by C J Singh
“What about Derek?” I could smell the sweat that formed on her skin.
I tilted my head. “What about him?”
“If he finds out you did this without running it by him, he’ll be furious. Like I said, I... I like it here.”
“Like I said before. Leave Derek to me. He won’t find out, and if he does, he won’t know you had anything to do with it.” I paused, watching her. “Why are you so afraid of him anyway? What has he done?”
“He is our leader.”
“Yes, but that still doesn’t explain why you are so afraid of him.”
She sighed. “When everything was out of control, Derek came and put order back. He had to keep a tight control; otherwise, people would revolt. He doesn’t let personal feelings and relationships get in the way of what needs to be done to protect his people.”
Good to know.
“OK. I promise they will never know you helped me, but you have to promise one thing as well.” She nodded. “You have to keep your emotions controlled when around Derek and Brian. If you don’t, they will know you are guilty of something.” If I could sense her so easily, so will they. I won’t have to say anything about her helping me, she will give it away.
She nodded. After a moment she asked, “Who is Jacob to you?”
“What?”
“Who is he to you? Jacob?” I blinked at her. “He moans your name, Eden, so I know you know him.”
I spoke carefully. “Jacob.” She nods and I realize that they think Jace’s name is Jacob. Why had he told them a different name? “I don’t really know him that well.” I paused and saw her surprise. “We were traveling together when he got sick. I went to get water, and he was taken. I was tracking him when I was found.”
Her eyes grew wide. “So, you’re from the city too?”
“No. It’s a long story. I have lived in the woods my whole life with my family. We found Jace and his friends.” I paused. “I’m not close with him, but I feel responsible for him. I can’t just let him die if there is a possible way to save him.”
“Wow,” Sarah said, sitting back. “Well, I’m not sure how you are going to do it.”
“I don’t know, but I will figure it out.” I smiled at her. “Thank you for the information.”
“Of course.”
She took my hand and finished cleaning and rewrapping my wound. As I watched her cleaning up the area, it dawned on me, she may try and tell Derek without me knowing, to protect herself.
When I stood, I narrowed my eyes at her. “One last thing.” Her eyes grew when she looked at me, and she took a step back. “You may be scared of what Derek will do to you, but if I were you, I would be more scared of me. All I’m asking of you is your silence. If you do that, everything will be fine, but”—I paused for effect—“if you don’t, you will have a visit from me. I may be young, but I’m not weak.”
Her face blanched. “Your eyes,” she whispered. “They glow, like Derek’s and Brian’s.”
I nodded. “Yes, so just remember, your silence or you’ll deal with me.”
She bowed her head in agreement. A rush of power filled me, and I couldn’t help but enjoy it. She turned to walk back to her desk. As Ash and I left the tent, I slipped an empty syringe into my pocket.
Chapter 23
Eden
Everyone was still in my tent, sitting around the table. Ignoring Brian’s raised eyebrow as I passed him, I focused on calming the patter of my heart. I am sure he and Derek could hear it. When I passed Tristan’s chair, he gently grabbed my hand.
“You all right?”
I nodded, giving him a closed-mouth smile. “Just tired.”
The room had gone silent. When I looked up, all eyes were on us. Quickly, I pulled my hand away and cleared my throat. “You all done? I’d like to sleep.” I didn’t wait for replies as I moved directly to my cot and lay down.
“Of course,” Derek responded, his eyes burning into the side of my face. “I think we have planned everything we can for now. Unfortunately, there are only two more cots in here and we don’t have any extras, so I hope one of you is fine with sleeping on the ground.”
“We’ll manage. Thank you,” Old Bob replied.
Derek and Brian quietly left the tent as I lay on my side, my back facing them, with Ash curled up at my feet.
Derek’s voice rang through my head.
Sleep. We have much to discuss tomorrow.
Shaking off the invasion, I closed my eyes and was asleep before I learned who would sleep on the floor.
***
Wetness slopped on my nose, again and again. Groaning, I fluttered my eyes open and saw Ash’s nose touching mine, willing me awake.
“What is it?” My voice croaked. I moved to lift my head and it throbbed. “Argh.” Rolling to my back, I pushed the heel of my hands into my eyes. Ash licked my arm, letting out an impatient whine. Rolling my head to the side, I looked at him. “What?”
Ash let out a bark then grabbed my sleeve, giving it a tug until I slowly sat up and set my feet to the ground. Resting my elbows on my knees, I let my head hang down and I yawned. I was alone; everyone must have risen early.
“No, please!”
My head whipped up at the woman’s voice. Not just any woman, Sarah. Ash barked at me again.
That was when I heard the others. The hollers of angry people, mixed with the pleading cries of Sarah.
I was on my feet and out the door before I took my next breath. As I neared the clearing, I pushed through the people. Four men carried a stretcher. My stomach sank. Jace.
“No,” I whispered.
Ash nudged my leg nervously, and I scanned the crowd for anyone I knew. Spotting Tate and Tristan, I pushed my way through the crowd to them.
“What’s going on?”
“We are using the city boy as bait,” Tate responded, giving me a wary look.
“Bait? Bait for what?” I screamed, my voice barely audible over the angry yelling of the crowd.
“The scourges,” Tristan replied. “We want to see if we can capture one.”
I shook my head, panic building within me. “No. This isn’t right. You can’t just sacrifice an innocent person...”
“Innocent?” Tristan scoffed. “Eden, he kidnapped you.”
I froze. They had no idea. “You idiots. You didn’t bother to ask me? I took him!” Turning away, I pushed back through the building crowd, not bothering to stop when I knocked over a woman.
“You didn’t even bother telling us he was here!” Tristan yelled after me. I ignored him and ran to my tent.
Pushing the flap open, I charged into my tent. “I have to do something.”
I wanted a better plan, but that wasn’t going to be possible. I grabbed the syringe I had taken from the medic tent, sat on my cot, and looked to Ash. He set his head on my knee with a knowing look.
“It’s going to hurt. You sure?” I asked him. His response was a quick lick to my hand.
I didn’t have much time. Tuning out the angry calls of the crowd outside, I poked the needle into the thick skin over his shoulder blades and sucked out enough blood to fill the syringe. I had no idea how much I needed, so I filled the whole thing. I pulled out the needle and massaged the area. Ash panted happily.
“Thanks, buddy. Pray this works.”
Wrapping the syringe into a small cloth from the washing table, I tucked it under my shirt sleeve and ran out of the tent. The crowd had progressed closer to the camp entrance, moving along with the cot. I picked up my pace, pushing and shoving people to the side as I moved through them. Tristan showed up at my side and put out his arm to stop me. His jealousy hit me like a wall.
“Eden, I know you may not agree...”
“I don’t have time for this.” I pushed past him.
Making it to the front of the crowd, I saw Jace, pale a
nd weak, lying helplessly on the cot. His eyes were wide, or as wide as they could be, searching the crowd. He was looking for someone, probably me. The breeze picked up and hit my face. Fear filled my nose. Jace’s fear and my instincts reacted. I needed to protect him. He moved his mouth, trying to speak, but nothing came out, or his voice was too weak to be heard over the screaming crowd.
Ash nudged my leg, and I looked down at him. “We have to do something, right buddy?” He nudged my leg again.
I took off toward his cot.
“Eden!” Brian yelled.
Ignoring him, I continued to the cot. I shoved one of the men aside and threw myself on him.
“Eden,” Jace whispered. “What...”
I put my mouth to his ear. “Shhhh, just trust me. We don’t have time. This may hurt.”
After pulling the syringe from my sleeve, I stabbed it into his upper shoulder, injecting all of Ash’s blood. He didn’t even flinch; he was so weak. I pulled it out and shoved it back into my sleeve.
Strong arms pulled me from behind, but I clutched Jace’s shoulders. “I’m sorry,” I said, looking into his terrified, pale face. “I don’t know if that will work, but I had to try.”
Brian pulled me off him and Jace’s cot was carried through the gate. His bright blue eyes twinkled from the light that streamed through the canopy of trees, and his mouth twitched in an attempt to smile, giving the hint of his single dimple on his right cheek. Closing my eyes, I looked away. The angry shouting continued as I pushed back through the crowd, only now some of the anger was directed at me. Grinding my teeth to stay composed, I pushed through the end of the crowd and met Sarah’s wet eyes. She gave me the slightest of nods. She knew what I had done.
“Eden,” Brian said.
I narrowed my eyes at him and stepped away, giving him my back as I headed toward my tent.
“I’m sorry. There was no other way,” he said.
“There is always another way,” I growled over my shoulder. Tate waited patiently for me at the first tent in the row, but I walked by him without a glance.
He followed me. “Eden. Stop.”
Pivoting so fast I almost made a full circle, I met his eyes. “So, this was the big plan you guys thought of last night?”
“We didn’t have any choice.”
I snorted. “I’m sure if you thought hard enough you could have thought of something else.” I turned and continued to my tent.
“Eden—”
Ignoring him, I reached my tent, whipped the flap to the side, and stomped in. Tristan and Old Bob sat at the table. My arms were tense at my sides with my hands fisted. I stopped at the table and looked between them.
“So, we sacrifice innocent, defenseless people now?”
They both blinked at me silently.
“Wow.” I shook my head and took a step toward my cot.
“We thought he had taken you,” Tristan said, and I froze.
“Well, he didn’t; I took him. I was so angry with all of you that I decided to take things into my own hands. Jace and I were trying to track his friends before you got there.” I paused. “We just had a few snags on the way.”
Old Bob’s eyes grew fire and he slowly stood. “You took a man we knew nothing about... a man from the city and... and ran off with him?”
I pursed my lips, not pulling my gaze from his, even if every instinct in my body told me to. “You underestimate me. All of you do.”
“He could have killed you, Eden!” Old Bob yelled. “Did he hurt you?”
I laughed, raising my hands. “What? This is unbelievable. No! See. Just like this. You think that I can’t defend myself. You taught me to fight, Old Bob. I’m strong, fast, smart. I can take care of myself. I’m eighteen, not eight.”
Tristan stood slowly. “Eden, we know you are strong, smart, and fast. That’s not the point.”
“Really? What is the point then? That you all can protect me better than I can protect myself?”
Tate touched my arm, but I shoved it off.
“We don’t want anything to happen to you,” Tristan said.
“Well, things happen. You can’t keep me locked up at the cabin my whole life.” I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. “As much as you would have liked to. You can’t keep the real world, real issues from me.”
“Eden, we were worried,” Old Bob said quietly. “I can’t lose you too.”
I opened my eyes looking at him and my heart broke. The pain from losing Ellie was written in every new wrinkle around his sad eyes. Her necklace hung around my neck like a heavy weight, a reminder of the love we all once had. Our life was simple, but it was love. “Oh my...” I whispered, sitting in a chair.
“What?” Tate sat next to me.
“It’s my fault. Her death is my fault.” My voice wavered and my chin wavered. I have never wanted to go back in time until this moment. I wish I could go back and never leave the cabin, then she would still be alive.
Old Bob moved around the table. “No, no, no, Eden, don’t you think that.” He knelt in front of me, gently taking my hands. “It was her time. As much as I miss her and I want her back, we all have a time.” His eyes shimmered as he watched me.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, crying on his shoulder. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“I’m sorry I lost her. She was the love of my life. I’ll miss her every day, but right now, my only goal is to protect you, and I need to learn about the scourges to do that. I won’t let them take anyone else I love.”
I pushed away from him. “I get that, but you just sacrificed an innocent man. He has a family too. He isn’t a bad person.” Without responding, he dropped his eyes. “Please, all of you, don’t underestimate me. I can handle myself.” Old Bob nodded, squeezing my shoulder.
Derek stepped into the tent. “He is in position. You all ready for the watch?”
“The watch?” I asked.
“Yeah. We’re watching him, and when we see the scourges coming, we’ll capture one alive,” Tristan replied.
“So, you all are still going to go through with this?” I don’t know what I was hoping... maybe they would change their mind and bring him back?
No one looked me in the eye except for Derek. “Eden, he’ll be dead soon from the virus anyway.”
The thought of Jace being attacked while helplessly lying on the ground, the scourges ripping him apart, infuriated me. The fear and pain he would endure. “So what? That isn’t a great way to die. Will you protect him? Save him if you can?”
“Why do you care so much about him?” Tristan snapped. The jealousy I smelled earlier still flowed in the air. I didn’t even look at him; I couldn’t trust myself if I faced him. I was too angry.
Old Bob put a hand on Tristan’s shoulder. “I promise, Eden, if we can, we will protect him.”
I knew that was the last thing on any of their minds, but it was pointless arguing. I walked back to my cot as they left. Unable to sit, I paced the length of the tent, hoping that the procedure worked. Ash watching me from the comfort of my blanket on the cot.
Chapter 24
Jace
I swallowed.
Shit that hurt!
My cheek twitched when I tried to wince, but my muscles were too heavy. I’m surprised I could still breathe despite the thirty-pound blanket lying on me.
My vision blurred and shook. Probably from the jostling of my cot as the men carried me further into the woods. My head pounded and my body ached. I wish I could move, but... that damned blanket.
The breeze hit my sweat-damp skin and a quiet groan escaped me. That felt so good. My body was on fire, but I couldn’t move to cool off.
The damned blanket.
The spot where Eden pricked me on my shoulder ached. I closed my eyes and thought of her. I thought I was saved when I saw her. When I felt he
r body cover me like a blanket, only it was more welcome than the current one on me.
Trust me. Her voice still whispered in my ears. If she had said that a few days ago, I would have laughed, but now, she was the only one I could trust and I barely knew her.
Grunting, I tried to pull my arm out from under the damned blanket, but it was no use. My body was too weak.
The world stilled when the men set my stretcher down under a group of pine trees. At least, they managed to get me in a shady area with the sun peeking through the branches around me, not on me. The small breeze still a relief on my scorching body.
“Here should be good,” one of the men said. The others grunted in agreement.
Once the sound of my chauffeurs’ footsteps disappeared, all I could hear was my own ragged breaths, birds singing, and the leaves chiming in the breeze. Trying to scan the area was hard given the heaviness of my pounding head. My eyes drooped and heavy walls within my mind grew. I tried to lift a finger, but nothing moved. I couldn’t even twitch my cheek.
My mind’s focus slipped in and out of darkness. Tensing my body, I worked to push the blanket off my sweat-soaked body. If I could just get that off, I would get better... I know it.
My exhaustion had won. Releasing the tension in my body, I sunk into the cot. My eyes closed and I moved into darkness.
***
The tingling pulsed from every limb in my body. There wasn’t one part of me that was free of the agony. I wanted to itch everywhere, but I was too weak, even to open my eyes.
The sounds around me were louder, more pronounced. It... hurt. I wanted to pull my hands up to cover my ears, but my arms wouldn’t listen.
A small animal scurried on the ground near me and birds called from far away. The breeze hit me, and... was that a shiver? I wasn’t overheated anymore, even under the heavy blanket.
My nose twitched at the smell of berries from a nearby bush, water from a stream, flowers from the bank of the stream, and food. Food from the camp. My stomach growled.
I urged my body to move, begged it, pleaded, but it wouldn’t budge. The burning tingle continued to rage through me, and I screamed and thrashed inside the strong walls of my mind.