Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,65

he'll help us get an audience with some of the larger scavenger groups.” His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair lacked its usual polished style. I saw the thin outer layer of his cool facade shiver and crack. Regardless of his reassuring words, he was just as anxious about this meeting as the rest of them.

“Now, if we were meeting the Eastern camp, we’d need an army. They loot and kill without mercy,” Kemper added in an emotionless and bored tone while continuing to click away on his tablet.

Fear clamped down on my heart, and Jacob hit Kemper on the back of the head.

“Way to scare her even more, Kemp!” he griped.

"What?!" Kemper looked back at him in confusion, rubbing his head where Jacob hit him.

“I thought you all didn’t get along with the Scavengers, that’s why you got Walkers from Galla,” I observed.

“We have various delicate alliances with a few of their camps,” Cyler explained while inspecting one of the crates. “But not all of them are willing to agree on peace. Hunger and sickness makes them desperate, and being on the outskirts of the Empire, leaves Dormas vulnerable. Most of our issues are with the East,”

“So why now? Why didn’t you try to build an alliance sooner? Why get Galla involved?” I asked. I wanted to understand Cyler’s thoughts and motives.

“We didn’t have a bargaining chip before. There is nothing a Scavenger wants more than the Vaccine, and the only way we were going to get that was through an alliance with Galla,” Cyler briefly explained.

“What a tangled web,” I murmured in response.

After we chatted a bit more, I changed into an outfit more suitable for a formal meeting, and we boarded the train. I looked around the familiar trolley, and it felt like a great ball of burning iron was thudding against my ribs and assaulting my nerves. When I saw the familiar purple trim of the train and a large blood stain on the plush carpet, every instinct within the ventricles of my heart rebelled against being back where I once held tightly to Cyler as he bled out and almost died.

“I feel like us being on this train is a bad omen, Cy,” I whispered while the others got comfortable.

“Nonsense, babe. This train is one of my favorite places now.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because this train is where a little Walker stole a bit of this stone heart.” He patted his thick chest with an open palm before placing a sketch pad in my lap and closing his eyes for a nap.

The train ride was both too long and too short. Every minute that passed made me feel anxious, and I tapped my pencil against my sketchbook until Cyler grabbed my hand, forcing me to stop fidgeting. His touch had a calming effect on me, and I leaned closer, allowing the strength of his confidence to wash over me in reassuring waves.

The scenery outside changed drastically as the train pushed forward, and soon wild trees obstructed our visibility from every corner. Rogue branches that looked like bony fingers brushed the sides of the train, causing eerie sounds that made my mind conjure up dark scenarios.

“How was your first day at the bakery, Ash?” Kemper asked with a smile.

“It was alright. I fulfilled my first order, but the customer never showed up.” I gave Cyler a snide side-eye.

“Because of this meeting, I didn’t even get to enjoy it,” he grumbled, causing the room to fill with chuckles.

“Come here, I want to show you something,” Kemper said while patting the seat next to him. I stepped around the others as they worked on various projects. Once I was seated, Kemp pulled out an intricately carved bear the size of a fist. Each detail was masterfully displayed, and I couldn’t stop looking at the beauty of it. Kemper was so skilled.

“Lois mentioned last week that she was going to start selling toys in the shop. I hope you don’t mind, but I was the one that told her about your artistic abilities,” he said with a wince. Apparently, it was well known how pushy Lois could be.

“Ahh, so you’re to blame,” I replied teasingly.

“Yes, well, I carved this for you. Well, I mean for the kids, but—but for you to paint,” he rushed out awkwardly, and I wanted to hug him.

“It’s lovely Kemp,” I said in awe as he placed it in my hand.

He went over the details of his carving process, and I listened intently, our conversation a welcome