End of the Walker (The Walker Series Book 5)

by Coralee June

  "Yes. If I had some help." I looked over my shoulder at Kemper, remembering the time he and I went to an apple orchard outside of Dormas for a picnic. I remember the tension between us, the desire to act on our impulses. I remembered the thoughtfulness and care he put into our date. "I'll take Kemper with me, and we’ll be back as soon as possible."

  Maverick gave me a brief hug, and I noticed how he breathed in my scent as it grounded him. "You amaze me, Ash." His whisper over my skin felt like zaps of electricity.

  Chapter Ten

  Kemper and I were heading back from the apple orchard with barely enough bounty to make a difference, but it was still a welcomed distraction from everything. It felt good to feel useful. I found myself whispering over and over again the steps that would lead me to Payne.

  Find Tallis and Jules.

  Get Mia better.

  Go to Galla and open the Stonewell safe.

  I was compartmentalizing, breaking up the obstacles in our way into manageable bites that felt easier to swallow. We walked briskly back toward the entrance of the underground city, keeping an eye and ear out for anyone else. “Think this will be enough?” Kemper asked.

  “No. But it’s better than nothing. Once her glucose levels are up, she’ll be able to eat more,” I replied while thinking once again about Lilly. Was she with Payne, too? She loved the little boy; it wouldn’t surprise me if she put up with Linda Stonewell to keep him safe.

  I paused to breathe in the fresh air just outside where Cyler had everyone setting up camp. Kemper saw me stalling and moved up to stand beside me. “We’re so close,” I whispered while fixating on the cracked, sandy pavement at my feet. Happiness was a flighty emotion. It felt like fragile wings fluttering in my stomach. But Kemper was like a giant exhale, lifting those wings up and making me feel like I could fly with a big enough sigh.

  “We will get there in time, Ash. I know this is hard, but we can do it, I promise. Look at all those people still alive,” he said while gesturing off in the distance. “I was starting to wonder if anyone was left.”

  I followed his gaze and stared at the moving bodies in the distance. More tents had been set up. He was right. There were still survivors, still good people who would later go on to rebuild the empire. It was empowering.

  We started walking towards the city, and I had to smile at the significant change in conditions. Cyler Black and the other leaders of Dormas had been here three hours, and already the main walkway was cleared. People were shuffling about, happy to have direction and systems. “Cyler wastes no time,” I mused out loud as a young girl walked by holding tattered blankets with holes in the fabric.

  In the main room where Maverick was watching Mia, I made quick work of making juice. Huxley and Patrick weren’t back yet, and I was worried about them, Tallis, and Jules.

  “No word from the others?” I asked while stroking Mia’s hair. Despite it being hot underground, she felt cold to the touch.

  “Patrick returned an hour ago, but Huxley isn’t back yet. They split up to cover more ground,” Maverick answered.

  That residual, wing-clipping fear shot through me. It was slightly irrational to worry. Despite recent events, I knew in my gut that my men were more than capable of taking care of themselves. Huxley was like me, he needed to feel like he was doing something, and I had a feeling that he wouldn’t return until Jules and Tallis were reunited with Mia.

  Maverick held the cup up to Mia’s lips and put some of the sugar mixture in her mouth. I watched in appreciation as he handled her with care and compassion. It was one of the many things that I loved about Mav. And now that I had some experience working in a clinic, I realized more than ever the toll it had on a person to feel so responsible for and empathetic towards the world. It took a certain level of sacrifice to pour your soul into the survival of others, and the light in Maverick seemed to overflow from his fingers.

  “How’s her heart rate?” I asked in a low voice as more people fluttered by, carrying various supplies. Cyler was working on taking inventory of what everyone had and seeing what he needed to get.

  “Still slow, but it’s getting better. She’s got bruising I’m worried about, but I can’t do much for the pain. A woman told me she fought Lenny when he brought her in.” I gently slid closer to her and lifted up the tattered shirt that smelled like piss to inspect her bruising. Sure enough, deep purple spots littered her side and stomach. Anger like a fist balled up in my chest, and I wanted to let Huxley loose on Lenny once more. What was it with men thinking that, to save the majority, you had to sacrifice those you deemed unnecessary or less than?

  “Can you get me some sponges and warm water? I’m going to wash her and find some new clothes,” I said before reaching across the table for some scissors. Maverick paused at my instructions, then a small smile lifted the corner of his mouth.

  “Yeah, let me get that. And when this is done? I want to talk about everything you learned in the Deadlands,” he said with warm pride. I glanced at him and noticed how his chest puffed out as he watched me. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it made me feel good. He disappeared for a moment, and I made quick work of tying a piece of rope to the wall and putting a small blanket over it to give us a semblance of privacy. It had holes in the fabric and was so threadbare that it was practically see-through, but it seemed the most clean out everything available.

  Then I took a rusted pair of scissors and quickly cut her dress, knowing that the stained and tattered fabric wasn’t salvageable and it would hurt her too much to try and ease it over her shoulders. I was careful not to poke her with the dull blade as I struggled to slice through the ruffled shirt, but eventually, I got it off. I took a moment to look at more of her injuries and lightly pressed on her ribs. She’d need it wrapped, but I wasn’t sure if we had fabric available to bind her.

  Maverick returned with water and a bar of soap. He ripped the edge of his shirt as a rag. Then, I made quick work of cutting her pants off and taking note of the bruises on her thighs, like someone had…

  Oh my God. There were marks that looked like fingers digging into her thighs. Like someone had tried to pry them...apart. I choked on a sob, thankful for this selfless woman and her determination to help connect us with Payne. Maverick heard my cries and directed his eyes to what I was staring at. He didn’t say a word, but once I glanced back at him, I knew that we had come to the same conclusion.

  “I need to tell Cyler. Lenny has to die,” Maverick said in a cold voice. There was a time that he refused to end a life. He was once against Heat and sinking to the level of those that had wronged the empire, but not anymore.

  “Go. I’ll wash her,” I whispered before gently dipping the makeshift rag in soapy water and running it over her body. I moved slowly, careful not to press on her injuries. I also worked efficiently, not sure if she would wake up and be triggered by my touch. Once she was mostly clean, I watched her move, a slight moan escaping her lips. Maverick was still talking with Cyler, so the moment her brown eyes fluttered open I reached for the juice and held it to her lips.

  “Here, drink,” I offered while holding the cup to her lips. She noticed that she was naked and immediately moved to cover herself. “Shh,” I soothed, trying to ease the panic in her eyes. “It’s me, Agrio.”

  I watched her trembling fingers try and cover her body and quickly removed my own shirt to slip over her. I sat in nothing but a bra while easing the fabric over her narrow shoulders. The moment my shirt covered her body she sighed in relief. “Thanks,” she mumbled in that clipped accent I loved. She then tried to sit up, but I pressed on her shoulder lightly, keeping her in place.

  “You’re really bruised, nearly starved to death, and weak. Lie down. I’ll protect you.” Mia cracked a smile and grabbed my hand, lightly squeezing it before replying in a hoarse voice.

  “You’ve gotten strong, Agrio,” she said. While she held onto me, I wanted to ask her about the trauma, the pain. But all I could do was stare at her and feel guilty
for wanting to leave her behind and find Payne. That was a version of myself that terrified me. Where had my empathy gone?

  “You’re stronger,” I whispered.

  “Not in the ways that count.” She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. “Please tell me you know what those numbers mean,” she pleaded with cold eyes and a frown.

  “Yes. I do. Once we get you back on your feet, we’re going,” I assured her with a smile. She clung to life for that message. I understood her need to make sure it meant something.

  “What the fuck are you waiting for?” Mia asked before clutching her side. I quickly took the blanket hanging in the room and cut strips of fabric.

  “We are going to spend the day regrouping then leave tomorrow,” I said with a huff as I tied the ends of each strip of the fabric together. Once it was ready, I went to Mia and eased her into a sitting position. It took us a moment. Mia struck me as the type to handle pain easily, so each grunt and whimper had me on high alert.

  “Regroup?” she scoffed through gritted teeth as I tied the fabric together. I could feel eyes on my naked back, but I didn’t care. “You need to go.”

  I smiled. She sounded like I did when I first figured out the code was to the safe. But Kemper's calming presence and this feeling useful had me thinking clearly.

  “We’ll leave in the morning, don’t you worry,” I answered her with a small smile. Mia’s determination and grit was admirable. She was all the things I wished I was. “Until then, why don’t you let me take care of you for a moment, huh?”

  “How is it that you have my woman out of her clothes?” a gruff voice asked from behind me, and I warmed when I recognized who it was. Huxley. Turning around, I bit back a grin as he reached behind his head to remove his shirt. Each dip and groove in his skin had both Mia and me appreciating the sight before us. He handed it to me with a smirk, knowing full well the effect he had on us.

  “I’m suddenly feeling better,” Mia coughed. And I quickly shoved the tan shirt that smelled like Huxley on before easing her back to lie down.

  “Hey now,” I joked. “He’s mine now, Mia.” I didn’t feel jealous in the slightest, but this hint of normalcy—joking with a friend—was like a drug to me. I ate it up and enjoyed the buzz of feeling carefree, if just for a moment.

  “I know, I know. I’ve got my own man now to worry about. If he’s still alive,” she said in a dark tone before shaking away whatever thoughts were plaguing her. I remembered Chief Aarav.

  “What happened to him?” I asked in a soft voice.

  Mia looked on the verge of tears, and I wondered if I shouldn’t press her. “He escaped when Lenny captured me. Told me he’d come to rescue me but never showed up. It’s the not knowing that kills me.”

  I placed my hand on hers and squeezed, feeling myself well up with tears at her confession. I knew all too well how it felt not to know. I lived that hell for months while Jacob, Maverick, and Cyler were gone.

  A shrill voice echoed from the entrance, and I turned around to see Jules bounding through the door. “Where is she?” Jules asked, drawing my attention there. She was stomping forward, covered in dust while scowling at anyone who dared to look at her the wrong way. A brooding Tallis was following close behind, but I didn’t see any sign of Bowden and Thurst. I didn’t blame them for not wanting to come back to the place that captured Hope.

  Jules practically shoved me aside and collapsed on the floor at Mia’s feet. “You crazy woman! How many times are you going to nearly die?” she asked while I stroked Mia’s hair. I watched as Tallis bent over to kiss his adopted sister on the forehead before straightening to look at me.

  “Is she okay?” he asked.

  “She can talk, you know,” Mia grunted as Jules placed a hand over her ribs that I had bandaged. “I’m fine. Starved to death and bruised to all hell.”

  I noted how she specifically didn’t mention the bruises on her inner thighs and the way she panicked when she realized she was naked. “And dehydrated,” Maverick added while walking up. He was carrying more water and gently handed it to Mia before turning to address Tallis. “Glad to see you’re back. You’re needed in the temporary prison quarters. Cyler and her capturer are there,” my loving doctor said in a dark tone while eyeing Mia with sympathy.

  “You gonna kill the rat bastard?” Mia asked as Tallis flexed his muscles.

  “Yes,” Maverick replied instantly. I sensed Huxley tensing beside me, could hear the hiss of breath escaping his lips at Maverick’s answer. We all knew it had to be severe in order for my compassionate man to accept death like it was nothing.

  “Good,” Mia whispered. We all watched as she gazed off in the distance; the only sign that she was distressed was in the way her body trembled ever so slightly. “Tallis?” she asked before taking a sip of water then closing her eyes. “Make him suffer.”

  With those three words, Tallis gave a sad nod and prepared to go. But surprisingly, Jules stood and placed a hand on his chest. We all watched their silent conversation. The compassion in Jules’ eyes as she nodded once, an unspoken agreement between them both.

  “I’ll take care of it,” she whispered, and I saw Tallis relax a little as if he were thankful to be spared for inflicting violence. Maybe the fierce leader didn’t like bloodshed after all.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lenny died a gruesome death. Or at least, that’s what I’d come to assume. It sounded excruciating.

  Lenny screamed so loudly that everyone could hear his suffering. Even when his voice went hoarse, the haunting torture filled the space. Huxley went with Jules, likely to help her end his life. For once, Huxley’s vengeful and protective nature wasn’t a bad thing. I was desensitized to death, yes, but the screams coming from just outside the city made my skin crawl.

  It made me wonder. Did Cavil cry? I couldn’t remember.

  If there were doubts about Cyler and the rest of the leadership council strolling in and taking over, the people of Lythe were convinced now. They were naturally suspicious when they first woke up from the tunnel poison, and we couldn’t blame them. The entire empire was built by leaders pretending to have their people’s best interests at heart.

  However, Lenny’s death solidified their loyalty to Cyler and his men, making me wonder what other terrible things Lenny did while the people of Lythe were under the influence of the tunnel poison. They cooperated with enthusiasm, and by nightfall, not a single person whispered a word against us. They were excited to have direction but also fearful of going against us. It was a delicate balance, leadership. Fear and compassion spearheaded Cyler's reign, and soon everyone had a job and a purpose.

  After everyone was settled with a purpose for the evening, our team met up in the main room where Mia was. All of us surrounded her as she finally ate a few bites of crackers. She had to eat slowly so as not to get sick. Jules had showered since the confrontation with Lenny and was now holding Mia’s hand. Jules kept staring at her affectionately, and the redness in Jules’ eyes made me wonder if she knew now the details of what had happened to our sweet friend. But none of us talked about it. Mia made it very clear that it was a subject not to be broached.

  “I’m not comfortable leaving Mia,” Jules said with a frown. If Mia weren’t in so much pain, I’m sure she would’ve rolled her eyes or served us a quick quip about how she was more than capable of taking care of herself. But the fact that she didn’t showed just how tired and weak she was.

  “I agree. I think you and Tallis need to stay here,” Cyler replied. He looked tired while standing to my left, arms crossed at his chest. His wide stance and fierce expression didn’t hide the exhaustion in his eyes.

  I glanced over at Tallis, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor to my right, near Jules. I wish I understood him more. The quiet way he observed the room was entirely unlike the fierce leader I once knew. He seemed like the type to take charge and care for his people stoically and wisely. But he was a mere ghost of that man now. “What about
the people here?“ Tallis asked.

  Cyler let out a low, gravel-filled sigh before responding. “This is the first civilization I’ve seen since Cavil’s death. I’m trusting you to protect them—lead them—while we are gone.”

  Tallis thrust his fingers through his long white hair before bending over to cup his face in his hands. Jules watched him with compassion, and her hand reached out and gently grabbed his knee with a reassuring squeeze before he finally spoke. “I don’t think I can do this,” Tallis said. His voice was muffled as he spoke into the palm of his hands.

  Suddenly, it was as if we all felt like we were intruding on a private moment. I knew that Tallis felt some sort of guilt over the loss of his people, but I didn’t realize how deep this disappointment went. It made me wonder if Cyler was experiencing the same regret regarding his people. Did he feel like he had failed them?

  As if to answer my unspoken question, Cyler moved forward and crouched beside the Scavenger Chief. I felt a hand on my back and sighed when I realized it was Patrick offering me wordless comfort. His strong fingers massaged the knots in my shoulders as Cyler spoke.

  “I haven’t slept since leaving Dormas,” Cyler admitted. I could hear the emotion in his deep tone, and it broke my heart. I had been so wrapped up in my own loss that I hadn’t thought about everything they were enduring. Dormas was his father’s legacy, and now it was gone. “Every time I try to close my eyes, all I see is all the people I failed.”

  Tallis choked back his emotions, but I noticed the way his back shook as if the sobs were stuck in his chest. “Everyone is gone. Thurst and Bowden refused to come with me. What kind of leader am I if I have no one to lead? I failed them. We failed them,” he sobbed.

  Cyler stood up and clutched his chest. There was a painful twist in his expression as he watched Tallis break down, his guilt a reflection of his own regrets. It was as if those words had physically wounded him. He gave me a sideways glance as if stealing a bit of strength from my gaze. “From what I can tell, these people need us. You’re a good leader. Don’t take the blame for a crumbling empire. The only way we will survive this is if we rebuild. And along the way, maybe you’ll find some of your people. Focus on standing back up, Scavenger Chief.”