The Girl Who Kissed the Sun (Death Fields 4)

The Eater falls, head and body dropping opposite directions. A man stands before me covered in soot, sweat, and blood. His blade is still in the air. Underneath it all, with the fire roaring behind me, I see the light in his eyes--very alive, and very right here in front of me, eyes.

“Thank fucking God,” Wyatt says, reaching for me.

His hand touches my chin and I crumble in a mess of tears I didn’t know I’d been holding in. Not just tonight but for months and months.

“Save the reunion for later,” a familiar voice quips. I turn and see them all. Davis the bear. Jude and Parker. All in bad, but manageable, shape.

“This way,” Green says, pointing in the direction of the barn. His voice is rough—weak, but he’s still on two feet. With Wyatt’s hand firmly entwined in mine, we escape the inferno.

Chapter 17

I’m not the only emotional wreck in the group. Walker nearly cries when she sees them walk in the barn. Her face scrunches into something unfamiliar and I feel the punch in my own gut. Davis grips her in a sudden, engulfing bear hug and I press my face to Wyatt’s chest to hide my tears.

Even Jane greets each one of her former Fighters with a pleased smile and lays a hand on Wyatt’s cheek. “I never doubted your survival.”

Benjamin is injured, the wound on his neck bleeding badly. Jane patches him up but there’s a crease between her eyes that makes me nervous about what caused the fleshy, torn wound. I hobble on my weak ankle, Wyatt’s strong arm tight around my waist. The men hoist Benjamin onto the back of a horse and while the house burns behind us, taking the souls and bodies of the dammed, we head back on the road.

After collecting our wagon and supplies, Finn and Mary lead us to a house a few miles away nestled back in the trees. “It belonged to a member of the community. He moved closer to the town during the crisis. I assume he’s one of the dead now,” Finn informs us as Jackson breaks a back window.

Jackson carries Benjamin in and Walker clears the long wooden table in the kitchen with a sweeping, impatient motion. Bowls and silverware clatter to the floor. Jane lights a lantern she found by the fireplace and rests it by his head.

“It’s a bite,” she says, pulling up the blood-soaked cloth. “It’s deep but he’s vaccinated. I’ll stitch it up tomorrow.”

“Will he be okay?” I ask.

“Don’t worry about me,” Benjamin says, giving me a comforting but weak smile.

Wyatt’s hand tightens on my hip.

“He hasn’t lost too much blood. I really think he should be okay. I’ll monitor him for fever.”

I step away from Wyatt, grimacing with pain, and move to the table. I press my hand to Benjamin’s forehead. It’s warm but not too much. The bite is jagged and raw.

“Don’t die on me, okay?”

“Not a chance,” he replies but his eyelids grow heavy from the pain medication Jane gave him.

“Let’s secure this place,” Davis says.

A hand rests on my shoulder and I glace back. Parker gives me a grim smile. She looks different than the last time I saw her. Hair cut short in jagged angles. She seems harder, but not in a bad way. Just stronger. “I wish the circumstances were better, but I’m so glad we found you.”

I squeeze her hand. “Me too. And I can’t wait to hear how you did it.”

“Ninety percent luck. Ten percent bad-assery.” She jerks her head at Wyatt and Davis. “Doesn’t hurt to travel with those two either.”

“I bet.” The rest of the room clears out, even Wyatt, the only reminder that they were here is the dirt from their boots all over the floor.

“You need to sit,” Jane says, walking back in the room.

Parker watches her with narrow eyes. They’re not used to The Director being among civilians. They don’t know how much she’s changed.

“Davis,” Parker calls. He appears seconds later. “Help Alex upstairs. She needs to elevate that foot.”

“I’m fin—” He doesn’t let me finish. I’m in his arms like an invalid and he carries me up the narrow stairwell. The first room is open, furnished with a double bed and a small dresser. A blue and pink quilt covers the mattress and he gently lays my filthy body on it.

“I have a million questions but no idea where to start,” I say, just happy he and the others are here.

“We’ll talk in the morning. You rest.”