The Island Experiment by Erica Rue

Author:Erica Rue [Rue, Erica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tannhauser Press
Published: 2019-12-21T05:00:00+00:00

23. CORA

Cora took a deep breath. They were waiting on her. She’d led them all out here, yet she wasn’t sure what they expected from her. From the conversations she’d had with them yesterday, she got the feeling they were just as angry and heartbroken as she was. But did they have the stomach for what would come? Did she?

“Beautiful morning, isn’t it, cuz?” Lithia tossed her a polla as she approached, Bel by her side. “Big day.”

Cora bit into the fruit. Underripe and a little too tart, but still tasty. “Are you all right? I heard from Felix you didn’t sleep well.”

“Just some bad dreams. Nothing a cup of coffee can’t cure.”

Cora noticed Bel frown at that. She barely knew Bel, but she always seemed to be frowning.

“What kind of bad dreams?” Cora asked. She knew she was prying, but that didn’t stop her.

“The kind I don’t want to talk about.” The smile vanished from Lithia’s lips for a few moments before she changed the subject. “What’s the plan for today?”

“Simple. Get to Raynor Farm, kill the Green Cloaks,” Cora said, counting off the steps on her fingers.

“Are you sure you want to do that? Why not arrest them?” It was Bel who spoke.

“There can be no peace while the Green Cloaks are alive.”

“And you think their deaths will bring you peace?” Bel asked.

“Yes, I do.”

Lithia shifted to stand next to Cora. “I agree with Cora. It’s the only way to be sure. Kill the Green Cloaks. Kill the Vens. Happy ending.”

“I hate the Vens as much as anyone, trust me, but the Green Cloaks are human,” Bel said. “With all of the lies and misinformation floating around this planet, can’t you see how they were confused? Don’t you think that learning the truth could change their minds?”

Cora stared at Bel a moment. The girl made an interesting point, but truthfully, she didn’t give a damn how confused the Green Cloaks had been or if there was a chance to redeem them. They had set off the flaminaria mines prematurely. They had let the Vens into the settlement. They had earned the deaths that were coming for them.

Her hands curled into fists. “I don’t care if they can be saved,” she said. “They are responsible for killing Aratians.”

“The Vens killed the Aratians,” Bel replied.

“Someone lights a match in a barn, and you want to blame the fire for burning it down?” Cora asked. “The Green Cloaks are responsible.”

“The Vens are more than an uncontrollable force, like fire. Remember, they came here to kill you. They would have found a way, with or without Green Cloak help,” Bel said.

Lithia scoffed. “So we kill the Vens next.”

“Bel, the Green Cloaks killed my father in cold blood,” Cora said. “I don’t have it in me to forgive that.”

Bel had no response to that. Cora watched the girl rub the intricate, floral tattoo that snaked over her hand and up her wrist. She braced herself for the next argument, but it never came. Instead, Theo ordered everyone to break camp.

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