The wagons clattered over rocks and iron beams making our presence known. Still no creatures attacked. I peered over the building. Where were they?
“Something has drawn them away,” Kira said. “What would do that?” She glanced at the sky. “Doesn’t look like rain.”
I held up my fist to call a halt a few feet away from flames over a crack in the asphalt. “Fawke, we need to scout ahead.”
“I’ll go,” Jolt offered, releasing the handle of the wagon. It dropped with a thud. “Fawke is needed here more than I am. He’s a better fighter.”
“Which is why I go with Crynn.” Fawke grabbed his gun.
Having him with me was more preferable than the less experienced Jolt. Plus, I enjoyed his company out from under the hungry gaze of Gage. “Fawke goes. The rest of you rest. We camp here tonight and head through the opening tomorrow. If Sharon calls, tell her I’ll be back in an hour.”
“She isn’t going to like you taking command.” Fawke grinned. “But, I like the bossy Crynn.”
Unfortunately, he wasn’t in control of my fate. What’s the worst Soriah could do to me? Make me stay here for the rest of my life? A horrible fate, but one I could deal with if it kept my people safe. My family, as they’d become to me. This group was all I had.
We took off at a jog, slowing as we stepped through the opening we’d located earlier that day. I tensed, expecting an attack. Nothing. No shrieks, no sight of a single monster.
“Where are they?” I glanced at Fawke.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it. This is eerie.”
We stepped onto what might have once been a busy city street. Cars lined the sides, smashed as pieces of skyscrapers fell. A few fires burned where the asphalt had cracked.
Craning my neck, I stared at a building that still towered above the others. A light flickered in one of the windows. I tapped Fawke on the shoulder and pointed. Malignants didn’t need light. We’d located another human.
“Do you think they’re following whoever that is?” I asked.
“All of them?” Fawke frowned. “Whoever it is would be dead by now if that horde knew about their existence.”
“Should we go in?”
“Yes, but stay behind me. If something happens, run back to the others.”
“Not without you.” I glared.
He exhaled sharply. “You know the special assignments?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, mine is to keep our leader safe at all costs. I failed once, I won’t fail again.” He stepped into the darkness of the building.
That explained a lot. I still wouldn’t let him, or anyone, jeopardize their life for me, though. Special assignment be damned. Praying the building wouldn’t fall, I followed.
The odor inside was almost unbearable, making me glad for the scarf around my face. It didn’t take the stench away, but did mask it some.
Fawke clicked on a flashlight, put a finger to his lips, and headed deeper into the building. A set of steel stairs led to the second floor. Something scraped above us. We froze.
When no more sound came, we continued upward. I gripped the rickety railing so tight my knuckles ached. Another scrape. Sweat poured down my brow. I preferred seeing the threat toward me rather than seeking it out.
The second floor held no walls. Fawke’s light barely broke the darkness of the cavernous space. Yet it was here we’d seen the light, heard the sound of a foot scraping against cement. Fawke clicked off his light.
After a few seconds, my eyesight adjusted to the dark. I glanced around the room, venturing further in.
Piles of weeds and dried grass dotted the floor. We’d found a lair.
Fawke squatted next to one, turning his light back on. “Crynn.” He pointed to grass matted with blood.
“Is that an umbilical cord?” I swallowed against the mountain in my throat.
“Yep. They’re breeding.”
“I didn’t think they could.”
“I’m finding out there’s a lot we didn’t know.” He whirled and shined his light in a corner.
A young man held up his hands. “Don’t shoot.”
“Who are you?” I took a step closer, only to be stopped by Fawke.
“Nobody.” The man whirled and dashed away, his steps echoing as he descended another staircase.
Fawke and I gave chase. We’d made our first contact with a human outside our group. I had no intention of letting him get away.
Outside, we chased him across the street and into another building. The back wall of the building had long ago been blasted away. Our prey darted through and across a small courtyard before scaling a fence.
We lost him in the next building. No sight or sound of him.
I kicked a rock, sending it clattering away from me. A shout rang out from a few yards away. I shot Fawke a look when another voice rang out, then several and the sounds of a battle, sword against sword.
We’d located a group. Perhaps the very group of survivors we’d been sent to find.
Unfortunately, the horde of Malignants had found them as well.
13
“This isn’t our fight.” Fawke’s face tightened. “Two more fighters won’t make a difference.”
“You want to leave them to die?” I stared at two small groups of men fighting for their lives against way too many Malignants.
“They aren’t your responsibility.” He faced me. “The people waiting for us are.”
My gut wrenched. He was right. As much as I hated to leave them, my obligation lay elsewhere. At least we now knew we weren’t alone in this vast concrete jungle. I turned away, blinking back tears. “Let’s
