by J. L. Weil
I tried to keep the are-you-crazy off my face and humor her. There was a specific dagger my eyes kept going back to. I picked up the slim silver blade—the one with the single crystal encrusted in the hilt. My eyes narrowed as the metal hummed in my grasp. Astonishing. I didn’t expect to feel anything, let alone the buzzing under my fingertips. “I’ve never held anything like this,” I murmured.
“It’s yours,” she said.
I lifted my eyes and shook my head. “I can’t do that. I-I don’t have anything to pay you with.” Not to mention, I didn’t even know if money existed in this new world. Regret pierced inside me as I went to put the blade back on the table. There was no denying I wanted the dagger.
She closed her hand around mine, tightening my grip on the blade. Her touch swept a chill through my bones. “It’s yours. A perfect fit. The stone mirrors the colors of your eyes.”
It did feel amazing in my hand—lightweight and impeccable. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
Her eyes pierced into mine but at the same time looked right through me. “You have a destiny, Charlotte. It whispers in the winds, calling your name and Dash’s, for your paths were meant to cross. Change is coming, and you’re at the heart. Endings. Beginnings. Fate. It is waiting for you.”
Um. Okay. My eyes shifted from left to right, checking to see if anyone else thought this was as weird as I did. “A-are you a seer?” I stammered. Hey, anything was possible.
“In a way. The mist changed my sight. I see things, but only flashes, and not always clear. The Institute wanted someone with more clarity … and younger,” she added, smiling.
“I’m sorry,” I replied, unsure what else to say. I could tell that she had been through a traumatic experience.
“Don’t worry for the old woman. You, my dear, have been given something rare. Don’t let them break you.”
I assumed them was the Institute. “What did you see?” I whispered. If she knew something about me, I wanted to know.
Her frail hand tightened over mine, showing a strength that surprised me. “Death. Love. Sorrow. Tragedy. Betrayal. The road ahead is paved with trials and tribulations, but it won’t be without rewards, given the choices you make.”
“What choices?” My voice had taken on an air of panic.
She released my hand, amber eyes growing sad with regret. “Not many know the true heart of Dash Darhk. But you see through the darkness. I owe him my life, and if I had the answers, I would give them to you, but I don’t know.”
“It’s okay. You’ve done enough,” I said, holding up the dagger.
“You’ll need this as well.” She handed me a holster to strap on the weapon—much more convenient then trying to stuff it down the back of my pants or in my boot.
“Thank you … I never got your name,” I prompted, realizing she knew mine without asking.
“It’s Mira.”
“Thank you, Mira. I won’t forget your kindness.” Or your warning.
This had turned out to be an eventful day. I had never put much stock into fortune tellers, but there had been something sincere and heartfelt in her eyes. Everything I knew and trusted didn’t apply here. I had to open my mind to possibilities I never considered.
Like people seeing the future. Or crossbred creatures with unusual abilities. I’m sure the list went on, and I was bound to be shocked at every turn.
Tucking the blade safely in its sheath, I made my way back into the crowd, heading toward the sleeping quarters. Dash was nowhere to be found when I opened the door to the little cabin. With only the sun to tell time, I figured there was still another hour or two of light left. Just enough time to indulge in another shower before hitting the road. It could be days or weeks until I saw shampoo again.
I took my dagger with me.
Relieved that the showers were empty, I made quick use of discarding my clothes. The soap smelled lightly of honeysuckle and vanilla. It was refreshing and made me feel girly.
Afterward, I squeezed back into my tight pants and slipped my hands through a form-fitted shirt I had managed to barter from a ruthless woman with one gold tooth. The cost had been a silver ring I received for a birthday gift and somehow still had on when I woke. I had no use for such items, and it felt glorious to ditch the dress and slippers for a kickass outfit and a knife attached to my thigh.
Oh, yeah. I was ready to take on the world.
Maybe.
I exited the shower with a smile of purpose when a shadow fell across my path, blocking me from walking any farther. My eyes glanced up, and I bit back a sharp curse when I saw Harper.
Her lips were turned down, and she stood, tapping her boot on the ground, dark sapphire eyes spitting flames. She had her long, chestnut hair twisted up into another one of those complex braids.
Hmm. This didn’t appear to be a friendly bon voyage. I couldn’t help but feel like I was the girl being cornered by the school bully in the bathroom.
“Just so we’re clear: If you touch him, I’ll break your fingers. One by one.”
Wow, can we say “crazy bitch”?
I arched a brow. “That’s so unoriginal.”
Two shades of red bloomed on her cheeks. “You must be stupid. Do you know what I could do to you?”
I might not know the ins and outs of this world yet, but when it came to girl fights, I was no dummy. “The last girl that threatened me ended up with a bloody nose and missing hair extensions. You remember what those are? Or have you been out in the jungle too long?” I angled my head and delivered my threat in the most condescending voice I could muster.
“I knew you were a bitch,” she hissed.
“Takes one to know one,” I said, shrugging. My fingers glided down the side of my thigh, touching the tip of the blade. So many words rose to my tongue, but I was going to be the bigger person and walk away, like an adult. And I was going to be pretty dang proud of myself if I pulled this off.
Harper had other ideas about being an adult. She slid to the side again as I moved to walk around her. “Dash would never fall for someone like you.”
Screw being the bigger person. I was never good at it anyway. Stepping forward, our glares connected, and we both knew I was seconds away from bitch-slapping her. My hand twitched, but then her expression lost its hostility.
A familiar aggravated voice filled the air. “Everything okay, Freckles?”
All the muscles in my body tensed. Dash was behind me. “Just peachy,” I said, adding necessary warmth to my bitter tone.
Harper’s expression completely transformed. Gone were the lines of malice and the glare of death. Her locked jaw loosened into a sickeningly sweet grin. “I was just wishing Charlotte safe travels.”
I choked.
Harper brushed past me, just barely nicking my shoulder in the process. I spun around, my patience dangling by a thread. She cozied up to Dash’s side.
Bright silver eyes met mine, and his lips thinned in a straight line. “Is that what you are wearing?” Dash asked outraged, ignoring an extremely put-out Harper.
I grinned inside, but the satisfaction didn’t last long, and it was Harper who was now smirking like the Cheshire cat.
Dash’s eyes swept over the length of me, giving me the warm fuzzies, a feeling I wasn’t too happy about. Damn, I hated it when he did that. My chin rose. “You got a problem with it?” Seriously, what did he care what I wore?
“Hell, yes, I have a problem with it. We don’t need to draw any unwanted attention. Distractions get you killed.”
When it came to Dash, I had no idea what to begin to think. I smiled sweetly. “Are you saying I’m going to distract you?”
He grumbled, shoving a blade in his boot. “Just keep up, and try not to attract every creature within a hundred mile radius.”
Harper shot me a smug, I-told-you-so look.
My lips turned down, as I was hardly able to keep the wince off my face. I bypassed both Dash and Harper, heading back to the cabin to gather my things. The s
un had set, and the thin crescent moon offered little light. Dash better have flashlights.
He was on my heels, leaving Harper in our dust. We had said our good-byes and good riddances.
Well, this was starting off on a good foot. How many days until we reached the next settlement? Far too many alone in Dash’s prickly company. It would be a miracle if we got there without killing each other. Or there was another option, but I refused to let myself think of Dash as something sexy and yummy. He was a means to an end. I needed to find my family. He knew the land better than anyone and was supposed to be the best tracker. Who better than Dash Darhk?
Holy banana boat.
His name even gave me the warm fuzzies.
Shit. I was in so much trouble. The warm fuzzies were going to be a problem. His damn dimples were going to be a problem. Dash was going to be a problem.
Chapter 8
Once upon a time I had longed for a boyfriend. Nothing about Dash fit that girlish fantasy. He proved it almost every time he opened his mouth. Yet, I had feelings for him. What those feelings were, exactly, was still to be determined.
“Where did you get that?” he snapped, interrupting my rambling thoughts as his finger grazed over the dagger strapped to my upper thigh.
Stop thinking about his hand, I berated myself. I should be grateful I wasn’t thinking about his fantastic butt.
Drats.
Now I was definitely thinking about his ass. Why did he have to be so good looking? Was it too much to ask for a tracker with a face that wasn’t cut like he could be in a punk rock boy band?
I shook the haze of hormones from my head and replied, “From the little old lady in the market, Mira. And before you jump to conclusions, I didn’t steal it. She gave it to me as a gift.”
“Her son is one of the Night’s Guard,” Dash informed, brows drawn together.
Surprised, I cut him a look. “She said you saved her life.”
He snorted, grabbing his gear from the ground outside the cabin. “I did. From her son killing her.”
My mouth hit the ground. “Why would he do that?” I get being pissed off at your parents, but killing them…
“The Institute,” he answered without hesitation. “They have a way of making people do things they would normally never consider. Like killing.”
The more I learned about the Institute, the more I understood the reason to fear them. It was evident the people here held great contempt for the Institute. “They’re looking for you?”
He stood in the shower of moonlight. “Are you reconsidering this ridiculous idea of you coming with me? Because you should.”
I glanced out into the distance, feeling a sense of foreboding, but there was no avoiding it. I had to trust that Dash lived up to the reputation everyone gave him. “No.” I tightened my hand around the strap of my bag and prepared to walk off into the sunset with him. “I have to find them.”
Overhead, the moon winked in and out of the clouds, the stars glimmering. The night became our defense, shielding us from the eyes of the Night’s Guard. Dash moved through the darkness with stealth and resolve. We hardly spoke as we put distance between us and Hurst, leaving the settlement fires at our backs and traveling east.
Although I was feeling better than this morning, the dull ache at my temples was an annoying reminder of last night’s indulgence.
Dash bent down and plucked something growing in a small patch of wild weeds. “Here, chew this,” he advised after seeing me massage the sides of my head.
I took the tiny green leaf, examining the texture and ridges. Lifting it to my nose, I took a sniff and scrunched my face. “It smells like a guys’ locker room.”
Dash grinned. “It does, but it will help ease the throbbing in your head. Take the edge off.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled and popped the herb into my mouth. It didn’t taste as nasty as it smelled. In fact, it had a hint of mint flavor.
Hurst had been nestled deep in the woods, where wild things roamed and foxglove grew fat buds that spit poison. There were so many other oddities, too many to name. Basically, every cell had been mutated in some way, shape, or form. It was a world of wonder and danger, and I would be lying if I didn’t say parts of it fascinated me. Other parts, like the insects the size of Jupiter, freaked me to the max.
“How far is the first holding house?” And are there going to be any unexpected visitors of the creature kind? I added mentally.
Dash’s long legs expertly took him over the terrain with ease. “We have to cross territories first, over the boundary of the woods. We should reach the Plains of Despair by first light. As long as we don’t run into any trouble.”
We’d been walking for an hour or so, and I could already feel the burn in my lungs. “What kind of trouble?”
Dash gave me a chilling smile. “With you in tow, anything’s game. Scorptran. Rattlog. Wild Borolf. Grasp. Or worse, the Night’s Guard.”
“Splendid,” I said sarcastically.
“And that’s just in the Grove. Things will get a whole lot trickier once we cross quadrants.”
“Can’t wait,” I muttered, lowering my eyes to the ground. “How many holding houses have you been to?”
“In the last year. …” he pondered. “I’ve lost count.”
“So, you’ve been awake for a year?” I asked.
“Yeah, at least. The first few months I spent training before being assigned as a Night’s Guard.”
“What was it like? Being in the Institute?” I was curious. He’d been inside the lion’s den.
“Which time?” he asked flatly.
Pine needles crunched under my boots. “There’s been more than one?”
He nodded. “My grueling training and combing the land as a guard. Then the stint I did in their dungeons.”
“Dungeons?” I squeaked.
His lips split into a grin, showing off a dimple. “You bet your skinny butt, Freckles. The Institute has a legit dungeon. And there is no way I am ever going back there—over my dead body.”
“That bad, huh?”
Lifting a branch of leaves the color of deep garnet, he held it up as I walked under. “Remember the snyker that gave you a fright? Critters like that, and bigger, dwell in the dark corners of every cell.”
I shivered as he ducked under the branch. “What did you do to end up in such a place?”
The squeamish chill didn’t go unnoticed by Dash. “You really shouldn’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.”
“What makes you think I don’t want to know?” I challenged. I didn’t like presumptuous guys. I wasn’t one of those girls who appreciated it when a guy took it upon himself to know what I wanted, like ordering for me at dinner. Screw that.
“You know what, you’re right,” he agreed, and I immediately knew this was somehow going to get turned around. “You’ve been sheltered for too long, and if you’re going to survive out here, you’re going to need to deal with the harsh reality that we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
“Missouri,” I mumbled.
“What?” he said, blinking in confusion.
“I’m from Missouri, not Kansas.” I loved being a smartass. It was part of my charm.
He laughed, a rich and sexy sound. “Freckles, one thing is certain. This is going to be a journey neither of us is likely to forget.”
I was under the impression he was somehow poking fun at me. “What did I say that was so amusing?”
He fell in step with me. “It’s just been awhile since I’ve seen this place from the eyes of an awakened. I lived in Chicago before, close enough to feel the ground zero effects before the national warning went out.”
“Where was ground zero?” The starting point of the mist. The start of the end.
“Word is, the mist originated in St. Louis.”
I let out a quiet gasp. “That’s where I live … lived,” I corrected.
We were silent for a bit, each absorbed in our own thoughts. I couldn’t stop thinking a
bout how close to the mist I’d been, and with it came those burning memories: the mist burning my skin, scorching my throat, scratching my eyes. A hundred years might have gone by, but since that day was my last memory, it was like yesterday, clear and vivid in my brain.
“I know what you’re doing,” Dash said gently. “And you can’t keep reliving that date. I’ve seen what it can do to people. You have to find a way to shut it out. Forget the past. It will not serve you here.”
I squeezed my eyes closed, forcing the horror from my mind like Dash suggested. “So what was it? What did you do that was so bad?” I asked, circling back around to him being imprisoned.
“I killed someone.” There was no inflection in his tone. No remorse. No gratification. Just a blank expression, as if he didn’t have a feeling about it one way or the other.
I called BS.
Dash was a master at hiding his emotions. Maybe it had been part of his training, or maybe it was something he had learned to do before all hell broke loose. Either way, he wasn’t as unaffected as he wanted me to think.
I sent him a disbelieving stare. “So murder is a crime, even here?”
“I tell you I murdered someone, and you don’t bat an eye.”
I blinked a few times forcefully. “There, is that better?”
He shook his head, lips cracking a small curve. “You have spunk. Who knows? You might make it out here after all.”
My eyes narrowed. “Thanks. That’s very reassuring.”
“The Institute has laws, similar to before, but not as structured or regimented the same. Killing a Night’s Guard or a member of the Institute is pretty much a sure way to rot in a cell.”
This place just keeps getting more welcoming.
We walked. And walked. And unfortunately walked some more. I lost track of how long we’d been traveling; all I knew was my legs were jelly, my lungs were going to collapse, and the air was starting to get warmer. I kept telling myself this was for a cause: to find my family. It kept my feet moving, one in front of the other.
As it does when I’m not yapping, my mind wandered, so I didn’t notice the change in scenery until I stubbed my toe on a stupid tree stump. The pain propelled me back into the present.