Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,275

grew louder, and it wasn't until a hand at my back pushed me into the street, that I realized I was standing still. I felt so unprepared. The air smelled of smoke and sewage. I swallowed, a lump of emotion swelling in my throat.

“Split up. Meet back at the home after the meeting,” Madam B hissed before slipping into her perfected expression of indifference, matching the other Walkers shuffling towards the Zone beside me.

Jacob settled in line and grabbed my hand. I felt safe having him near, but my heart beat fast when I saw Kemper give me a weak smile before disappearing with Kaye. Huxley wore a scowl as he begrudgingly followed Blythe, and Patrick strolled past with a giggling Jade and Lowe on his arms. He paused to kiss me on the cheek and whisper, “See you soon, Sweets. Can’t wait to kiss those lips.”

Damn Patrick, always making me smile when I wanted to punch something. Even though I wasn’t close with the Companions, I was comforted that the guys were with them. Should anything happen, the girls would be able to direct the guys on the proper protocol, and I knew my men would protect them.

Jacob kept his mindspeak in his pocket, which was probably a good thing. Unfiltered access to Jacob’s thoughts about Cavil and the empire would undoubtedly get us killed. We strolled as the crowd thickened around us. Heart pounding with adrenaline, I tried to keep my breathing even. We followed the flow of people crammed in the narrow streets of the Zone. Barefoot children stumbled past us, but they lacked the usual playfulness of kids their age. Their shoulders slumped as they moved, and cheerful smiles didn't touch their lips.

"What’s going on?" I asked out loud before silently cursing myself for being so insensitive. Jacob squeezed my hand once more as if telling me it was okay. My skin itched, I wanted to flee. After last night's run-in with Cavil, I hadn't expected to see him again so soon.

When we turned the corner, I gasped when I saw a stage set up in what I assumed was the courtyard. It was surrounded by hoards of Walkers staring up at it. I wrapped my arms around my middle as an assault of flashbacks hit me like a punch to the gut. I forced myself not to hunch over as the physical symptoms of my anxiety wrecked my stomach. I felt like I was going to be sick.

The stage felt foreboding in the distance. It reminded me too much of my time in Ethros. "Be...B-Be strong," Jacob gritted out through clenched teeth. His voice stuttered, but it still held the steel of a man determined. I reached out to grab his hand once more and leaned into his arm, wrapping around him like a vine and clinging to his bravery and resilience.

"The stage, Jacob," I whimpered, eyes wide as I nodded in the direction of the large platform. There, on a wooden bench, with stiff postures, sat Maverick and Cyler. "Why are they here?" Dread pooled in my stomach. I scanned the stage further. Studying the platform, I frowned when I saw the hooded official at the end, cradling an electric ax in his arms.

An execution.

"Jacob," I began. I tried to keep my voice from sounding as shrill and panicked as I felt, but the effort was wasted. I couldn't help the all-consuming terror. "We have to get them out of here. The executioner's here." Jacob turned me to look at him, cupping my cheeks as we stood in the crowd. Walker men and women passed by us in a mindless, obedient haze as I collected myself.

I squeezed my eyes shut as he stared at me more, keeping me in his hands as I breathed in and out. "Hey, get going," a guard nearby yelled. I took an extra second to exhale and nodded.

Jacob was constant and firm, pressing me forward and comforting me with little touches and care. We filed into the dense crowd, and my breathing went shallow. I looked around for the others, needing to feel secure that they were safe. My eyes spotted Madam B, who was sitting almost directly in front of the stage. She was brave.

When the trumpets started, I felt like puking once more. I kept my eyes on Cyler and Maverick, taking in every little detail like it was my last time to see them. The way Cyler's mouth quirked up when he observed something. Maverick's tall