“In the hallway.” Kate extended her hand. “By the door.”
Lynn took great joy in seeing the anger on Kate’s face as she called Skeever over. Without bothering to react, she turned and walked out, both Skeever and Dani on her heels. Some of the others followed at a greater distance, but she didn’t bother to check who. Kate, probably. Maybe Cody and Dean.
Her backpack and jacket were, indeed, waiting by the door. Lynn slipped on her jacket and fished her tomahawk out of her backpack. Its familiar weight against her hip settled her. She hoisted her gear onto her shoulders and took Dani in. Now that Dani had her jacket on, her backpack strapped around her shoulders, and her folded spear in her hand, she looked like the elephant slayer Lynn had first met. “Ready?”
Dani’s guarded eyes finally met hers. “Yeah.”
Cody pushed her aside and undid a heavy padlock on the door. He pulled her knife from his belt and handed it over. “Come back soon, flower girl. Don’t get eaten.”
For a split second, Lynn entertained the thought to fuck it all and plant the knife in his chest. She restrained herself. “Fuck off.”
He grinned.
Kate—the only other person who’d followed her—stepped up and opened her mouth as if to say something, but then just turned and left.
Skeever took two steps in Kate’s direction and whined. When Lynn clicked her tongue, he turned to her and pressed against her leg instead.
“Right, then.” She slid her knife into the boot not occupied by the glass shard and straightened. “Let’s go.” She pushed the door open and headed out onto the staircase without looking back.
A single pair of footsteps followed her down the steps.
Just one loose end to take care of and I’ll be on my way again, with Skeever.
The dog rushed down ahead of her, sniffing busily.
It was so good to have him back. She trusted his nose as he traversed the lobby and only cast casual glances through the near-dark hallway. If he didn’t think there was any danger, she was inclined to believe him. She needed to focus on the uneven floor so she wouldn’t trip.
When they came to the doors, Dani opened them. After staring out for a while, she wordlessly undid the wire that held the swing gate closed.
Lynn grabbed Skeever by the collar. “Heel.”
He whimpered but obeyed, vibrating with excitement.
She stepped out with him. The area around the Homestead was deserted as far as she could tell. It was a bright day, and it would warm up soon. She considered stripping off her jacket but didn’t want to lose the layer of protection.
Dani closed the doors and tied up the fence.
Lynn let Skeever go so he could explore the area around the Homestead.
He darted off but circled right back to sniff along the wall, tail wagging.
Dani unfolded the spear. Her gaze darted around to the ruined buildings. When nothing moved, she walked past Lynn into the small square in front of the Homestead.
Skeever brushed up against the building, lifted his hind leg, and peed lengthily.
Lynn couldn’t picture a more perfect goodbye to this shithole.
CHAPTER 5
LYNN SET OFF FROM THE Homestead at a firm pace. She felt Flint’s gaze on her from the lookout rig hanging off the side of the building but refused to acknowledge him. Instead, she tried to gauge the mood of her travel companion.
Dani glanced back once, then set off, away from the Homestead, with strong strides that carried her past Lynn. She seemed to have withdrawn into herself even more than before—not looking at her, not speaking, not even acknowledging Skeever. It would have worried Lynn if Dani hadn’t continuously scanned her surroundings, presumably employing reflexes engrained in her by whoever had taught her to hunt. Her gaze was alert but not frantic, and she appeared to be holding her own.
Skeever bounded ahead and sniffed at the crumbled walls of the buildings in front of him—the same they’d passed through on the way in yesterday—and then beyond as they passed the barrier.
At least you’re happy. She returned her attention to Dani’s stiff back.
She trudged on, but to where?
“Dani…?”
No reply.
“Dani, come on. Stop.” She gritted her teeth. “Please?”
Dani tensed. She took a breath, then slowed and turned. Her grip on the spear tightened. “What?”
Lynn’s focus slid from Dani’s unreadable face, down to the sharp tip now leveled in her direction. “Maybe we should talk about where we’re going?”
Skeever circled them before he shot past Dani to sniff at a crooked oak.
“Okay.” Dani wiggled her weapon. “Talk.”
“Right.” Lynn checked the position of the sun. “That’s east. I came from the north so…” Faced with Dani’s spear, she pointed north with her tomahawk and not her unencumbered hand to assert her own dominance. “That way?”
“No. That’s lion territory. If we’re going north, we can go that way.” She pointed with her spear. “I know a route that goes west, then curls up to the northeast.”
Lynn ached a brow. “Why aren’t we going back to the hunting ground? I can find my way from there.”
“Can’t. We hunted in lion territory. They’ll be all over the area now, feasting on the bones.”
“Okay.” Lynn lowered her tomahawk. “We’ll go that way, then.” She would have liked to take the direct route and make her escape sooner rather than later, but she conceded to common sense. Speed wouldn’t do her any good if she was too dead to capitalize on it.
Dani stared at her as if she was going to say something but then only nodded and turned on her heel. With the same brisk pace as before, she picked her way across the overgrown street.
Lynn hurried to catch up.
When she got within a foot or two, Dani glanced back and increased her pace.
Lynn walked faster.
Dani matched her again.
Oh for fuck’s sake! Apparently, Dani was staging her own little rebellion. Lynn shook her head and fell back. If she pushed, she would wear herself out before noon, and she couldn’t afford that. She needed to be as fresh as possible when she made her escape.
When Lynn wasn’t on her heels anymore, Dani didn’t turn or even glance back. As the road’s condition deteriorated, she picked her way carefully, held her pace, and kept the sun at her back. She didn’t talk or acknowledge Lynn in any other way.
Now that their course was set, Lynn didn’t mind the silence; getting used to being out in the Wilds again took all her attention. Even just a few hundred feet from the Homestead, plant and animal life encroached. The lush bushes and rustling trees stood as stark reminders that every reclaimed inch of the city was predator territory. The yoke of it settled on her like a lead weight. She tried to ease its burden by paying even more attention to her surroundings but with only marginal success.
Dani’s route diverged from the path they’d taken yesterday, and the distinction between street and building became even less defined. The remnants of houses had spilled onto every available space between them, be they gardens, alleyways, or streets. Without Skeever, Lynn would have backed up slowly and looked for another path. Eyes seemed to stare out at her from every shadow; danger appeared to lurk around every corner and behind every pile of overgrown rubble.
They got farther and farther away from the Homestead, and her insides still writhed like maggots in her gut. She took a few short breaths to gain control of her emotions, but they refused to settle. With a scowl, she wiped her clammy hands on her pants to better her grip on her tomahawk.
Dani picked her way across the debris a few feet ahead. She paused so Skeever could pass her and watched his progress before following along, all without sparing Lynn a glance.