Kai peered out the window. The twins were taking turns throwing their bodies against the door. Other more advanced Infected prowled the cabin’s perimeter, searching for a way in.
Sanna whimpered from across the room. She was writhing on the cot as if in the throes of nightmare, her face twisted in pain.
Kai wished he’d been strong enough to carry her to Erling in the first place, like Simon had with the other girl.
The window exploded above him. He ducked, the glass raining down. A long, waxy arm darted through the window’s metal bars, clawing the empty air above him
Kai slipped the dagger from his boot and surged upward, slicing it. The Infected screamed as black blood sprayed the floor. The arm disappeared, and terrible silence settled over cabin. What’s going on?
Something heavy slammed into the door beside him, the thunderous noise loud enough to rattle his skull. Kai feared it wouldn’t hold—despite the reinforced metal bar—and he’d forgotten to check the hinges. They could be rusted. Weak. He gathered the cabin’s meager furniture and shoved it all in front of the door, except for a single chair that he positioned in front of the heap.
And then he sat down, Sanna’s battle ax gripped tight in his hand. His foot tattooed a nervous rhythm on the floor as he waited, staring at the heap of rubble separating him from certain death should the door give way.
Boom. Boom. Boom. The Infected were still working on the door, throwing themselves against it. Each impact made the pile of furniture squeak.
They were gonna rip this place a part.
A bitter, icy wind snaked through the broken window. Behind him the fire sputtered. He’d have to feed it. Kai gave the door one last look before throwing a couple of logs onto the blaze. He jabbed the coals with a long stick until the fire was a healthy blaze.
There. One problem solved...
Sanna gasped behind him. He whirled around. She was lying on the cot, her spine arched and her chest shaking. Her hands clutched her throat in a white-knuckled grip.
“Sanna?” Kai said, jostling her shoulder. “Hey, wake up. Are you having a dream?”
A strangled sound escaped from her throat. Kai felt his spirit draining out of him. Desperation took its place as he tried to pry her hands from her throat.
Frankie whined, his furry head disappearing beneath the other cot.
Kai needed to be ready in case the Infected broke through. He forced her fingers off, one by one. Her arms flew down to her side, rigid as branches.
Kai sat on his haunches, panting. An empty, eerie silence filled the room. He glanced at the door. The pounding had stopped. Maybe the Infected found some other poor soul to feed on.
Sanna relaxed, her expression calm.
Relief washed over him. Whatever had happened was over. He stood and was about to return to his chair when a dark streak caught his attention. He paused, studying her exposed neck. What the...?
A bruise had begun to form, purpling the otherwise milky surface, and a thin ribbon of darkness trickled from one of the crescent shaped wounds stamped into it by her fingernails.
Black blood.
No. It couldn’t be...
The fire popped, sending a shower of sparks into the air. Light flooded the space, illuminating the thin black line trailing down her neck and the dark, delicate web of capillaries clustered around her temple.
Kai stumbled back. His pulse quickened. Every cell in his body screamed to run. Black blood meant infection. Death. He knocked into the chair behind him and groped for his makeshift club. She could attack at any moment.
Didn’t they always freeze before the change? She might as well be a corpse.
He lifted the chunk of wood, his mind racing. He didn’t think she'd been bitten—there was no blood on her clothes, no tears that he could see. He squeezed his eyes shut and drummed up the courage to look again, half expecting her to be standing beside him, her razor-sharp teeth inches from his neck.
He held his breath, ready to swing.
She was sleeping. Like a damn angel. The dark cluster near her temple had vanished. The blood on her neck gleamed in the firelight. Red as rubies.
Kai shook his head and sat down on the chair. He must be losing it. The day had been grueling, and he was exhausted. Nonetheless, he maneuvered the chair around so he could watch the door and her.
He sat down and placed the log in his lap. He combed his hair back with a shaking hand. Get a grip. Stay focused. The sooner he got Sanna to Iris, the sooner he could be on his way north with Esme, where they’d both have a fresh start.
The visions of inky blood and veins replayed in Kai’s mind. He told himself he wouldn’t wake her because she needed sleep, and not because of the evil that might be lurking beneath that porcelain skin.
An ear-splitting screech tore Kai from the sleep he’d tried to avoid. He jumped off the cot and peered out the window. A stage one was outside the door, raking her fingernails against the metal in slow, determined swipes.
Kai slipped the dagger from his boot, aimed and threw. The Infected crumpled to the ground, the hilt of his blade sticking out of her temple. He’d retrieve it later, once dawn broke. Hopefully then the world would make sense.
Hours later, fabric whispered behind him. Sanna rolled onto her side, facing him. Pale light cut through the curtains, illuminated her very human face. He felt like a fool, and yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d witnessed something horrific last night. Something he didn't understand.
Had the assault on the cabin had been an attack, or an invitation?
CHAPTER TEN
Sanna paced around the small cabin like an animal trapped in a cage. Last night replayed in her mind, over and over. First the horrible, intrusive voice wanting her to kill followed by the overwhelming urge to...what? Kiss him?
The swings in her emotions left her feel worn and bruised. They didn’t make any sense either. She rarely noticed guys, except when they doubted her or gave orders. Even with Nico, she’d felt only the shallow stirrings of interest. Nothing like the heady, dangerous rush with Kai.
What did that mean? Was it yet another manipulation of the voice, or was she really attracted to him?
Regardless, she feared the voice gaining power. She’d have to tell her parents about it when she got home. Maybe even quit being a soldier. She couldn’t keep Erling safe if she herself was a danger to it...
Hot, frustrated tears watered her vision. She was ready to devote her entire life to protecting Erling, like her father. Her earliest memories were toddling after him through the armory, mimicking his soldiers’ daily practice. She could nock an arrow before she could tie a shoe.
Kai shifted on his cot. He was still sleeping. At least she wouldn’t have to explain why she was crying. To begin with, I’m losing my mind...
The mid-morning sun pierced through the curtain, casting a beam of dust-filled light directly on him. She wanted to wake him, to get moving, but decided against it. He needed sleep. And food. Even now shadows clung beneath his eyes. His black hair tumbled over his brow, softening his otherwise severe face.
She hung the kettle of water over the fire and then stood back to to watch him sleep.
“No!” Kai lurched up, slicing the air with a dagger. He was breathing heavy, his eyes wide with terror.
Sanna leapt away, tripping over Frankie. “It’s just me. You were dreaming.” She eyed the dagger gripped tight in his hand. He was a much faster draw than she would’ve guessed.
“Are you...” he kept the dagger raised, ready to attack, “feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Kai held her gaze a moment longer, as if searching for something that wasn’t here. The dagger disappeared into the folds of his clothes in a single, fluid movement. “How’s your neck?”
“My what?” Sanna touched her throat and winced. Her skin was tender, and there was a scattering of small scabs beneath her fingertips. “What happened?”
“A seizure, I think.�
�� Kai swung his long legs over the side of the cot and jammed his feet into a pair of worn, mismatched boots.
The bottom of her stomach dropped out. Seizure?
“Don’t worry,” Kai shrugged into his ragged coat. “My sister never remembered hers either.” He crossed over to the broken window and looked out.
“I already scouted the perimeter. There’s no sign of them. They must have moved on in the night.” She’d been oddly comforted by the dead female sprawled out on the stoop. For once, someone had protected her.
Kai opened the door for Frankie. “I don’t like it. They’ve been so active lately.”
You don’t know the half of it. She learned firsthand that the virus was changing during her supply run last summer, though no one believed her.
The kettle whistled. He whipped around, ready to attack.
“What’s gotten into you? It’s like...you’re expecting an Alpha to bust through the roof or something.”
“Sorry,” Kai dropped his arms. “I...uh...didn’t sleep that well.”
He made a wide berth around her and began to rifle through that enormous treasure-trove of a backpack.
Was he avoiding her? Embarrassed about what happened? She sank into a nearby chair, wishing she could melt into the floor instead. A cold breeze sent a shiver down her spine, stemming from the broken window. Odd. The infected must’ve really done a number on this place. No wonder the door had been barricaded.
Kai scooped something into two chipped mugs and added steaming water, then waited a few minutes. He sniffed the elixir, the tension easing from his face, and handed her the other one.
“Thanks,” Sanna embraced the cup with both hands. Curls of spicy steam wafted upward—black tea with cinnamon and cloves. “It smells wonderful."
He offered her a hard biscuit. She accepted, her stomach growling, and dunked it into the tea. “What were you doing in the woods yesterday?”
“I was heading to Erling, actually.”
“Really? Why would you want to go there?”
The corner of his lips kicked up. “A fresh start. When I heard your name, I figured helping you would be a good way to get through the gate.” He crunched into his own biscuit.
He was right, she supposed. Saving then would improve his chances. Erlingers hated to be indebted to anyone, least of all an Outsider. She brought the mug to her lips and took a delicate sip. It was the best thing she’d ever tasted.
“Nice, huh?” He grinned. “Hard to get, too.”
“Mmm,” Sanna agreed as the warmth slid down her throat. Last night’s orange. This morning’s cinnamon tea. He must be as rich as the Governor to have such luxury in the dead of winter. Or be a very good thief.
They ate their simple meal in companionable silence as the fire snapped and popped in the hearth. Kai began cleaning, whistling a jaunty tune. He reached for her dishes. “Finished?”
“Ah, yes.” She passed him the cup. “Thanks.”
“You can wash up over there,” he pointed to a corner of the room where a blanket was strung up like a curtain. He must have done that while she was sleeping. “We should be going soon.” He handed her a basin of warm water along with a small cloth. His fingertips brushed hers, sending a delicious shiver up her arm.
She jerked away and hurried over to the quilt. Get a hold of yourself. She was a soldier, not some lovesick teenager.
She shucked off her clothes and did her best to ignore how good the warm water felt. Propping her foot on a nearby chair, she glided the cloth down her leg.
Thunk! Kai must’ve dropped something. He muttered a soft curse as it rolled across the floor.
Sanna bit her lip. Was he watching her silhouette?
She set her other foot on the chair and washed that leg with greater leisure. The air felt dense and heavy, as if the cabin was holding its breath. Or maybe it was just her, holding her own.
Kai cleared his throat.
The heady moment vanished, leaving her shocked. The washcloth suddenly felt like a cold fish and she threw it into the basin, water splashing on her bare feet.
She pulled on her clothes with shaking hands. The wool felt as rough as sandpaper on her skin, but at least her body was lost underneath the thick material.
The fire was hissing by the time she lifted the curtain. Kai was pouring the rest of the water over it, his sleeves neatly folded to keep from getting wet.
“Aren’t you going to—” she gasped, her gaze landing on his exposed forearms. From wrist to elbow, his skin was a raised, twisting map of agony. White ridges of scar tissue met with mottled, salmon-brown valleys. The burns must have been excruciating. “Those scars...what happened?”
Kai flinched and dropped the kettle. It made a hollow, tinny sound as it rolled across the floor. “Nothing.”
“They look fresh,” she stepped towards him. “Did it happen here? The guard and I can track down whoever did it—”
“Yeah. Okay.”
“I mean it, Kai. Whoever did this should be stopped before they hurt anyone else. The
Lieutentant will—”
“The last thing I want is the government’s help. Or yours. I can take care of myself.”
“Really? Because your arms say otherwise.”
The words poured out before she could stop them. Kai stiffened as if she’d struck him, his jaw firming.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
He turned away. She tensed. She was used to her fellow soliders roaring when they got angry. Throwing fists and toppling chairs. Kai’s frigid silence, however, seemed far more threatening.
“We should get going,” he set the kettle back on the mantle with extra care. “Erling is what—six miles from here?”
“Seven.”
“There’s a coat over there if you want it,” he pointed to a brown monstrosity hanging near the front door. “Yours is probably at the bottom of the lake by now.”
He crossed the room without another word and shut the door softly behind him.
What were you thinking? Sanna inhaled a deep breath and grabbed the coat from the hook, shrugging into it. It swallowed her completely, the hem falling past her knees. She picked her ax up from the floor and hurried after him.
She burst through the door. “Hey.”
Kai was wrenching his knife from an infected corpse, while Frankie waited a few paces ahead, his tail swishing.
“I’m really sorry. If anyone can’t take care of themselves its me. I’d be at the bottom of the lake too if it weren’t for you. Along with Haven.”
Kai cleaned his blade and straightened. She suddenly feared whatever budding connection they’d had was gone. She’d ruined it, just like she ruined everything else in the past year.
“It’s true,” he stared down at the bloodstained snow. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I haven’t always been as strong as I liked to be. But I’m getting better. Or trying to, anyways.”
Sanna climbed down the steps, stopping alongside him. His lips held in a tight, bitter line.
“Hey,” she nudged his shoulder. “If you ever want to swap stories about screwing up, let me know. I bet I’d have you beat ten-to-one. Just ask Haven. Or my parents. They’ll want to meet you, by the way. Or maybe interrogate is the better word.”
A smile flickered across his face. “We better not keep them waiting, then. Lead the way.”
“What do you have against the government, anyways?” Sanna started down the path through the woods. Frankie trotted beside her; his feathery ears perked. “You almost sounded like a radical back there.”
“A...friend. She’s unclean. I hate how much that stupid test changed her life.”
“An unclean? Really?” A small, hopeful part of her shriveled. “Aren’t you afraid of getting infected? I mean, couldn’t she turn at any minute?”
“That’s what the government wants you to think.” He climbed down the steps and wiped his blade in the snow. “It’s rarely so dramatic. People who are bitten tend to change way faster th
an uncleans. An unclean can have days or weeks of symptoms before they completely turn and that’s only after the virus inside of them is activated. There’d be more than enough time to quarantine them, but colonies and the government don’t care. They’d rather exile thousands of people than help them and have to share resources.”
“I had no idea. I was told uncleans could change in heartbeat, which is what made them so dangerous. Your friend is lucky to have you. How’d you meet her?”
“I’ve known her my whole life. My parents were merchants, so we travelled a lot.”
“I knew you were from somewhere exciting. I could tell by your accent. Have you ever been to Erling before?”
“We generally stuck to the Southern region, before the war down there go too bad.”
“Well, I hope you lower your expectations. We’re basically a mud puddle with a militia.”
“I don’t know,” Kai caught her glance as he fell alongside her. “It seems pretty great already.”
She fought back a smile, and the air between them shimmering with promise.
THERE WAS A TRAITOR in Kai’s midst.
Frankie, the ugly mutt, had ignored him all morning, preferring instead to be Sanna’s perpetual roadblock as they headed towards Erling. Every time she nudged him out of the way, he looked at her in adoration. Kai should have warned her before she snuck a bit of jerky to the mongrel earlier. Then again, some lessons were better learned through experience.
Frankie’s tail batted a nearby bush, sending a cloud of snow glittering to ground.
“Could you...call him or something?” Sanna asked, nudging Frankie off with her leg.
Kai whistled. Frankie’s lupine ears barely flicked in his direction. He smiled softly. At least he knew what the going rate for loyalty was around here.
The thought of loyalty soured his mood. Sanna clearly trusted him—at least enough to bring him to Erling. He’d been surprised by her easy offer. If Esme were with him, he’d be absolutely thrilled. They could hide out in Erling until this damn winter finally passed. The Inferno couldn’t touch them there—even Hayes feared the government’s long arm.
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