Maxwell threw back his head and laughed. “What idiots, thinking they could contain an immortal!”
“Are we far from Millflower?”
“Not too far. We should arrive by evening.” He picked up his radio and called the others in the search party, and Alina smiled at the cheers that followed. A short time later, other vehicles appeared in the distance, all traveling parallel in the same direction.
Maxwell whistled cheerfully as they bounced through the grass, and Alina smiled. He didn’t seem bothered that he’d spent over twenty-four hours looking for her. He looked tired but pleasant. His wide-brimmed hat covered the ear shields and his thin, red hair. She noticed his freckled arms and calloused hands and concluded he spent a lot of time working outdoors. Alina felt safe with him. He respected her personal space and took no notice of her beauty.
“How long have you lived in Millflower?” she asked.
“Thirteen years,” he answered. “I took my family there when the wilderness got too dangerous. I have a wife and three daughters, and I didn’t want them threatened by nightstalks or forced to wear ear shields every day of their lives.” His friendly tone encouraged her questions.
“Millflower produces most of Carthem’s food, right?”
“Yup. Carthem would starve without us. A large wall surrounds our town and farmland. Only those cleared by Lance can enter.”
“But if Millflower is so important, shouldn’t it have the same security as Stormport and Jaden?”
Maxwell shrugged. “Perhaps, but we’re not set up for it. The town is too small—the cost to maintain that security isn’t worth it. It would require more workers to move in, which would strain our resources. Besides, our isolated location provides some natural protection.”
“But how do you get the food to the cities?”
“We have trucks that transport the supplies, and drivers make a trip to Jaden and Stormport monthly. This is dangerous, but the vehicle keeps them safe, and they have the best-paid job in Millflower. Those are the only cities we supply food to. People who live outside of them have to sustain themselves.”
Alina chewed on her lip. “Do you think my presence will bring danger to your town?”
Maxwell reflected for a moment, then shook his head. “No. Animals can’t get in, so all we have to fear are human enemies, and we’re good at keeping them away. There’s one trying to get in now. We’re shocked he’s eluded the brainwastes this long.”
Alina thought of the wild man in the grass. “Who is he?”
“One of the Sad Cases.” Maxwell looked at her. “That’s what we call those who suffer insanity by Sampson’s hands. This one’s obsessed with entering Millflower to find a woman there. She’s lived there for about ten years, though I don’t know how long she’s been in Carthem. I don’t know her history. She doesn’t talk much but seems sad when she hears of him. We make sure she never sees him because that could be the end of her. Fortunately, she’s never tried. Some people are driven to meet their old lovers, and that usually results in miserable deaths for both.”
“Do any seek them out, thinking they can cure them?” Alina asked.
“Yes, sometimes. They want to beg forgiveness or find closure. It’s one of Sampson’s tricks. He likes to do this when two people become attached to each other. Loyalty threatens his rule, you know. He usually expels one under false notions that he—or she—betrayed the other. Then he takes the one left behind, imprisons him until insane, and sends him into Carthem to kill. It’s heart-wrenching to see.”
“How do you know so much? Did you once live in Pria?”
“No. But Sampson’s ways are no secret here. I’m a town official and close confidant of Lance. It’s important I understand all of Sampson’s tactics and the motivation behind them. Millflower has been targeted many times and is never fully safe. After the safety and well-being of my family and city, Sampson’s downfall is my top priority.”
Alina nodded, respecting the power in his words. “Do you know what happened to Baylor and the others? You said they were wounded.”
“I don’t know. Tim didn’t say. I’m sure they’ll fill you in once you get there. You’ve got a great story for them as well.” He looked at her and grinned.
One by one, the other vehicles met up with them, the drivers raising their fists and cheering. They drove up close and gaped at Alina. She blushed, feeling uncomfortable in her ripped shirt.
She leaned in toward Maxwell. “Do you have an extra shirt, or a blanket or anything?”
Without turning his head, Maxwell reached into the back of the car and tossed her a large, heavy sweatshirt. She slipped it on and rolled up the sleeves.
As the men stared at her, she felt relieved Maxwell had found her. Some of them smiled or winked, while others looked away when she met their eyes. All of them glared at Maxwell. A competition appeared to be driving them as to who would find her and take her back. Maxwell ignored their jealous stares, and Alina smiled, realizing the one man who hadn’t played the game had won it.
She made light conversation with Maxwell for the rest of the drive; he talked about the farm he ran and how his daughters worked the land with him. His oldest daughter was her same age. Alina knew their stay in Millflower would be short, but she hoped for a friend. She missed Trinee.
By late afternoon, the brick wall of Millflower came into sight. Maxwell called on his radio as they approached, gave a code, and the tall metal gate opened for them.
Alina surveyed the town as they drove inside. Small shops lined the main street: a
