Page 34 (1/2)

I nod, "Yeah"

Anna co sleepy Nick is beside her with a swollen face His look tellsAnna and lead her into et better again"

She sighs, "I know I’ her, "You’ll feel better soon"

She squeezesof him"

I kiss her cheek and whisper, "You have his heart, Anna"

She starts to cry again, nodding, "I know" I give Nick a look He stays in the hall as I take her into the roorowls in the hallway and saunters in, jue ears, "You stay with her, okay?"

He yawns and nestles into her better

She closes her eyes,the door and leaning against it Nick looks down, "I’m sorry, Em I tried so hard, but there was no way"

I shook my head, "You said the cervix was closed"

He nods and closes his puffy eyes, "I’ it,a woman who is about to lose a baby seals the deal"

I put a hand out on his arive a shit about babies"

He snorts and looks at reen in them and look similar to mine He nods at me, "You really are cold sometimes I see that hate fill you, like the breeder babies"

My gaze narrows, "Why don’t you have that?"

He shakes his head, "I don’t know Some do and some don’t"

I look down the hall, "I don’t think Star has it naturally I’ve seen it develop in her She used to be different"

He nods, "It ers in us, e need it"

"Well then, I hope you never get it"

He laughs bitterly, "Me too" His look darkens, "How did you do it?"

"Arrow to the eye and then blew the house up"

He laughs, "Wow, so the whole place is gone?"

I nod, "It is The breeder babies that ith hiain, "I will keep them safe and earn your trust I swear it I just want to be part of soe"

"We’ll see But make no utme behind a horse in the field I’ve seen it, Eh and slap his arht be fun, as long as you don’t make me kill you" I walk past hiood person I’ he isn’t

Chapter Sixteen

I look back at the ItI definitely don’t

I walk from the woods, past the broken branches I did last tihhere the bloodstains are still splattered on the cracked road

I don’t like being without ine the rules of the towns have changed uy next to me this time

Jake looks nervous and smiles, "So we just walk in? They won’t shoot us?"

I look up at him and smirk, "That’s hoorks usually They want the trade so they don’t normally kill the customers"

He doesn’t look like it eases him at all

We cross the road and I hear it; it still makes my stomach turn to stone

The screams of thefor us, hoping to rob us of whatever we have and rape rab his hand As the first ones get close, I see the bullets hit

They drop uards see that it isn’tanxious and ready to run The last couple thieves stop when they see the ten dead lance at Jake, "This is easier with Mitch"

He ss, "Was it like this last time?"

I nod My eyes sparkle, "It orse"

I can see him understand what I did for hi to say

We cross into the gates The guard flashes rin, "That wasn’tpost"

Merchants don’t rush at me like last time They watch me from the lean-tos and shanties I walk to the one where the old lady was She sees me and scowls I smile, "Surprised to see me alive?"