Fawke moved to my other side, sending the older man a sharp look. “I’ve got her.”
“Right.” Lloyd stepped away. “I forgot she’s your girl, but I’m not looking to step on any toes. I’m old enough to be her father. Heck, maybe even her grandfather.”
“Which is why I beat you.” I wiggled my eyebrows. “You’re an old man.”
“Cheeky.” He laughed and headed for the center of the community, leaving my group to follow to where Jenkins waited.
Applause greeted us as people spilled from their homes. Joy bubbled. It seemed like forever since I had a home. Mom would love this place.
“Rebel City welcomes it’s new members.” Jenkins’s voice rose over the noise. “Worthy people joining our ranks. Fighters, young women, strong men. We are blessed indeed.”
I smirked. Now, he wants to show how worthy we are. Yesterday, he was willing for one of us to die.
“Crynn, Fawke, I’d like the two of you to be in charge of training warriors once Crynn is fully healed. Kira will join our nurses. The other young women will work in the gardens, the men with our livestock until the fight we all know is coming is upon us. Do you accept these assignments?”
We all nodded. If everyone felt the same as me, they’d do almost anything to live within the safety of this place.
When we were dismissed, the group dispersed except for me and Fawke. He led me to a bench outside my new home and helped me sit.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. Just sore.” I met his concerned gaze. “You’re okay with all this? I know how much you wanted to return home.”
He sat next to me. “I’ve done a lot of thinking.” He spread his arms behind me on the top of the bench. “When Soriah comes and we win the battle, all of our people will be free. We can bring our mothers here.”
“Is winning against Soriah really something we can do? They have choppers, more weapons than we do.” I shook my head. “I don’t see us being alive once they arrive.”
“Don’t bury us yet. It’ll be hard to spot us under these trees. Remember, they all think we’re dead.”
“We could take a small group back to the city and scavenge. Soriah will replace us. We can take their weapons to add to the arsenal here.” Ideas formed in my mind. Fawke might be right. We were trained fighters. How many did Soriah actually have within its city walls?
“You’d go back out there?”
“If it meant winning, yes.” I watched a little boy hit a wooden ball with a stick. “This life is worth preserving. No more trackers, no more president consumed with making his life easier, no more girls being sent to the entertainment district or eighteen-year-olds fighting Malignants.”
“What would we do for a living in this new world you’re dreaming of?” He pulled my head onto his shoulder.
“Whatever we want.” I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep, not waking until my stomach rumbled.
Kira brought me more of the foul-tasting medicine and a plate with meat and vegetables. “Venison and carrots.” She glanced at Fawke. “I should have known you’d be with her. I’ll bring another plate.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll gain ten pounds in no time the way they feed us.” I bit into a carrot.
“Good. You’re too skinny.” He ducked as I aimed a playful punch at him.
“Ouch.” No sudden moves for me. I quickly downed the medicine, then covered the taste with the venison. I picked up another carrot. “We had a small garden back home, but nothing grew like this. I wonder what their secret is.”
“Venison manure.” Jenkins stopped next to us. “It puts nutrients into the soil. We also have a compost pile. Nothing goes to waste here. Will you excuse us, Fawke? I promise to watch over her and have someone fetch you when we’ve finished our discussion.”
Fawke gave a wary nod, clearly reluctant to leave. Still, he’d been trained to respect authority and marched away without a word.
“That young man would die for you,” Jenkins said.
“When I arrived, I was his assignment. He can’t seem to let that go.”
“Dear girl, he loves you. That’s why he hovers.”
Was it possible? Now that he wouldn’t be leaving me in two years, could we have a future together? I didn’t dare hope. The future was still too uncertain. “What did you want to discuss?”
“I must confess to eavesdropping.” He didn’t look embarrassed in the least. “I agree that we need more weapons. Soriah will come, eventually. If you’re serious about heading back to the city to steal from those Soriah sends, then I’m in agreement.”
“I am serious.” I set my empty plate on the ground. “The problem, though, is that Soriah sent us things the newcomers don’t get to choose. Flamethrowers are not in the supply room.”
“Guns will do. I’ve heard a rumor, oh, it’s been a long time ago,” he waved a dismissive hand, “about an underground armory somewhere in that city. I’d like your group to find out if it exists.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Where would we begin?”
“The outskirts. There used to be an army base before Soriah built the wall.”
“Why did you send Fawke away to tell me this?”
“It’ll be dangerous. I didn’t want him to influence your decision.”
I widened my eyes. “This isn’t a direct order?”
He laughed. “I suppose it is. I value your opinion and wanted to hear your thoughts.”
“How will we get supplies?” We’d have no weekly supply drops.
“We’ll get supplies to you. Leave a trail of R’s on buildings as you go. I’ll send men out on a regular basis. I’m asking this of you and yours because you’ve lived out there. You know what
