Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,241

blond hair, pausing when I realized I was mimicking her fussing so I ruffled his boyish tresses instead. “But challenge her to do fun stuff too,” I added with a wink.

His bottom lip jutted out in a slight pout, but his steel eyes were locked on me as he nodded enthusiastically. “I’m taking her fishing today,” he said with forced excitement.

“Be sure to make her hook the worm.”

Standing, I looked around the camp as the sun rose over the white leaves of the glowing trees. I wondered where Lilly was but smiled when I heard her worn voice calling out with huffs as she climbed the hill in the distance.

“You idiots better not leave without saying goodbye to me, first.”

I smiled as Kemper ran to assist her. She was carrying a pack almost bigger than she, overflowing with various jars containing herbs. Her hair was frizzy and eyes red and puffy.

“I thought I had two days to prepare for your leaving. I’ve been gathering supplies all night,” she complained while rubbing her nose and fumbling towards me.

“I included the basics. I enjoyed tutoring you, Agrio. I hope to see you again.”

Lilly's eyes shone with emotion, but she blinked it away before letting a single tear fall. Although our time together was short, I had grown to appreciate Lilly and her abrupt ways. “Teach them a thing or two, will ya?” she joked. We had spent many hours arguing over the benefits and shortcomings of modern medicine, and I genuinely looked forward to showing Maverick some of what I’d learned.

“Thank you, Lilly,” I said with a grin. The time and knowledge she’d poured into me were invaluable. I didn’t doubt for a moment that I would use it.

“I have something for you,” I said while snapping my fingers. Behind me, Patrick dug through my pack and pulled out the sketch pad I’d been working on since studying under Lilly. “It’s for your next student. I sketched all the plants and labeled them with their healing properties. Hopefully, it can help.”

Lilly greedily took the leather-bound journal from me and thumbed through the pages as a single, fat tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away before it could fall on the sketchbook. We’d spoken briefly about how she wished there were a way she could share the information with more people, but she didn’t know how to write.

“You’re making an emotional woman out of me, Agrio,” she huffed. “Travel safe.”

She then clutched the journal to her chest and filed in line beside a smirking Aarav. It was rare the grumpy healer showed emotion, and the moment she caught him chuckling at her, she popped him behind the head.

Huxley placed his hand on my lower back, gently encouraging me to leave. But Jules was less subtle in her desire to get moving.

“Alright, idiots, let's get the show on the road. If we leave now, we can be there by nightfall.”

My guys looked to me, and I sensed that they were waiting for me to change my mind. I appreciated that they were willing to let me take the lead.

“Let's save your brothers,” I said with a sigh. “So I can kill them.”

Jules whooped. “Now we’re talking!”

Chapter Eight

I hadn’t been in a transport since arriving in the deadlands. Seeing the technology was jarring, almost. After spending so long in the simplicity of camp, I almost forgot we could travel with the push of a button. I’d spent hours walking to and from the creek each day for water, and other than Kemper’s nights scanning the news reports, we didn’t use our tablets. It was like we were suspended in a time where technology didn’t exist.

While we drove, I kept my eyes on the road, taking in the empire under Cavil’s rule. For the most part, everything was still the same. Scattered, abandoned towns passed by in the early morning. Trains hovering over tracks blew past us, carrying boxcars of military personnel and weapons. But the land still looked dusty and barren, thirsty for life.

It wasn’t until we drove through the metropolis of Saberus that I realized things had changed significantly during our time in the deadlands. Ethros guards patrolled each street corner, and there were no pedestrians walking around. I’d heard rumors of Saberus. I knew it was a destination city for drugs, sex, and debauchery. But it looked repressed now. Shops along the main street were boarded up with X’s spray painted along the windows and doors. Signs were shattered. Glass