Page 89 of Run Like the Devil

So much for playing nice…

Still, the woman didn’t look concerned. “Are you thinking we’re in league with The Guardian? That’s a silly idea.”

“Then explain why you were there.”

“We heard screaming and went to investigate. We don’t run into many people, so signs of them will make us want to see what’s going on.”

“So why did you leave her?” Gorrin asked. “If you were so worried, why run?”

She put her hands together, fidgeting slightly. “I sensed something coming.” Her gaze shifted to Yazmor, but just as quickly, it leapt away as if she couldn’t bear to look directly at him. “I’d never felt something like that, and forgive me, but I didn’t want to see what it might do to us. I’m sorry that I left her to fend for herself, but since it seems you know each other, it all worked out, right?” Her smile then seemed forced, but I got the sense it was because she wanted to convince us that everything was okay.

I couldn’t blame her for her actions. I’d learned plenty of times in my life that to survive, people needed to watch out for themselves first. If I saw Yazmor and had no idea what he was, I was pretty sure I’d have taken off, too.

Yazmor tilted his head as he stared at the woman, but he showed no defensiveness. He really didn’t care what most people thought of him, did he?

And why does that make me feel special?

I shook away the stupid thought to focus. “What is this place?”

The woman waved her hand at the small community. “This is our home.”

“And who is ‘our’?” Tyrus asked. “Because as far as I was aware, nothing survived long in the Path. I am curious how you have.”

“There’s time for all that later. My name is Nona, by the way.”

“Loch,” I offered, lifting my hand in an awkward wave, then nodded at the others to introduce them. “Yazmor. Hale. Tyrus.” I gestured toward Gorrin, but she interrupted me before I could say his name.

“Gorrin, of course. You have a hard face to forget.”

“And yet I don’t recognize you,” Gorrin responded.

“Of course you wouldn’t. You may have owned my soul, but I was far too low on the rankings for you to take notice.”

If she knew Gorrin but not Tyrus or Hale, it meant she must have left the Chasm sometime before Tyrus had taken over. It at least gave us a very general idea of how long she’d been here.

“We have a place set up for guests,” Nona explained. “But first you’ll need to meet the others. This way!”

“Aren’t you worried we might be dangerous?” Tyrus asked.

I tried to reprimand him with a sharp look. When someone was helping us, it was not the right time to be rude and suspicious. I’d learned my lesson on that when some nice strangers had once let me stay the night with them when I’d still been a teenager. I’d made the mistake of asking them how they knew I wouldn’t steal from them, mostly because someone being that that trusting made me uneasy.

As it turned out, normal people didn’t like questions like that. It made them think I had something planned, and I’d ended up having to spend that night on a bench in the park all due to my big mouth.

If I miss out on a soft bed and good night’s sleep all because of Tyrus’ big mouth, I’m stealing his blankets and making him sleep in the dirt.

Nona didn’t seem bothered as she passed by us and started to follow the walkway toward the large house at the end. “No, I’m not worried. If you all made it here, you’re clearly dangerous. We all came from the Chasm, so judging who’s good and bad is a silly idea. It’s like figuring the good and bad prisoners. They are all bad—it’s only a matter of degrees.”

“You don’t get many visitors, then?” Tyrus asked.

“Occasionally, but it’s still pretty rare.”

“Did you get here at the same time, then?” I asked.

“Oh, dear, no. People don’t come to the Path in groups, after all. No, our little place here is just a stopping point, so the few who survive this far always end up here. I wonder if the Path guides them here.” Her steps slowed a bit, as if she’d gotten herself lost in thought about it. Her eyes blanked, her expression flattening in a way that was beyond unnerving, as if all the emotion inside her had frozen in the blink of an eye.

As quickly as it happened, she blinked rapidly and that same old smile spread across her lips. It happened so fast I nearly felt dizzy. She went on with her conversation as if nothing had happened. “A few leave from here and venture farther, but most who make it here stay, at least for a while.”

“How many are here?” Gorrin asked.

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