Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,49

thought I’d keep you company,” he said. His voice sounded raw and exhausted. I wondered if he had gotten much rest since the attack on the train.

Instead of stepping aside to let him in, I scolded him. “You look like you could use some sleep. I’m fine; you need to go to bed.” I suggested.

“I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t rest. Something is off with that boyfriend of yours. He’s planning something, and I don’t want you caught in the aftermath.” He grunted. I smiled at his offhanded protectiveness.

“Come on, just let me in,” he pleaded. Wordlessly, I opened the door and allowed him to enter to my room. He turned the lock on my door handle, and suddenly the room felt very crowded. Cyler took up all the air in my bedroom, and I was gasping for clarity.

He casually walked around and eyed all the windows, making sure they were locked and secure. Then, he clumsily leaped on the bed and crossed his legs at the knee while placing his arms behind his head with a smug, relaxed expression on his face.

Cyler and I didn’t speak. The tension I felt was too intense, so instead, I sat in the corner wingback chair and began sketching. About thirty minutes later, Cyler was snoozing lightly. I got up from my chair and covered him with the quilt that was folded at the foot of my bed and smiled at his relaxed expression. Another light knock got my attention, and I made my way to the door.

Surprisingly, Jacob was on the other side wearing an exhausted expression. “I’m sorry Ash. I couldn’t sleep and–” a loud snore erupted from Cyler, cutting him off, and causing both of us to chuckle. “I guess Cyler had the same idea as me.”

I didn’t argue, just let him inside. This was their house, after all.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. I don’t trust anyone from the Galla province, and I’m starting to think we’ve done this all wrong.” He plopped down, crossed-legged on the floor, and just as I was about to shut the door, Kemper and Maverick walked through the threshold and sat on the corner of my bed, waking up Cyler. Apparently, they were all feeling unsettled, and my room was the new meeting spot to discuss it. They talked about the new Walkers and Josiah, and my thoughts drifted back to the new Walkers and the openly hostile one that practically growled at me.

“Maverick,” I started, causing their side conversations to stop. “Did you ever get the train surveillance video to work?” I asked.

Maverick looked at me curiously and shook his head no. “I couldn’t recover the missing footage. We were never able to find out who opened the door from the inside,” he replied.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember each face of the guards that boarded the train and, immediately, the familiar scowl of the man I saw earlier invaded my vision.

“He’s here. The guard from the train. I just realized. He was at the New Walker Dorms today!” My admission caused the entire room to fall into an eerie silence.

“We know,” Cyler said with the biggest grin. Slowly each of them smiled brightly at me.

"Why do you look so happy with it?!” I asked in shock. I had expected them to scatter into a panicked frenzy, not look at me like I told them the best news of their life.

“Because you told us,” Jacob answered with a shrug. I searched their faces for clarification but found none. “We knew the moment Josiah arrived that the Walkers he brought weren't Walkers at all. Then, Huxley found the tablet in your room and saw that you’ve been communicating with Josiah. We couldn’t be sure if you were on our side or his,” Maverick explained with a guilty look.

“So, right now, Galla province Guards are camped all around town, and you knew?” I asked incredulously. “Why the heck are you all here, we need to prepare!” I exclaimed while rushing over to my closet and throwing on a long dress over my pajamas.

“Because if any of their heart rates exceed 100 beats per minute, they’ll pass out,” Maverick answered casually. Cyler then fist bumped him, and they chuckled.

“What does that even mean?” I asked.

“Today, I gave each of them what they thought was a vitamin booster. Instead, they got a fun little bug I created,” Maverick said with a grin. “Basically, after twenty-four hours, it will set in, and