The Tainted

by Frost Kay

  Knock him on the back of his head. Just one swing.

  He spun right as she swung.

  “Haz—?” He never finished his word. His eyes rolled up into his head and she managed to grab his arm and shoulder before he could topple.

  Pain struck her as she crashed to the ground, taking the brunt of his weight. Hazel wheezed as she wiggled out from underneath him and checked his pulse. It was steady. She snatched two towels from the basket and placed them underneath his head, then arranged his limbs in a more comfortable fashion.

  A tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she stared down at Doc’s face. “I’m so sorry,” she choked out. “I wish there’d been another way.”

  Hazel turned from Doc and yanked the sheet from her knapsack. She ripped it in two and quickly tied knots in the sheet, then placed it on the edge before diving into the pool. Hazel scanned the rocks and plucked one from the bottom that was roughly the size of her fist. That one should work.

  She heaved herself from the pool and tied the rock into the end of the sheet. Hazel snagged a soap bar and a hand towel and shoved them into her bag before throwing it over her chest. She glanced at Doc and then hopped into the water, the length of sheet trailing behind her. After paddling to almost the middle, she treaded water and eyed the wagon wheel above her. All she had to do was get the rock over one of the edges, then the rock would do the rest of the work.

  Rotating the rock in her hand, she took a steady breath and then launched it, but missed it by three feet. Apparently, her aim wasn’t as good as it used to be. Hazel towed the sheet back in and clutched the rock. She could do this. She tossed it again, and fear crawled up her throat as the rock smashed into the metal, the clang ringing through the room.

  Oh, no. Desperately, she towed the sheet back in and eyed the entrance to the cave. Who knows who could have heard that. She needed to be out of there now. Her hand shook as she lifted the rock to toss it once more.

  “You can do this,” she whispered, taking a deep, even breath, her heart racing. “Calm down and focus.”

  Her papa’s voice echoed through her mind. “Panic is your enemy. It’ll kill you.”

  She steadied her hand, focused on the metal light, and threw the rock with all her might. Her heart skipped a beat as it sailed over the edge; she barely managed to snag the other end of the sheet. The other half of the sheet hung down, the rock swinging in the air as she swam closer.

  Using one of the knots her brothers had taught her, she tied the two ends together. Hazel pulled them apart, threw one leg into the loop, and then the other, until she was sitting in the sheet like it was a giant swing. She jiggled a bit and a nervous giggle escaped her. The light stayed put. It wasn’t going anywhere.

  Slowly, she stood in the sheet and placed her hands on her makeshift rope. Gritting her teeth, she lifted her feet and wrapped her legs around the sheets. Her hands screamed and slipped a bit on the wet material, but she didn’t fall. One foot at a time, she climbed until she reached the wagon wheel. Metal bit into her palms as she used the light to heave herself up. She wiggled and kicked until she lay flat on the wagon wheel, staring down at the pool.

  Her stomach lurched. From up here, the light looked so much higher. Her arms shook as she pushed herself to her knees, balancing on the spokes, and hauled the sheet up after her. She couldn’t leave a trail behind her. The Tainted had senses that she could only dream of.

  Hazel unwrapped the rock and dropped it. It disappeared into the cloudy water with a dull plop. She glanced above and eyed the cables crisscrossing above her. A small grin tipped up her lips. How nice of them to make it an easy climb for her.

  She tore four strips off the sheet and tied them around her palms and feet. Her hands and her feet were her most important assets for escape. Damaging them wasn’t an option. She tore the ripped sheet in half and wrapped the other part around the spoke to hide it. It was too heavy to carry.

  With her heart in her throat, she stood and reached for the first cable, not daring to look down. It was just like climbing trees. One by one, she climbed. Sweat ran down her temples; her breathing was labored as she reached for the last cable. She paused there, eyeing the last eight feet she had to climb. It wouldn’t be easy, but she could do it.

  Hazel pulled the sheet off her hands with her teeth and placed a hand on each wall, then eased her feet out until they reached the wall, tension moving through her body.

  “Only a little bit more to go, Haz,” she murmured. “You climbed a tree with a dislocated shoulder and a broken arm. You’ve got this.”

  At said reminder, her wound complained. Hazel ignored it and began to climb, the rough sandstone tearing at her palms and the delicate skin of her feet.

  The last eight feet seemed to take hours, but at last, her fingers curled over the rim. She hauled herself up and straddled the edge.

  She’d made it. She’d made it!

  She stifled the yell of triumph that threatened to spill from her lips and recovered from the climb. Relief swept through her at how the chute curved into a sedate slope instead of a sharp drop-off. Her breath caught as she moved her hair from her face and got a good look at her surroundings.

  It wasn’t a village. It was a massive compound.

  The bluff was to the west just behind her, standing like a giant sentinel. The city spread out from there, some of the buildings built into the bluff. Farms edged the city like giant green rainbows, followed by two gigantic fences that looked like a jagged smile.

  Her gaze moved toward the southern farms. That was her way out.

  She shimmied over the edge and carefully slid down the curl of the ceiling as quietly as she could while keeping an eye on her surroundings. Luck was on her side. The hot springs were on the edge of the compound.

  The edge of the dome came quickly, and she winced as she realized she’d have to drop to the ground. It was far, but she wouldn’t break her legs. Nevertheless, Hazel yanked the rest of her sheet from her bag and looped it around a jutting piece of rock. She eased over the side and began climbing down.

  A ripping sound caught her attention right before she was airborne. Her scream stuck in her throat as she crashed to the ground. Blinding pain swamped her, but she couldn’t cry. There wasn’t any air. She frantically eyed the area around her through teary eyes and scooted herself into the shadows as she regained her breath.

  Damn, that hurt … but nothing is broken.

  A small groan slipped from her as she pushed to her feet and glanced at the ripped sheet at her feet. Thank goodness it hadn’t torn when she was inside. It had gotten her this far. She picked the sodden sheet from the ground and tucked it into her bag, then began moving through the shadows. Every sound made her cringe and look up.

  That was many persons’ mistake. They never looked up. But Hazel knew differently. Death came from above, and it had wings.

  She froze and ducked behind a garbage can as two voices neared.

  “Why aren’t you home with that pretty wife of yours?” a male voice asked, his words slurred.

  “She’s mad at me,” another male grumped, his voice growing closer.

  “What did you do this time, Jo?”

  “I forgot Molly.”

  The other man cackled, his laugh echoing around them. “How in the blazes did you forget your own daughter?”

  The other man paused on the other side of the garbage and kicked at the dirt. Hazel held her breath and tried to blend into the brick wall at her back.

  “Molly’s so quiet. I thought she was following me.” Hazel winced as the man kicked the garbage can. “It was an accident.”

  The other man cackled again and then began coughing. “God, that stinks. Like rotten eggs. What were the McDoogles eating today?” He slapped the other man on the back and led him away. “I’m sure if you grovel a little bit, she’ll…” His voice trailed off as they disappeared around the corner.

  Hazel let out the breath she was holding, yanked the sheet from her bag, and eyed
the clothesline. She yanked a long, faded blue dress from the line and cut the bottom two feet off it. After tying a few knots, she had a new outfit and a new knapsack.

  She shivered as she yanked her old dress off, replaced it with the new one, tossed the hot- spring-soaked sheet into the trash, arranged the garbage over the top of it, and then clipped her dress in place of the one she’d taken. Hopefully, that would cover what she’d taken. It was an even trade.

  Weaving through the alleys and streets wasn’t as difficult as it was confusing. It was a veritable maze. Her pulse picked up, though, when she finally reached the edge of the buildings and a sea of vegetables greeted her. She was so close.

  She scoured the area for any sign of life and found none. This was the most dangerous part. If she could get to the vegetation, she’d be hidden, but there were thirty feet between her and the farm.

  Hazel examined the area once more before bolting for the farm. Her heart hammered in her chest as she sprinted, bent low to the ground, dove between enormous tomato plants, and began army-crawling. She’d made it.

  It was slow going, but in the end was worth it. First, a chain-link wall loomed ahead, topped with barbed wire. She paused and placed her cheek against the cool soil as exhaustion began to worm its way through her body. If she let herself, she could fall asleep right there.

  “Get up,” she whispered. “It’s not that far. You can do this.”

  She pushed herself up and began to crawl again. Then, lights flooded the farm. Hazel didn’t think, she just jumped to her feet and ran. Her arms pumped against her sides and she hit the fence in a full run. She scampered up the side and over the top, barely noticing the barbed wire cutting into her hands and then catching the inside of her thigh.

  Once again, she hit the ground running. Shouts filled the air, but all she could hear was the pounding of her feet against the cracked earth. She could do this. Her legs quivered, but she forced herself to run faster. Whooshing filled her ears in time with her heartbeat, and time seemed to slow.

  Twenty more feet.

  Fifteen.

  Ten.

  Five.

  She leapt for the fence and arms wrapped around her waist. A scream exploded from her as the ground dropped from beneath her.

  “No,” she screamed, as they flew back over the fence, her escape shrinking into nothing with each beat of the monster’s wings. “No!”

  Hazel stumbled and fell to her knees as they touched the ground just outside the farm. Tears stung her eyes and sobs broke from her chest.

  She’d been so close. Escape had been right there.

  Hazel slammed her fist against the ground and yelled as more feet surrounded her.

  “She almost made it. Unbelievable.”

  She glared at the monster to her left that was responsible for her capture. Brown feathered wings flared behind his back before he tucked them in. He gave her a rakish smile and winked at her.

  “That was the most fun I’ve had all month.”

  “Piss off,” she growled.

  She skimmed over the crowd circling her. Three women with wicked-looking weapons, four with wings, and … her gaze stuttered over Clint, who stared at her with something akin to respect. She blinked. That wasn’t right.

  Feet slammed into the ground, the impact of a new arrival, and fear trickled through her veins like ice. The monster was there.

  He stood from his crouch, looking like the devil himself. His gaze pinned her to the spot before he glanced at the brown-winged man. “Jameson, report.”

  “It was a fluke that I caught her. I almost didn’t catch her movement. She was creeping through the farm. She made it over the first fence and almost the second.”

  She glanced at the ground, more tears flooding her eyes. Almost. What an ugly, disappointing word.

  Her skin prickled as she knew the monster was staring at her. She glared at her bloody hands. There was no way in hell she’d cower at his feet.

  Despite her fear, fatigue, and pain, she pulled herself up to her feet, swaying. Jameson reached for her, but she ripped her blade from the sheath she’d made for her thigh. “Don’t touch me.”

  Jameson held his hands up and took a step back. “I was only trying to help.”

  She turned toward the monster, who looked like he was about to explode, and pointed her dagger at him, ignoring the Tainted that now surrounded her like vultures. “Let me go.”

  His midnight eyes narrowed on the blade. “You shouldn’t point that at someone unless you know how to use it.”

  “Come a little closer and I’ll show you a few things,” she said with a slight purr. If he came any closer, she’d cut his black heart from his chest.

  He laughed, the sound mocking and scornful.

  “Son,” Clint said softly, and placed a scaled hand on the monster’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t taunt her. Take a deep breath.”

  The world blurred a little bit and rolled, but Hazel managed to keep her feet. She’d overdone it.

  The monster inhaled deeply and then stilled. She swallowed a bit, unnerved at his statue impression. The world rolled again as her pain began to filter back in. Her hands burned, and her thigh throbbed with the beat of her heart. She stumbled again, accidentally grabbing Jameson’s wing. Hazel recoiled and fell to one knee.

  Hands seized her arms and she struggled to get away. “Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me!”

  “Stop it,” the monster growled, shaking her a little. “You’re hurt.”

  Hazel fought harder and stabbed at his side. He hissed out a breath. “Dad.”

  Clint snagged her blade from her hand, and she screamed, snapping her teeth in his direction. “You’re a liar.”

  He frowned at her as he pocketed her blade and stared at her with concern. “You need to let him check you.”

  “Like hell,” she screeched.

  The monster immobilized her arms and locked her against his chest. His other hand wandered down to the hem of her dress and yanked it up.

  “Stop touching me,” she yelled, her voice breaking with sobs.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” he yelled back.

  She cried out as he touched whatever hurt on her thigh. Hazel crashed her head forward, pain pounding through her head. She bared her teeth at him when his nose began to bleed. That bastard deserved to bleed, to hurt as bad as she did. The world spun once more, and then the monsters surrounded her.

  Hazel closed her eyes, fighting off the nausea and the fear.

  “Hazel?”

  She pried one eye open at the familiar voice and almost wept. “Doc, I’m sorry. Please don’t let him hurt me.” It killed her to beg, but she’d do just about anything to get out of the monster’s arms.

  His amber gaze slid to the monster. “She needs care and is losing blood. Give her to me.”

  Her eyes drooped, and her head tipped onto the monster’s shoulder. She tried to move it, but her head was just too heavy. “I hate you,” she whispered.

  “I know,” the monster said softly. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

  She puffed out a laugh with the last of her energy. “You already have.”

  To be continued in The Exiled: Dominion of Ash Book Two

  Did you find the Golden Egg? Find out more January 30th!

  About the Author

  If you’d like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my webpage https://www.frostkay.net/, check out my Facebook group Frost Fiends, or follow me on Bookbub to receive news about my new releases.

  You’ve just read a book in the MIXOLOGISTS & PIRATES series. Other books in this series include Amber Vial, Emerald Bane, and Scarlet Venom.

  If you love POST APOCALYPTIC, THE HUNGER GAMES, SECONDBORN, and SHIFTERS, check out my DOMINION OF ASH series! (More info on the next page!)

 

 

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