He grunted and remained where he was, ten feet away. That was the maximum amount of distance he’d maintained all day even when I was given a break to go to the bathroom, which is why I threatened to shoot him.
The trucks rumbled to a stop in front of the wall. The back of one of the trucks opened, and humans jumped out, moving toward the other two trucks to help the fey unload the supplies. Boxes and totes filled with clothing, blankets, and food were carried over the wall and taken to a large storage shed. The bay door stood open, and I could see long tables set up inside.
Matt watched over the proceedings, directing where things should go.
“You and your grey monkey can go,” a man said as he climbed up to join us on the wall.
I put my foot on the ladder and shoved it off balance. The man gave a startled cry and clutched the rung as he started tipping sideways. Thallirin caught the end of the metal rail and righted the equipment, his cold gaze landing on me.
“Brenna, no tipping ladders.”
Chapter Four
I looked away from Thallirin to see the man cringe at the sound of Thallirin’s deep, angry tone.
“Did you hear him?” I asked the man. “Even after you insulted him, he’s sticking up for you. Learn some respect or next time, it’s an arrow, not a ladder shove. Got it?”
The man glared at me, but remained mute as he climbed the wall.
“And for the record, he isn’t my anything.”
I climbed down without fear of retaliation because Thallirin remained on the wall until my feet touched the ground. How could that fey be so smart about some things and so annoyingly stupid about others?
“What was up with the ladder drama?” Zach asked, jogging up to me.
“Darwinism.”
Zach laughed.
“Looks like you survived your day well enough. Was your section of the wall as quiet as mine?”
“Not a single infected. Kind of weird, given the noise of the trucks.”
“Take it as the blessing it is,” Ryan said, joining us. “Come take a look at how Tenacity does things.”
We followed him to the shed and watched as all of the scavenged items were laid out on the tables. Meats were separated from veggies, and all of the other home goods were stacked on shelves. The food was counted then thirty percent of the total was removed to the community pile. What was left was divided among the people who had gone on the supply run. By the time it was divided, each person was walking away with maybe two days’ worth of food for a family of four.
Those gathered outside the building started shouting offers.
“I’ll take your next guard duty for that frozen roast.”
“I’ll double that.”
More than half the people ignored the trading going on and rushed to form a line in front of the community supplies. Volunteers took down house numbers and what was being given, which wasn’t much.
“We should aim for Harrisonville tomorrow,” Ryan said. “It hasn’t been picked over like Warrensburg.”
“I agree. But there aren’t many who will be willing to go that far, and those who do go will be in danger here, once they get their share,” Matt said.
“Danger?” I asked.
“Despite the rule that people will get kicked out for stealing, someone will try. And, someone will be hurt,” Matt said.
“I’ll talk to Mya,” Ryan said.
Matt shook his head.
“There is no easy solution to this. The people here need to change. They need to figure out how to put their fears and biases aside. Until they do, the amplified frustration with those of us who don’t agree with their fears and biases will only make them more volatile.”
“Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but no one should ever disagree with it,” I said.
“Hypocrisy at its finest,” Zach said in agreement.
“Tenacity could really use more level-headed thinkers,” Matt said. “Your family is welcome here any time. There’s plenty of room.”
“I’ll let my mom know you offered,” I said even though I already knew that living in Tenacity would be a hard pass for my family. We’d lived with these assholes for over a week. It had been enough to realize we never wanted to do it again. Yet, what I’d said to Mya the day before hadn’t been a lie. If she or the fey thought I was there for the fey dating game, I’d take Matt up on his offer.
“Thanks. If you’re willing to come back tomorrow, we could use the help again. It’ll take a while for us to regain the supplies we lost.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” Ryan said. “It’s been quiet enough for a few days that I should be able to convince Drav to send a bigger group of fey for Harrisonville, too. Maybe that’ll help convince more of your people to tag along.”
Matt agreed, and we climbed over the wall to join the waiting fey. The supplies they’d gathered for Tolerance were already divided into boxes, which the fey carried. Some of the boxes were filled with random things like movies and books. Others had kitchen gadgets and clothes. Very few had food.
As soon as Ryan climbed onto one of the fey’s backs, they started to leave in small groups. I looked around for someone to carry me, pretending not to notice my very available shadow. The fey who’d brought me had a box of goods in his arms. Zach, standing by his fey, shook his head and waited to see what I’d do. I knew that no matter what I decided, Zach would have my back.
“Tell Mom I’ll be home a little late. It looks like I’m walking.”
“You cannot walk home,” Thallirin said behind me. “It will be dark soon.”
I turned and crossed my arms to glare up at him.
“The sooner you understand I’m not an ignorant child you can manipulate into getting your way, the better. I am not yours in any regard. I’ve asked you nicely, and then not nicely, to leave me alone. I’m not interested in some fey happily-ever-after. Not now. Not after I turn eighteen. Not ever. I don’t know how much plainer I can say it.”
For a moment, he said nothing. Just stood there looking at me. His cold gaze lingered on my face, and something in his expression shifted.
“Neither do I,” he said finally. “Walk. I will follow and keep you safe.”
I started jogging and waved to Zach as his fey passed. The crunch of my footsteps kept me company, soothing some of my irritation. Although I knew the danger of being out after dark, I didn’t regret my decision. I’d picked life above all else once before, and although I kept telling myself I’d do it again, I wondered if I really could. To save Zach? Yes. My mom? Absolutely. But myself? I wasn’t sure.
My thoughts didn’t distract me from my surroundings. As I moved, I scanned every tree and every elongating shadow. My bow rested on my shoulder, but I could have an arrow nocked in seconds. However, nothing moved through the woods other than me and Thallirin. It took several minutes to clear the trees and follow the trail through the fields.
Neither of us spoke, and the light began to fade before long. As the silence grew, a seed of hope sprouted that maybe Thallirin had finally gotten the message.
The lights from Tolerance already shined into the dark sky by the time we reached the wall. One of the fey patrolling the top lowered a ladder for me. I nodded my thanks and climbed over, relieved I’d arrived safely.