Ash Princess (The Deviant Future #6) - Eve Langlais Page 0,16
taxing herself for someone who would shortly die. Supplies were already stretched. They didn’t need one more mouth to feed, one more body to clothe, another person for Kayda to look after.
Except, she found she couldn’t ignore him. She groaned as she looked up at the ceiling of the cave and exclaimed, “What am I supposed to do?” It wasn’t as if she could carry him. Even dragging was out of the question.
When she’d gone to harvest the shrooms, alone because she’d needed time to herself, she’d not expected to find anyone. Certainly not a stranger. By now, everyone beyond her country’s borders must know the dangers of trying to enter Diamond. The certainty of death.
Yet here he lay, a stranger in odd clothes. An outsider given his coloring gave away the fact he wasn’t a citizen. After twenty years underground and more than that in an icy kingdom, no one in Diamond had the tanned skin or dark hair he bore. Not to mention his garments. What was that strange crinkly material he wore over his other clothes? She could see the regular fabric through the tears.
Thinking of the clothes reminded her that, even if she couldn’t help him, she really should strip him. The fabric could be put to good use. Now if only she could bring herself to rob a dying man.
Leaning on her haunches, she sighed. I can’t do it. Perhaps once she finished grabbing the mushrooms, he’d be dead, and she could do it then.
But still Kayda didn’t move. Kept staring. If he truly had traveled here from beyond Diamond, shouldn’t she at least try to keep him alive long enough to ask more questions?
“What are the chances you’ll still be here if I go get some help?” she muttered aloud. The rule was to always go out in pairs or more. Safety in numbers, in the tunnels at least. Outside, a group was like a buffet.
However, Kayda was getting tired of always being surrounded by people, looking up to her, trusting her to protect them. She didn’t want the responsibility. Wished she could lean on someone instead. But there was no one else. All the hard decisions lay with her, and she’d foolishly tried to escape from them for a few hours.
“Chirp.” The noise, accompanied by the rolling of some of stones as her pet came sliding down from one of the many holes dotting the cave, drew her attention. She eyed Gellie sternly. “What have I said about following me out of the compound?”
Not that she could figure out how Gellie did it. When she left via the tiny side door only she had the key to, she’d done so alone. Had Gellie slipped out the main doors with another group?
Hopefully not one sent looking for her.
Her pet cocked its head, and she could have sworn it shrugged off her rebuke.
“It’s dangerous in the tunnels.”
And not just for little creatures. It wasn’t safe for her either. The machete at her waist was great for chopping mushrooms and the occasional rodent, but against a bigger predator alone? She wouldn’t stand a chance. Good thing the tunnels were too small for the really dangerous things.
“Trill.” Gellie hopped on his feet, left then right, then left, then shook his head at Kayda. Someone was giving her a dressing down.
Funny, given Kayda had been the one caring for Gellie. Kayda found the baby by the body of his dead mother only by chance. Despite knowing resources were scarce, she couldn’t let him die and brought him home. Best decision ever. Gellie had a knack for bringing a smile to her lips.
“I know. I shouldn’t have come alone.”
But of late, she needed to get away. Her spirit grew restless as her hope for the future faded. The burden of being responsible for the life and safety of the others weighed heavily on her.
Gellie cooed and waddled closer for a rub. Kayda ran her hand over the smooth head with only the tiny nubs hinting at the horns that might one day grow. If Gellie lived long enough. Even if her pet made it to adulthood, Kayda doubted she’d be around. The numbers didn’t lie, and every year their group got smaller and smaller.
“What do you think I should do?” she asked her pet.
As if Gellie understood, he stood straighter and waddled to the man. He dipped his head low and sniffed then growled before turning to look at Kayda.