A Christmas to Fight For by Jessica Frances

Author:Jessica Frances [Frances, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Caspar

The next two weeks are tense, painful, hard work. My back heals, although the new skin is still tender and I’m definitely going to scar, but Claw’s gunshot wound is almost completely healed. Neither of us are hobbling around like invalids any longer, and we have gotten plenty of work done around the village. It fills up our days as we wait for word from the leader of the worker army.

This lull in action gives me some time to come to terms with what will be coming.

Claw is going to attack the SCO again. I’m going to help. We might even have some sort of army behind us. Maybe we will be able to do more than just get revenge. Maybe we will be able to help free the workers.

And maybe we will all die.

I’m having trouble wrapping my head around that.

Still, Kinsley, the older worker who seems to glare at me a little less these days, finally comes to tell us that Hake, the leader of the army, is ready to meet with us.

I’m not sure what they think about Claw and me sharing a hut, or if they think anything about it at all. In fact, I’m not sure what I think about it. I definitely like it. I don’t think I can go back to sleeping without his arms around me. But what Claw thinks about it … I don’t know. I have been too afraid to ask him, not wanting him to think about it and realize there isn’t a good reason to continue and then stop.

Three workers meet us just outside the village, close to the forest, and then we are led through the damp, cold forest full of trees taller than most buildings in North Pole. The coverage from the trees means it’s mostly dark in here, but I have never had a problem seeing in the dark. I do get lost after about two minutes of the identical landscape and seemingly random twists and turns that we take, but from the concentration on Claw’s face, I think he knows exactly where we are.

When we come face-to-face with Hake, my first instinct is to notice she’s a predator. From the way she stands, to the way she looks at me, I feel hunted and way out of my league.

She’s young, as is the few soldiers with her, but she looks fierce and powerful. Her white-blonde hair is twisted into some sort of complicated hairstyle, and her dark green skin only makes the glowing red of her eyes stand out. She looks beautiful and fierce, and I’m not ashamed to say that I take a small step back so Claw is closer to her. I can’t be sure she won’t kill me, but at least I can trust Claw to stop her.

“This is your Santa?” she asks Claw, her gaze finding mine and staying on me. The way she doesn’t blink is unnerving.

“Yes.” Claw’s response is resolute and doesn’t leave any doubt in his reply.

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