“And that was the last time we heard from that settlement?”
“Yes.”
“Did we send anyone to check on them?”
“We didn’t want to risk an expedition traveling so far.”
That makes sense. We have enough problems close to home. “Does Finn know about this?”
“Yes, but Saratoga isn’t the only settlement we lost contact with; it’s just the one that mentioned scales before going off the grid.”
“How many settlements are we talking about?”
“Ten, all north of Denver.”
I rub my face. This is worse than I thought. “How many Defenders can I take to High Hope?”
“The general agreed to four plus a leader.”
I wish for more, but I can’t negotiate with the general after our conversation earlier. “Three days, you say?”
“Can you make it sooner?”
“Yes.”
He nods and stands up. “Keep me updated. And when you see Josh, give him a hug from me. A strong one.”
Chapter 7
Finn
“We should have taken buggies,” Otto says again. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to make such a journey on these smelly beasts.”
I rub my horse’s neck, not minding her smell. “Buggies would have made too much noise. You’ll get used to it soon.”
“Well, your horse is clearly more comfortable than mine.”
“That’s because he’s more important,” Caden says. He’s also not a fan of riding, but it’s not like him to complain. There are four Defenders under his command on this journey: Trey, who was with Caden in the orphanage; twin sisters named Sue and Rita; and a bulky guy named Noah who barely speaks.
“I wouldn’t say that Finn is more important,” Otto says stiffly. “Though I can see whyyoumight think that, Captain Anderson.”
Caden rides away and doesn’t answer, which I’m grateful for. Otto has a way of drawing you into an argument you can’t hope to win. I learned the hard way to keep my interactions with him to the bare minimum.
“This is strange,” Otto says as we ride south toward one of our outposts, where we will be spending the night.
“Why is this strange?”
“Well, we only have five Defenders with us. You and I should be important enough to justify a bigger squad.” He lowers his voice. “Is it because the captain couldn’t find any more Defenders who agreed to serve under him?”
I take a breath, feeling that the universe is testing me. “More people will draw more attention, and we have Timothy, who can sense danger.” I turn my head to give Otto a forced smile. “Nothing strange about this.”
“Well, there’s a spider riding a pony next to you, so I’d say thisisprettystrange.”
I glance at Timothy, who is holding the reins of his brown pony. He seems too content to be bothered by any comment. “You’re lucky he’s here,” I say, and this time Otto doesn’t argue.
We reach the outpost toward dusk, and Caden signals the Defenders on duty about our approach. They let us through the gate, and we tie our horses in the stable by the entrance. Since it’s late, we go eat with those who aren’t on duty. Unsurprisingly, they use the opportunity to ask Timothy about the old world. He answers their questions patiently, sharing stories that sound like fiction, but he has no reason to lie. I’ve heard all these stories before, but I still listen closely, hoping to catch a piece of information I missed.
Later, Timothy and I get our own room, which is small but clean. I go to take a shower, washing the long day from my skin. It’s a short walk back to my room, and when I get there with a towel wrapped around my waist, Timothy is gone. Caden sits on my bed, wearing plain civilian clothes.
