They were close to the camp when Livvy paused for a break. She and her five volunteers had walked from the military field base to the foot of the mountains and she wanted to give the resistance plenty of time to see them coming. She took her time taking a sip of water and stretched, making a show of being relaxed.
“We’re sitting ducks right here, ma’am,” Donald said softly. He was an older soldier. She could tell he was not comfortable in civilian clothes and she had not allowed them any weapons.
“They can’t hit us,” she said.
He scowled. “You said you don’t know what kind of weapons they have.”
She shrugged. “I’m pretty sure there are no sniper rifles.”
“Pretty sure,” echoed Donald sarcastically.
Livvy grinned but paid him no mind. He might be grouchy, but he was very experienced and calm. She considered him a valuable addition to the team, even if he was jumpy from a combat perspective.
“Ready?” She looked around at her group. Along with Donald were Jace and Garth, experienced soldiers. Two women from the charity volunteers made up the group.
“Are you okay, Sally?” Livvy asked as the ladies picked up their packs. “We can help if you like.”
Sally made an interesting sound, somewhere between a snort and a sigh.
“I’ve been on expeditions to the rainforests and the frozen wastes, girl. I can carry my own damn pack and anyone else’s, should they need it.” Sally turned her round bulk toward the camp and set off with long, firm strides. Serena, the other nurse, shrugged and grinned at Livvy.
“She’s not good at following orders,” she explained. Livvy smiled and headed off after Sally.
“I’d never give her any.” Livvy chuckled.
They covered the bare stretch of ground in silence, the threat of the situation getting to all of them. As they got closer, she saw a small group of people come forward out of the camp. They didn’t appear to be armed, but they also didn’t look like a friendly welcoming committee.
“What about people escaping in the other direction?” Grant nodded toward the low hills that turned into mountains in the wilderness beyond the camp.
“We have units on it,” Livvy answered. “We can’t make much compromise there. If they run, we have to capture them. It might be the only way to catch Hazel.”
“She really rattled you. Didn’t she?” Donald grinned as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, leaving it dangling from his lip. “Is it because she wants to kill Preor mates and you are one?”
“Yeah,” she said absently. There was no point trying to explain it to him. The Preor had been horrified that anyone could be so cruel. Killing a mate meant killing both and destroying whole families. Humans simply didn’t understand the term “mate for life.” Once one of them died, there could be no other.
She hurried to pull level with Sally, marveling at the woman’s speed. She wanted to ask her how she stayed so fit while also being overweight, but she knew Sally wouldn’t take it well. Livvy supposed she was just very strong, honed by long years of sacrificing herself for the good of others.
She has never lived for herself, Livvy thought. It’s made her short with people because she reads them too well. She doesn’t have time for bullshit and if you can’t accept her help, get the fuck out of the way so she can help someone else.
Even though Livvy kept even with Sally, she didn’t try to get in front of her. She wanted the others to feel that Sally was in charge.
As they approached the line, Livvy recognized Betty standing in the center. She had three men spread out behind her and a young girl by her side. She stood tall, watching the enemy get closer.
“Betty!” Livvy jumped up and down and waved. “It’s me!”
Betty made a motion with her hand and two of the guys fell to one knee and pulled out rifles that they trained on the group.
“We’re fucked,” Donald lit another smoke.
“Right now?” Grant asked, incredulously. “You might need both hands soon.”
Donald squinted at him. “I can always spit it out if there’s trouble. But if there’s trouble, it might be my last cig ever. So, excuse me while I enjoy it.”
While Livvy had been focusing on the men, Sally had kept striding straight toward the group. Serena was kind of stuck between them both, not knowing who to follow. Livvy started walking very slowly, letting Sally do her thing.
“We have medicine, food and clothing,” Sally called. “We can return to the camp to bring you anything you need. No military, no Preor.”
“Why have you come?” Betty thundered. “You murdered us; you blew people up—”
“I beg your pardon!” squawked Sally. “I did no such thing! I work for the church, child.”
“Don’t call me a fucking child!” Betty swore. Sally cocked her head to the side, trying to spy across the fifteen feet or so between her and the others.
“Betty Bryce?” she asked.
Livvy saw Betty falter. She took two steps forward and her voice cracked when she spoke.
“Sally Langdon?”
The two women forgot the situation they were in and ran toward each other. Lots of hugging and crying then followed. Both groups moved slowly toward the crying women, eyeing each other suspiciously.
“Livvy,” Sally grinned, looking over her shoulder, “Betty used to work for the church. We met in our early twenties in some godforsaken jungle. Where was it, Betty?”
“Indonesia,” Betty said. “Setting up a school.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Did you take your vows, Sally?”
Sally raised a hand, showing her gold ring. “I did. I became a sister. You’re still a heathen then?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“I’ll pray for your soul. In the meantime, will you let us help you?”
Betty looked over Sally’s shoulder, focusing on Livvy.
“She can’t be trusted.”
It hurt Livvy to do it, but she stayed quiet. Sally was a busybody, and this was the sort of thing she thrived on.
“Why, because she brought the military?” Sally snorted. “They were already here, dearie. Livvy is the one who stayed their hand.”
“What?” Betty looked between them. Livvy just nodded.
“The soldiers wanted to sweep in and arrest you all,” Sally spoke crossly at her old friend. “Livvy convinced them to bring in aid first. That there was no threat here.”
“No, but you are a threat to us.” Betty put her hands on her hips. “We all heard what happened—”
“Did you, Betty?” Livvy said coldly. “Derek and Chance bombed a town where a Choosing was going on. They hurt innocent people and they almost killed me.”
Betty stared at her like she didn’t want to believe it. Livvy could see the doubt all over her and knew the conflict inside her was rooted in the fact that she knew those guys were no good.
“How can I let you in, Livvy?” Betty said, her tough exterior crackling under her emotions.
“You have no choice,” Livvy said softly. “We have a few days, no more. Then they come in and force you to cooperate. It doesn’t have to be like that, though. The Preor will not come here and neither will the soldiers, so long as you don’t try to run or attack us.”
“But what do they want?” Betty snapped. “Brides?”
“Betty, they want to help,” Livvy wished she could hug her friend but didn’t dare move in case it was taken as a threat. “The Preor don’t want you to live like this, Betty. They are kind. They want to help build a human-only zone. Then anyone who doesn’t want to live with them doesn’t have to.”
Betty’s eyes widened. Livvy knew she was far from being convinced, but her surprise quickly gave way to hope. It was in Betty’s eyes, written all over her face.
“Will they really give us independence?” she whispered. Livvy nodded.
“They have compassion, Betty. I know. I’m biased if not compromised. I know that. You feel you can’t trust me. That’s okay. I’m not here to convince you of anything. Just let us help you and then we can negotiate later.”
Betty nodded slowly, scanning the horizon before turning back to lead them into the camp.
Livvy glanced over her shoulder to look at the horizon before she followed. She saw the looming trucks and tents that Betty had been watching, but her eyes seemed to look further. She knew it wasn’t possible, but it was as if she could see Radoo concealed in the trees in a far-off ridge. She knew he was there, watching over her. She knew he always would be.
He was committed to helping the resistance. This more than anything else gave her complete confidence in the Preor. She knew the rest of the resistance might never have faith in them the way she did, but they had accepted the Preor’s help. That was the first step toward building a future.
It’s not enough to think of this as people coming together, one match at a time, she thought. Her eyes swept the horizon again and she could feel Radoo out there, watching and waiting.
And he always would be. She would never be alone again. Even when he wasn’t within the reach of her hand, he would always be in her heart, waiting to come to her the moment she needed him. Their path meant they might spend a lot of time apart, but in doing so, they assured the long-term peace between the two races.
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Did you miss any of the Dragons of Preor series?
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