Page 70 of A Silence So Divine

The fields are perfectly dark, aside from one single moonbeam that illuminates the pond.

The three of us are rolling back into the Refuge camp much too soon. If I had it my way, I wouldn’t include Creed and Eden whatsoever; they’d be locked in a safe house until the Brothers were completely extinct.

However, if I want the help of the Resistance, I have to show them that I’m willing to make sacrifices as well. Even if I’mnot.

In the past week, I’ve had to square things away with Curran. I convinced him that in order to truly break Eden, I would need to keep her with me. He agreed, but reiterated that I had the month to prove her allegiance. There’s no way the Resistance would be ready to fight in that short a period, so when the time comes, I’m not sure what I’ll do. No time to worry about the future, though, when the present is equally as horrifying.

Today is the first day of training.

Will I be putting a pistol in Eden’s hand? No. Will I be showing my little brother the correct way to silently choke someone to death? No. Could they both learn some self defense? I guess.

It’s still early, people ambling around the camp with mugs of coffee. The smell makes me groan, wishing I had poured myself a third cup before leaving the house. After my run in with Eden, I got maybe an hour of sleep before it was time to get up again.

If Curran’s men don’t kill me, sleep deprivation will.

Someone tugs on my earlobe, and I spin around with a curse on the tip of my tongue.

Veda’s beaming smile greets me, and I roll my eyes.

“Aren’t you a little old for shit like that?” I ask in annoyance, swatting away her hand when she reaches for my ear again.

“I’m just trying to get you riled up so you’ll be ready for the hand to hand training today.” She steps around me and signs Creed and Eden a good morning.

“Breakfast?”She offers.“I made waffles.”

The two of them exchange a glance, and Creed nods for the both of them. Veda motions them towards the RV, and before they take off, his fingers lace through Eden’s. It looks innocent enough, but I know he’s proving a point.

It’s an alliance. Them versus me.

Veda hangs back, waiting to speak until the door is shut behind them.

“They’re very close, aren’t they?” She says, a curious lilt to her voice.

I grunt noncommittally.

“And what about you?” Her blue eyes flick over to mine. She’s wearing the same expression she did the night I carried Eden to the truck. My hackles rise.

“What about me?” I shoot back, stuffing my hand into the front pocket of my jeans.

“Are you close to her?”

Desperate for something to do, I dig the cigarettes from my front pocket. There’s one left. Only once the cigarette has beenstuffed into my mouth and lit do I respond. As I speak, a puff of smoke dissipates into the air.

“I look after her.”

Veda hums. In the span of three more drags, she merely stands there, watching me.

“Jesus Christ,what? Why are you being like this?” I finally spit, flicking the cigarette to the ground unfinished. It’s done nothing to take the edge off. If anything, I feel worse.

“I’m worried about her, Cecil.” Her admission catches me off guard, and I shoot her a look.

“Yeah. Me, too.”

“Are you?”

“Of course I am!” Heat rises up my neck. The source of her questioning is lost on me, yet I’m defensive all the same. I’ve been caring for this girl for months, albeit in my own way. It doesn’t have to mean anything, it was merely the choice I made. Plus, Creed loves having her around, and I want him to be happy.

It’s as simple as that.