Spirits of the Earth: The Complete Series: (A Post-Apocalyptic Series Box Set: Books 1-3) by Milo Fowler (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📕

“He does. That is not the issue.” Luther’s features take on a hard edge in the green light of the glowsticks. “The question is whether we allow them to take you without a fight.”

“You would do that.” Bishop sets his jaw. “Let them take us.”

“You are free to leave whenever you like. On your own to Eden, or in captivity when Cain arrives. No one is holding you here.”

Bishop narrows his gaze. “But if I allow you to join us on our mission to Eden…”

“Then we would be allies, and I would not allow Cain to take you where you do not wish to go. But you need to decide quickly, Sergeant. Cain will be here within the hour.”

I see an image in Bishop’s mind of dust billowing on the western horizon.

“Tell me this,” he says. “Why haven’t you returned to Eden for your children before now—if you’ve known they were there?”

The glimmer of a smile appears on Luther’s lips. “Until now, we would have been outnumbered. Even with the aid of the spirits, there was no telling whether we would be able to reach Eden in time. As we’ve said, it would not be beneath Willard to destroy the fetuses on a whim. They have no value to him unless he can use them to get what he wants.” Luther reaches out his scarred right hand. “But now we have the United World government as our ally.”

Weighing the consequences, Bishop extends his gloved hand, and the two men shake. “For now. We’ll see what happens when we get to Eden.”

“You have my word, Sergeant. No harm will befall your team. And if the Creator wills it, perhaps I will be able to convince Cain and his warriors to join us as well in our march on Eden.”

That would take a miracle, Bishop muses, the sentiment as clear as if it was spoken aloud. “We should leave now.”

“As soon as Cain arrives, that will be decided.”

Bishop frowns. “I’d say it’s in the best interest of my team to get out of here well before Cain arrives.”

“His people are already here.” Luther lowers his voice. “While you remain under my protection in the Homeplace, they would not think to act against you. Set off on your own, and you would be at their mercy. But if you trust me and wait, we’ll see if Cain is able to set aside our differences. It will be well worth it if we are finally able to unite our people in sight of a common goal.”

Bishop glances at me. This is something else the spirit said when it appeared to him—that more than anything, Luther sees it as his purpose in life to establish unity among the continent’s survivors. At least the ones who aren’t flesh-eating freaks. I nod, knowing Luther’s welcome extends even to the people of Eden. Tucker and I are proof of that.

“I would like to see Tucker now, if that’s all right,” I say as the sentries return, bearing nutrition and hydro-packs.

“Of course.” Luther directs the distribution of food and water.

“Standard rations.” Bishop smirks as he attaches two packs to the intake valves on the abdominal wall of his suit. “Is this what you people live on?”

I tear into my packs. “Beggars can’t be choosers. In Eden, however, they eat full course meals, three times a day.”

“One of the benefits of living below a trade sector,” Luther says. “They have been able to find everything they need in storage, unaffected by the residue from D-Day. Willard’s remote-controlled daemons carry scavenged goods from the surface down into Eden.” He nods to one of the sentries. “Please escort our friend Margo to see Mr. Tucker. I believe Samson is with him.”

The sentry glances at me with a thinly veiled contempt. A cursory scan of his thoughts is all it takes for me to know he is one of the Eden-hating faction, led by Daiyna. While appreciating Luther’s gesture of sending an armed escort along, I kindly decline.

“That won’t be necessary. I’m sure if you just point me in the right direction—”

“I insist.” Concern clouds Luther’s gaze. “If Cain’s warriors were to see you here…”

It isn’t Cain’s people who unnerve me. But before I can reply, shouts echo throughout the caverns. A staccato of weapons fire erupts in the distance, beyond the mouth of the cave. Luther gestures sharply for the sentries to guard the incubation pods as Daiyna appears in the passageway outside. Pausing amid the flow of bodies rushing past her, she adjusts the automatic rifle strapped over her shoulder and fixes me with a hard look. She beckons Luther toward her.

“What’s happened?” he demands.

Pandemonium owns the moment amid voices clamoring and rifles firing.

Daiyna catches her breath. “It’s not good.” She gives him the handgun that was tucked into her belt. “Cain’s here.”

Bishop stomps forward. “What the hell is going on?”

I crouch down between the two incubation pods and close my eyes. It is difficult to tell whose thoughts are whose in the cacophony around us, but I am able to discern the mind of the young female clearly enough:

We are in danger.

Part V

Blood

20 Cain18 Months After All-Clear

I sense their heartbeats long before we reach Luther’s Homeplace. Five on the ridge above, three below, two of them wounded. As the ashen wasteland before us rises steadily into the foothills, I recognize one of the pulses immediately with my keen, Gaia-blessed sight. Its youthful anxiety is palpable.

“Lemuel is among them,” I mutter.

I run as fast as my legs will carry me, my skin perspiring so much that everything I wear to protect it from the sun is already drenched. My breath comes easily, and I thank Gaia for the stamina of my warriors who keep pace with me—thirty strong, summoned from the various Shipyard tribes.

The other chieftains are too old to make such a journey—braving the goblyns and the elements. They remain behind, along with the women with child. I am the only chieftain in my