Page 86 of Condemned

Chapter Thirty-Two

She’d barely had timeto get a hug and a kiss from them—Timin, Zo, and Kon—before they’d ridden out of Omage, and then the ambush had meant they’d had to go even faster, even harder. Relentless riding. She’d fallen asleep in the saddle. Last night when they rested, it’d been less than a few hours before Takk had coaxed, ordered, and insulted them into saddling up again.

The florses were exhausted and the last leg of the journey that brought them to this ridge had been taken slowly.

“There is my farm.” Takk drew her into his side. He smelled of mauleon sweat and florse sweat, and general grime, but they all did.

Green countryside fell away below the gentle but rocky slope of this hill. Farm paddocks were squared off by fences and animals grazed there, tiny dots seen from above. It was astoundingly beautiful and the fresh cold air blowing across Avalon’s face made her feel this was a unique, once-in-her-lifetime excitement.

They had really arrived. This had happened, yet still she suffered niggling doubt.

How could this ever be her future?

How could she, of all people, ever expect to have a good, happy life? The recent killings only reinforced that notion. The screaming and shouting. The cries. The bodies they’d left behind them, trampled under hooves with sword and blast holes weeping red. She shuddered.

Kondio took her hand, jarring her back to now.

“Mine too. My farm is to the right, Ava, a bit further away. We’re next to each other. Planning to merge them so we can be—”

“One, big...” Timin had cut in, patting her behind then resting his hand on her shoulder. “...happy—”

“Fuck!” Zo walked in front of them onto the verge of the road where green grasses swayed, looking annoyed and with his wide nostrils flaring. He held out his arms to either side. “Where’s my piece of her, dear family?”

“You’re blocking the view, asshole,” Takk pointed out.

When the hands on her tightened, she smiled and slipped out from under, and went to Zo to give him a hug. “Here.” Avalon buried her face in his shirt. “Pooh, you stink too.”

“Someone is getting dunked thoroughly in cold brrr...” Zo fake shivered, “...cold water when we get to the farm.”

“I don’t care.” She turned in his arms to face the others. “I never said thank you to anyone except Takk, so here it is. Thank you for coming for me. Thank you all for surviving that ambush.” Her brow wrinkled of its own accord as her anxiety returned. “You haven’t said anything about it yet. Please, we need to be honest. It was me, wasn’t it? Those were humans. They were after me and I feel so, so sorry, I brought—”

Zo’s hand covered her mouth, muffling her. “Shhh. No need to be. We’re adults. We killed them all. They’re gone.” He slipped his hand from her lips.

“Not all gone, I’d venture.” Takk frowned, mouth tweaking up. “Avalon is right. We may as well talk through some strategies, ideas, and rules, here and now. First of all, we’re family. We all need to have a say in this. We aren’t running anywhere unless we all go. Though the girl may have slightly less of a say.”

He winked at her.

“Heyyy.” She thought about going over and smacking his chest, but... maybe later. Possibly safer that way, and more likely to lead to him doing things to her butt. She wrenched her thoughts into line. Later.

“Keep going, Takk,” Zo said. She felt him nod and the pressure of his arms where they crossed over her front. “Let’s hear what you think of that ambush. I have a fact some may have missed though. There were darts in at least three of them—their sword arms were hit. I figure it’s why every single one of them missed.”

“Yeah, I hadn’t seen that, but it means we had help. Expert help. Maybe some traitors in with them because anything else seems unlikely. I was thinking our best choice was to gather what we want from our homes, my farm, Kon’s, and leave here. That help we had changes things for the better. However, whoever organized that ambush knows us, and yes, knows our girl. It’s what I warned of. You know too much, Ava.”

He’d used her pet name. It made her feel warm and squishy inside to have all her males looking after her but also terrible. “I don’t want to be the cause of your deaths.”

“Should I gag her?” Zo rumbled out.

“Not yet.” Timin grinned, his shaggy brown mane shaking against the sunlight. “Soon though if she keeps saying nonsense. We’re yours. You’re ours. Shush while the big guys talk.”

“Fuck,” she whispered, pouting. But she remained silent afterward.

Why? She hated being relegated to the underling, the lesser. Yet this talk made her feel one with them also. Family was good. She was sure if she truly had a problem with any decisions, any that didn’t mean her asking them to abandon her, they’d listen. Well, fairly sure?

Then there was Takk and his recent, dominant, take her prisoner and birch her ass attitude. She wondered how far he intended to go with that. Negotiating this relationship could be very interesting.

“Talk if you have new facts, Ava.” Somberly, Kon eyed her. “Always. Unless we’re fucking you at the time.”

They laughed at that and she found herself blushing. Stupid to do so, considering. Oh, well. She smiled. Idiots.