Page 51 of Claimed By Ruin

“So you made it here from Atlanta?” I asked.

“Yeah. The krye wanted a lay of the land. Sent a few folks out to do recon,” Dante said.

“He didn’t die in prison?” I asked.

“Well, you know the krye. Or at least you know of him. Does he strike you as the type to let the end of the world stop him?”

“No, but we mere mortals sometimes don’t have a choice. I barely made it out of the courthouse and that was with an almost empty building and free rein. There’s no way anybody made it out of the jail.”

“You’d be surprised how resourceful some people can be,” Dante said.

“Asia, why are we talking to him?” Jack asked.

“You can stay for a while until you’re feeling better,” I said to Dante, ignoring Jack.

“Appreciate it, Asia,” Dante said.

I looked at Jack and was surprised he didn’t throttle Dante right there.

He grabbed my arm and led me out of the shed.

“What the hell is that?” he asked.

“If he is who he says he is, maybe he’ll be able to help us at some point,” I said.

“You’re wasting resources on a maybe,” Jack said.

“Yeah. I am,” I said.

Jack looked furious.

Part of me wished he would tell me no, say I couldn’t do it. I was looking for a reason to tell him exactly what I thought of his pushy-ass attitude and how mistaken he was about his level of control over this farm. Over me.

But for him to give in like that—that conversation would’ve made me look insane and petty, and I was in no mood.

“I’ll see that the krye knows about this,” Dante said, seemingly satisfied that Jack wasn’t going to kill him. At least not yet. “Can I get the cuffs off?”

“No,” Jack and I said in unison.

Dante smiled, then collapsed back onto the cot.

“I can see if we have pain meds,” I said.

“Nah. I’ll be fine.” Dante waved the offer away.

“Then at least let me take a look at you.” Lourdes hadn’t made a sound, but she approached Dante now. He flashed her a charming grin, and she just huffed.

“No need to stick around, Lourdes,” Jack said. “Our friend Dante is going to be nice. Aren’t you, Dante?”

He barely moved but his amusement was evident. “On my honor.”

She harrumphed and then headed toward him as Jack and I left.

He sucked his teeth. “Still taking in strays.”

“And you still have a problem with that?” I asked.

“Yeah. It’s stupid,” he said.