Page 16 of Shattered World

“Perfect. I normally send out scouts in groups of three for safety, but two will do. Unless anyone else would like to join?”

Clenching my teeth, I mentally begged for no one else to open their mouth. It was bad enough that Sasha was coming with me, but I knew she wouldn’t back out, no matter the danger. She was too stubborn.

The tension slowly bled from me as no one spoke up, but then a soft voice sounded, my shoulders tightening.

“I’ll go with them,” Mina whispered.

My head swiveled toward her, Sasha gripping her hand tightly. Mina met my stare, nodding slightly. I wanted to tell her that it was okay, that she didn’t need to come, but I saw the strength in her gaze. As much as I couldn’t sit back and watch others risk their lives, neither could she.

“Well, I wish you lot would have arrived sooner. I never had so many people willing to volunteer.” Caroline’s smile was all teeth, nothing friendly in the grin. She knew the word volunteer was used very loosely in this situation.

“If you plan to make it back before nightfall, I’d suggest you leave sooner rather than later,” she added, and my jaw dropped.

“You want us to go now?” I asked incredulously, and Murphy’s hand found mine.

“I’m sorry, are you under the impression we have the time to waste?” Again, the only reaction Caroline gave to my words was a single arched brow.

Grinding my teeth, I shook my head. I knew we didn’t have much time. Just as I knew arguing with this woman was futile. She had our safety in the palm of her hand, completely willing to crumble it at the slightest hint of disobedience.

“What about the rest of us?” Aiden asked, and I wanted to slap him upside the head.

All of us were proving all too easily that Caroline could do as she pleased with us. Belatedly, I was realizing our curious minds could be the death of us. Why couldn’t we have kept our mouths shut, taking the safety the hotel provided, and figured things out on our own?

“I have something in mind,” Caroline said, not giving anything away.

“My children,” Elizabeth interrupted, her voice firm. “They will not be involved.”

It wasn’t a question. Not even a suggestion. Elizabeth had already lost her husband and she wouldn’t be losing the only people she had left.

To my surprise, Caroline simply nodded, her fierce features gentling as she stared at the mother. “I have never, and will never, risk a child’s life. Of that, you can be positive.”

Maybe it was stupid of me to believe her. She had already proven that she didn’t have our best interests at heart. But the sadness in her eyes, the only emotion I had seen from the woman so far, told me she was being honest. Lucas and Stephanie would not be put in harm’s way, at least not by this woman.

Elizabeth nodded primly, going back to her silence, content with the answer. Caroline pushed the map closer to Sasha.

“I believe you three are going to be on your way?”

I wanted to argue. Wanted to sit here and listen to what other plans she had for the three left in the room. But I knew there was no point in pushing and so I stood from my chair, Mina and Sasha standing as well.

Before we could leave the room, Aiden wrapped me in his arms, whispering quiet words of encouragement. I was passed into Murphy’s embrace, his warm lips pressing against my forehead before I was shuffled toward the door.

Mina and Sasha waited for me as Elizabeth placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Be safe.”

With no other goodbyes to be had, the three of us walked out of the room and headed up the elevator to our room. We packed our bags quietly, shoving food and coats inside, just in case the trip took longer than anticipated.

As I zipped up the bag, my eyes landed on the empty gun on the bedside table, a magazine sitting next to it. Murphy had been leaving it there during the day, not wanting to scare any of the others here with the weapon.

Sasha must have seen the indecision on my face, the unease of carrying the weapon, because she stepped over to the table, loading the gun and sticking it into her bag.

“Better safe than sorry,” she mumbled, Mina and I nodding numbly.

The situation hadn’t quite hit me yet. I knew we were going out into the city. But there were thousands of people milling about, the streets seemingly safer than anywhere back in Montana. However, Caroline’s words haunted me. The way she so simply stated that the last scouts hadn’t returned.

The fear of those words sat heavy on my chest and followed me as we stepped out of the hotel and back into the unknown.

Sasha and I stared down at the map while Mina spun in a circle. We stood off in a corner of the sidewalk, dozens of people sliding past us, barely sparing us a glance. They hurried off to wherever they were needed and at any other time I probably would have scrutinized them, trying to pinpoint exactly where they were rushing to, what they were possibly working on.

I didn’t have the time to do that today as I continued to stare at the map. Finally, Sasha gave up, letting out an aggravated growl.

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