AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He leads me, the gray of the morning lighting our way. There’s a peacefulness that I never knew existed hanging in the air. The artificial lamps and bright lights of the city will never reflect the calm of the dawn in the wilderness. Is this what my father left to find?
After crossing a wooden bridge over a stream, we stop in a meadow, where a deer and her fawn bound away. A mist rises from the tall grass, giving the field an ethereal appearance, as if we’re walking on a cloud.
I wring my hands, unsure of what to do with myself while he removes an arrow from the quiver. The idea of using a weapon and shooting the real thing are miles apart in my thought process.
“Let me see your bow.” He holds out his hand, folding and unfolding his fingers.
I comply. As much as it felt good in my hand at first, it has become heavy and cumbersome.
He lifts the bow, nocks an arrow, and draws back the tight string. My breath catches. Never in my life have I seen someone who fits the true definition of a warrior. The soldiers in Avren are attractive, but it’s all a show. Since the removal of the Undesirables, all those years ago, they’ve never seen combat.
Bastian makes them look like shriveling worms beneath his foot. I clasp my fingers behind my back to keep from reaching out and touching his arm.
With a twang, he releases the arrow, and it strikes a tree on the perimeter of the meadow. He removes another arrow, letting it fly into the bark right above his first one.
“Now you’re just showing off.”
He mutters something under his breath which sounds like a forbidden curse word. “It’s called survival. This is a kill-or-be-killed world. You’ll learn that soon enough.”
“Tanner had his neck ripped out by a werewolf.” My heart tears every time I go back to the scene. The Undesirables insist on keeping it fresh. “I didn’t know him well, but he was a boy who lost his parents like us. At least, I assume you did. That’s what Grayson told me.”
Bastian’s face is stone as he hands me the bow. “Your turn.”
I take the weapon and set my feet the way he did, holding the bow the same way. It feels awkward in my hand, even though I think it’s the correct position.
“Which hand do you favor?” He inspects my stance and then the position of the bow. “You look like an old woman with your hunched back and spaghetti arm.”
Great. He’s a warrior, and I’m an old woman.
“My left,” I say, tired and cranky. “Why not take the position as my bodyguard, and we can avoid all this uncomfortable show.” I throw the bow onto the ground.
“Because.” He bends over to pick it up, giving me a straight-on view of his perfect ass. “This is a favor to Grayson and his sudden save the orphans kick. If it were up to me, I’d let a dragon incinerate you.”
It’s a gut punch to hear such hatred from an Undesirable. If Caron ever felt this way, she hid it. The ones who worked in the city always addressed the lords and ladies with decorum, respecting our positions. Bastian’s open disdain obviously kept him from a coveted city job.
I take the bow from him, wanting nothing more than to throw it across the meadow. “What was your official position in Avren?” From what I see, he’s nothing but a muscle-headed bully.
He draws an arrow from the quiver and runs his fingers along the tip. “My father managed the farms in Rushia. Growing up, I learned to use the machinery and work the fields. Ninety percent of the produce grown goes to feed Citizens.”
“And now?” I take the arrow from him to fit the notched end on the string of the bow.
“I train the rebellion.” He watches as I lift my weapon, the arrow refusing to nock. “That and avoid the Work Patrol.” Reaching out, his hand skims mine as he lifts the bow. “You’re doing it all wrong.”
My skin crawls and tingles from his touch. Images of the sickness instantly take over my mind. Not all Undesirables carry it, but the plague doesn’t always manifest in carriers. I back against a tree before running to a nearby stream. Dropping to my knees, I scrub my hand in the water, hoping it hasn’t already taken hold.
“What are you doing?” He stands over me, his overbearing presence filling me with dread. “Gray said they brainwashed you, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”
I stand and glower at him, water dripping from my hands. “I’m not brainwashed. My mother died from the sickness because she touched our housekeeper.”
His eyes show a momentary look of compassion.
“Don’t touch me, phaloc.” I use the most derogatory term for Undesirable I know for emphasis. I’m here to survive, not make friends, at least not with people who want to turn me into a dragon roast.
“Duly noted.” He kicks at the dirt with his foot, no longer interested in any eye contact. “Let’s follow through with our obligations. Gray can check it off his list for today.”
I’m proud of sticking up for myself, but at what cost? Bastian hates me more than he did before, and I’m sure he’ll laugh over the entire incident with Everleigh later today. If I must live with them to survive, I need to learn to be civil in this new environment.
“Hold up the bow with your right hand.” His voice is gruffer, if that’s possible, making me want to crawl into a hole. “Hold your wrist straight.” He circles me, inspecting my stance before handing me the arrow. “Nock the end of the arrow on the string, holding it between your thumb and forefinger.”
