by DC Little
She realized then why he acted upset. Taking a step closer, she touched his cheek. “Hey, you don’t have to worry. The choice I make will be the right one, for me, for the one I choose, and for Zion. The guys…” she glanced over at them, no longer pretending not to be watching, “are dealing with raging hormones and need an outlet. They’ll stop talking soon.”
But would they? She chewed on her cheeks as she watched the guys and their openly hostile stares toward the man who called himself Benjamin. Following their stares, she met his eyes across the distance. He smiled and waved like he had no cares in the world. The group behind her grumbled and quietly threatened the stranger.
Something had to be done...and soon.
After training ended, Mercy took the midday meal to Benjamin, intent on getting some answers. The problem was, she hated asking questions. Each day her father, Arland, and Tyler interrogated him. The interrogation was monotonous and full of the horror of what life was like in the Forbidden. It effectively curbed her desire to want to explore the rundown cities and created an even greater soft spot for the man put in her charge.
Yet, the leaders didn’t get into the personal stuff, bypassing his blasé answers about why he was here or who he had left behind, and Benjamin left things out. She felt his heart race each time the questioning came close to who led the coalition or how he came to be out in the forest or anything personal. If she shared that with her father, they might torture the information out of the guy. Her heart ached at that thought.
Some things she needed to handle herself.
She rolled her shoulders back, breathed in strength from the surrounding rocks, and approached Benjamin with the peace offering of food.
“Thanks.” Benjamin smiled in that way that made her insides feel as mushy as the soggy ground.
The snow had mostly melted off, leaving muddy trails and sodden earth. That’s how her heart felt right now, making it hard to stay focused.
“Do you have a death wish?” She watched him as he tore a hunk of jerky off with his teeth.
“Death wish?” he asked between chews, his words slurred from his mouth being full.
Mercy pointedly looked beyond them to where the guys still hung out, watching them, their faces contorted into grotesque scowls.
“Oh, them,” he said in mock seriousness. “So you guys really train every day?”
“Yes, every single day since we were young children.” Mercy turned back to Benjamin. “They are dangerous...to you, but you don’t take them seriously.”
He met her eyes, the humor draining out of them. “If I took life seriously, I would have destroyed myself by now.” The haunted look faded as he shrugged, so quickly she wondered if she had imagined it. “Besides, I can hold my own.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she arched a brow while looking down at his new splint that allowed him the ability to move his knee. “You sure about that?”
Benjamin chuckled, “Well, I might be at a slight disadvantage right now.”
“I’d say so,” Mercy scoffed.
She swallowed, the questions she needed answered stuck in her throat like she had swallowed a bone, each swallow painfully biting into her flesh. Wiping her sweaty palms off on her leggings, she cleared her throat and tried to calm her racing heart. Benjamin looked at her expectantly, his amused expression pushing past her fear igniting her anger.
“Well, spit it out,” he said, leaning back against the boulder behind him.
Her eyes narrowed, and she spat it out alright. “What are you hiding?”
If she hadn’t been watching him closely, she would have missed the slight widening of his eyes, but his heart...that she could feel, and it had jump-started into a dead run.
“Hiding what?”
“Hmm, let’s see, who the leader of your coalition is, where exactly it’s located, why you were in the forest where I found you days travel away from any settlement,” she tapped her chin, “and, oh, what your real name is.”
Benjamin licked his lips and laughed nervously. “To start, it isn’t my coalition. I refuse to belong to that sadist, punitive organization.”
Mercy sat back across from him. “We’re getting somewhere.” She watched him expectantly.
“Well, I do not know where I am, therefore cannot explain where I came from.”
Mercy intensified her stare, pushing to get out the actual truth. She needed to trust him, needed it with her entire being.
“As far as my name,” the blue-eyed devil stumbled here, a slight nervous quiver making his lip twitch, “I’ve gotten used to not giving out my identity...it could mean my life.”
Mercy felt his fear whipping wildly around him, and a part of her wanted to give in, protect him, tell him it was okay, that he was safe, but she didn’t know if he was actually safe. Her father, a man she saw as fair and open to explanation, now acted like this guy in front of her was the enemy. Her dad didn’t mistreat him, didn’t even talk harshly, but he kept himself and Zion closed off to Benjamin, as if allowing him an opening could bring down everything her dad had created.
Her eyes snapped up to him. “What about why you were in the forest, many days’ travel from where you call home.”
Benjamin pushed up to a stand, quickly and efficiently. He had regained his strength and would soon no longer need the support of the brace or the crutch.
He looked down at her, watching her as she came to a stand beside him. After blowing out a breath, he said, “I was looking for someone.”
“And you call my brother cryptic.” She rolled her eyes, walking away. Anger flashed through her, and she spun back toward him. “Who? Who are you looking for, Benjamin?”
His mouth opened, but he closed it firmly.
“I put my life on the line for you and continue to do so. My people...they now call me a traitor. I stand up for you over and over, but you can’t even tell me the truth. You can’t even tell me your real name!”
“Mercy,” he started, the haunted look filling his eyes once again, but he faltered, and no more words left his mouth.
She shook her head, hot, angry tears filling her eyes. He might be her responsibility, but right now she needed to be alone. He called after her, but she ignored him, the sound of his limping gait following her. She picked up her pace until she escaped into the trees, sending the birds flocking to the air.
>>>—ORION—<<<
Orion cursed his leg. It hardly pained him anymore, but not having full use of it slowed him down to a handicap pace. Mercy was right, he couldn’t hold his own if the young men from her camp jumped him like she fretted. It hurt his pride that she thought he needed protecting, especially by a girl.
Though, after seeing her in action, he couldn’t deny her ability to fight. He knew the guys watched him in disgust, but he only had eyes for the red-headed marvel spinning and kicking and knocking down opponents. She mesmerized him, leaving his mouth dry and heart racing. She pulled him in, making him forget his objective, making him wish he could just sneak into this life with her, becoming a permanent fixation.
He couldn’t.
The injustice of it tore open his inner wounds, wounds he thought had healed. He negotiated with himself, wondering if she would leave to come with him. Maybe they could rescue his sister and the other girls and make their own community. Mercy had the knowledge to teach them how to survive in the wilderness.
He had observed her. Even though each morning she told him to stay in the safety of the dwelling, he couldn’t, not only because he needed to gather intel or even out of boredom, but because he couldn’t stand to be away from her that long. He wanted to know everything about her. So, he watched her tend the garden, watched her carry water from the spring, watched her repair the dwelling, clothes, her weapons, and watched her train.
This Zion truly was self-sufficient.
It gave him hope. Hope for himself and hope for the girls that relied on him. Being defectors in the wilderness would be better than defecting within the coalition’
s boundaries.
Suddenly, birds erupted from the forest. They shot into the air with a racquet, cawing and calling out, bringing Orion to a halt. He watched them in fascination, knowing that Mercy had disappeared into the forest from where they flew. His heart skipped as he worried for her safety, wondering how large something had to be to frighten so many birds at once.
A footstep sounded behind him, and he spun, ready for the assault that Mercy warned him about.
Tucker stood there, his eyes watching the birds. “You must have really upset her,” he said, dropping his gaze to Orion.
“Why do you say that?”
Tucker pointed to the birds.
Orion scoffed. The guy was crazy to think that Mercy’s anger could cause the birds to go crazy. “Whatever.”
Tucker shrugged. His calm, diffident matter unnerved Orion, yet something about the brother pulled him. His eyes looked far away, like he saw something beyond Orion yet inside of him. The sensation was strange and gave Orion a shiver.
Finally, he gave in. “She thinks I need protection.” It wasn’t the full truth, but it was something.
“You do.” Tucker’s words were flat, stated as a fact that everyone should know.
“You guys really think you’re all powerful because you train the way you do? Coalitions train, too.”
“That wasn’t what I was talking about.”
Orion narrowed his eyes, trying to read Tucker but coming up with nothing. “Cryptic as always.”
Then Tucker smiled, an instant change in attitude. He threw an arm around Orion’s shoulder and turned him from the forest. “Come on. It’s best to let her cool off for a while. When Sis is angry,” Tucker shook his head, “everyone should hide, not just the birds.”
“You make her sound formidable,” Orion muttered.
Tucker stopped and turned toward him, dropping his arm. “She is, but that’s a good thing. She’ll need that. We all will.”
Orion’s mouth fell open as Tucker continued toward camp. He tried to make sense of what the guy said. He continued to ponder it as Tucker led him back to their dwelling to show him how to make a pair of moccasins.
“I’ve got boots, man,” Orion said, lifting one of the military boots that were a size too small for him.
“I’ve seen your feet when you pull them out at night.” Tucker shook his head. “Besides, they’re full of holes and far from waterproof. Now, pay attention.”
Orion rebelled against the idea of sewing. No man in the coalition sewed their own clothing, so he did not know how to even begin. The Old Man had the women who were no longer good for other...uses...work on repairs like sewing clothes back together or weaving new ones from their scavenges.
“In the coalition, men don’t know how to sew.”
Tucker looked up at him, seeming to read his eyes for several seconds before replying. “In Zion, everyone learns every skill. There are no jobs just for women or just for men.” Tucker smiled. “Though, we have been known to trade for skill work that we would rather not do.”
Orion found new respect for the community. Everyone learned every skill. Zion valued women as well as men, that’s what the girls needed. That’s what Lily needed.
Soggy, sucking footsteps came to the door, heavy steps and the overwhelming presence he knew to be Chantry. He glanced up and saw Tucker watching him, like he observed something from afar.
“Come in, Dad.” Tucker set aside the moccasin.
They waited while Chantry’s eyes adjusted. Orion’s fists bunched, and he held the desire to end the torture right now, but with Tucker there...he didn’t stand a chance, even if he could surprise the giant man. A wave of regret flowed through him, Mercy would never forgive him if he killed her father. All of his dreams over the last two weeks would fade out, leaving him back in his bleak reality.
But Chantry had killed his father...how could Orion let that go?
“Why is my daughter upset?” Chantry challenged Orion, who stood up to meet the man face-to-face.
Orion almost stood eye-to-eye, and he saw the flashing green eyes of the woman that left him mesmerized in his enemy’s face. For a moment, the comparison fizzled out his anger...for a moment.
Orion did not know what to say. He obviously wouldn’t be telling Chantry the truth, and he hoped Mercy hadn’t either, for if she had, he might as well fight right now, because it would be a death sentence.
“I asked you a question,” Chantry growled.
“Calm down, Dad. Geez, you’ve been so uptight lately.” Tucker stood, landing a hand on his dad’s shoulder.
Chantry turned to his son. “One day you will understand, Tuck. When you have a daughter of your own…”
“Little Sis can handle herself. You know that. I know that.” He looked at Orion. “And I think our new friend knows that now, too.”
“She’s more worried about me needing protection than herself,” Orion muttered, doing his best to calm his anger.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Chantry said, though the anger seemed to die out of his words.
Orion realized that this was the first time he had been with Chantry without Mercy by his side. Oddly enough, it appeared to help Chantry let down his guard.
“Why does everyone think I can’t take care of myself?” Orion quipped.
Both Chantry and Tucker looked at him, their brows raised.
“My leg is healing,” he muttered.
“That it is.” Chantry ran his hand across his hair and then looked down at the splint. “That’s why you will begin training...under supervision.”
Orion stopped the retort that started to fly from his mouth. Shock made his throat choke up. Chantry was going to let him train?
Tucker smiled and bobbed his head. “There’s my dad.”
“This is serious, Champ.” Chantry eyed Orion. “Bringing strangers back to Zion is dangerous. What if it wasn’t Benjamin? What if it was a spy, looking for our weaknesses? Our people could be killed...our home destroyed...lives taken. Our way of life would be over.”
Orion felt an almost physical blow. He fought against it, but he identified with the big man. Chantry really looked out for his people. He would do anything for them...including shooting someone he saw as a friend in the back. At least, that’s the way the Old Man told it.
This couldn’t change Orion’s outlook or his directive. It didn’t matter if Chantry turned out to be the father of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It didn’t matter that Chantry had his people’s best intentions in mind. It didn’t matter if Orion had seen something he liked in Chantry...the man had killed his father in cold blood.
He could taste the bile rising in his throat, wanting to spit the words out, confront him, ask him why he had taken his father’s life to leave him alone and unprotected. His eyes stung, and he bit his tongue to keep from crying out.
“We will be ready, Dad.” Tucker’s words made Orion realize they were having a long-lasting, old conversation.
Orion knew his objective, but he wouldn’t give intel on how to locate Zion. He knew that now...he knew that the moment Mercy led him here. The idea of her being harmed... No. He would complete his purpose, then there would be nothing here left for him. He would disappear, and the rest of Zion would be safe from further attack, Mercy would be safe. That was something he would ensure.
“I would rather keep it from happening in the first place, wouldn’t you?” Chantry held his son’s gaze.
“If possible,” Tucker said slowly.
“For now, we need to help this new friend fit in and not be a burden. We can’t have him leaving,” he eyed Orion, “and we can’t have internal disputes.”
“I’ll talk with the guys,” Tucker said.
“We both know that talking won’t do any good. Our Benjamin is going to have to prove himself.” Chantry leveled his glare on Orion as if sizing him up, wondering if he had what it took to prove himself.
Orion stood tall, shoulders back, and stared straight into
the flashing green ones. All he needed was a chance to prove himself. He would show them. He didn’t need protection. He could fit in here. His heart fell as he once again remembered he couldn’t afford himself the luxury of the dream of staying.
“In the meantime,” Chantry continued his deep search of his eyes, “I suggest you stay on Mercy’s good side. I’ve seen the result of those who upset her.” Chantry smirked, and Orion found himself no longer looking at a killer but a proud father.
Orion filed the information away. He would have to ask Mercy about this result that her father talked of. He felt a small smirk tug at his lips, liking the idea of Mercy putting those who trespassed against her in their place.
“I see you understand,” Chantry said, pulling Orion’s attention back to him. “We will skip the questioning for today. You need to focus on learning from my children. Life here differs greatly from what you have shared about your coalition.”
“It’s not my coalition,” Orion muttered.
“Good.” Chantry nodded his head. “We can’t afford for you to leave, anyway.” His eyes faded as if he lost himself in a memory, a memory that left his body tense and jaw clenching.
Orion opened his mouth. He had to leave. There were people counting on his return, but he firmed his lips quickly. He couldn’t give himself away to the enemy.
Yet, as Chantry bid his farewell and ducked out of the dwelling, the big man didn’t feel as much of an enemy as he had. A wary niggling waffled inside Orion. Indecision was the root of every mistake. He needed to complete his objective sooner rather than later, before they snared him into liking the enemy.
CHAPTER TEN
>>>—MERCY—<<<
Mercy still fumed when she returned to the dwelling for the night. She had kept away from Benjamin the rest of the day. No, it wasn’t the responsible thing to do, but right now she needed space. Besides, she knew she would hear if something happened and needed to come save his booty.
Standing outside her dwelling, she heard her brother and Benjamin laughing. Her hand reaching for the door flap froze. Something had shifted, both in Tucker and this...Benjamin. They were acting relaxed. For reasons she couldn’t quite capture, their good moods infuriated her even more.
