Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,223

managed to shove Huxley's broad frame aside and crouch into a ready stance. I was ready for an attack— eager for it.

But instead of all the enemies I'd conjured up in my mind, it was Kemper that was barreling towards us. His long, lean legs moved impossibly fast.

"Ash!" he yelled, his voice frantic but determined. I warmed at the tone. Normally, he was so soft-spoken. It had been a while since I'd heard the commanding voice he reserved for our moments alone. He collided into me, cupping my warm, flushed cheeks. His blue eyes squinted as he looked me over. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"We have to get to Patrick." I pulled away then looked back towards the flickering flames and smoke off in the distance. My heart was racing. Kemper and Huxley exchanged wary looks when I turned my attention back to them. I saw the caution in their expressions. They had no intention of letting me anywhere near the danger, but I was done letting them control me. I stopped letting them make decisions about my safety when I lost Cyler, Maverick, and Jacob.

Within a flash, I was sprinting towards the center of camp. My tired feet pounded the hard ground as my warm muscles shook with adrenaline. I felt Huxley and Kemper at my back, following me as their shouts blended in with the warning drums. I could handle this, I could save Patrick.

I could save them all, right?

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I imagined all my guys at the finish line. I was no longer in the deadlands. I was in Ethros. I was running towards the men I loved. Dodging fallen branches and hanging tree limbs, I leaped over a puddle and stumbled a bit when my feet hit the muddy ground. This was my moment to help. I could fight. I wasn't helpless. The grass crunched beneath my feet, and the smoky air filled my lungs. I breathed in the woodsy scent, sprinting as I thought of all the people I'd failed—and all the people who had failed me.

No more. This was what I'd been training for, right?

Kemper called to me. He wanted me to wait. Huxley grabbed the back of my shirt, but I slipped from his grasp. My curly hair caught on a branch. My heart caught in my throat.

Tents started to appear along the trail, scattered around us. Men and women with white hair and deep frowns ran in the opposite direction, darting by us as we headed towards the camp's center. Their fearful faces were nothing but a blur in my peripherals.

"Ash, wait, let's see what's ahead."

But I didn't want to wait. I didn't want to be the girl that waited for others to right the wrongs of the empire. "We don't even know if Patrick's there," Kemper added. "He could be on the outskirts of the camp. I don't know his patrol route!"

When I broke through the clearing, a group of Scavengers had formed a circle around the fire. As I searched for Patrick in the haze, an arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me back. The air was knocked out of me when I collided with his chest, and I let out a hoarse scream. Nothing but strained air escaped past my teeth.

"There's a difference," Huxley began while trying to catch his breath. His chest heaved against my back. "Between being the hero and being fucking stupid." His lips were against my ears as he spoke, and a tear fell down my cheek. I wiped away the stupid display of emotion. It was blurring my vision, stopping me from tackling the task at hand. I wanted a fight. I wanted an excuse to prove my worth.

Huxley sunk backward towards a tree as I fought to pull away from him. My feet hovered off the ground, and Kemper gave me a look that made me fill with shame. I couldn't tell the difference between the pounding drums and my heartbeat. The loud beat, a thundering cadence of chaos.

There, in Huxley's arms, the warnings faded away. The adrenaline subsided, and all that was left was shame. I knew I was being reckless. But that’s what happens when you have nothing to siphon your disappointment and anger into. You start looking for ways to let the pain out. Slowly, the thudding pulse in my ears calmed. I looked around, trying to get a sense for my surroundings. A clear voice echoed over the commotion, making my heart race.

"Are you an