Page 22 of When Monsters Rise
“Therunes didn’t hold it?”
“Nope.”Shereached for the coffee. “Ineed this.Wait…have you been to the tunnels yet?”
“Justgot back.”
Shetook a small sip of the steaming coffee. “And?”
“Andnow we wait forKabielto have a vision.”
“Didyou have to…”Shemade a kissy face.
“No.Notthis time.”
Shelooked relieved on my behalf. “Howlong will it take for him to get a vision?”
“Ihave no idea.Hedoesn’t control them, but now that he’s a little more himself, they might find him.”
“Andthen we go after the relic.”
“Yes.”
“GoodbecauseI’mgetting itchy feet.Ineed to roam, even if it is out there.”Shesipped her coffee again. “Where’sShem?”
“Hewent to findMichaeland give him back his sword.”
“Abouttime.”Sheshifted her ass to sit with her back against the headboard. “Weneed to show him that we trust him so he can feel a part of this group.”
“Beinga part of this group will take time.Youweren’t there when he purged our people.Itwas awful.Javier’sgone because of it, along with many others.Thesurvivors of that purge only knowMichaelas a killer.Theyhaven’t seen any other side of him.Theydon’t understand the power theDominionhas over its celestials.Ihated him too before theGoldenCity.I’dhave happily stabbed him in the face.”
Shefrowned, clearly annoyed. “Thenwe’ll need to explain it to them.WeneedMichaelin this war.”
Iwasn’t about to argue with her. “What’syour plan for the day?”
“Workingon the new section of the mall withTumielandBastian.You?”
“IpromisedSissyI’dgive the kids a safety talk about the outside.”
“Meetfor lunch?”
“Definitely.”
* * *
Itwas a strange hour,speaking to the children.Backat the settlement whenI’dgone in to talk toSissy’sclass about being a scout, there’d been excitement and questions.They’dbeen interested in my stories of near-death adventure, but this time, the mood was solemn.
Thesechildren had seen death.Theirshelter had been shattered.
Thesurvival talk was just that—a list of things to do if the mall was overrun with monsters.
Everychild was instructed to pack a bag and keep it at a spot where they could grab it easily.Therendezvous point for an emergency was by the fountain for now, butIwas sure that would change onceBastianandTumielfinished working on their secondary escape route.
Ileft the class with a weight on my chest because there would be no innocence of youth for these children.They’dbeen forced to grow up too fast.Toknow a kind of fear that no child should be forced to face.
Manywere orphans, taken in by the adults who remained.
Ourworld, our species was dying, and we had to save it.
IfoundBeeat what had become our table.She’dalready grabbed me a sandwich and a coffee.
