Page 7 of Citadel

“Maybe. Maybe not. I’m just setting the ground rules.”

“We do appreciate your help,” I tell him. Surely he won’t be so offended that he’ll abandon us now.

“I’ll get you somewhere safer than this,” he mutters, no trace of a smile on his stern face. I haven’t seen him smile yet.

I understand what he’s saying now too. He’s not offering to be our friend or partner or permanent protector. He’ll get us somewhere where he can drop us off without feeling guilty about leaving us to die. Then he’ll be on his way.

Whatever that way happens to be.

It’s fine.

He’s no different than anyone else we’ve encountered in the years we’ve been on our own. Avoid the people who will be a danger to you, and make use of the ones who can help. That’s the only way to get through this life.

We need Cole right now. He’s the only thing that’s keeping us safe. So we can stick with him until we reach a place where we can find safety without him.

If such a place exists anymore.

2

I sleep betterthan I expect—several hours without opening my eyes. When I finally wake up, it’s almost dawn. The sky at the horizon is starting to lighten through the wide opening in the church where double doors used to be, but it’s not bright enough yet to have woken me. I’m not sure what did.

I sit up, taking immediate assessment of Breanna, still sound asleep on the floor beside me. Cole isn’t in sight though. Giving the dim room a more careful scan, I find no trace of him.

Even his pack is gone.

Shit. Maybe he left during the night. He was done with us but didn’t want to tell us directly.

I jump to my feet and head outside, walking the perimeter of the church.

If Cole is gone, then he’s gone. There’s nothing I can do about it.

We’ll be fine on our own. We’ve managed before.

It was just so much safer with him.

I’ve made it around the church and have almost reached the door when a figure steps out from the wooded area on one side of the building.

Cole. As big and stern and menacing as he was yesterday. Still wearing the same clothes.

“What are you doin’?” he demands, striding over to where I stopped.

“I woke up. I thought you were gone.”

His pack is hooked on one shoulder. Maybe it’s habit to always take it with him the way I take my bag. “You thought I left?” His voice is even growlier than normal now.

“Yes! I mean, you weren’t in there.” I shrug, unsure of how to handle this. I barely know the man. Surely he won’t think it’s strange that I considered the possibility he might take off. “I didn’t know.”

“I was out here.”

“I see that now.” I swallow hard. Then I gesture toward the woods. “I’m going to…” I assume he knows I need to pee, which is what he was probably doing out there earlier.

“Don’t go far.”

I give him a little scowl over my shoulder because he’s being bossy. I’ve got Breanna to boss me around. I don’t need anyone else.

But I do take his advice and don’t go far into the woods before I find a convenient tree and pull down my jeans to squat and pee.

I don’t produce much. I hardly had any water yesterday.

---