“Where’s Kaden?”
I gnawed at my cheek, considering what to tell him. “He’ll be right back… he needed something.”
“What?” When I didn’t answer, he insisted again.
“He had to go to the homestead and I’m on probation, remember?”
He cocked his head and crinkled up his eyes. “I highly doubt that now.”
I exhaled. Why was he making this so difficult? “He needed some supplies.”
Memphis moved forward and the crease in his brow deepened. “What part of ‘Dad needs the horses now’ did he not understand?”
All of it, since murder is higher on the priority list than his sworn duty to the colony. “It was a quick thing.”
“Kinda sounds like it’s something else.” He moved forward. “I thought after you two… you know… he’d take you to meet…” his voice trailed off. Did he mean the Elders? Was there some kiss blessing ritual or something? “Are you going to Brighton?”
I sucked in a sharp gasp and dragged my toe over the rocky ground. Was I that transparent?
“N-no,” I choked out.
Maybe he could reason with Kaden. Maybe we could postpone things. Maybe Memphis and a few of the guys could come with us instead.
“Don’t lie to me.” His eyes widened. “Why?”
“To protect me.” I pinched my eyes shut as the tears burgeoned on my lids and everything tumbled out.
After telling him briefly what happened, Memphis stood speechless for a moment, then walked up to me and pulled me into a hug. I warred with accepting his gesture and stiffened in his arms. Kaden should have been the one holding me, but all he could focus on was murder and that felt like a betrayal—like he was more loyal to my warrior-self than to me. At least Memphis was here and I wouldn’t reject his kindness.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked after a long while.
I gulped down my tears. “I don’t know. I just… I can’t let Kaden go to Brighton. If this needs to be done, I need to do it myself. It’s what my Complement wanted.” I couldn’t believe what I was saying. Destroying the office, yes, I could get Landon to help me, but murder? I could never do that. Yet Kaden was willing, enthusiastic even. His lack of morals scared me.
Memphis sighed. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, let’s get you back to the colony.”
“I can’t leave. He’ll… he’ll go without me.”
Memphis nodded and took the reins from my fingers. “They need Prince, so let me take him home and then we’ll figure out something. Don’t worry.”
I grabbed his arm and pressed my nails into his skin. “Don’t tell Kaden I told you. He’ll never trust me again.”
“I won’t.” He smiled, but the sparkle I’d grown accustomed to was gone. “Just tell him the horse startled and took off. That happens. It’ll be alright.”
I kneaded my hands as Memphis gave me a final smile before he rode off toward the farmhouse. Regret slithered through me. Kaden had finally been honest with his feelings and I’d thanked him by betraying him. I inhaled and held my breath, dreading the moment he returned. I didn’t want to lie.
Then excruciating pain pierced my head. I grabbed my temple and cried out, expecting blood, but the stinging grew sharper. Pinching my eyes shut, I curled into a ball, groaning, as stars flickered over my vision. What was happening to me? Then there was a pop and the pain vanished. I opened my eyes and blinked. Black clouds covered the sky as soft rain fell on my face.
I uncurled myself from the tall grass and stood. Wrapping my cardigan closer to ward off the chill, I looked around. Little white and yellow flowers, flowers I hadn’t noticed before, grew at my feet in grass that had magically grown two feet.
The clatter of rocks sounded in the trees to my left.
“Kaden?”
I swiveled around, ready to call his name again, when I heard a chorus of guttural moans. My breath hitched and I knelt down. The nightmare was happening again.
Three corpses with mottled skin and torn clothing broke through the brush and ambled across the far end of the field oblivious to my location. They continued on slowly, finally disappearing in the trees. My limbs began to shake and I softly exhaled after realizing I’d held my breath. The sickeningly sweet stench of death filled my lungs anyway.
I pinched my eyes shut and shook my head.
A dream, Abby. This isn’t real. Wake up!
But the smell continued to grow, choking me. I held my hand over my nose to shield the reek and bit my lip. Blood seeped into my mouth. This was far too real to be a dream, but the landscape wasn’t the same as before the headache. Maybe I’d needed to be attacked. That’s how I’d awoken before. The thought chilled my blood.
A happy grunt sounded behind me and I turned just in time to feel slimy hands grip my shoulders and lift me off the ground. I screamed and fought off the dead man with my feet, but not before he brought my neck to his opened mouth.
“No!”
There was another pop. I opened my eyes.
“Abby?” Kaden stood a few feet away, his back to me.
I sucked in fresh air and struggled to sit up, still tasting the stench on my tongue mixed with the blood. Too real. Way to real. Horrified, I scanned the tree line.
Kaden turned. “Where’d you go?”
Unable to speak, I wiped at my neck, feeling goo.
Kaden knelt down, then sniffed. He recoiled. “What’s on you?”
I practically dry-heaved and pulled off the damp cardigan. Embedded across my shoulders were two grimy hand prints. I dropped the thing as if it would attack me. The smell remained.
I tried to say something, but nothing would come out. I stared at the white pile of fabric on the ground.
“Did someone attack you?”
I wiped off my hand in the dead grass, terrified the man would return. My cold wet hair fell over my shoulders. I looked upward at the clear sky, then around me at the absence of wildflowers. Even with everything, I still tried to convince myself it had been a bad dream. “No one.”
“You have hand prints on your shoulders, Abby. And I called for you and you didn’t answer. Was someone here? Where’s the horse?”
I stared at the concern fixed on his face, but each time I closed my eyes, I saw the dead man. I knew him. It was Peter.
My throat tightened and I contemplated the worst. “I think I time traveled.”
Kaden blinked at me in shock. “Just now?”
“I was here… but… then I wasn’t. Things weren’t the same. It was raining, and there were…” I sucked in a tortured breath. Why hadn’t my Complement told us there were zombies in the future? Had Declan been responsible? Would his death stop them from coming into existence?
“What? Abby, tell me!” Kaden gripped his warm hands on my bare arms. The fear from his eyes assaulted my psyche.
“Something bad has happened… to the people there.” I couldn’t tell him that his dad had died. “We have to go to Brighton. Now!”
Low voices sounded from the tree line and I squealed, reaching for him. Kaden clutched me to his chest, then turned. A group of men on horses emerged into the meadow.
“Kaden!” Peter called.
Strangers I hadn’t seen before rode in behind Peter. Memphis followed, riding in on Prince himself, like a crown jewel in the midst of this disaster and the desire to slap the smug smile off his scrawny pompous face rolled through me. Getting daddy wasn’t what I’d had in mind when asking for his help.
“Son, this isn’t the time for another rescue mission.”
My heart dropped at Peter’s words and Kaden’s grip lessened on me. Then, his concern quickly melted into anger as he eyed the entourage. Dread zinged into me and I couldn’t move.
“What do you mean?” He let me go, his voice wounded.
With quick strides, he strode over to his dad and the two began to argue. Grimly, Memphis dismounted and walked over to me with Prince trailing behind him. He gave me a knowing look. A
ll I could do was glare at him.
Kaden glanced over his shoulder at me. Hate brewed behind his eyes and regret gripped my heart, tightening until I couldn’t breathe. Then he stormed into the trees in the opposite direction. Some of the men pulled their reins, like they were going to stop him. Peter called them off. Then his gaze met mine. I gasped as if I’d seen a ghost.
“You did the right thing,” he said with a cool nod. “Kaden will see reason eventually. I can’t have him leaving right now, especially with everything happening.”
I tried to smile. I tried to do something, anything but frown. I couldn’t stop myself. Peter had no idea that he’d just sealed his zombie fate.
The men took off and Memphis grabbed onto Cactus’ bridle like he’d won him as a prize. “See? I told you I’d take care of everything. Feel like riding?”
I slapped Memphis across the face. “You promised you wouldn’t tell Kaden.”
He nursed his jaw. “I didn’t.”
My chest constricted at his technicalities. “That meant your dad, too.”
He shrugged. “How else was I going to stop my brother?”
“Talk to him, maybe?”
My gaze blurred as I stared into the forest. Temptation to run after Kaden ripped through me. Time travel, or whatever had just happened, though, sucked the energy from my legs preventing me.
I had to try and convince him. We had to go now. I knew, though, it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t talk to me. I’d ruined everything by indirectly informing his dad. And now both worlds were falling apart and his father had grounded us. I’d most likely let my future family perish as a result and lost Kaden’s trust in one decision.
I grabbed at Cactus’ reins forcefully. I had to catch him, and try and explain myself.
Memphis wouldn’t let go. “I think you should ride with me.”
I glared at him. “There’s no way in hell I’m riding with you.” I gave him one last evil look before I stomped off across the meadow to where Kaden had vanished.
“Suit yourself,” he said. “You’ll never find him.”
He mounted Cactus and followed behind me probably just to piss me off. And somehow all I’d managed to find was the farmhouse.
~~|~~
I sat by the fire, warming my hands, hating that Memphis had been right. My peripheral vision remained glued on the staircase. Kaden had to return. He couldn’t go without me. But if he’d gone to Brighton with Jewels and left me, I’d never forgive him.
An ominous starless sky loomed above me like an omen. Where was he? How I wished my Complement would reappear and we could do this together.
Hey, future-me. Your plan is backfiring.
“This seat taken?” Memphis asked while approaching the fire.
“Yes, it is.” I didn’t entertain him with even a look.
Memphis let out a long exhale. “Come on, Abby. Don’t be mad.”
“Really?” I hummed. He sat anyway, making me angrier. “You’re really something.”
He puffed out his chest. “Well, actually… yes, yes I am.”
I scooted away and refused to acknowledge him. We sat in silence for a while, which I knew was killing him. Van kept staring at me from his fire a few huts down. I glared at him, too. How dare he all of a sudden care since Kaden wasn’t around to break his face for looking at me.
“I’m done.” I stood.
“No, you’re not.” Memphis caught my hand.
“Leave me alone!” I snarled and jerked my arm back. Memphis flinched as if I’d slap him again. I reveled in his reaction for a moment. See? I am a warrior.
“Just sit down, Abby. I have a plan.”
I arched a brow, but didn’t move. His time for plans was over. “No. You had your chance and blew it. I don’t trust you, especially after—” I stopped myself from admitting what I’d heard under the waterfall. “—today.”
“I know I screwed up. I’m just asking for you to listen. If you don’t like what I have to say, then I’ll leave you alone.”
“Promise?” My lip curled.
He shook his head.
“Fine.” I sat and crossed my arms. “Dazzle me.”
He motioned to Van, and he joined us.
“Hey, sweetheart.” His green eyes kept contact with mine as he tipped his hat. “Sorry about earlier.”
I exhaled hard and crossed my arms. “I’m waiting.”
“Okay.” Memphis moved in closer and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. “I have a map of Brighton and five guys who said they’d come with us. We’ll take the horses and go through the mountains to save time. There are sewer pipes we can sneak through here.” He pointed to a section of Brighton I’d never been to before. “This will put us up under the main EA buildings. Whoever you need to see has to be in this area, right?”
I unfolded my arms. “Where’d you get this?”
His crooked smile drilled the dimples into his cheeks. “Uncle Jeb.”
I looked at the map again, then at Van. “You’re ready to do this?”
“Yep,” he said with a smile. “Sure you ain’t the only damsel who needs my help, I suppose.”
I immediately thought of Elle. She and Van would be adorable together.
Focus, Abby. “What about Kaden?”
Memphis shrugged. “Hopefully we’ll catch up with him.”
“So you think he left.”
He nodded and looked everywhere but in my eyes. “Yeah, but he’s slow going without a horse.”
Dang it!
“Okay,” I said. “But I don’t want to go under the EA buildings.” I pointed at Elle’s house. “We’re going there first.”
“You’re the boss,” he said with a bright smile.
You bet I am.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Time froze, or at least it felt like it. Other than watching the moon’s glow move across the top of my tent, I wouldn’t know the minutes had passed. And just when I thought, heck with them all, I’ll go alone, the zipper on my tent slipped opened. I hoped for Kaden.
“You ready?” The moonlight framed Memphis’ head and for a brief moment, I imagined he was Kaden.
I let out a pent up breath and nodded. Getting a little shut-eye before the trek hadn’t happened as planned, so yes, I’d been ready for hours. I snagged my loaded down backpack and exited my tent. The beach was deserted. Would I return?
Dressed entirely in black, the two of us traversed the stone stairway with only the moonlight to guide our steps. As luck would have it, Van had had horse duty that night, making the horse-knapping part of our escape easy. But my thoughts kept returning to Kaden. All I wanted was to beg for him to forgive me.
“Where’s everyone else?” I whispered once we entered the basement of the old farmhouse.
Memphis put his finger to his lips, then checked the stairwell leading to the main floor before motioning I follow. We tiptoed through the house and slipped outside. Van stood on the lawn with three horses.
I crinkled my nose. “Wait. You said five guys were coming. Where’s everyone else?”
Memphis held up his hands. “I know… but, with everything, Van and I decided we couldn’t trust ‘em.”
“So you never had five guys?” My eyes zigzagged between them. “This isn’t enough people.”
“Well… Kaden went with just him and Jewels the last time. So how tough can it be? Besides, it’s better than going alone, Sugar,” he said with a convincing tone.
I pulled away from his comforting pat and frowned. Again, he’d said one thing and then did the complete opposite. Kaden had been right about his brother. But the thought of going alone, especially if I time jumped again, frightened me, let alone the fact I didn’t know how to get to Brighton.
“Fine, but once we’re inside the walls, we do things my way, understood?”
Memphis and Van nodded. My heart pounded in fear. The glittering excitement in their eyes, though, told me I was making a mistake.
~~|~~
After t
hree hours of riding, I peeled myself off of Prince and hobbled over to the closest tree. I needed to pee, but squatting wasn’t going to be happening.
Memphis held out the torch and promised not to look.
“Man, I’d kill for a bathroom,” I mumbled, then shook my head at what I was actually saying. I was about to kill someone; the Vice President. Someone with a family who loved him. How could I even voice I’d kill for less?
“Abby?” I startled back to reality at Memphis’ voice. “Are you done yet?”
“No!” I called out, reminded of the last time. I unzipped my pants and managed to hang from a low-lying tree limb while I did my business. Then, somehow, I stood and hobbled around the tree.
He turned and squatted down (how in the heck?) next to Van, huddling over the map on the ground.
“I say we go this way.” Memphis traced a stick over what looked like mountains. “That’ll put us on the west side.”
“The terrain is too steep. She’ll never be able…”
“Yes, she can. She’s done great so far.”
“But this would be hard for even me and I’ve ridden a horse all—”
“Do what?” I asked.
Van snagged the map and rolled it up before shoving it in his pants. At the glistening metal that lay next to the map, I sucked in a breath.
“You have a gun?”
“As a precaution.” Memphis slipped between us. “Who knows what might happen. You ready?”
With the DOD watches, there wasn’t a need for civilians to carry guns. Any potential illegal activity would be tipped off ahead of time, which was the beauty of having the DOD’s.
“Do you have a gun, too,” I asked Memphis.
He looked directly into my eyes and lifted his chin. “No.”
I could sense the bitterness in his voice, like his father wouldn’t allow him to have one.
“So only Van has one?”
“Abby, it’s no big deal, really—” Van started to say.
I stepped around Memphis. “It is a big deal. We don’t need guns.” People could get hurt.
“Like I said,” Memphis caught my arm, “it’s just a precaution, and we need to get moving if we want to get there by tomorrow night.”
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