Page 6 of Lucie
Lucien bowed his head. Four years ago he hadn’t been able to fight alongside his family and the others. He’d been an untried kid who’d been forcedto stay inside the lodge, along with several others, as the rest of his family waged that terrible war. True, he’d been given the task of protecting his AuntKeelorand his cousin,Surisam. But it had been a long, bloody, and disgusting nine days. And what followed afterwards had dire consequences for the entire compound for years.
“Let me get this straight.”Renkenadjusted hisstance and cleared his throat. “If we go help this compound, and we engage these Damaged, the chances are very low that we could become infected again. Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Iain confirmed. “However, let me add that if by some slim chance youdocatch the virus again, it won’t be as overwhelming as it was the first time.”
“Becauseall those little bitty leftover pieces of it in your body are protecting you,” Mattox intoned.
“Yes.”
Yulennodded. “That information helps tremendously with my decision. Cole, Warren, survey our troops. Pick out two hundred of our best who have already survived this virus. We leave tomorrow morning.”
The two seconds hurried out of the lodge, leaving theothers to await their individual orders. After the men were gone, the battle lord surveyed those remaining. Lucien also noticed his mother eyeing the small gathering, which consisted now of mostly family members, and people who were considered family.
“I am not ordering or requesting any of you to go with us,”Yulensaid softly. “Talk about it among yourselves and with your families.Anyone willing to take this risk, be at the front of the main lodge, ready to go, right after breakfast. Please leave now so thatAttyand I can discuss our own arrangements with our children before dinner.”
The others quietly filed out of the lodge. As he watched them go, Lucien already knew who would be there come morning. What he wasn’t expecting were his father’s next words.
“Mattox, you andMistelleare staying here. Lucien, you’re coming with your mother and me to Green River.”
