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Nightjar

I woke to the cold kiss of steel on my throat

Though I’d grown accusto safely since our arrival in Salvation two e Before my attacker realized I ake, I knocked the knife away and tumbled him over my head While Stalker recovered, I rolled to ht him in my room People took reputations seriously, andmyself

“Good work, dove” Stalker’s grin flashed in the ht

“What are you doing here?” It was the ht, but he loved his little tests

“We’ve got inco I heard the second bell”

My ire cooled He wasn’t just checkingto no one, we had to er the townsfolk by flouting their rules Most see, and they didn’t like it when I went off to spar with Stalker It hadn’t taken irl—at least by Salvation standards So we trained in secret these days, no daylight matches

“Let’s have a look Turn around”

With minimal fuss, I dressed in Huntress attire and strapped on my weapons, which I hadn’t permitted anyone to take, despite complaints of how “inappropriate” it was for me to carry them Most of those came from women who dropped by the Oakses’ house to whisper their disapproval of es raised me in a cave, to hear them tell it, but as I’d informed Momma Oaks, I earned my scars and blades They could pry the latter fro the teacher’s sensibilities, I did wear long-sleeve blouses to school to hide my Huntress status

Stalker slid out the open , the same one he’d climbed in a few httihtshi down into the quiet yard

It was a warround with silver Each blade of grass felt heavenly beneath my feet Once, I’d walked on broken stones and hard cement, deep in the belly of the earth It had been a noisy place, full of echoes, soft one

Now I lived in Salvation, where the buildings were sound, white-washed, and clean, where led with that reality Down below, my sex hadn’t mattered much Most of our titles there were neutral with the exception of Huntress, and we retained that one because in the early days—before we realized feht as fiercely—only male Hunters protected the enclave When the first Huntress changed everything, she wanted an acknowledgment of her achievement … and so the distinction remained, unlike the Builders and Breeders who had always been both genders

They treated their young differently in Salvation as well Regardless of the threat, brats weren’t allowed to fight … but I’d spent too long defending the enclave to feel co abed while others battled on my behalf They had built the town like a wooden fortress with strong fortifications and a sturdy gate; a protective alkway and sentry towers kept the Freaks out, safeguarding the populace, but I wasn’t sure it would hold forever Both Stalker and I had asked to assess the nuuards drove them off It seee—elders ere actually old—preferred that young people spent their ti how to read and cipher numbers There were also history lessons and endless tests on inforht mind would ever be required to know

I found it insulting If someone already kneeave cloth, ould anyone waste ti him learn how to bake bread? It was a waste of effort, but they had rules for everything in Salvation Breaking them had consequences, which hy I had to be careful

Along with Stalker, I stole through the darkened town, avoiding dogs that would set up a racket I found it curious that people kept animals for companionship and not food When I’d asked Momma Oaks when she planned to cook the fat creature that slept in a basket in the kitchen, her eyes almost popped out of her head Since then, she’d kept her pet away from me, like she suspected I meant to turn it into stew Clearly, I had a lot to learn

“I smell them,” Stalker whispered then

Lifting ht wind and nodded Anyone who had encountered Freaks—or Muties as they called the sores Once, a long tio, they had hu bad happened, and people got sick A lot of theed The dead ones were lucky, Edmund claimed, but Momma Oaks always shushed her husband when he talked like that She had some idea that we needed to be sheltered Her protective instincts uards I paused, listening

Weapons weren’t quiet in Salvation, so if the fight had started, I’d hear the booave me tishot stood watch He wouldn’t run ht to be in bed Over the past weeks, he’d showed great patience with my questions Other men said it was none of my business and reported me for unfeminine, improper behavior; more than once I’d found myself in trouble with Momma Oaks over my nocturnal jaunts

As usual, Longshot didn’t protest e slid up the ladder and joined hiht the land unfolding before ain access to the walls, but then his fellow guards would yell at un, so I couldn’t shoot Freaks anyway Plus, Moain, which led to extra chores and a lecture about hoasn’t trying to fit in

“You neverOld Girl

“Not if we can help it,” Stalker answered

“It doesn’t feel right … I’ht?”

“I counted ten, but they’re hanging back, just out of range”