20. Mia
TWENTY
MIA
I swayed within Fenrir’s arms. He’d been carrying me for a while now, fortunately, because my legs would have fallen off if I was still on his back.
Rocks crunched under Fenrir’s weight. Trees had dwindled until a concrete jungle replaced the forest we’d just been in. He entered a cement pathway lined with large buildings that almost blended with the night sky. I’d never seen structures that were so tall. I gawked up at them, awed by the climbing vines clinging to buildings. The forest seemed to be sucking the concrete into its embrace. Rubble littered the sides of streets in all shapes and sizes. This felt like a completely different world. I sneezed from the heavy scent of smoke.
I squinted at little bits of stuff floating in the air. Putting my hand out, I caught some on my palm. Ash.
“I think something is burning.”
There was more than I ever thought out in the world—everything that I’d known about but never experienced. And never wanted to experience again. I’d been blessed living in a bubble. I valued my home more than ever now. Jason would leave to collect things we needed. More so in the earlier years. The trips had tapered off gradually as he stored as much as possible.
“We are near,” Fenrir said.
I tightened my arms around his neck. “Something is not right.” His nose wiggled as he sniffed.
He sharply turned and ducked through an alcove. A stone ledge was nestled to the side of the building. Hidden by the destruction. His arms hoisted me high on his chest and he propped my butt on the ledge.
“Do not move until I return.” He rubbed the side of my head like he was petting me. I scrambled to grab ahold of his arm.
“You’re going to leave me here?” I gasped, eyeing the steep drop. I peeked behind me. It was a little nook. A pretty deep one from the look of it.
“I will return.”
“Fenrir.” He leaned to lick my cheek.
“Calm, my human.” He watched me steadily and I slowly released the grip I had on his arm. I didn’t doubt him. “Hide here until I return.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. I could wait here . . . I would be fine . . . He’d come back to me.