Author:
Daniel M. Bensen is paid to teach through fiction. His debut novel JUNCTION is available now from Flametree Publishing. His Sidewise Award-winning short story “Treasure Fleet” is in the Tales from Alternate Earths anthology. Dan lives in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he teaches English. For more news, visit thekingdomsofevil.com and sign up for The Kingdoms of Evil mailing list.

Former soldier Andrea Herrera isn't happy with where her life has taken her: Hell Creek, Montana, 65 million years before the present. When their time machine malfunctions, Andrea and her paleontologist clients are trapped in a timeline that shouldn't exist with something a hell of a lot more dangerous than dinosaurs: other humans.

Kidnapped by the stone-age descendants of a lost time colony, Andrea finds herself stripped of her technological advantages and forced into a war against the implacable armies of the Slaver Empire.

Andrea's only hope lies with the ferociously intelligent and violently insane tribal war-leader, Trals Scarback. Can Andrea persuade him to see her as a partner rather than a tool for his ambitions? Only if she beats the barbarian at his own game and becomes the Tyrannosaur Queen.

Groom of the Tyrannosaur Queen

They tried to get Andrea married the first day she could walk.


Not that she understood what they were doing at first. The only difference between that day and the ones before was the cavemen didn't stand over her and talk at her, but stood next to her and talked at her.


"Ethlek?" Andrea said, pointing at Vrem.


"Eethlek," he corrected, indicating a white-eyed old woman plaiting palm-fronds. "Ethlek." Waving at a group of passing men.


"One Eethlek?" Andrea held up a finger. "Many Ethlek?" Flashed her hand.


"Nuhrrnabbt!" said Vrem, "Nirrnah!" Which meant "Finger! Hand!"


"She said 'one' and 'many,' you stupid puppy," said Mree, or something very much like that.


The two Ethlek, if that was the correct plural, were involved in something that wasn't a conversation, or really a language lesson, but a running stereo narrative of everything they saw.


Chapter 21: When We Hurt Each Other Part 1