Page 55 of Such a Feral Little Lamb
“Why?” Mason asks from behind me. His expression is dark, and I shake my head.
“Because he’s part of the team. We’re supposed to take him back with us.”
“Will you be taking Otto back, too?” Callum asks. He has a stubborn set to his jaw, one I don’t much like.
“Yes. All of us. Considering being bitten doesn’t seem to matter as much here, it really shouldn’t be that difficult.”
Callum glares past me at Mason, who doesn’t move at all.
I sigh. “I’ll get Rae.”
To my surprise, Autumn follows me into the church. Mason stays behind, and when I glance back, his head is ducked towards Callum’s. I can’t hear anything they’re saying.
“Something feels wrong here,” Autumn whispers when we’re halfway to the altar.
I don’t stop walking. “How so?”
“It feels like we’re being lied to.”
Maybe we are. I look back at her and nod once. No. I know that we are, don’t I? I know that Mason has magic, and some of the others do too, that it’s real at all—
And they have to have started figuring that out. The rest of the team, I mean. No one is foolish, not when it comes to our own survival.
“Dane’s missing,” I say once we’re close, and Rae leaps to her feet.
“Fucking—” She bites back whatever she intends to say and picks up her axe. “Do we know where he went?”
“Blake says Dane was gone when he woke up. Callum said he left around five.”
“Six hours.” Rae shakes her head. “The town isn’t huge. We should be able to find him before nightfall.”
The sound of footsteps draws our attention to the stairs. Otto appears in the doorway, freezing in place the moment his eyes land on us.
He doesn’t seem to know what to say. Neither does Rae nor Autumn, by the look of them. I sigh.
“Dane’s missing. Come on. We need to find him.”
Otto swallows and nods, giving me a grateful look. Autumn takes a step back as he approaches, and Rae quickly guides her up the aisle and out of the church.
“How are you feeling?” I ask. I’m itching to go, but I should ask. I can’t imagine what he went through, but I’m not trying to.
“Good. Good, I—” Otto ducks his head. “I feelfine. Just like before. Better, even.”
“And you’re really not—”
“No sign of it.” He lets out a faint laugh. “Can youbelieveit?”
“Hardly.”
Otto flinches, and I sigh.
“I believe you. That they healed you. How…”
His eyes meet mine, and I understand in that moment that he knows just what I do. There’s magic here, impossible as that might seem. There’s a town out here that can keep themselves safe from the zombies, and we’re here all the same.
“Do you think that’s why they sent us here?” Otto whispers.
I don’t answer him at first, instead glancing up at the stained glass window. Clouds are rolling in outside, but the colouredpanels still glow. I remember all that Mason said to me and feel the prickle of eyes on the back of my neck.
