Page 40 of Elven Throne

“What do we do now?”

“Where are we supposed to go? We can’t stay here…”

“It doesn’t stop with Eduardo. How are we supposed to handle another attack now?”

“Do we know anyone else in the city?Isure as hell don’t.”

A jumbled flurry of voices and hasty concern echoed across the decimated parking lot, and Rebecca didn’t even get the chance to tell everyone to quiet down before addressing the important topics and concerns one at a time.

A hushed wave of stillness and expectation swept across the Shade members all on its own before a shuffling struggle of movement created an open path through those desperately waiting to hear what came next.

“What? Oh, come on. There’s no pointnow. Everybody just—”

Someone shoved Leonard forward, and he stumbled out of the gathered group with a grunt. He quickly righted himself, turned around to glare at whoever had forced him forward, then shook out the lapels of his brown leather trench coat also covered in dust, dirt, debris, and blood.

After clearing his throat, he finally stepped toward Maxwell and Rebecca and shrugged.

“I, uh… I guess you already heard all the questions. But those weresupposedto have been a little more organized.” The mage looked hopefully back and forth between them. “Have you guys figured out what we’re doing now? You know, like what happens after all this? Where we’re supposed to go?”

Rebecca and Maxwell shared a quick glance.

“We’re still working on it,” she said before nodding toward the group of their few injured operatives gathered off to the side. “How’s it going over there?”

“Everybody’s all right, for the most part,” Leonard replied, gazing that way. “Nothing serious, at least. But between you and me, I don’t think Zida’s all that happy about working out of a Tupperware box…”

“Everyone over there sustained injuries?” Maxwell asked.

“Not exactly.” Leonard scratched his head. “Most of them just gathered over there on their own. You know, like those who were still here when Eduardo attacked. They’re pretty… shaken up. Still exhausted. Mostly still confused.”

The mage’s thin, nervous chuckle sounded quite a bit like one of Nyx’s. “Guess we all have that in common now, huh?”

“Besides the fact that we’re all still here?” Rebecca nodded. “Yeah.”

“We need an inventory of remaining supplies and resources,” Maxwell said. “Where’s—”

“Oh, yeah.” Leonard spun around to search the parking lot. “We already gotthatfigured out. Whit!”

“Right here,” Whit replied behind them.

Rebecca, Maxwell, and Leonard whirled around to find the warlock already there, looking crestfallen and a little hesitant about delivering this next report.

“Inventory?” Maxwell asked.

With a heavy sigh, Whit opened his mouth to respond.

“Yeah…” Leonard interjected with a grimace. “But it’s not very, you know… Impressive.”

Maxwell ignored the mage—who merely shrugged when Rebecca shot him a questioning glance—and nodded for Whit to continue.

“Zida’s already got everything from the infirmary that wasn’t destroyed,” the warlock continued. “And it’s not much. Rick and I double-checked the building as much as we could. Common room and kitchens are gone. Residential wing doesn’t even exist anymore, like Archie said. Same with the training room and additional supply storage. Can’t even get to the Security office.

“I wouldn’t hold out hope that any of our tech’s still salvageable, even if we somehowcouldget it out. The armory’s no different, either. Stockade’s gone. So we’re really…well, still running on empty.”

“This sounds like an inventory list of what we donothave,” Maxwell grumbled.

“I know.” Whit puffed out a sigh and folded his arms. “What wedohave is everything the teams left with when we took off for the bridge tonight. I meanlastnight, I guess. So it’s a short list. Vehicles and all the weapons and gear we already had on us. Other than that, though, we got nothing.”

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