Page 20 of Born Savage

To young men and women who had their world destroyed and had watched family members die or be slaughtered, the attraction had been immediate.

Myself included. I’d been determined to hunt down and kill the people responsible for slaughtering my mother, father, and little sister.

“I don’t know who she is, Wrath, and it shouldn’t matter. We took an oath as Verndari to serve and protect and that’s what we’re doing.”

“Yes, we did, but you were placed in charge of the mission, which means you get to deal with her.”

“I’ll handle her.”

“What about her fire-starting abilities?” He arched an eyebrow.

“That could come in handy.”

“Maybe. However, are you certain she’s not a plant? I’ve heard of the Freedom Fighter using women to lure in Savages for the games.”

“I only know what John told us.” John, a name he preferred to his official title as the Revelator. A holy man, perhaps the only one left. At first, I’d thought him a product of the drugs I’d been on. Only after I’d started healing had I come to realize he was a man of importance.

“What about the kid? We also saw what she was capable of. That’s not possible. I mean there have been rumors, but…”

“You of all people should know anything in this world is possible no matter how difficult to believe.”

“Maybe, but if you don’t mind, I’m going to stay concerned. I’m also going to get some sleep. My shift is in two hours.”

He punched my arm before rising to his feet and walking away.

I lingered by the fire for a few minutes longer before heading toward the building housing the child. Rock was guarding, more to keep a watchful eye that she didn’t take a turn for the worse.

“She’s out. The kid was famished, but Star gave her something to help her sleep.”

Drugs. That was why Star had taken risks in the city. I’d checked her bag, finding an assortment obviously meant for whatever village she was living in. All I’d been told by John was that she and her family had moved from place to place, but that the girl had been protected. By whom I didn’t know, but I suspected it wasn’t a Verndari and certainly not a Savage. She placed the two in the same category.

Given her age, she wouldn’t know the difference.

What she didn’t know was that we’d gotten a lucky break in finding her in the city, where we’d heard she hunted. The compound where she’d been staying remained a complete mystery. Kudos to whoever held the position of security.

I opened the door and instantly, the dog was alert. His tail thumped first before he lifted his head, eyeing me with great curiosity. When I came closer, the girl stirred, but at least her breathing wasn’t as labored as before.

And her fever was down. I adjusted the covering that had been found over her slender shoulders. What had the girl endured before being found?

As I closed the door, I tried to remember all that John had told me, but Wrath had been right. I’d been groomed for years for a mission that would be my most important, the final step of my training unconventional with the healing necessary. That was likely the reason for the sense of urgency humming in the background. The Resistance was eager to crush the opposition.

After nodding to the guards, I moved toward the building where Blade and Wizard were keeping watch on Star. I certainly couldn’t put anything past her. The only aspect that provided any comfort was knowing she wouldn’t run without the child.

Visiting her wasn’t as much about asking questions as it was about trying to get an idea of why I was not only physically attracted to her but felt a connection that bridged an emotion I hadn’t been able to grasp.

Since being only a few feet away, I’d had a sense of knowing her from somewhere in my past. There’d still been side effects of the drugs, including memory loss. The condition had been expected and also condoned since remembering could cause emotional turmoil, possibly allowing for disturbance in the frontal lobe leading to extreme difficulties.

In other words, memories could cause insanity.

As soon as I opened the door, she tensed. She was sitting on a cot, the bed little more than metal springs with a patchwork of rags used as a mattress, but for many, the space would be considered a palace. What we had found were a supply of lamps, with special additives keeping the kerosene from hardening.

Another luxury. Light.

She stood, facing me as any warrior would do, looking past me since Blade was standing close, the soldier peering in with the same curiosity I held.

“Keep an eye out,” I told him. “If there’s any movement, let me know. Otherwise, I don’t want to be disturbed.”

He knew better than to challenge me. “Yes, sir.” The answer was curt, Blade unhappy he wasn’t allowed to interrogate her. After he closed the door behind me, Star remained silent, studying me with as much disdain as before.