Page 23 of Garden of Ashes & Hope

"Neither can I, Eve," he says, his voice gruff with emotion. "Neither can I."

As the sun begins to set, painting the sky in brilliant hues, we make camp for the night. While Mordakus secures the perimeter, I tend to my rugen cutting, whispering encouragement to it.

"One day," I promise it. "You'll be part of something beautiful. We all will."

I look up to find Mordakus watching me, an unreadable expression on his face. But there's a warmth in his eyes that makes my heart skip a beat.

As I drift off to sleep that night, Vincent curled up beside me and Mordakus keeping watch, my dreams are filled with images of the future. A thriving garden by the sea, a community coming together to heal and grow, and Mordakus – always Mordakus – by my side through it all.

16

MORDAKUS

Avillage looms before us, a graveyard of old homes and broken dreams. As we approach its outskirts, my senses go into overdrive.

Something's off.

"Eve," I say quietly. "Stay close. I don't like this."

She nods, her eyes wide but determined. Vincent mews softly from his perch in her arms.

We move cautiously through the abandoned pathways, my eyes scanning every shadow, every broken window. The silence is oppressive, broken only by the occasional distant clatter or shuffle.

"Mordakus," Eve whispers. "Look."

She points to a building where a curtain flutters in a broken window. Recent activity.

"We're not alone," I growl. "Be ready for anything."

We continue on, the tension building with each step. I can feel Eve's fear, smell it on her, but she stays strong, following my lead.

Suddenly, a voice cuts through the silence. "Well, well. What have we here?"

We're surrounded in an instant. A dozen armed figures emerge from the shadows, weapons trained on us. My muscles tense, ready for a fight.

A man steps forward, his smile predatory. "Name's Zane," he says, his voice smooth as oil. "And you two look like you've got some nice supplies there."

I push Eve behind me, my eyes never leaving Zane. "We're just passing through," I growl. "No trouble."

Zane's smile widens. "Oh, but trouble's found you, friend. Now, why don't you hand over those packs, and we'll let you go on your merry way?"

"Not happening," I snarl, feeling the demon inside me stirring.

Eve steps out from behind me, her voice trembling but clear. "Please, we don't want any trouble. We're good people, just trying to survive like you."

Zane's eyes flick to Eve, and I don't like what I see there. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?" he says, his tone making my skin crawl. "Tell you what, sweetheart. You come with us, and we'll let your friend here go."

"That's not going to happen," I growl, my voice deepening as I struggle to contain my demon form.

Zane's smile drops, his eyes hardening. "I don't think you understand the situation here, big guy. We're not asking."

The tension in the air is palpable. I can feel Eve trembling behind me, and hear Vincent's frightened mewling.

But I won't back down.

I can't.

"Last chance," Zane says, his voice cold. "Surrender, or this gets ugly."

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