Fall of grace variant se.., p.10
Fall of Grace: Variant Series Book 1, page 10
“I’m not leaving.” He grabbed my arm and pushed it down. “I will not leave you unprotected, even if you hate me for it. I’ll go sleep outside in the storm if that’s what it takes.”
“Fine then, why not just keep me by your side during the day so your friends will quit beating up on me?” Shaking, I clenched my hands, dug my nails into my palms.
“I can’t do that, Naomi.”
“And why not? Are you afraid Micah will use it against you? That he’ll tell everyone your feelings for me are getting in the way of your leadership?”
“Yes,” he answered, nostrils flaring.
“Why do you care what they think? What does it matter? They will do what they want anyway.”
I don’t know what came over me, but I placed my hands against his chest and shoved him back. Somewhere close, lightning struck a tree, and I could hear its branches crack as it fell. He slapped my wrists away. I could tell he was on the edge, was barely in control, and I wanted to push him over.
“Why do you care?” I enunciated every word, putting my face in his.
“Because he’s right!”
Jared shoved away from me, putting space in between us. As quickly as it had come, my anger departed. The storm seemed to feed off our mood because outside the wind and thunder quieted, leaving the soothing sound of raindrops. A stillness settled over the tent, over us, and neither one seemed to be able to process what just happened. I felt dizzy and realized I was holding my breath.
I let it out in a long exhalation and whispered, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Yeah,” he replied, squeezing his eyes shut. “Me too.”
Tired and worn, I turned and laid on the cot. Tomorrow, I might die, maybe the next day. Unless something changed, and soon, that was my future. My chest felt tight and silent tears ran down my face. My body shook as I tried to hold them in.
I whispered, “I’m going to die here.”
After a second, I felt Jared slide in beside me. He put his arms around me and I pressed my face in his bare chest while the tears spilled. For the rest of the night, we stayed that way, neither one of us saying a word.
When the morning light came, I woke up cold and alone.
###
I dressed slowly, unsure of what to do. Although Alessandria and Terrance both claimed they enjoyed my company, I didn’t want to rely on them to babysit me all the time. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to explore the perimeter of the camp in case I needed a place to escape or hide. Then again, I might be making an easy target of myself if I did that.
Does it matter? If they want me dead, they’ll find a way eventually.
I shook my head. If I kept wallowing in pity, I might as well give up and hand myself over to Micah. I needed to fight back, to prove I was ‘useful’. Jared wasn’t going to be able to protect me forever.
I let out a sigh. Thinking about Jared was something I was avoiding this morning. We hardly knew each other and he admitted he had feelings for me. That was a problem. Attraction I could deal with, but feelings? From someone who had to ignore me when others were around? Yeah, that wasn’t going to work out.
Did I want it to, though?
I searched my emotions. Last night, I completely lost it. I’d spent a lifetime learning to control my emotions and they moment I arrived at this camp, that all went down the drain. When I was around Jared, I felt happy, safe, comfortable. When he was away, I felt alone and incomplete.
How can I want something and not want something at the same time?
I left the tent, heading toward the fence when I heard his voice and stopped. After the way I unloaded on him last night, Jared deserved an apology. I turned around and headed his direction, changing course when I saw he was with Micah, Randall, and Ethan. Randall wasn’t outspoken against me like Micah, but Ethan, a few years younger, was.
Any hope they wouldn’t notice me evaporated when Micah yelled, “Hey, PRE!”
Micah always addressed me that way, PRE, princess, or Jared’s girlfriend. The last one got under my skin, but I tried not to let it show. I ignored him and continued walking. I heard Jared, in an irritated tone, tell him to leave me alone.
“Relax, Jared. This is important.”
Micah yelled out again. “Naomi.”
I turned, hiding surprise at his use of my name. “Yes, Micah?”
“Come here.”
He waved me over but there was no way in hell I would do something just because he told me to.
Realizing I wasn’t going to obey, Micah asked, “Will you come over here, please?”
I moved forward, joining the group, trying to not glance at Jared, who was looking back and forth between Micah and me. “What do you want?”
“As the Queen’s PRE, you’re trained in weapon combat, right?”
I wasn’t sure where this conversation was going but a quick glance at Jared warned me to proceed with caution. “Yes.”
“In which weapons?”
“All of them,” I answered with a shrug.
Micah leaned back, a grin on his face. “Can you use a crossbow?”
“Yes.”
Jared cut in. “No, Micah.”
Micah ignored him. “Are you accurate?”
“I was the top of my class. What’s this about?”
“A hunting trip. Logan is best with the crossbow but his arm’s still sore. We need a replacement. Are you up for it?”
Before I could respond, Jared stood and in a low tone growled, “I said no. Drop it now, Micah.”
“You said we needed another. That it would be too dangerous to go without one. Now we have one. That is if you’ll go?” He directed the question at me.
“Yes.”
“Not a chance,” Jared argued. “She can’t handle this.”
That was the worst thing he could have said if he wanted me to change my mind. I met Micah’s stare and asked, “When do we leave?”
“Twenty minutes,” he answered, not bothering to hide his grin.
“I’ll meet you back here.”
Ignoring Jared’s frown, I stomped off but not before I heard Micah comment, “Way to have control over your girlfriend.”
“You think that’s funny, Micah? Just keep in mind you agreed to give the woman, whose life you’ve been making a living hell, a crossbow. Don’t come crying to me when she shoots you in the ass.”
Micah’s laughter cut off abruptly and I smirked.
Chapter 12
Once in my tent, I sat on the edge of my cot staring at the gray vinyl walls, hands gripping my knees, mind replaying every image I’d seen of an Inferti, every nightmare I’d had of one. Taking deep breaths, I sat up straight and pulled my hair into a ponytail. A few strands fell lose, brushing the nape of my neck, and I shivered.
“Can I come in?” Jared stood beneath the open tent flaps, watching me. I had no idea how long he’d been there.
“Yes.” Although I tried to sound nonchalant, my voice broke, betraying my fear.
He ducked inside. “I guess I don’t need to tell you how dangerous this is going to be?”
“No, I’m pretty sure I figured that out on my own.”
“Then why the hell did you agree to do it?” Jared grabbed the chair from the corner and sat in front of me. “Have you ever been close to an Inferti? Do you have any idea how terrifying they are, how fast they are? By the time you get over the initial fear of seeing one, they’re already on you.”
I sighed and leaned back, rubbed my temples. “Do you think I want to go out there? That I’m suicidal? Look, I’m not even sure I will live much longer inside these gates, but I know one thing—if I don’t go, if one of you gets hurt or doesn’t come back, the fact I am trained in combat and refused to go would mean certain death. I don’t have a choice. Micah knew that the moment I answered his question. You should have, too.”
Jared ran his tongue across his lips, eyes pained. Without saying it, I had just insinuated he would have noticed if his feelings hadn’t gotten in the way. It was a low blow but not one I intended.
“Jared, I’m—”
“Let’s go.”
He stomped out.
###
The far edge of the campsite was enclosed by a wrought iron fence, seven feet high and solid. There was a chain across the entry gate, and it held a heavy padlock.
I looked over at Micah. “I don’t suppose you have the key?”
He held up a small tool with several different metal rods sticking out. “Even better. I know how to pick a lock.”
He stepped forward and placed a rod in the lock. There was a loud click and the heavy piece of metal dropped to the ground. Micah retrieved it, shoving it into his backpack. Ethan and Jared picked up their weapons, Ethan carrying a long hand ax and Jared taking a crossbow. I already had my crossbow swung over my shoulder. Micah pushed the gate forward and the loud squeal of rusty metal sounded like a warning, an omen of what was to come.
We stepped through the gate, into a pasture. Micah turned and bolted the lock from the outside. Beyond the open ground, a thick line of trees swallowed the land in darkness. Micah took the lead, followed by Ethan. Being smaller than the guys, I had to jog to keep up.
“What are we hunting?”
“Mostly small game.” Ethan said, pointing off toward the trees. “Before the plague, this area was overrun with borishna, but the Inferti…well, you get the idea.”
“Have you ever seen an Inferti?” Randall asked, slowing to close the distance between us.
“I’ve studied them, seen pictures and videos.”
Those alone were enough to terrify me. When the plague came, it hit with such a force that by the time they tried to control it, it was too late. First came the sickness, then the mutations. They Inferti destroyed everything in their path, fed on anything that bled. It occurred to me that I never had to worry about catching the plague, about mutating, not until now. The plague only infected variants.
“It’s a different thing to see them in person, trust me. They’re quick as lightning. That crossbow of yours won’t do anything but slow them. That’s why Ethan and I have axes. You knock them down, we cut their heads off. Of course, we’re hoping not to run into any at all.”
The trees loomed ahead and we went silent, listening to anything that might signal we weren’t alone.
Jared, who had been quiet for most of the walk, stepped close, whispering in my ear, “Stay at the ready. If you see an Inferti, run first, shoot later.”
More than an hour passed before we had our first kill. In the brambles, Micah shot down a rodent, stuffing its body in a large burlap bag. Afterward, we managed three squalls and Jared shot a wailen out of the air, mid-flight. To my joy, I pegged a squall climbing a tree right behind Micah’s head. He pivoted and by the look on his face it was obvious he thought I was aiming for him.
When he saw the squall he begrudgingly said, “Not bad.”
I shrugged, lowering my crossbow. “Not really. I missed what I was aiming for.”
He looked shocked for a second but then laughed. “I see why Jared likes you so much.”
After that, there was a sense of comradery in the group. Here and there, I wandered off a few times to gather seeds I thought would do well in the damp soil close to the river. When Jared asked me if I knew what I was doing, I explained how I helped oversee the Queens gardens. That was good enough for the rest of them because they didn’t complain when I requested we stop here and there to dig up random vegetation. The camp had gardens, but those knowledgeable about plants were not in good enough health to travel beyond the gates.
Not wanting to be outside after nightfall, we turned around halfway through the day. We hadn’t caught enough game to last more than a few days and although no one said it, the daunting reality we would be back out there within a week hung over our heads. Still, we were positive. A bond was built between the five of us today. Even Micah was being friendly.
A few miles from the camp, Jared dropped behind the group and joined me at the back. At first, he said nothing, only slowed down to allow a gap between us and the others.
When we couldn’t be overheard, he said, “Good job out there today. I think you might have even impressed Micah.”
“Thanks,” I responded, grinning. “Maybe he’ll let me live, at least until after the next hunting trip.”
Dry leaves crunched under our feet. Dusk loomed ahead, its purple haze leaving shadows on the distant hills. For a moment, I became lost in the beautiful simplicity of where we were, what we had been doing. Jared joined me in the silence, only breaking it as we came in sight of the tree line.
“Naomi,” he said, brushing his fingers through his hair. “I wanted to talk to you about last night.”
I tensed. “Go ahead.”
I could tell that wasn’t the response he was looking for but that was all he was going to get.
“It’s just that some things were said, in the heat of the moment, you know, and…”
I cut him off, my anger flaring. “Oh, so you’re wanting to take them back now?”
“No.” He stopped, his anger matching mine, but then softening as quickly. “I wanted to say it didn’t matter. I can’t…”
Jared sighed and looked toward the treetops.
I understood what he was trying to say. “It’s okay. I get it. I really do. Your allegiance is to your people and I can’t get in the way. Trust me, I spent enough time at the palace to understand that.”
He was silent for a moment before replying, “I can’t imagine how hard this has been for you.”
His eyelashes caressed his cheeks, a downcast gaze met mine.
I gave him a small smile. “No, you can’t. Thank you for trying, though.”
Jared didn’t have time to respond before the others stopped. We jogged to catch up. “What’s going on?”
Ethan pointed ahead. “It’s a borishna. A large one, too.”
“Jared, you up for this?” Micah asked.
Jared cocked his head and grinned. “Always.”
I looked at him, then to Micah, not understanding. I never heard a sound, but when I glanced back at Jared, he was gone.
“What the hell?” I asked, the words slipped out as I scanned the area around us. Micah and the others laughed at the shocked look on my face. I didn’t find it funny. “Where did he go?”
“I’m right here, Naomi.”
His voice came from right beside me and I jumped, but I still couldn’t see him. My head refused to wrap around what was going on.
Randall explained. “Jared can become…dim, blend into his surroundings.”
So, he has a power.
I concentrated on the area next to me and saw it. The vegetation around him shifted a little when he twitched or took a breath, like waves of heat. The longer I stared, the more I could make out his shape. Reaching forward, I laid my palm across his chest, feeling the reassuring thud of his heart. “Wow.”
I heard him chuckle but couldn’t see his face, which made me feel awkward. His warm hand grasped mine. I could feel the heat of his skin but saw only my own hand. I stared in awe.
“Naomi, I’ve got to go if we’re going to get that borishna.”
Within seconds, my hand was dropped and the space next to me became cool. I joined the others and stared off into the expanse.
“Can we get closer?” I whispered to Ethan.
He nodded and signaled the group. We moved through the bushes until I could see what was happening. As we knelt, I realized Micah had Jared’s crossbow.
“How is he going to shoot it?”
“He’s not,” Micah responded. “The bow wouldn’t be dim so he’s going to run it towards us. Although the borishna can’t see him, it’ll smell him, hear him. We’ll get it as it closes in.”
It seemed like everyone held their breath, waiting. Micah and I lifted our bows. Even though I couldn’t see Jared, I saw the borishna lift its head and sniff the air. Its lavender stripes quivered, thick, bushy tail twitched. Without warning, it ran. I was surprised how fast it moved. Maybe it sensed us, probably smelled us, but it tried to turn off toward the right. Jared must have cut it off, because it changed directions, and ran closer to our hideout. Micah shot first, his arrow just missed.
He turned to reload. “Your turn, PRE.”
I focused on the creature darting back and forth. In my training, we didn’t spend much time on evasive targets, but I lifted my bow regardless, trying to guess where the borishna would move next, hoping my arrow didn’t hit the invisible man chasing it. When I thought I had it in sight, I pulled the trigger, letting the arrow fly. I saw it hit, saw it puncture the soft fur of its neck, but the creature kept running. After a few seconds, it stumbled, walked in a small circle, and then fell to the ground. The others jumped up, cheering, startling me. I realized I’d done it, I’d taken down the borishna. Out of everyone, I was the most surprised.
Micah clapped me on the shoulder. “Not bad, Princess.”
I couldn’t help but return his grin, all animosity forgotten for the moment.
We rushed out into the clearing. It made me feel better to see my aim was on point and the animal didn’t suffer.
Jared squeezed my shoulder. “Nice job.”
“I’m just glad I didn’t shoot you, running around out there invisible.”
“Me too.”
I watched as the men tied the borishna’s legs and arms together, making it easier to drag. Micah would pull its weight, using his abilities the remainder of the way back to base. The spirit of the group was celebratory. The borishna alone would provide a week of food, longer if we were careful.
We were about a hundred yards from the fence when both Jared and Micah stopped, and turned around. I started to ask what was going on, but Ethan put a hand over my mouth.
Randall mumbled something that sounded like ‘smelled the blood’, right before Jared turned and pushed me. “Run!”
I didn’t question him, my legs seemed to move on their own accord. Within seconds, I heard the crashing of branches, and couldn’t stop myself from turning to look. Things, unimaginable things, raced through the trees. Ethan and Randall were ahead of us, Jared stayed close, but Micah trailed behind with the borishna.
