I roll my eyes, shifting into a more comfortable position, anticipating a wrestling match. But somebody knocks quietly at the door, so Wreck leaves his sister to go outside.
He returns with Tanya in tow. She’s dressed in a black t-shirt along with camo pants, and holds a hunting knife.
“Tanya!” I stare at her. “What are you doing here?”
“I followed Maxie. I know you’re planning to kill Samuel. I want to help.”
“Nice stalking technique,” Wreck comments.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t go with us,” I sigh. “It’s too dangerous.”
She shrugs. “I’m not scared of Samuel and his guards. Please, let me come with you. He killed my family too.”
“Sure,” Wreck says. “Of course you can come with us.”
“Wreck,” I groan. “She’s only ten years old.”
“So what? She needs to avenge her family too. And she certainly has a warrior’s spirit!”
“I also know the mansion from the inside,” Tanya says. “And I can shoot. I killed wolves and birds before coming here.”
“You see!?” Wreck grins excitedly. “She’ll prove real helpful on this trip.”
I hesitate.
Do I have the right to prohibit Tanya from taking revenge for her family? How can I tell her what to do when she’s a free person?
“All right then,” I give in. “You’ll be helping to lead them out of the training facility.”
Laughing, Tanya runs toward me and wraps her thin arms around my shoulders. I hug her tightly, wondering whether I’m making a big mistake in allowing her to risk her life. But Tanya and I have gone through a lot together, haven’t we? So how can we leave her behind?
Wreck picks up three flasks from the floor, winks at me and leaves.
He returns thirty minutes later, looking completely sober, although I can smell alcohol on his breath. We walk outside, heading toward the edge of the village where all the vehicles are parked.
“Nice job,” Maxie says upon seeing four unconscious guards stretched out beside a pickup truck.
“Well, I am good at what I do,” Wreck answers proudly.
We choose two military style trucks with enough room to carry all the racers. Wreck and I climb inside one vehicle, while Maxine and Tanya take the other.
A few minutes later we leave the village behind, driving along a broken road and toward Central Settlement.
I think Samuel’s days are numbered.
CHAPTER 38
I wake up feeling suffocated, my hand clutching the knife. But I’m not lying on the floor in the basement and Gabriel isn’t really choking me. He’s dead and I’m inside the truck, heading toward Central Settlement.
“Bad dream?” Wreck asks, his eyes trained on the road.
We’ve been traveling for several hours. It’s getting dark again, and I’ve no idea how Wreck manages to stay awake. He doesn’t even appear tired.
“Just my usual dream,” I sigh, relaxing and leaning back in the seat. “How soon till we get there?”
“In a couple more hours, I’d say.”
I close my eyes again, willing myself to sleep, but remain awake in spite of my best efforts. The disturbing dream along with the realization that I’m getting close to Central Settlement cause my muscles to tighten. My jaw aches and I wonder whether I’ve been grinding my teeth again in my sleep. I reopen my eyes and stare out the half open window, mesmerized by the palm trees drifting by. The salty air tickles my nose, reminding me of Amethyst and ocean waves. I have to distract myself, because I already feel anxiety rising in my chest. It’s always present, hidden away inside like a little monster ready to eat me alive.
“Prepared to meet Samuel?” Wreck asks.
I mutter something incoherent. I don’t want to meet Samuel. I just need to rescue my friends and avenge my mother. Although I do wonder whether these are my only reasons for returning to Central Settlement. Maybe I’m also trying to prove something to myself. Maybe I’m doing what I’ve been wanting to do all my life, be somebody different.
“Kora,” Wreck says calmly. “We gotta work out a little problem. I guess we both want to kill Samuel. But we can’t do it twice. So who’s gonna take care of him? I’ll let you decide.”
I have to think. Do I really want to kill Samuel by my own hands?
“He’s all yours,” I answer.
“Thanks. I’m gonna make sure he suffers a lot and realizes why his life is ending.”
I don’t offer a reply.
“You know, Gabriel wasn’t the only child Samuel had,” Wreck continues. “He also has a daughter, Stella. A real sweet girl around your age. And he has a wife, Agatha.” He pauses, offering me a crooked smile. “I’m gonna do to Samuel the same thing he did to my family. I’m killing my cousin and aunt too.”
“You don’t really mean that, do you?
“The hell I don’t. I’m gonna take their heads.”
I glance over at him, feeling shaky. “That’s just plain wrong. They didn’t kill your family. Samuel did.”
“So what? You really think I give a damn about what’s right or wrong after everything that’s happened?”
I don’t know what to say. Would he really do it? I imagine he has killed many times before, including some innocent travelers.
Should I try and talk him out of killing Samuel’s wife and daughter? Do I really care about Samuel’s relatives?
“Tonight, all the rumors about roamers will become true,” Wreck says. “We’re going to butcher the high master and his family.”
I remain silent.
I don’t want to continue the conversation, so I think of Trent to distract myself. My heart begins to beat a little faster in a pleasant way. I can’t believe I’ll soon get to see him. Will he be happy to see me? Has he missed me? Well, I seriously
