Retrieve

by Sarah Addison-Fox

  RETRIEVE

  Copyright © 2018 Sarah Addison-Fox

  ISBN: 978-0-473-46595-7

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission in writing from the author, except brief quotations in critical articles, news articles and reviews.

  Cover by Savannah Jezowski www.dragonpenpress.com

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  RETRIEVE

  Thank you

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  About the Author

  Thank you

  Thank you to the following peeps who were instrumental in getting this book out:

  Savannah Jezowski, Kandi Wyatt, Christy Kimmerly and Claire Banschbach.

  Much love and respect to you all.

  Chapter One

  Hadley’s heart thudded against her ribs, her breathing shallow, back slick with sweat as she ran through the streets of the lower district of Kingsport.

  Her pursuer’s breathing sounded as ragged as hers. “May as well give up. I know where you’ve been hiding from me.”

  Her legs pumping, she carried on, not wasting a prayer on the unfeeling gods as she dashed towards the remains of her home.

  She came to a sliding stop. Her chest heaved as she ducked around a hedgerow and hauled herself up the side of the derelict cottage, placing her fingers inside gaps that weren’t there last winter.

  Her pursuer shouted from the street as she scrambled over the thatch roof, careful not to place her hands or feet on the thin spots that Thomas had promised to mend. When she was sure she was out of sight, she crawled behind the remains of the chimney and waited for her breathing to return to normal.

  She stuffed the pilfered bread into her mouth, heart thudding a steady tune as she sucked in breaths and tried not to choke.

  Her pursuer, Flynn, called out from just below the eaves, his voice rough as he sucked in air. “The constable is on his way. I warned you about stealing from my father.”

  The stale bread sat like a stone in her twisting gut. If the constabulary arrived, they’d know she was living here all alone. That her brother had gone missing two weeks ago and there was little inside the cottage besides painful memories and a family of rats.

  She hated that her voice wobbled when she called out. “He threw it away; it’s not even stealing.”

  He only laughed. “Your word against mine, Hadley. Who you think he’s going to believe?”

  She wiped her clammy palms on her filthy dress. If she just had something to sell, maybe she could pay him back, and he’d quit pestering her?

  But all that was left were a few shabby clothes that belonged to her father and brother. Thomas had given away or sold all her mother’s clothing to feed them after their father died.

  Nothing of value remained inside the house. Every trinket, every item her beloved mother had cherished, was gone.

  Below her, Flynn’s voice taunted. “You know if you climbed down here, we could probably come to some sort of an arrangement.”

  Her teeth clenched together, and she wished she could say something. Something that would make him go away and leave her alone.

  “Thomas isn’t coming back. He probably joined those crazy Stormers last time they came looking. Come on, come down, we can figure out something.”

  Hadley pressed her fingernails into her palms. Thomas wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t just leave her here knowing what a predator Flynn was. A niggle of doubt began to grow as she squatted on the roof. What if he did?

  Panic overtook her as the faint sound of horse’s hooves came from the end of the lane.

  Flynn’s voice turned cruel. “He’s brought a torch with him. Looks like he means to burn this dump. Come down now.”

  Her empty stomach knotted. If the constable decided to flush her out with fire, everything inside would burn to a crisp, forcing her to climb right into Flynn’s waiting arms. Then the corrupt constabulary would probably take a bribe from Flynn to let her go. As one of the only people in lower Kingsport that still had coin in their purses and food enough to spare, she’d be completely at Flynn’s mercy.

  With no time to consider, Hadley crawled across the roof and scampered effortlessly down the cottage.

  She hit the ground and broke into a run. Her legs caught in her skirts as she hurried through the overgrown weeds surrounding the dilapidated cottage. Keeping as low as she could, she ran at a half crouch and hoped Flynn wouldn’t decide to check the other side of the cottage before she made it to the trees.

  She risked a look, and when she saw no one, she straightened and pumped her weary legs harder.

  Every muscle in her body tensed as she dashed into the forest and threw herself at the nearest tree. Breaths coming in rapidly, she frantically climbed. Mid-reach for a branch, her dress snagged, nearly sending her plummeting to the ground.

  A sob caught in her throat she ripped the filthy fabric away, trying not to lament her mother’s handiwork, the last dress she sewed before dying, being destroyed.

  Her eyes grew as moist as her palms. She placed her calloused fingers into the rough bark and with the last of her nervous energy hauled herself up into the dense branches, climbing until she was high enough that no one else would dare come to find her.

  As long as there were trees or buildings she could climb, she could always hide and wait Flynn out. But as she clung to the trunk and found her breath again, fear crept like sweat down her spine.

  She couldn’t deny it any longer, couldn’t keep pretending she wasn’t in trouble. She was an eighteen-year-old unmarried girl with no family and no means to support herself.

  The cottage was crumbling around her, winter approached, and even if they didn’t burn her home, she had nothing left to sell for food. Now that Flynn knew her brother had vanished, there was nothing to stop him from pursuing her.

  What she needed was a sanctuary. A place where no one would prey on her because she was alone and desperate. A place where food and lodging were given in exchange for honest work. But where in Kingsport could a starving girl with nothing to her name hide?

  Hot tears ran down her face, and she didn’t bother to swipe them away. The answer more terrifying than being forced to accept Flynn’s repulsive offer.

  Nowhere is safe for a girl on her own.

  Kade Dawson slid off his stolen horse with all the grace of a wounded elephant. Blood leaching from his arrow wound, his eyes grainy and throat parched, he stumbled towards the riverbank, praying to whichever god would answer him as he fell face first into the water.

  He took a last breath before he dove beneath the surface, pain screaming through his shoulder as he awkwardly clawed at the water.

  Lungs burning, he broke the surface to the sound of angry shouts and arrows flying overhead. He issued a curse then dove back under, the dissipating sunlight barely penetrating the gloomy waters of the Azetary River.

  Every muscle tense, Kade swam unseeing towards the opposite bank, only stopping when his body demanded air. He surfaced again, spinning around to check on his pursuer. On the other side of the bank, the Numachi warrior’s posture scre
amed his irritation at failing to kill him.

  Kade carried on downstream and allowed his body to relax and the current to do the work. Blood mingled with the water dripping down his face as he pulled his broad shoulders through the water. Weapons gone, face bruised and stomach raw with hunger, he checked the riverbank for signs of his comrades.

  They would never give themselves away until he was close enough they could recognise his tattoos and the tan leather vest the Stormers all wore.

  Drawing in muggy air, he half floated, half swam towards the encampment, his mind muddled with thoughts of how he’d gone wrong.

  Too many things had gone against him: the retrieval had not gone as planned, his partner had gotten sick and, with his own injuries, he would be out of action for a few weeks. This meant there would be more work for the next Stormers sent in to finish the job he failed to do.

  His eyes on the trees lining the riverbank, Kade spotted the slightest movement in the growing dark. A lean man with dark, collar-length hair stepped out, arrow nocked and ready as Kade floated past. His cousin, Carl, glared at him until Kade awkwardly raised his arm above the water line to show the tattoo that granted him safe passage.

  Carl dropped the bow and grinned. “Get your backside out of the water, you great lump.”

  Were it not for the slight possibility his cousin would get taken by an arrow, he would have welcomed the arrogance Carl exhibited. But Carl was betrothed to a girl from the nearest village, and he should know better than to risk himself by standing out in the open where a longbow could reach.

  The girl had no idea his cousin was a Stormer. Kade wasn’t about to argue, even if he didn’t agree with his cousin’s lies or his tendency to forget he was engaged any time a pretty girl smiled at him.

  Kade kicked harder, fighting the current as he headed to where the river shallowed and a smaller figure with wild blonde curls stood, hands on hips.

  He pulled himself out of the water and grinned at his sister in an attempt to reassure her.

  “You went to Amaria alone? Why didn’t you wait for help?”

  Kade shrugged, unsuccessfully trying to hide the pain in his shoulder. “Jake needed a few days’ rest. I figured I could probably make the retrieval alone and get back here on schedule.”

  Meg’s blue eyes locked on his damaged face, and her features softened. “You can’t keep breaking Cester’s rules. Maybe if you listened a little more, you’d not meet so much trouble?”

  A low chuckle came from behind them before Carl jumped down, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement. “He’ll meet trouble regardless of rules. He’s a walking target.”

  Kade shoved him and tried to ignore the distress on Meg’s face. “You help cook today? I’m starved.”

  Meg shook her head. “I was with Cester, helping him with the ledger. He’s waiting for you. There are new arrivals due in a few hours.”

  Carl slapped his palm on Kade’s arm, causing ripples of pain to shudder through his torn shoulder. “Go on, slacker, that’s two Storms you cocked up this month. Cester’s sure to put you on babysitting duty this time.”

  Kade curled his lip as he scrambled after a jovial Carl. Babysitting the newbies was the worst punishment his captain would exact. Most were just scared runaways or street urchins looking for grub. None could fight, and it would take months of coddling before they were capable of much.

  He sighed as he climbed the slippery bank, hefting his sister upwards and back toward camp. He paused at the top, light headed from the blood loss and two days of hardly any food. While his cousin and sister waited for him to recover, he ran a hand over his hair and scanned the small clearing for the Captain of the Stormers.

  A few metres away from the crest of the river bank, the silver-haired, plump cook Martha ladled something to six weary-looking young men, all around his age of seventeen summers, all choosing the lifestyle of retrieval, and all grateful to be fed when so many northerners were not.

  Jake, a scrawny boy of fifteen, raised a hand in greeting, his brow knotted as he took in the blood and water dribbling down Kade’s water-logged clothing.

  “I stayed in Arrowford for three days but when you did—" Jake began.

  Kade waved his hand in front of his face as he passed them. The smell of fried bread and the savoury scent of meat made his mouth water. “Doesn’t matter. I took a shortcut home.”

  Jake’s expression only darkened as he chewed on a piece of damper. Martha eyed him, tut-tutting as she shook her head. “Look at the state of you. Ben won’t half be cross.”

  He sent her a grin as she handed out more bread to the rest of the Stormers, each of whom nodded in greeting. Kade’s feet propelled him towards Cester’s tent, legs dragging as exhaustion started to weigh him down.

  “Brute was sent out a few days after you left. Duke’s in Kingsport south scouting for newbies,” Carl said.

  He nodded, eyes scanning the campsite. A few of the tents would be empty with most of the senior Stormers off-site either scouting or retrieving.

  Perfect timing to fill them with possible new recruits. Recruits who’d likely scarper when they found out what Cester expected of them.

  Carl’s heavy footsteps came to a halt, his lips twitching into a smirk. “Uh oh,” he muttered before pivoting and stalking away.

  His stomach flipped as Cester’s bulky frame ducked through his tent opening and started his uniform walk towards them. “Be careful,” Meg whispered before she turned on her heel.

  His brow creased. He was always careful in his conversations with Cester, even if he didn’t agree with his beliefs or his rules. He had too much riding on keeping his position, a position that kept his sister from starving and them from being forced into servitude the way a lot of northern orphans were.

  Cester stopped a foot away from him and crossed his arms over his bulky chest, an intimidating wall of solid muscle clothed in worn leather. Bronzed skin crinkled around dark eyes. “No retrieval?”

  Kade gulped but held himself steady, wiping the blood away as it begun to drip down his forehead again. “I met three Numachi warriors; two are dead, but the other trailed me to the river.”

  Cester breathed out a long sigh, his jaw working as he gave Kade a steely-eyed glare. “This is why we work in pairs. So one can scout first.”

  Kade’s cheeks flushed with anger. “I did scout. They came out of nowhere. I didn’t even get near the hut.”

  He waited for further reproach, his fists curling as Cester frowned, disappointment etched on his face. “I expected you to have learned your lesson after the last time you went alone. You have your sister to think of. She was worried sick when Jake returned without you.”

  Kade ground his teeth, feeling all eyes of the small camp on him as the Northern Stormers watched. Not your place to worry about my sister, mate.

  “It’s not my fault the lad you sent with me got sick. You assigned me the job. I decided to go for it.”

  Cester adjusted his stance, his tone still unrelenting. “Going alone was reckless.”

  Kade shrugged, a sharp pain in his shoulder stealing his breath. “I was committed. It should have been an easy Storm.”

  Cester’s eyes narrowed. “It should have been, but it wasn’t. Not only do you continually flout the rules designed to keep you safe, but you also killed two Numachi warriors.”

  “I had no choice. They wanted a fight. I gave them one.”

  Shut up, Kade. Shut up!

  He instantly regretted being so flippant when Cester’s voice resembled a growl. “You know how I feel about taking life, yet once again you choose to blatantly disregard my wishes.”

  Growing irritation spread through him. “I was ambushed, I just barely managed to escape with my life, and if I hadn’t killed them and stolen a Numachi horse, I wouldn’t have made it back here.”

  Cester gaze seemed to soften a fraction. “I’m not questioning your bravery, Stormer. I’m questioning your idiotic, lone wolf mentality. We are a team and a team of
specialists. There are rules for a reason. It separates us from other units and common thugs for hire.”

  Kade bit his tongue. He knew this already. The Northern Stormers were the elite of the four Stormer units. Did his Captain really think he needed reminding of his failure?

  “They were trying to kill me. What was I supposed to do?”

  Cester eyed him. “We are supposed to use our heads a little more than our fists.”

  “And by we, you really mean me?”

  His captain shook his head. “No, I mean all of you. I had this same conversation with your cousin. Both you Dawson boys seem to have trouble keeping my rules of late.”

  They’re stupid rules that make no sense. And we’re not desperate kids anymore. That’s why. Kade covered his irritation, his stomach growling noisily. “I can go back soon as my shoulder heals. I’ll take Jake again.”

  His captain’s face stayed impassive. “No, I’ll send Duke out when he returns. He can take Jake along to assist. The only thing you’re fit for is helping the new recruits settle in and starting their training,” Cester said.

  Kade’s jaw clenched, fists opening and closely as he forced the words out. “I’m being punished then?”

  Cester eyed him, his posture still as stiff and unyielding as ever. “Count yourself lucky I’m in a good mood. If it were anyone else, you’d be out on your backside.”

  Thinking of Meg and where they’d all be without Cester, he forced a shallow smile. “This is you in a good mood?”

  Cester’s cheek twitched. “You will not return to Amaria without another Stormer or a recruit with you. We work in pairs for safety. No more brainless adventures on your own, is that clear?”

  Without waiting for the inevitable reply, Cester turned on his heel and strode across the grass, leaving Kade to mutter under his breath and scowl at his Captain’s back.

  Cester’s words ringing in his ears as he dragged himself back to the camp-fire and a pensive-looking Meg. No more brainless adventures on your own.

  What the hell was that supposed to mean?