Page 62 of Lucie
Chapter Thirty
Inconsistencies
Captain Grimsy threw back the tent flap and entered without announcement. From the look on his face, it was evident the news wasn’t going to be to anyone’s liking. Lucien also got the impression the man had some very important details to reveal.
Yulen pointed to an empty spot on a mat, and the soldier dropped down upon it. “Water?”
“No, thanks.I’m good.”
“Tell us what you found.”
The captain raised a knee and propped an arm on it. He was sweat-stained and covered in grime, but Lucien saw no blood, meaning he hadn’t been in a skirmish. “Total devastation. Schutz Ridge is just a shell of tumbled rocks. The compound’s been torched.”
“Torched?”
“About a mile from here, the terrain goes barren. All rock and shrubs. No forest whatsoeverto give cover. Schutz Ridge sits near the edge of huge bluff. There’s no way around the compound except to pass on the south side, and in full view. Once you get to the top of that last hill, you can see down into what’s left of it.”
“Go on,” Yulen urged.
“They built their walls with rocks. Those are still standing, mostly, although you can see sections where it was breached. The doors arecompletely gone. The buildings are made of mud bricks or rock, or a combination of both. They’re empty, and from the looks of it, long deserted. There’s not a single piece of wood in that place that doesn’t show signs of char,” Grimsy remarked.
“That doesn’t quite fit into Pechard’s description,” Lucien remarked.
“I was thinking the same,” Yulen said. “Any smoke or evidence ofhow long ago the place was burned?”
“Ages ago,” the captain answered. “Months. Maybe a year or more. But it hasn’t been recent. I’d swear by that.”
“How about bodies?” Johna spoke up.
The soldier shook his head. “No bodies. No skeletons or bones. Not even animal carcasses or remains like that. I tell you, D’Jacques, that compound was destroyed a long time ago.”
“If it was overrun, andthe inhabitants killed months before, the wildlife would have had plenty of time to dispose of any remains,” Iain commented.
“That’s not all,” Grimsy added. “You can see where some of the hardier plants have begun to grow in between the rocks and cracks. It’s even evident from the road that the place is ghosted. Has been for quite some time.”
“Any reasonable possibility that the compound canbe rebuilt and restored?” Yulen inquired.
“My honest opinion? It’ll take a massive effort. Best it’s left to the elements like Bearinger.”
The battle lord bowed his head in thought. Lucien could tell the captain wanted to ask about Atty’s health, but held himself in check. The man could see for himself how ill she was.
“Thank you, Grimsy. Fine job. Congratulate your men for me. You may gonow. Get some food and rest.”
As soon as the captain left, Yulen threw a question out to his son. “Luc, you were there when Pechard told us about what he and his men went through to get to us, right?”
“Right. And I tell you, it doesn’t quite jive with what Grimsy says.”
“How does it differ?” Iain questioned.
“Pechard said when they managed to reach Schutz Ridge, it had already fallen,”the battle lord explained. “Now, if you were to pass by a compound that’s in the state of decay the way the captain described it, would you refer to it as ‘already fallen’?”
“Not only that,” Lucien added, “but the emissary claims that he and the two soldiers with him are Normals, and that they hadn’t suffered the virus. He said that they’d managed to escape because they were among the few leftwho were healthy enough to try and seek help.”
“What are you thinking?”
Lucien shrugged. “I don’t know, but it sounds off. I can’t explain why.”
Yulen pointed to Johna. “When Pechard was here earlier, did you happen to notice if the man had had the virus?”
