CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The reunion with her mother and had been tearful. Like Ivan, her mother clung to Sanna for a long while, as if she were going to fly away at a moment’s notice. Haven had been more reserved, watching from a distance. Her pretty face was drawn, and shadows clung to her eyes. It wasn’t until Sanna’s parents had gone to bed that Haven actually spoke to her.
“Something happened, didn’t it? Between you and that Outsider,” Haven asked as she entered Sanna’s bedroom.
Sanna continued to stare out her window. The question she’d wanted to ask Haven burned like a coal, but she feared voicing the words would make it all real. “No, not really.”
“He’s handsome.” The bed creaked as Haven sat down on it. “And not nearly as stupid as he looks.”
“What do you mean?”
“There aren’t a lot of ways to get into Erling without papers, yet he found one.” She stretched out like a cat; her arms nestled under her head. “Pretty ingenious.”
“You’re starting to sound like Raj.” The full moon washed the snowy yard in cool, silvery light. A dark mass scurried down the street and vanished into the shadows. A dog, probably. “I hope Kai is okay.”
“He seems like that type that can take care of himself. It’s you I’m worried about.”
“Really? Cause you’re the one who looks like death warmed over.”
“I guess I do have a bit of a cold. Not everyone can take a sub-zero dip and come out looking dewy fresh.” Haven paused. “You’re good, right?”
“I’m fine. Really,” she wasn’t used to Haven being so nosy. In fact, she was fairly certain this was the first time the girl had ever even been in her bedroom. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Good. I don’t know what’s going on with the Infected. First, they woke up early, and now they’re forming these massive hordes. I heard whitecoats from New Hope are coming to study it—”
“Can I ask you something?” Sanna blurted, facing her.
“Yeah,” she sat up, suddenly serious. “What?”
“Is there a reason why someone would hear voices? In their head?”
“You mean medically? Well...” Haven frowned. “There are quite a few, actually. Severe illness might cause people to hallucinate. Or anytime the body is under significant stress, like starvation or lack of sleep. And then there’s the infection. I’ve heard of people seeing angels. Animals. All kinds of things, once the virus is taking hold.”
“No, not hallucinate. I mean, like, voices—talking to them.”
“So, telepathy? That’s not real,” Haven leaned forward, her brow furrowing. “Are you hearing things, Sanna?”
“No,” Sanna scoffed, shaking her head, “of course not. Do I look crazy?”
“Crazy isn’t a medical term. There’s mental illness—”
“I was just, uh, curious. I thought...maybe that’s how the Infected communicate, you know? How the horde left all at once.”
Haven relaxed. “I guess we’ll never know. We’d have to be capable of speaking to them to find out.”
“Uh-huh,” Sanna agreed, feigning a yawn.
Haven took her cue. “Okay then,” she hopped up from the bed, “Goodnight.”
“Night.” Sanna said with a smile. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Same here,” Haven paused at the doorway, “I’d be careful around that Outsider. No one gets this far north without an agenda—and I’m not talking about that bogus suicide mission to Canada.”
“He’s under lock and key now. There isn’t much he can do.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Haven said, closing the door behind her.
Sanna sighed, her tension easing. Normally she wouldn’t mind the company, but Haven’s visit was more than just friendly banter. Sanna could feel the girl’s analytical gaze on her. Haven had sensed something was wrong earlier, and she all but got her answer.
Telepathy. Sanna cursed herself for not being more careful as she laid down on her bed. Questions swirled, keeping her from the sleep her aching eyes so desperately needed. The voice wanted her dead, that much was obvious, and it was somehow tied to the Infected that attacked her. The horde might have fallen back, but that didn’t mean they were gone. Sanna had a feeling they were still out there. Waiting.
And it was only a matter of time before she had to face them again.
THE GIRL WASN’T SANNA, but she at least was from the same settlement. It’d been a day since Sanna escaped Twig’s clutches. This girl caught Twig’s interest a few hours ago, when her first hapless arrow had nearly missed his head. Strange creature, to be out here all alone. Especially since his horde attacked just a day before.
His stomach rumbled. It wouldn’t be long until the dizziness swept over him. He needed to feed soon, but something about her made him pause.
He sunk further into the bush to avoid being spotted when she walked past him, her worn boots leaving deep tracks in the snow. Her face was plain, and her lips pressed into a line of frustration. She didn’t have that many arrows left. Three had already been lost in the trees.
Twig could relate. He was frustrated too. First Sanna had broken his mental hold in that cabin, and then she’d scattered his horde like dried leaves caught on a wind.
It did not bode well. He wasn’t physically strong enough to take Sanna on himself. And if she could get rid of a horde so easily, perhaps only the Alpha would stand a chance of taking her down. If he could finally that worthless monster to follow his orders.
The girl walked deeper into the forest. Twig followed, careful to stay hidden. She suddenly stopped, gasping.
Twig peered over her shoulder and saw she’d finally found her prize: a large buck. She quickly released her arrow and missed. The deer startled and bounded away, his white tail flashing in the dark wood.
“Damn it!” The girl made a grating sound in her throat. “Stupid Sanna! If you’d actually caught something I wouldn’t be out here.”
“Did you say,” Twig slunked out of the bush. “Sanna?”
The girl whirled around, her dark eyes wide and doe-like
“You are a terrible shot. You weren’t even close, and now you’re out of arrows.”
“As if you could do any better. Go back to whatever hovel you crawled out of, kid. I don’t have any money.”
He was used to far worse insults, including being mistaken for a child. “How many do you want? I can get them for you.”
“You mean deer?” She turned to leave. “Whatever, kid. You’re wasting my time.”
She looked more like a cow than a doe, and seemed just as stupid. He gathered the remains of his strength and summoned the nearest stage two out of the brush—a twisted creature whose shoulders were set a sharp slant. The girl shrieked, dropping her bow. She turned to run. Twig blocked her escape.
“Who are you?” Her gaze shifted from Twig to the stage two. “What are you?
A slow smile spread across Twig’s, hidden by his scarf. He had a feeling this human could be persuaded, much like the ones in Cerise’s encampment he now ruled. “I have a proposition for you. I’ll keep it simple. The girl called Sanna for your village.”
“You want Sanna? ”
“Yes. Keep in mind, I plan on getting her either way. The question is just how hard I have to look.”
“Wait,” the girl shook her head and squinted at the infected, “are they...listening to you?”
A stage one launched from behind him, his arm flinging back to strike the girl. She cowered, her eyes screwing shut, and Twig felt a rush of pleasure so delicious, his toes curled. The Infected’s claws grazed her face.
“I’ll ask you again,” he drew out each word, as if speaking to a human who’d just been bled. “How many deer do you want?”
The girl peered out from a crack in her fingers, her jaw dropping at the sight. She was his now, he was certain of it. She’d let him into her precious village without a second thought. Humans were easy to impress. Easy to fool. And the
best part of it was he could always eat her later.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Kai spent his second day in Erling locked in his room, waiting for the other boot to drop.
Every set of footsteps up the stairs or down the hall made him break out into a cold sweat. He thought of escaping through the window, but then saw Esme’s reflection in the frost covered glass and stopped. He couldn’t leave without Sanna. Besides, there was a good chance his warrant lost. Destroyed. Thrown away. It had been seven years since it was issued. A long time for a piece of paper to survive.
That afternoon, Kai was surprised to find himself invited to a community meal by a gruff but pleasant Dinah, who’d fallen under Frankie’s spell like all other mortals. At first, Kai was suspicious—why would they allow him out of his room without a blood test? But then Dinah sent up a hot bath, clean clothes and a bald, weaselly barber, all of which seemed like a lot of resources to waste if Kai was simply being led to the gallows. The barber informed him that the horde’s miraculous retreat, combined with a particularly successful hunt that morning, had put everyone in a celebratory mood. For the first time in years, as he drew a soft black sweater over his clean head, he wondered if his life might have actually taken a turn for the better.
Kai arrived at the old church that serving as Erling’s hall feeling more human than he had in months. The combination of a roaring fire, rich venison, and bitter ale was enough to put anyone in a festive mood. Even Raj only scowled at Kai for a moment before a pretty redhead snagged his arm and dragged him away.
The hall was sweltering. Bodies were crammed along five tables that seemed to stretch into infinity, with cauldrons of stew steaming at the end of each. Mismatched baskets of bread were littered across the table, though how there could be anything left was beyond Kai’s comprehension. The people of Erling ate and drank as if it were their last day on Earth.
If it weren’t for the bizarre retreat of that enormous horde yesterday, it almost had been.
“A gift from Sanna’s mom, Dr. Larson,” a girl’s soft voice whispered near Kai’s shoulder as the men surrounding him roared at a crude joke, their hands slapping the table hard enough to make the spoons rattle jangle. A glass of ale—or whatever noxious homebrew Dinah concocted in her medieval kitchen—appeared beside his bowl.
“Um, thanks,” Kai said, catching a glimpse of the serving girl’s dark hair disappeared among the bustling kitchen staff. His heart lurched. Esme. For a brief, bizarre second, Kai swore it was her, but that was stupid. He set down his spoon, his appetite gone. It had been a week and two days since he’d left her. Was she better? Worse? What if she had died alone? His worry was a constant hum over which all his thoughts played.
He had to get out of here. Esme was waiting for him. No matter how nice it was to be warm and fed and protected by Erling’s walls, he yearned to leave. He wondered if he should walk up to Sanna right now and tell her the truth. She hadn’t spoken to him since they got to Erling. Most may not care about a young, sick girl they’d never met, but maybe Sanna would.
“What’s wrong there, Outsider?” A man leaned over the table, his long, graying beard dredging through his stew. “You look a like a man about to have his nuts cut off.”
“It’s probably because—” his companion hiccupped—"Dr. Larson’s been glaring at him all night. She’s not someone to mess with, friend.”
Kai glanced at Dr. Larson and raised his glass. Her chin dipped slightly, a queen among her peasants. She sat with the rest of her family, along with Raj and the Lieutenant at the head table. Elegant and birdlike, with olive skin and large black eyes that appeared to charm the Lieutenant almost as much as his beloved ale. Her dark brown hair was heavily threaded with silver, and thin lines bracketed her mouth. She was a striking woman, albeit rather old to be Sanna’s mother. Despite rescuing her beloved daughter, Kai had a hunch she viewed him as a fly in her pudding. He’d bet that Dr. Larson had no tolerance for insects, let alone interlopers.
If Dr. Larson was Erling’s queen, Ivan Iron Tooth was its jolly, one-eyed pirate. His deep, baritone laugh rumbled over the noisy hall like thunder, shaking the very dust from the rafters. Kai pegged the source of his mirth to the latest game of drunken charades being played amongst the off-duty soldiers in the corner.
Sanna sat at the far end of the table, next to Haven and the parade of men who vyed for her attention. Compared to her mother, Sanna was a pale, quiet shadow, spending more time engrossed in her soup than at the riotous world around her. Few people other than Haven seemed to acknowledge her existence and many shot daggers at her when they walked by. Only children seemed interested in her approval, running up to show her a wrestling move or feat of strength. Then she’d clap and smile—really smile—and Kai’s heart would lift in the strangest way...
The bald man to Kai’s left swayed into his space, forcing him to grab his mug before it was knocked over. “You know I love you like my own brother, Mack, but I ain’t taking your shift on the wall.” He waggled a stubby finger at the grayheaded man on across from him. “Don’t be getting too pickled.”
Mack gave him a glassy-eyed smile. “Ah well, it might be too late for that. It’s not every day the Lieutenant decides to share. Not to mention Kelsey’s lucky hunt yesterday.” He shook his empty mug in the air. “Gotta take what you can get.”
“Th-that’s—” Baldy slapped his palm on the table, already hooting at his own joke, “what your woman said last night!” His yeasty breath was enough to make Kai’s stomach turn.
While the two of them dissolved into fits of mirth, Kai deftly switched his full mug for Baldy’s neighbor’s empty one, as he’d been doing since the celebratory meal began. He looked out at the crowded hall filled with ruddy, shining faces, and felt oddly alone. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined missing the Deadlands, but he did. He longed for the solemn silence of the forest. The vast acres of wilderness, where he was the only human with a heart still beating. At least the woods didn’t smell like stale beer and unwashed bodies.
Something nudged his shoulder. The same dark-haired girl was staring at him. Her face was rounder than Esme’s, and her eyes were gray instead of black. She tugged his sleeve. He bent down to her level.
“Sanna wants you to meet her out back,” she whispered, her breath warming his ear. “Now.”
The men burst into more boisterous laughter and the little imp ran off before Kai had a chance to respond. He rose from the hard, wooden bench, thankful for a reason to leave the noise and heat of the overcrowded hall.
“Careful.” Baldy grabbed hold of his arm, his thick fingers pressing hard into his bicep. “That girl is—”
“Cursed,” Mack’s smile fell as he stared into his frothy ale. “I lost my own Carlo because of her last summer.”
An icy finger of dread slid down Kai’s spine. “What do you mean?”
“Everyone close to her winds up dead,” Baldy said.
“She killed him?”
“She led a mission to the nearest outpost to get more medicine. Caims there was a bunch of mutant Infected waiting for them. Like a trap,” Mack glowered, shaking his head. “Everyone knows Infected ain’t smart enough to do stuff like that. She got em’ killed. Every last one.”
“Infected get people all the time.” Kai jerked out of Baldy’s grasp, then added to Mack. “No offense.”
“Yeah,” Mack surveyed the room before leaning in, his voice lowering to a whisper. “But do those people talk to the Infected? Do the Infected treat them like they’re one of their own?”
“She’s like catnip to them,” Baldy nodded, his eyes shining. “We outta just kill her ourselves before we all wind up—”
Mack lurched across the table, knocking over his mug, and snatched Baldy by the collar. The chatter surrounding them died to a hush as ale cascaded to the floor.
Baldy raised his hands. “You’re right. You’re right. I’ll shut up.”
Mac released him, sitting back down. The same dark-haire
d serving girl appeared with stained rag to mop of the liquid, but he snatched it from her and did it himself. He shot a worried glance up at Iron Tooth, who was head was thrown back in a full-bellied guffaw.
“What are you looking at?” Baldy glared at the men and women further down the table, who watching them with concerned interest. They swivled back to their groups, and the talk rose again.
“I don’t know. She looks human enough to mean.” Kai said, feigning disinterest even as Iris and her powers flashed in his mind.
“My Carlo thought so too. Now he’s wormfood.”
“Now Haven,” his friend said with a leering grin. “I’d walk through the Gauntlet butt-naked if I’d win me a chance with her.”
“If she saw you naked, you’d never get one! Nasty old goat,” said a plump woman seated a few paces down. Laughter erupted. Kai slipped away, hoping to avoid notice. He navigated around a crush of people gathered near the cauldron of vension stew and made his way for the door.
The story left him uneasy. Iris had never said she could talk to the Infected. What if Sanna was different? What if she was...something more?
She’s not safe here. It didn’t matter if the story was true. All these backwoods idiots needed was a rumor and slightest coincidence before they got out their pitchforks.
A drunk woman leapt in front of him, shouting at an old man for leering at her. Children bumped into him as they scampered around like tiny woodland creatures, their clothes so mended and warn they resembled quilts draped around their scrawny frames.
The huge fire in the center of the hall washed everyone’s faces in a golden light and made giants out of their shadows. The setting was almost bacchanal to him, after his months in the solemn quiet of the Deadlands.
After barely avoiding a waterfall of ale and maneuvering around a clutch of giddy teenage girls, the heavy arched door finally sealed shut behind him.
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