by J. D. Miller
Shifting the drink in his hand, Carter cleared his throat and continued. “She’s a survivor from the wreck we were working.”
“From The Shell?”
“Yeah, and there’s more; she’s a Royal.”
“Damn! Does she have the mark?”
“Unfortunately.”
Ramus stretched in his seat, his smile wavering slightly. “Better keep that covered up. Don’t want some of our more…conservative neighbors dusting off their pitchforks.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I don’t know which is worse, the slavers or the straight up racists.”
“I still don’t understand, though.” Ramus breathed, taking a swig from his own drink. “Why did you break ranks to run off with her?”
“They were taking her to Benton, Ramus.”
“Oh, the slave depot, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“So what’s the plan now?”
Carter looked up from his drink, meeting Ramus’s pointed stare.
It’s a fair question.
“I need to lie low here for a day or two,” Carter said. “Then I’m going to get some gear and get her out of here. If she can make it to Montar, she can hitch a ride home with one of The Shell Reps there.”
Ramus raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite adventurous of you. Won’t that take you pretty far off your route?”
“I doubt I’ll go all the way to Montar with her,” Carter clarified. “But I can give her a good head start at least. I figure if I can get her out of New Port territory, she should at least be safe from the Covenant and their slaver buddies.”
Ramus nodded, his face ashen. “So what will you do if the Covenant comes looking for you while you’re still here?”
“Well, between restocking and refueling, I don’t think they’ll be able to make it back for a couple of days.”
“But if they do make it back?”
Carter grew silent.
Can I really ask this of him again?
“If that does happen, I’m afraid I’ll be relying on you once again.”
Ramus rubbed the back of his head, glancing back toward the bar. Carter ground his teeth together.
Success is fragile. Ramus isn’t a fool, he knows that. This is just as dangerous for him as it is for me.
“All right, fine, you can count on me.”
Carter’s shoulders quivered slightly as the built-up tension in his chest diffused. “I’ll gladly pay you double for your efforts.”
“Oh? That’s some big talk coming from the guy who looks dirt broke.”
“I’ve got some sheet metal waiting for me at the car rental just outside town. If you send someone to retrieve it, it’s all yours. That should more than cover a double payment.”
Ramus let loose a low whistle. “I’ll send someone first thing in the morning.”
Carter stood, shaking his friend’s hand vigorously.
Ramus grinned slightly, eyeing Carter mischievously. “Need any help gathering supplies? I mean, you’ve never left the east coast, right?”
“Yeah, traveling west was always your thing. I’d be grateful for your assistance.”
Ramus’s grin widened. He’d settled down years ago, but Carter knew Ramus secretly wanted to return to the road. Staying in one place for too long could easily become tedious.
Still, at least he has a home.
“Anyway, I’ve got a bar to run,” Ramus said, breaking Carter away from his thoughts. “I’ll let you get back to your new companion.”
“Okay. I’ll catch you in the morning then.”
“Right. Hey, Carter?”
“Hmm?” Carter turned back to face his friend.
Ramus glanced sideways, grinning embarrassedly. “She’s lucky she found you.”
“Thanks, Ramus.”
Carter turned and headed up the stairs, hiding his flustered expression. When he reached the landing, he felt his way down the dark corridor until he came to the end of the hall. Slipping his key into the lock, he pushed the door open, entering his room.
Inside, the warm glow of a lamp penetrated the darkness. Carter blinked, covering his eyes with his hand.
She must have found the lamp in my pack.
Silvia wore Carter’s extra clothes; his oversized tank top draped over her almost like a dress. Sitting up in bed, she looked out the window, her bottom half nestled underneath the covers. Her gaze pierced the heavens, and she didn’t seem to notice Carter’s entrance.
She’s looking at The Shell.
Carter coughed, breaking his companion’s trance. As her eyes darted to him, he sat down at the edge of his bed, kicking off his boots.
“Well?” she scoffed.
“Well, what?”
“How did it go? You went downstairs to negotiate the price of the room, did you not? Did you win?”
Carter scoffed. “You can’t win in negotiations. It’s not a game.”
“So you lost, is that it?”
Carter began to retort but stopped dead in his tracks.
She has me there.
Sighing, he raised his hands in defeat.
Silvia’s eyes lit up immediately as she shot him a grin. “You should have taken me with you,” she joked. “Your friend seemed quite taken with me when we met downstairs. I could have distracted him while you whittled him down to nothing.”
“You make a valid point. Any other day, I might have considered something similar.”
Silvia’s smile drooped, her eyes pinning Carter questioningly. “Why would tonight be any different?”
“Well, like I said earlier, I’ve known Ramus for a long time. He’s a good friend, so I try not to cheat him too much.”
“Oh.” Silvia nodded, looking back out the window.
Carter glanced at her. The moonlight illuminated her pale, slender features. Carter couldn’t help but notice the red marks under her eyes.
Has-has she been crying?
“Silvia?” Carter said. His voice felt foreign to him.
“Wh-what will we…what will I do now?” Silvia glanced back at Carter. Her red eyes burned bright, piercing through him like a bullet.
“Well, Marcus wasn’t lying about Montar. There are representatives from The Shell who come down to the surface to bargain for scrap and tech. You would probably be able to bum a ride back home from one of them, right?”
Silvia nodded. “Is it far? Montar, I mean.”
“It’s no easy trip,” Carter admitted. “But my traveling route gets pretty close. I can escort you most of the way, if you’d like.”
Silvia smiled at Carter, but he couldn’t help notice her lips quivering as he emphasized most.
I don’t have a choice.
Carter couldn’t just take off gallivanting with some girl he barely knew. Once they escaped slaver territory, Silvia’s chances would increase dramatically. She didn’t need him.
“Thank you, Carter. I would gladly accept the company. Besides, I will need you to teach me a thing or two before I go off on my own.”
Carter nodded. Pulling his bag next to his bed, he searched for his blanket. He needed sleep. However, after he pulled the weathered cloth over himself, his eyes fell on his companion.
Silvia sat propped up against the wall, her blankets pulled up over her mouth, her eyes quivering in the dark.
“Hey, you okay—”
A quiet sob cut him off, echoing through the small room.
Damn.
Before he knew it, Carter stood, stepping across the small distance between the beds. Reaching forward, he tried to put his hand on Silvia’s shoulder, but she quickly pulled away, refusing to meet his gaze. As she sat facing away from him, Carter tried again. Silvia stiffened, but this time she didn’t retaliate. Slowly, she leaned on his side, her sobs lessening.
“I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying, I just…”
“No, it’s fine. You’ve been through a lot today.”
“Yeah, thanks…”
Wiping her eyes, Silvia pulled herself away. Carter
stayed glued to his spot. He watched as she stood and cracked open the window, breathing in the night air.
“Hey, is this your first time on the surface?”
“Yeah, why?”
Carter smiled. Standing, he grabbed his hoodie from the bed and tossed it to Silvia. She caught it, studying Carter quizzically.
“What are you—”
“Come on, let’s go get some food before we turn in for the night. As long as you’re stuck here, you might as well soak in the sights and sounds of the surface world, right? That way, you’ll have one hell of a story to tell when you get home.”
Silvia’s face immediately brightened as a truly childish grin broke out. Slipping on the hoodie, she nodded furiously. Carter held back a chuckle. In that moment, she resembled a puppy more than she did a girl from The Shell.
“Will there still be anywhere open? It looked like everyone was closing up when we walked into town.”
“Those were just the goods vendors. Food stands and pubs stay open until curfew starts. We still have an hour or so before we need to be inside for the night.”
Silvia didn’t argue. Grabbing Carter’s arm, she practically dragged him down the stairs.
Once out on the street, Silvia slowed. Seizing the opportunity, Carter pulled her hood up over her head. Silvia promptly shot him a glare. Carter returned the look as solemnly as he could.
“Listen, I know you may not like it, but it’s best if we keep that mark of yours hidden in public, okay? Your eyes, too. They’ll attract the wrong kind of attention, trust me.”
Silvia looked up at him in surprise but nodded. For a moment, they walked in silence. Then Silvia sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, I just…” She stared at the ground and then touched the back of her neck with her hand. “When other people point my mark out, it just makes me feel…I don’t know, spoiled or something.”
Carter did his best to suppress his grin. “Well, don’t worry, your mark means nothing to me and it’ll mean quite the opposite to everyone else. Here on the surface, nobody spoils anyone—you either survive or you don’t.”
Silvia smiled faintly, wordlessly adjusting the hood over her head. Despite the cold, the alcohol in Carter’s system flushed his bare arms with heat.
It’s a beautiful night.
Stepping onto Main Street, Carter avoided the barrage of glances coming their way. Even with her hood up, Silvia drew attention like honey did flies. Carter couldn’t deny how bewitching she could be.
Still, I wish they’d all stop staring.
“How about here? They have pretty good food,” Carter said, stopping and pointing toward the nearest stall.
Silvia nodded, shooting him a mischievous grin. “Anything to get away from all those prying eyes, huh? People might get the wrong idea.”
Carter scoffed, trying to act indignant.
S-she noticed?
Silvia burst out laughing, drawing even more eyes. “Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.”
As she wiped her eyes, Carter shot her a glare, but she ignored him. She instead focused on the signs over the stall.
Damn, she’s good. I’ve gotta keep my guard up, or she’s going to be the death of me.
“Hey, I’ve never heard of most of these foods before,” Silvia muttered, flicking a glance in Carter’s direction. “What’s good?”
“Um, the roasted beef bits are good with a side of wheat bread.”
“What about the fish?”
“I’ve never tried it. Too expensive.”
Silvia frowned but didn’t push the point any further. “Beef bits it is, then.”
Carter nodded, pulling out his coin purse. As he ordered their food, Silvia wandered around the edge of the sidewalk. Several tables were set up around the various stalls, old barrels serving as stools. Selecting a table, she plopped down. Food in hand, Carter made his way over.
“Do all towns have this many food vendors?”
“No, you just rolled into town at an opportune time.”
“Oh?” Silvia chuckled slightly, pulling her meal out of Carter’s hand and nestling it in her lap. “And why, pray tell, is that?”
“Well, all the vendors are in town because of the harvest festival, which ended about a week ago. Now that all the farmers are done in the fields for the winter, they have more time to venture into towns. The vendors probably won’t leave until the first snowfall hits, out of fear of losing possible profit.”
Silvia giggled, glancing down the street. The soft hum of music drifted around the corner, diffusing into the night.
Carter shot her a wry grin from across the table. “You laugh, but I’ve been in their position before. Once winter hits, every cent saved could mean life or death.”
Realizing Silvia’s food sat untouched, Carter’s cheeks flushed. His meal already lay in shambles. She stared down at the cooked chunks of meat, confusion plastered plainly on her face.
“You said this is beef, yes?” she asked after a moment. “As in cow?”
“That’s right. Sorry, do they not have beef on The Shell?”
“No, they do, it just…it looks different. I’ve never seen food prepared this way.” She poked a charred piece of beef with her index finger.
“Well, don’t worry, it’s pretty good. Give it a try, okay? If you don’t like it, I’ll get you something else.”
After a moment, Silvia nodded. Then, closing her eyes, she popped a chunk of beef into her mouth. Carter watched, concerned.
If she can’t handle surface food, how am I going to keep her strong enough to travel?
“Mmmmm.” Silvia’s body relaxed as she swallowed the beef with a sigh. She quickly covered her mouth, her eyes widening as she blushed.
Carter chuckled.
“I must admit, you have an impressive taste for food,” Silvia muttered, her cheeks rosy-red, “If all my meals are this good, I may never want to go home.”
Carter felt his companion’s gaze dance over his coin purse, her grin widening.
“I hate to disappoint you, but food like this is usually only available along the coast. A lot of towns are so poor they can barely afford rye bread. And even that is a step above the food we will have to eat in between towns.”
Silvia’s grin warped into a truly mischievous smile. Leaning across the table, she spoke in a whisper, but her eyes blazed amidst the lamp light. “Well, I guess we have no choice but to gorge ourselves now then, huh?”
Refusing to meet her gaze, Carter pulled a silver rugba from the bag around his neck. Most towns in the east used the rugba as their central currency, plating them with gold, silver, and bronze. Carter tossed the coin up, watching it land safely in Silvia’s hands.
As his companion ran back up to the stall, Carter let himself slouch against the table.
As long as it keeps her mind off things for a while, I can afford to splurge just this once.
Silvia made her way back toward the table, food in hand. Carter barely noticed, glancing around the street. Most of the food stalls were closing. Curfew would begin soon.
“Ready to head back?”
Silvia followed Carter’s gaze. Her fork poked the new order of beef but failed to bring any to her lips. Setting her food down, she yawned.
“Yeah,” Carter said, wrapping up her uneaten food. “We can take your food back with us, and you can have it later.”
Offering no complaint, Silvia followed Carter toward the inn. Yawning, Carter stretched. Despite the cold wind, he felt warm inside.
After the day I’ve had, I’m going to sleep like a baby.
As they neared the inn’s entrance, Carter felt something latch onto his arm. Looking down, he realized Silvia’s arm was wound around his, drawing them uncomfortably close together. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He tried to pull away, but Silvia only drew his arm closer to her.
“Thank you for the meal, my fine, noble knight,” she whispered.
Carter shivered. Silvi
a’s body heat throbbed against his numb arm, her voice so flirtatious it could have made a slaver’s mind go blank. Carter tried to grasp a sufficient comeback, but all he could manage were a few panicked grunts.
“Hahaha.” Silvia slipped away, doubling over and laughing uncontrollably.
Did she just play me?
“Thanks for that,” he sputtered, blushing. “You’re real funny, you know that?”
“Heh, God, your face was just…wow.”
Carter grimaced, forcing himself to stay mad. Drying her eyes, Silvia punched his shoulder. Carter couldn’t stop himself. Chuckling, he covered his face.
Well, they say a little humility is good for the soul.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
Silvia didn’t respond but pushed through the inn door, bathing in the warm glow within. Looking over her shoulder, she held the door open behind her.
“Well, what are you waiting for? You’ll catch a cold standing out there like that!”
Carter sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’m right behind you.”
Chapter Four
Boston sweltered under an unseasonal heatwave the following day. All across town, windows sat half-open, with people striding around in their summer best one last time for the year. Carter fought the urge to lie down and nap.
You can laze around once you’re safely out of town.
Due to Ramus’s duties at the inn, the pair made a point to set off into town before the sun began to rise. After the innkeeper sent his subordinates off to gather the scrap from the rental car, Ramus and Carter made their way across town, acquiring a horse and cart from the local stable master. The colt cost the majority of Carter’s funds, but Ramus’s guidance made the decision easy.
Trust me, Carter, back when I still traveled the land, my horse was invaluable. The trip West isn’t easy, and you will need a way to cart your goods.
From there, it took only a few hours to purchase the remaining supplies. By the time the two returned to the inn, the cart bed was littered with maps, blankets, firewood, matches, several barrels of rations, and more. Carter then bought several crates of dried goods from Ramus, planning to sell them in the next town to increase their funds and allow them to keep a steady trade going as they made their way to Montar.