Rebel Darling by Valerie Best

Author:Valerie Best [Best, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 8th Note Press

The next day they came across an encampment of Immunes.

Hannah was tired—she should have slept—so it was Fletcher who saw it first. It was an old intersection—one of the waystations off the highway with a gas station, a bank, and an abandoned restaurant that had long since lost its sign.

The Immunes had seen their approach as well. They were waiting as Hannah and Fletcher walked down the off-ramp and toward what used to be a gas station.

There were three of them: an older woman, small and round, hard around the eyes. Two men flanked her. Taller than she, they were Hannah and Fletcher’s age, but they had wide, surprised eyes, making them appear younger. Both men wore close cropped beards, and all three had nearly white-blond hair.

“Hello,” Fletcher said as they drew closer.

No one responded.

The air was hot and close, and Hannah felt it press even closer as they walked toward the silent group.

“I’m Anthony. This is my cousin, Hannah.”

The woman’s eyes flicked across his face, then to Hannah, then back again. “And?”

“We’re just passing through,” Hannah said.

“You Immune?” the woman asked.

Fletcher nodded. “Yes.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. She glanced at one of the men next to her. “Ring.”

Next to her, Hannah could feel Fletcher fighting an irritated sigh. The Keepers’ disinformation game was strong, but even people in New City knew the gold test was worthless.

He managed to keep his derision to himself and let the woman draw a gold ring down the length of his cheek. She turned to Hannah, doing the same, her hand rough where it held Hannah’s jaw.

As victims of the virus grew weaker, they grew vitamin deficient, and the gold test was some old wives’ test for iron deficiency. Hannah could feel Fletcher’s eyes on her as the woman drew the cold metal down her cheek.

She must have passed because the woman took a step back, handing the ring to the man next to her. “Can’t be too careful.”

Hannah glanced at one of the bearded men, whose stare was boring through her. “That’s true.”

“Where are you coming from? West?”

“North,” Fletcher said shortly.

The woman’s eyes hardened. “What’d you do out there?”

Fletcher opened his mouth to respond, but Hannah spoke over him. “We’re just traveling.”

The woman’s eyes hardened. “You’re not Wanderers, are you?”

“No,” Hannah said, trying to keep her tone nonspecific.

The woman spat at the ground by her feet. “We don’t welcome that trash. Rather have Strangers than those stragglers, coming around and stealing everything they can get their hands on.”

Hannah didn’t answer.

The woman glanced between them again. “Just passing through?”

“Just passing—”

“My cousin is going to need to rest for a couple of days.”

Hannah looked up at Fletcher, who was looking at the woman, his expression firm.

The woman looked at Hannah, her gaze intent. After a long moment she nodded once. “I’m a Boyle. These are my sons, Michael and David. We were about to get our supper. You can have some too if you’ve got something to trade.” She stared at Fletcher. “Do you?”

“Yes,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.

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