Page 15 of Lucie
Chapter Eight
NewBearinger
As the days passed, and the hours on the road began to feel endless, Lucien found himself liking to ride alone without any company. Every now and then he’d be drawn into a conversation by Iain or a few of the soldiers, but otherwise he kept to the middle of the contingency, ahead of the two wagons.
It was growing late when theyreached NewBearinger. Lucien chose to bunk with the rest of the battle lord’s men in the soldiers’ barracks, and saw little of his parents or the others who were accompanying them after they disbursed. They were only supposed to stay long enough for evening meal, butSyVolcheck, who oversaw the compound underD’Jacques’ banner, convinced them to stay the night and resume their trek before sunrise.
Once meal was over, he decided to climb the ladder up to the catwalk that ran along the upper portion of the thirty-foot walls which surrounded the compound. Two guards who patrolled up there saw him and gave him a little salute but didn’t approach.
The wind was brisk as it blew over the barrier. At first he debated whether to go back to retrieve his jacket but decidedagainst it. If he went back into the barracks now, where it was warmer, he may not want to return.I’ll tough it out for a few minutes, then I’ll go inside.
He breathed in the chilly air, noting the scent of possible rain. Also mixed with it were the aromas of food and wood smoke. The sky was brilliantly clear and filled with countless stars. Just half of the broken moon shone overhead.
“It’s hard to believe the moon used to be a big round ball of white, the way Madigan told us,” he commented to the figure he knew was standing a few feet behind him. When the figure didn’t reply, he smiled. “Oh, come on, Mom. Tell me you used to be just as skeptic when you found out.”
A soft snort answered him.Attyclosed the distance between them, stopping next tohis elbow. She placed a hand on the sharpened end of the tree trunk that formed the upper part of the buttress. “It always amazes me how you’re able to know who is behind you.” A smile lifted one corner of her mouth. “Then again, I’m not all that surprised.”
He chuckled. “There you go again. Thinking it’s myinherentMutahabilitiesthat enable me to do that.” He made quote markswith his fingers for emphasis.
“If it’s not, then what wouldyoucall it?”
“Good hearing?”
“Lucien, even though your hearing is better than aNormal’s, hearing has nothing to do with it. You know that. Same for your eyesight, your sense of smell, and your intuitiveness.” She wasn’t admonishing him. Simply stating facts. Facts that he’d heard repeated allhis life.Attylifted an eyebrow. In the light from the lanterns strung along the catwalk, her dark blue hair looked jet black with traces of blue highlights. “You’ve never truly accepted that you have hidden abilities, have you?”
“I know Matt’s eyesight is unparalleled.”
“Mattox’s eyes are his mark, and you’re evading the issue.”
Lucien mentally smiled.Everyone else, including their father, called them by their shortened name—Matt, Misty, and Luc. Only their mother called them by their full name.
“And Misty’s senses when she goes hunting are phenomenal,” he included.
“So, what you’re saying is that they’re still superior to you?” She slowly shook her head. “My sweet son, haven’t you realized by now that you are superiorto a Normal? At least, your senses are. And if those are, then there’s something yet to discover.”
“They’re not superior to Dad’s.”
“That’s because your father and I are connected on the deepest level. When we initially met, he was a good warrior, but in no way could he compete with aMutahhunter.” She grinned again. “He’s gotten better over the years. Speaking of,and to answer your earlier question…” She pointed at the moon. “Your father once told me that, when he was a young boy, he often wondered if the moon would ever be healed. If itcouldbe healed. Like our world. There was a lot of discussion about whether or not the Earth could go back to the way it was before the Great Concussion.” She leaned against the wall. “I’ve always wondered what the worldwas like back then. I heard there were amazing weapons. Giant machines. People could travel from one end of the world to the other inhours.They even managed to step to the moon before it split apart.”
His first impulse was to make a disparaging remark, but he knew his mother would never say something that absurd. Besides, his own teachers had hinted at such accomplishments madeby their ancestors, even though there was little if any evidence to back their claims.
Something flew by overhead. He couldn’t tell what it was. Only that it blocked out the moon’s light for a second.
“Somewhere out there is a bunch of DamagedMutah, and they’re just as unwanted byMutahcompounds as they are by us. Mom, it’s been more than four years since we defeatedthem. Where have they been all this time? Why haven’t they attacked other compounds before now?”
“We believe they’ve been trying to build their numbers.”
“Wouldn’t that be difficult? I mean, in order for their ranks to grow, they have to infect moreMutah, and then recruit the ones who survived.” He gave her a confused look. “Mom, I knowNormalscan’t, but areMutahable to tell which ones have been infected?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s impossible for anyone to tell who has been ill and recovered, until they reveal it themselves.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m talking about theMutahwho were ill and recovered. The ones who aren’tDamaged. Can they tell whichMutahend up Damaged?”
“No.”
“Thenhow do Damaged find other Damaged in order to recruit them?”
He watched as his mother’s eyes widened. She glanced downward, into the interior of the compound, but he could tell she was thinking. After a moment, she peered back at him. “That’s a very good question.”
