The Starborn Saga (Books 1, 2, & 3) (6 page)

“I’ll talk to him. Let us take the girl. It will be like she was never here.”

Krindle looks down at me, then back to Heinrich. “Get your people’s acts together. I don’t want anymore curfew breaks or intruders. If I see it happen again, I’ll strip you of your title and I’ll be running things, you understand?”

“Completely,” Heinrich says. 

Krindle sighs and motions for the Screven guards to release me. 

They pull me up to my feet and I keep my head low as they unlock the cuffs. During all of this, I can’t help but notice Evelyn staring at me through her window.

CHAPTER FOUR

Heinrich isn’t as friendly as I expect him to be. Instead of giving me a warm smile and assuring me that all will be fine, he looks me up and down and grunts his disapproval. He says something to Connor about meeting at the front gate in five minutes. Connor agrees and turns to look at me. His brows are furrowed and he bites the inside of his cheek. 

“The note said to stay in the shack,” he says.

“You know that there’s no food in your place, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he says as I follow him into the shack. He goes into his Scroom, I suppose to gather some things for the trip ahead. I wish I had my shotgun with me, but the knife will have to do. I doubt anyone is going to give me a weapon.

I go into the bathroom and unwrap my bandage and smear some of the healing salve on my wound that Evelyn gave me. It stings at first, but then I instantly feel relief. Quickly, I wrap my bandage back up and slip the small bottle into my pants pocket.

Connor leads me out of the shack and down the dirt road toward the front of the colony gate. There’s a mixture of beat up SUV’s and trucks, seven vehicles in all. They aren’t the nicer, polished-looking black ones that the Screven guards drive. A group of men stand in front of every vehicle with multiple blades strapped to their backs and various firearms in their hands. These men are ready to take on an entire herd. What stands out the most here is me. I’m the only female going on this trip. 

 I get several curious stares, but I suppose I understand. I’m not one of them. I raise my chin to let them know I’m not intimidated. Most of all, I’m just ready to get back on the road to Jeremiah.

Heinrich steps forward to address the entire group. “I’ll be going with you today, gentlemen. The more time that passes, the less of a chance we have of finding any survivors. And since we’re entering the last three days of the search, we’ve been granted Screven’s permission to be out for two nights if we have to, though they strongly recommend that we don’t. Today, we’re headed to Garden’s Peak. When we get there, we’ll break off into groups and attempt to search the entire area. You’ll need to make sure to keep a close listen to your wristband radios.”

I see Connor roll his eyes at this. 

A large man with a scruffy, red beard points at me. “Who’s she?”

“This is Mora,” Heinrich answers. “Once we find the group, I’ll head toward her village to drop her off where she came from.”

I look at Heinrich with shock on my face. Connor looks at me abruptly and shakes his head, telling me not to say anything. I hold my tongue, but I squint my eyes to let him know I’m not happy about the decision-making that has gone on behind my back.  

The bearded man opens his mouth to ask another question, but Heinrich holds up a hand. 

“There’s no more to discuss. Let’s ride.”

Everyone turns to get a seat in each of the vehicles. Heinrich motions me to follow him and we reach the SUV at the front of the caravan. I’m met with a wave from a nice-looking man, maybe in his forties, holding a shotgun.

“Nice to meet you, Mora. I’m the driver, Bret.” He extends a hand and I shake it as he motions his head to the right. “This is Rob. He’ll be going in our vehicle.” Rob nods as he messes with his rifle, barely acknowledging me. He wears the same dark uniforms of the Screven guards, which shows me that Krindle wants to keep these guys under his thumb.

Heinrich tells me to get in the SUV as he opens the door and Connor comes in behind me. The interior has been modified so that two bench seats sit facing each other in the back. Connor sits directly in front of me with his back to the passenger front seat. Heinrich stays outside of the vehicle to talk to Bret and Rob about something. 

I look at Connor with pursed lips. “I don’t know if this has occurred to you, but I’m not going back to my village without some promise of help.”

“I know,” Connor says. “Heinrich just doesn’t want any more trouble. I think we’ll be able to talk him out of taking you back.”

“You’re going to help me with that?” I ask. “Couldn’t I just stay here? If I explain to Krindle that I’m trying to do b Cryire usiness with Screven, then maybe they will even give me a ride there.”

“Krindle doesn’t care about business. Believe me, you don’t want to stay here and try to bargain with him.”

Rob gets into the back seat across from me behind the driver’s seat and closes the door firmly. Bret gets behind the wheel, and Heinrich slips into the front passenger seat.

“You’re going back home, Miss Mora,” Heinrich says. “I’m sorry. I know you want to help your village, but I can’t let you go out there alone. It’s too dangerous.”

I want to argue, but I know there is no use. I’ve got no gun, no food or water. No vehicle. I’d be as good as dead out there alone, and I can’t expect these people to provide me with everything I need. I’ll just have to go back to Springhill, restock, and try again.

The vehicles start to move as the Screven guards open the front gate for everyone to leave. Wristbands sound off as everyone tests the communication with the other vehicles. Once we reach a steady speed, Connor leans forward and I do the same. 

“We won’t get to your village today,” he whispers. “We might have enough time to convince him to take you to Screven.”

I appreciate Connor’s willingness to help, even though I’m a stranger to him. He just wants to make sure I get the protection Springhill needs.

The drive is mostly dull. The flat plains seem to go on for an eternity. It’s not until we reach a hillier wooded area that chatter on the wristbands starts to pick up some.

I rest my head on the window as we drive for hours. When we stop for a bathroom and food break, I glance at Connor’s wristband. It’s one in the afternoon. I wonder how much farther we have to travel before we actually start looking for people, but I don’t want to come across as annoying. I’m already not supposed to be here. As the others get out of their vehicles, Bret tosses me a bottle of water and a small bag with a sandwich. The porridge this morning had been filling, but that had long worn off. I devour the meal before the others are even halfway finished with theirs.

I’m thankful for the cool bottle, as the sun’s heat is unrelenting. Bret looks down at his wristband and whistles as he shakes his head. 

“Hundred degrees,” he says. 

Heinrich wipes the sweat from his brow and takes a sip of his water. “We’ve got about an hour before we start the search on foot,” he says. 

I want to ask what exactly they are expecting to find. I know they’re looking for Connor’s brother Aaron, and the others that were with him, but what were they doing out in the first place? I know this isn’t something that is my place to ask, but I do anyway. 

After my question rings out into the open air, the others are silent. Connor is the first to answer me. 

“They were looking for supplies,” he says. “Farming supplies.”

I wait for more of an explanation, but it’s clear that I’m not going to get one. Truthfully, it’s not really my business, but if I’m going into a potential greyskin-infested area, I’d like to know why.

We all pile back into the vehicles and begin to ride away again. We drive for another hour until it’s time to stop. Everyone knows the danger that lies ahead, being in the woods and all. 

People in this world understand that the worst places to be are the old abandoned cities and forests. If you’re out on the plains, you can see the greyskins from miles away. That’s why so many of the villages and colonies have come to this area. Even so, a herd has an easier time of finding you if you’re out in the open. Really, you’re taking a chance no matter where C mato this you go. 

But I hate the forests. One moment you can be walking through an area and become so swept away in its beauty, that before you can blink twice, you accidentally come up on a herd that wants you for dinner. All of a sudden, they surround you and you’re lucky to get out at all, much less without a scratch or bite. 

And a scratch or a bite is all it takes. 

The vehicles are parked at the edge of this place they call Garden’s Peak. It’s so hot out it’s difficult for me to enjoy the view, but my eyes can’t help but take it in.

The trees are full of big, green leaves and flowers bloom all over the place. Bees fly from one to another, collecting pollen for the hive. My eyes aren’t easily torn from this rare, untouched nature scene.

It’s late in the afternoon, almost three. Heinrich instructs each person to form teams and to meet back at the vehicles at eight o’clock sharp. He reminds them to keep the volume on the wristbands down, and not to fire a shot at anything unless a life depends on it. There’s no danger of that on my end. I feel for my knife on my left thigh, hoping nothing gets close enough to me that I have to use it. 

“You’re not going anywhere,” Connor says when he notices that I’m following behind them.

“Why not?”

“Your leg, Mora. You can’t keep up with us.”

My leg hurts a little, but I’ll be fine. Whatever the salve was that Evelyn had given me to put on my leg has helped tremendously. 

“It’s not that bad anymore,” I say. 

“Connor’s right,” Heinrich says. “You need to stay with the vehicle.” He looks at his wristband. “We’ll be back in about five hours. Just stay here and you’ll be fine.”

Connor reaches behind him and pulls out a pistol from his belt. “Here,” he says. “Use it only if you have to.”

I say nothing as I take the gun. I’m thankful for it, but I don’t conceal my anger when I inspect the clip to make sure it’s loaded. 

“What’s to keep me from leaving?” I ask. 

“Do what you will,” Heinrich says as he turns to walk away. “You’ve got no keys to start the SUV, so it will be a long walk to wherever you’re going. We’ll be back at eight.”

Connor gives me a short shrug and turns to follow the others. I bite my fingernails, frustrated and feeling completely alone. If a herd came through here I’d be toast. That is, unless my newfound powers could really do the damage I think they’re capable of. I hope I don’t have to test them.

I leave the doors to the SUV open as I sit in the shade of the cab, my stitched right leg dangling out. I switch the safety of the pistol on and off as I sit here bored. Pretty much everyone knows how to shoot a gun. Even the small children in my village know where to aim when shooting at a greyskin. They usually start learning on a pistol like this one, and then move up to the larger rifles. The hope is that they never have to use these skills, but it’s a false hope. Everyone, even the children, have to use a gun at some point. 

The hours drag on. Once or twice, I look through each vehicle, curious if anyone left something useful behind or keys in the ignition. There isn’t much. There’s food for the trip and a few extra medical supplies. 

Heinrich and the others took a gamble assuming that I can’t hotwire a vehicle. One full of gas with food and medical supplies would be all I would need to make it to Screven from here, though I would have to stop somewhere and try to figure out the directions. I’ve never actually been near Garden’s Peak before, except for the town I Cr ta vehicle.was in yesterday. During the drive, Connor told me that the town where he had found me was two hours north of Garden’s Peak, making it two hours closer to Salem. He had hoped that maybe Aaron and his lost group had taken up shelter there, but Connor obviously never found anyone except me.

At some point during the wait, I start to drift off. I know better than this, but the hot sun and semi-comfortable seat do nothing to help me stay awake. 

My eyes blast open at the sound of moving feet. The sun has faded out of the sky almost completely. How long have I been asleep? I grip the pistol firmly and step out of the SUV, but then I hear voices. 

Greyskins don’t talk. 

I ease my grip when I see Connor and Heinrich walking in front of a group of other men. 

“I’m actually a little surprised you didn’t take off,” Heinrich says. “Smart girl.”

I ignore him as he walks past me, and I look at Connor. “Any luck on finding your brother?”

He shakes his head and walks to the SUV. I move near him. “Are you okay?” I ask. 

Connor turns around to face me. He looks at Heinrich, probably to make sure he is out of earshot. “One more hour,” Connor says. “We found a trail, but it was time to come back. One more hour was all we needed.”

“You know it was Aaron’s trail?” I ask. 

“No, but it was something to go on. Heinrich thinks it’s a bad idea to look while it’s dark. I’m afraid if we wait any longer, we won’t find him alive.” He rubs a hand through his short, brown hair. “We found a decent path that the vehicles can travel by, so it won’t take long to get there in the morning. But I don’t plan to wait that long.”

“What are you planning?”

“I’m going out tonight,” he whispers.

“You think that’s a good idea?”

“No, but I have to do it.”

“By foot?” I ask.

“Well, I can’t very well sneak out of here with the SUV. We had to turn back after two and a half hours, but I’ve got the rest of the night to get as far as I need.”

I can’t help but see the hope in Connor’s hazel eyes. I can’t help but admire his passion. He’s unconventional, but that’s not always a bad thing. “You really think he’s out there don’t you?” I ask. 

“I really do,” he says, setting his rifle in the seat of the SUV. 

“Let me go with you,” I say. “I got some sleep while you were gone. I’m not tired at all.”

“But your leg,” he says.