Page 1 of Shattered World

Chapter One

Two days passed uneventfully. The scenery changed as we traveled across the country, but to me, it all looked the same. All a reminder of what I was leaving behind.

A warm hand tangled tightly with mine, the reminder of what I still had. Blinking my eyes open, I took in the beaten down faces before me. None of us had made it here unscathed, although some were worse for wear.

Stephanie and Lucas had finally stopped crying, their eyes bloodshot and their faces stained with dried tears. They hadn’t been able to leave their mother’s side. And I knew the gaping hole from the loss of their father would stay with them forever. I could only hope that one day they would truly understand the sacrifice he had made for them, for all of us.

Mina’s gaze met mine, our eyes locking, tears springing to well in both. None of us were spared from mourning the lossof Rainer. Despite his prickly exterior, he had protected us for nearly seven months. And he had continued to put us first until the moment he vanished from sight.

“How much longer do you think we have?” I asked Murphy, resting my head against his shoulder.

He shrugged, the movement lifting my cheek, his free hand stroking my tangled mess of hair. “I have no clue. Where even is Brentwood?”

I had no answer to give him. I had never left Montana and my geography skills were lacking.

“Somewhere on the east coast, obviously,” Sasha added, stretching out her legs until the soles of our shoes were touching.

The train was filled to the brim with others who had forced their way on board, our small group crammed into the back corner of the train.

Although our words were quiet, meant for only us, the small space meant nearly everyone could overhear.

An unfamiliar voice from the middle of the train spoke up, “It’s on the outskirts of Chicago.”

I lifted my head, searching for the voice, my eyes finding a stocky man with reddish brown hair. He sat in the middle of the train, his legs curled against his body. He was surrounded by people, and yet I knew he was alone.

The uniform he wore was a stark reminder of everything I had lost. How many people had I seen wearing that uniform? Who had tried to kill me and the ones I loved?

Anger unfurled in my chest, the hand not wrapped in Murphy’s clenching against my thigh. Realistically, I knew he had most likely been lied to as well. Probably deserved the opportunity to save himself.

But the pain was too fresh, the wound in my heart still gaping, and I didn’t have the ability for rational thought. All I saw was a man who wasn’t Rainer or Warner. A man who took their place.

My mouth opened, a torrential downpour of hatred ready to spew from my lips, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

“Lessy, don’t.”

My gaze clashed with Aiden’s, his eyes pleading with me to keep the peace. Exhaling a deep breath, I took one last look at the singular guard on the train.

His eyes met mine, his shoulders slumping. Maybe he knew what I was thinking. That I would trade his life for another a million times over. Maybe he couldn’t lift his shoulders, the weight of guilt too dominating.

And then I turned away. A twin pair of eyes met mine, and Aiden nodded with encouragement. His lips spread in a small smile, but I couldn’t reciprocate.

The death of our family hadn’t broken me. Fighting to survive in the woods, Vex’s torture, none of it had broken me. But someone could only take so much loss, so much horror, before the cracks splintered, creating something that could never be pieced back together again.

Turning from Aiden, I took in the faces across from me, finally landing on the hazel stare of the man at my side. These people were the only things holding me together, the sole reason my heart still beat inside my chest. But I knew our fight wasn’t over yet. And if I lost another one of them, if one more person was stolen from my grasp, I knew there would be no way to recover.

“Alessia, wake up,” a soft voice murmured in my ear.

My eyes snapped open, my body immediately on high alert. Would there ever be a time when it wasn’t like this? If we survived, years down the road, would I ever forget the fear?

I still sat slumped against the wall of the train, my head scanning the interior for whatever threat faced us. Nothingseemed out of the ordinary. Some people rested, others looked at nothing with misery encasing their features. But there was something off.

Straining my ears, I waited for the consistent whir of the train, but there was none. Outside these walls, there was only silence.

“Did we stop moving?” I breathed, my heart rate picking up.

Murphy nodded. “I think we’re here.”

At his words, the others around us perked up. Standing to my feet, my muscles strained from sitting for so long. I inched toward the opening, but Murphy pushed me behind his body.

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