Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📕

Um, I have a morning class, so keep it down if you can?”

She disappeared from view, not quite slamming her door, but almost.

Rebecca slowly slumped to the floor, her back still to the door as she sat.

“Yup, wasn’t me.” She finally groaned and covered her face with both hands.

Chapter 7: Dark Thoughts

After a few weeks of recovery Adrian was more than capable of hobbling around the Amazon village unaided, though he wasn’t fit to travel yet, especially with winter having long since set in.

Besides, where would he go?

The Amazons had lost the trail of his team’s killers as the blizzard that began when he first arrived was followed by another, and then yet one more after that.

Drifts of snow were thick between the trees and even thicker between the huts of the village, though the powerful girls easily cleared numerous paths through the snow.

Olena had joined them the day after he arrived, though how she made it through the falling snow wearing nothing but her short sarong and knitted shawl was anyone’s guess.

But after meeting with the elders of the village and stopping to ensure that he was still alive away from her care, she had quickly returned home again, promising to return once they actually had a lead to follow.

For their part, the Amazons cast out a net of scouts to the north and south, Alcaia having reasoned that the false Aegis team would give the Saenga territory a wide berth on their return trip.

All they could do was hurry up and wait, which left the recovering Aegis technician at something of a loss.

With no orders to speak of he had simply taken to wandering the woods at the edge of the village for the last few days.

He found that if he sat still too long, emotions he would rather not dwell on rose to the surface, so instead he stayed as active as he could and thereby grew stronger by the day.

Though he felt hollow inside with the lose of his bond-mate, he couldn’t help but appreciate the quiet beauty of the place. The sky was clear and blue, while the massive trees standing against it were covered with white from the frequent snowfalls.

A familiar voice called out to him, breaking his mind free of its reverie.

With his crutch tucked under his arm he looked up expectantly as Alcaia drew near, a grim look on her face.

“We found your people.” She said without preamble.

His breathing was steady; when the snow had stopped she had sent yet more scouts to the west specifically to find his team, so he knew this was coming.

It still took him a moment to formulate a reply though.

“Are they, I mean, can I... see her?” His eyes stung as treacherous burning tears sought to fall.

Alcaia shook her head slowly, uncertainly.

“The cold and snow have preserved their remains, but-” She paused as she examined his face, her concern for his wellbeing plain in her eyes; “I did not know your wife but I do not believe that she would want you to see her as she is now.”

Her words were gentle, and her point well made, but Adrian had to see her, had to see his Cheri.

His expression communicated that to the Saenga warleader clearer than words.

“As you wish.” She murmured; “Follow me.”

She walked slowly, both to match his pace with the crutch, and to allow him time to prepare himself for what he was about to see.

The Amazons had laid out the remains of his team in two neat rows in the wide opening in the middle of their village, each body resting on a litter and respectfully covered with a blanket.

All of the Saenga that remained were surrounding them in a half-circle, adults and children alike. The Amazons had laid their weapons on the ground out of respect, while their assorted lovers and bond-mates were lighting simple candles and placing them alongside dried flowers around each litter, honouring the dead according to their own customs.

Seeing his team lined up and still, their faces hidden from his view, Adrian nearly collapsed.

Cheri was under one of those blankets.

Alcaia placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, a point of strength for him to draw on.

“Take your time, Aegis. Today we honour the dead. Later we see about avenging them.”

“Which-” his voice broke and he had to clear his throat before continuing; “Where is she?”

The Amazon chieftess stared at the side of his head for a long time, his own gaze trailing over the bodies.

“The Truffles are there.” She directed his attention towards a cluster of bodies with a slow swipe of her finger; “We would have preferred to set them alongside their bond-mates, but we did not know...”

She trailed off as Adrian jerked his head in understanding, his eyes now locked on the six litters she had indicated.

If she wasn’t propping him up, he would have long since collapsed to the frozen ground.

Drawing strength from deep within himself to honour his fallen comrades, he took a long breath through his nose to marshal his courage, before letting it out through his mouth.

“I can help with that.”

__________

The surface of the bunker’s walls were stone, but impossibly smooth, the simple metal table in the center of the low ceilinged room sat level without any hint of a wobble, just as it had done for centuries before.

In the deep darkness of the ancient man-made tunnel system, Evadne the Chimera was sitting up in bed, still recovering from her defeat at the hands of Nameless’s bond-mates.

It had been slow going.

Her body had been under constant strain for over a thousand years as it fought off the cold taint of entropy, so numerous broken ribs and a spear-wound through her belly did