jenala move!”   Santro yelled at her as Zlaten turned slashed his sword downward.   She dropped and rolled, his sword missing everything except her arm, giving her another wound, though not a serious one.
    Santro jabbed his sword, hitting Zlaten through the right side.   Zlaten dropped his sword and fell to his knees.   “No.   This can’t be happening.   I never lose.”
    “You’re wrong.   You always lose.   Every time you fight less than honorably you lose.”
    “You’ve killed me.”   He took his bloody hand away from his side.
    “If only I had.   Unfortunately, you’ll live.   We’ll take you to the nupenian in Rucem.   He’ll use his wand on you and you’ll be like new when you stand trial for the murders of Kreston Baltin and Oliria Delasa.   I wonder how many others there are that we’ll never know about.   How many more innocent people have you murdered?”
    Santro turned to Jenala.   “I have to take him in for justice to be served.   I know I said I’d kill him but I can’t in good conscience.   He is unarmed now.   I’m not a murderer.”
    “I understand.   It was the honorable choice.   But,” she clutched her shoulder, “right now I need you to bandage my shoulder.”   She removed her hand and blood seeped from the wound.
    “Take this cloth hold it tight against the wound to stem the bleeding.   I’ll get the liquid bandage.”   He nodded toward Zlaten who lay passed out on the floor.   “Watch.”   Santro poured water on Zlaten’s head.   He sputtered awake.
    He shook his head and sprayed water everywhere. “Killing me isn’t enough, now you’re going to torture me too?”
    “If only I could.”
    After caring for Jenala, Santro moved over to Zlaten.   He closed his wound with the liquid, just enough to stem the bleeding.   Then he bandaged and wrapped the wound.   Zlaten would stay alive to meet his punishment from the council and the local authorities in Rucem.
    Now Zlaten had to go meet Lottie.   She would have to carry them to Rucem.   It did not go well.   Lottie stomped and snorted, nipped at him with her beak but in the end, she allowed him to ride her with Santro along.
    “I’m not going with you.”   Jenala said.
    “Why?”
    “Someone needs to stay here to protect the mine.   Zlaten may still have men out there and--“
    “All the more reason for you to come with me,” argued Santro.
    She put her arms around his neck and leaned back, looking up into his beloved face.   “I must stay.   You know it.   I won’t leave my valley to marauders and thieves.”
    “That’s right,” sneered Zlaten.   “My men will get you.   Just wait and see.”
    Santro’s fist shot out and landed square in the middle of Zlaten’s face breaking his nose.
    He turned back to Jenala.   “How can I leave you here alone?”
    “I’ll be fine.   You forget I’ve been alone before.   Even when father was alive I was