Once Upon a Caveman by Cassandra Gannon

points for you.”
    That
made him happy.  “Points are good?”  Rhawn liked rewards and he rarely received
them.  “And you’re just giving them to me?”
    “What?” 
She shook her head.  “Whatever.  Pay attention, alright?  You’re a smart guy.  That’s what I care about.  It makes you my best hope for survival.  We need to work
together.”
    He
shook his head, caught off guard by the idea.  Rhawn had never been called smart. 
Never been anyone’s “best hope.”  Never had anybody trust him.  Not ever.  No
one ever wanted his protection or to “work with” him.  Even if Lucy only
planned to fool him into committing vile acts of heresy, he was a little
intrigued by her flattery.  She could recruit far worthier men.  Still…
    “I
can’t help you win the Ardin .”  No matter how perfect she seemed or what
“points” she offered, Rhawn wouldn’t assist with her malevolent plans.  He did
his best to live with honor.  While he wished for it to be a fair fight, he
couldn’t help her achieve victory and doom the world.  He couldn’t do that.  Wouldn’t do it.  Absolutely not.
    …Probably.
    Lucy’s
jaw tightened.  “Oh, you are helping me.”  She warned.  “You’ve seen me
naked, caveman.  You owe me.”
    Rhawn
stifled a wince.  Dwelling on the perfect curves of her body didn’t exactly
inspire him to resist her evil influence.  “I won’t be a party to your
schemes.”  He muttered.  “I wish for you to forsake them and to…”
    She
cut him off.  “Fuck that, Rhawn!  You’re helping.  You saved my life earlier,
so it would be pretty dumb of you to just waste all that effort.”
    “I
told you I am dumb and I did nothing to save your life.”
    Rhawn
tried to turn away from the impossible color of her eyes, but she wouldn’t let
him.  Just like in the dream, she moved her head to the side, keeping her gaze
locked on his.  It was as if she’d caught him in a snare.  Rhawn helplessly
stared back at her, his heart hammering.
    “You did save my life.”  She insisted.  “You’re the reason I got off the ship
in time.  You told me the Arden would sink.”
    “The
sinking is the Ardin .  It is the end of the world.”
    She
looked baffled.  “Come again?”
    How
could she not know a prophesy that she was a part of?  Rhawn was beginning to
feel as confounded as she seemed.  Perhaps he was not smart enough to converse
with a god.  Once again, he decided to go back to basics.
    “During
the Ardin , the Savior will bring all the worthy to a new homeland.  The
Destroyer will sink the island with the eruption of Uooloa.”  He gestured towards
the volcano.
    “I
don’t think an island can sink outside of a Hollywood effects studio.” 
She seemed uncertain, though.  “It could get blown apart, I guess.  Or maybe
geology just works differently in Ice Age dimensions.”  She shook her head.  “I
mean, how could we possibly know what kind of plate tectonics you guys have
going on around here?”
    Rhawn
had no idea what she was talking about.  “This island will vanish into the
waves.”  He repeated firmly.  “This is all foretold in the myths.”
    She
held up both palms.  “So, however it happens, this Ardin thing is your
doomsday and Warren is the Savior of it?  That’s what you’re
saying?”
    “Yes.”
    “Which
makes me…?”
    “The
Destroyer.”  Rhawn needed to remember that.  “You will bring about our end.” 
He forced himself to move back from her.  “And I will not help you, not matter
how much I wish that…”  He trailed off and finally turned away, unable to look
at her beautiful face.  He couldn’t aid her in sinking the island, but Rhawn could
also never see this woman harmed.  Not for any reason.
    So
what was he going to do?
    Lucy
seemed more mystified than ever.  “I’m not going to destroy anything.”  She
said in a voice that sounded almost vulnerable.  “I just want to go home and I
think you can help