Chapter 1
Seven years later
Two things were certain. One, there was a deep, bleeding gash across his abdomen, and two, he couldn’t hear a damn thing. A woman knelt before him, mouthing words he couldn’t make out. Her dark green jacket was covered in dirt and blood, and soot clung to her long, golden hair that hung in loose waves around her shoulders. Her jade eyes were not familiar to him.
Candlelight cast a glow against wooden walls he did not recognize. He jerked upright, and a sheet crumbled about his waist, exposing part of his naked body. Where were his clothes?
Jarring pain sent him flat on his back. He was sure his head was being split in two, if the ringing in his ears was any indication. He lifted his hands to his head in an attempt to relieve his pain. For a moment, everything went black and emptiness consumed him. He’d fallen into a black hole of nothingness.. .
Then the burning took hold. He was roasting from the inside out, cooked by the flames of hell. What had he done to deserve this torture?
He wanted to ask the woman with the golden locks to douse the flames licking at his skin, but his eyelids became heavy.
Relief washed over him as coolness seeped into his skin, penetrating his bones and turning them to ice.
What journey was this? Must he venture through fire and ice before returning to the land of the living?
Shivers racked his body. His muscles spasmed, his guts wrenched, and his head felt like a block of wood. A heaviness settled in his chest as his extremities went numb.
He was dying.
There was no other explanation. His body had given up and was shutting down. His mind, still sharp, knew this to be true. It was only a matter of time before that went too.
He waited, living in the hell he now called home. How much time had passed was uncertain, but time kept moving. That was made obvious by the chills shuddering through his body one minute and heat eating at his flesh the next.
Then the pain ceased in his head, and it no longer throbbed with agony—that could not be a good sign. The end was near.
Darkness took hold once more, and he welcomed it. The nothingness that would end his anguish was more than a delight. Crossing over into the afterlife would be easy after what he’d just endured. He was ready to finish this journey.
A pinprick of white light shone before him. It was a warmth that did not burn, an end to the suffering. He would not turn his back on it. This is where he was meant to be...
An angel’s voice surrounded him—soft, calming, comforting. A whisper on the wind, a flutter of a butterfly’s wings.
She called to him, singing sweet words, welcoming him into a new world. He wanted to follow her, to join her, to be where she was.
His body had been weakened, but his will was strong.
With every last bit of strength he possessed, he awoke in a new world.
“You’re awake?” The angel addressed him.
This he had not expected.
His eyelids fluttered open. A blurry vision of the woman with golden locks and vivid green eyes sat next to him, but she looked different.
Her hair was braided and hung over her shoulder, flat against her blue sweater. The same candlelight cast an outline of her delicate features on the dark wood walls. No longer was she covered in dirt, grime, and blood. Her ivory skin seemed to reflect the golden light. Was that a halo above her head?
He cleared his throat. “Angel?”
She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. “No.” She grabbed a cloth and reached into a bucket of water, squeezed out the excess, then laid it over his forehead. “I’m Evangeline Wolf. You may call me Eva. Can you tell me your name?” Her eyes sparkled in the light.
How could she not be an angel?
He swallowed hard. “I’m . . .”
His mind went blank and his heart began to race, his chest heavy. His skin became slick with sweat. Who am I?
He’d somehow made it back to the land of the living, but the black hole had stolen his memories. All he had now was a blank page.
His hands shook as he jerked back the white sheet and fur that covered him. His breaths came fast and hard. “Where am I?”
With quick movements, she stood, knocking her chair to the floor. The candle lamp rocked side to side on the stool that sat next to his bed as she reached for something.
He gained his footing, scanning the room with curious eyes and seeing asingle wooden door with a window beside it. A dark wood stand sat beneath the window with a dry sink atop it. A small wood stove was situated in one corner, and a dresser of drawers was positioned in the other, a mirror hanging above it, reflecting his image.
He walked toward it, never taking his eyes from the man inside the glass. Who was this person? With shaking fingers, he reached for his face.
He did not know this being with sandy-colored hair and hazel eyes that swirled with confusion. This couldn’t be. How was this possible?
Answers, he needed answers. He turned back to the angel, to this Eva.
She had a gun trained on him. Gone was the soft expression in her eyes, the sweet smile she had only moments ago graced him with.
The angel had turned into a warrior. Her hawk-like stare didn’t miss a trick as she moved to the other side of the room. “Easy now, no one is going to hurt you. You’re in Everwood, what used to be the Adirondacks... you know, New York?”
With slow movements, he held up his hands. “How did I get here? Where did I come from? What’s my name? What happened—”
She lowered the gun, her expression softening. “You don’t remember?”
“No.”
Her forehead crinkled as she tilted her head to the side. “Here.” She reached for material folded neatly on the floor, then tossed them to him. “Get dressed. We have much to discuss.”
He caught the fabric and used it as a shield to cover his forgotten nudity. He watched her flush as she stepped to the exit. She paused for a second, looked over her shoulder at him briefly, then disappeared through the door.
Only moments ago, he thought he was escaping into death. Now his mission was to find out who he was, to recall a glimpse of his past, of memories that seemed lost to him. Maybe if this Eva was able to shed some light on what happened, he might remember. Anything.
Had his clothes been cleaned? Better yet, were they even his to begin with? They smelled of sunlight and pine.
Where did she say they were?
Everwood.
He heaved his shirt over his head. The pain was immediate, and his hands went to his stomach. He found rough string sewn into his skin. Dry blood outlined the black stitches, along with a dark purple bruise. How had he received this wound?
He eased the gray cotton shirt down around his abdomen, pulled on the jeans, and ran his fingers over the clothes, smoothing the material of any wrinkles.
In the spot she had gathered the items were brown leather boots about his size. He grabbed them and removed the black socks that were stuffed into them. He moved to sit on the cot that had once been his personal hell as his eyes traveled back to the dresser, more specifically the picture that sat atop it. It was the angel, Eva, and a woman.
Eva was a young girl in the photo, and she resembled the older woman. Who was this woman to Eva? Better yet, who was Eva?
Her lovely voice filled his mind—a familiar tune he couldn’t put his finger on.
Did she remove his clothes, sew up his wounds, and wipe his brow when he was burning? After tying up his boots, he went over to the door, took a deep breath, and walked out into the fresh air.
“Shit!” He clung to the wood rail after almost falling.
He stared into the night sky, his head hitting the low-hanging leaves and branches as he white knuckled the bar to keep himself steady on the solid platform.
A tree house? No, a tree house village.
Lanterns lit the wood walkway leading from one hut to another. The yellow-streaked leaves rustled in the wind, and a chime hanging from a nearby branch filled the air with soft music. The sound seemed to calm his nerves. With slow movements, he let go of the rail and turned.
Eva stood against the tree house, a gleam in her eye as she observed him. She eased off the wood and turned from him. “Follow me.”
The gun he’d just had the pleasure of meeting was tucked in the back band of her tan-colored pants. From the front, she looked like an angel, and from the back, she was a vixen, ready to fight.
Could he trust her? What choice did he have? He needed answers only she could provide. Putting one foot in front of the other, he followed her down a set of stairs, past countless lanterns, and into another tree hut.
Inside was a light wood desk, polished to a shine. A couple of ornately carved chairs sat directly in front of it. One candle light was mounted on the wall, and another sat atop the bureau.
He watched as Eva moved inside the hut, crossing to the man sitting behind the desk. She laid her hand on his shoulder before resuming a relaxed stance next to him.
His brown and white hair glinted in the firelight as he adjusted his glasses. He had similar features as Eva. Same curve of the nose and high cheekbones. He leaned back in his chair and assessed him.
“I’m Samuel Wolf. You’ve already met my daughter, Eva. Please, have a seat.”
He widened his stance as he studied Mr. Wolf. Samuel seemed to have a dominating yet peaceful air about him.
“I’d like to know what is going on.”
Samuel turned to Eva. “Why don’t you get him some water?”
She left through the door as her father focused his attention back on him. “So, my daughter tells me you don’t remember your name?”
He nodded.
Eva returned with the water. He looked to her, meeting her eyes as she handed him the glass, then watched as she resumed her position behind her father.
She motioned to the chair. “Please, sit.”
He seemed to relax at her tone, but his legs still quivered with weakness. It was obvious his health was not one hundred percent quite yet. As he sat, he observed them with a quizzical eye.
Samuel looked to him. “What is the last thing you remember?”
“Pain. And . . . Eva.”
Eva stepped forward. “You know nothing of the past?”
He took a long swallow of the cool water, then cleared his throat. “No.”
Samuel reached out and placed a hand on Eva’s arm. “It’s okay. Start at the beginning.”
Eva nodded, went around the desk, and took a seat in the empty chair to his left.
She adjusted the item to face him, then took a deep breath. “Today is September eighteenth, of the year two thousand and fifty-two. Just over eleven years ago, multiple worldwide disasters devastated our world, followed by an immediate collapse of our economy and government. Chaos erupted among the people. Money was no longer the currency. Electricity and grocery stores, a thing of the past. The human race entered a new era.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “What era was that?”
She looked briefly to the floor before meeting his eyes. “That of Mother Earth—she rules this earth now and survival is priority number one. Some adjusted to the change, learning to hunt and farm on the land that was left to provide and sustain life in a new accustomed fashion, but others... Let’s just say the Others resorted to a life of crime. Stealing from those who’d learned the ways.”
He rested his hands on his thighs as her eyes followed his movements. “How many of you live here?”
“A couple hundred. We banded together for protection and to share provisions. We’re a family now. My father leads our group, along with a council. They make decisions regarding the settlement. Anyhow, about two weeks ago, we received word by scout from a smaller settlement south of here, the Skyline Sanctuary. We are close with them—been in contact for some time, sharing supplies and intel. Until...” She took a deep breath. “Well, they were running out of food. They were sending a caravan of people who wanted to join our settlement.”
He shook his head. “What does this have to do with me?”
She looked to her father, then back to him. “The settlement would have to come through the border of enemy territory.”
“The Others?”
She crossed her ankle and shifted her weight in her seat. “No. There is another settlement not far from here, Stone Haven. Their land borders our own. They have been vying for our land and hunting grounds for years. They are only out for themselves, though, and are little better than the Others that live in the valley. A peace treaty is in the works but has yet to be officially secured. We knew this mission would be dangerous, and only the best soldiers would go to escort the group across the border.”
She paused. Her face contorted at her last words. What caused her pain?
“Continue, Eva,” Samuel said.
She sighed, and something dark passed over her face. “The day of the mission, I took the lead—”
He laughed. “You lead?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is that funny?”
“No. I’m just . . . surprised. You’re so young.”
Eva crossed her arms. “You can’t be that much older than myself. I’m almost twenty-one, more than capable. But anyway, yes, I led the crew across the border. We retrieved the civilians and were almost back onto our land when Stone Haven attacked. We were ambushed. We held them off, but fire was exchanged, and it got messy. The soldiers ended up in hand-to-hand combat. But it was the explosion that threw us. W-we weren’t expecting that.”
Her voice broke, and her eyes refused to meet his. It was then that he was overcome with the need to comfort her. He started to move but halted his action. What role did she play in him being here?
She shook her head and looked at him with a renewed vigor. “Our crew held them off as we gathered up civilians. That’s when I found you. You were unconscious and bleeding—it was evident you took the brunt of the blast. We brought you here and I treated your wounds. Y-you were out a long time—weren’t sure if you’d make it at first.” She smiled. “But you’re strong. A survivor... a warrior.”
He leaned back against the chair, absorbing the information. “Are you saying I’m one of the civilians from the south?”
She nodded. “Y-yes. We believe so. The soldiers from Stone Haven wear red sashes tied around their right arms. You had no band. Your clothes were primarily black, well, the parts that weren’t singed.”
“Can any of the other civilians you brought here from the south identify me?”
She shook her head. “I needed help attending your wounds. One of the women, Mildred, from the settlement in the south assisted me. She had no idea who you were, but she did tell me they picked up a few young men on their way here. She said you were one of them.”
He stood now. “Point the men out to me. I’ll talk to them myself—”
“They’re dead. I’m sorry. Mildred said they didn’t return to Everwood. We believe you are the only survivor of the three.”
He started pacing. “So, no one knows who I am?”
Could they be lying to him? What purpose would that serve?
No. What she said made sense. It would explain how he came to this place and his memory loss—his wounds.
Samuel moved to his side. “You are welcome to make a life here. Maybe, with time, your memory will return, but for now, we’ll have to give you a name.”
His hands raked through his hair. No home. No family. No name. His heart was racing again. The room was spinning. His breaths came hard and fast. The walls closing in—
In the midst of his panic, her hands were on his arms, anchoring him back to reality. One minute everything was black, the next she was there. The angel.
She gave him a smile that was both beautiful and reassuring. “I know this is a lot, but it’s not the end of your life. Think of it as a clean slate, Krieger.” The apples of her cheeks grew large.
How could such a sweet, gentle woman lead a battle? She didn’t know him, yet she was trying to comfort him. Why did she care?
He relaxed at her touch. “Krieger?”
She smiled, revealing a perfect set of white teeth. “Yeah, you look like a Krieger.”
Did he? Any name would do, but the fact that she picked it out seemed fitting. She did, after all, save his life; she had earned the right to give him whatever title she saw fit.
Moreover, he liked Krieger; the name had a nice ring to it. It was different, like him—like his situation.
Samuel approached them. “It’s settled then. Eva will show you around. You will be assigned your very own hut, an occupation, and life will move forward.”
What choice did he have? He should get on with the act of living and hope that a piece of his memory came back. Besides, he wanted to come here, right?
He chose to follow the group to this place. He had to give this a shot, if for no other reason than to honor his last known wishes. It’s not like they were holding him captive; if things didn’t work out, he would just leave and start a new life.
Krieger nodded. “An occupation?”
Samuel slapped him on the back as Eva let her hands fall away. “Of course, everyone here works. Eva, why don’t you take him to the dining hall, get him some real food?”
She walked over to the exit. “No problem. Krieger, shall we?”
Samuel walked him to the door. “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask me. My office is always open.”
He walked out, letting Eva lead him to the food hall. This trek required going down a flight of stairs and across a bridge until they reached a large balcony covered in candlelight.
Darkness surrounded the tiny beacon of light, but he could imagine the view would be amazing. They had to be almost thirty feet in the air.
Leaves and branches surrounded the sides of the balcony, all but reaffirming the tree house feel. Why did they live in trees? What was wrong with the ground?
She walked through an open doorway into a large room. Wooden picnic tables lined the walls and made rows down the middle of the room. Back against the far wall was a long counter with a young woman, who seemed to be Eva’s age, standing behind it.
Eva approached the counter. “Hey, Sarah, this is Krieger. He’s new.”
The young woman behind the counter gave a shy smile and a wave. “Well, hello there.” She leaned toward Eva, a dark curl falling over her forehead as she whispered, “He’s cute.”
Eva laughed. “All right, can we get a couple of specials, please?”
“Coming right up,” Sarah said as she sauntered off through another doorway that led into a kitchen area.
Voices echoed in the back, and foreign smells filled his nostrils, but the scents were rich, sweet, and hearty.
His stomach growled and his mouth watered. He was hungrier than he thought. A few moments later, Sarah was back with two trays.
Eva smiled as she accepted the food platters. “Thanks.”
“Here, let me get that for you,” he said as he moved to take the trays from her.
She stopped, gave him a sideways glance, then let him take the food. He walked up to the closest table and sat.
He set her tray in front of her, then studied his food.
“It’s rabbit, turnips, and a hunk of bread. Grain is few and far between, but right now is the right season.” Eva picked up her bread and took a generous bite.
“Which season would that be?” He poked at his food with his wooden carved fork.
“Fall, we are in the midst of harvesting. We will be having our annual Harvest Celebration soon, on November seventh. It’s what we replaced Halloween and Thanksgiving with.” She used her fork to spear a hunk of turnip. “So, any idea what occupation you might like to join?”
He chewed a piece of rabbit, savored the taste, then swallowed. “I have a choice?”
She looked to him. “Yeah... we’re not dictators.”
“I-I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought—”
“What?”
“You know, you probably know me better than I know myself right now. What do you think I should do?”
She stuffed a juicy piece of rabbit in her mouth and shrugged. “Given your size, muscle tone, and age, I’d make you a soldier. You’re built for combat and young enough to learn to fight. Yeah, you’d make a fine soldier.”
He finished the food, thinking over what she said, then shoved his plate away. “Sign me up.”
“Really? Just like that, you agree? You don’t even know what the job entails.”
He leaned back in the chair and locked his hands behind his neck. “Like you said, I’m young and built for combat. I can learn your ways—train to be the best.”
She stacked her plate under his. “The best?”
“I think I got it in me.”
She smiled. “Come on, soldier. I’ll show you your sleeping corridors.” She handed the wood plates back to Sarah, then headed toward the door. “The rest of the settlement I will show you soon, but for now, just try to remember the way to my father’s room and mine. Your short-term memory doesn’t seem to be affected, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”
She spoke as if she was used to giving people orders—simple, direct, and to the point.
They walked past her father’s room, then hers. Two tree forts later, they arrived at an empty room. She took a lantern from the wall on the outside of the room that hung next to the single window and lit the candle inside.
In it was a cot covered with fur, a stool with a single candle lamp burning, and another dry sink.
“If you need to relieve yourself, there is a pot under the bed. The dry sink has some fresh water in it. And there are extra blankets in a box at the foot of the bed, if you need them. Oh, and be careful with the lamp, fire and all.” She backed up to the door. “Those stitches could be ready to come out as soon as tomorrow, but until then, no strenuous excursion tonight. Okay?”
“I understand.”
His eyes locked with hers. She seemed uneasy about leaving him. She shifted her weight as she fidgeted with her collar.
“Good night, then.” She turned to leave, but he grabbed her hand. She faced him. “Yes?”
Her eyes were striking, green ambers flaring in the light. Her hands were soft, her voice gentle. A lady in so many ways, yet she sounded brave and strong like a leader. What she had done for him, he could never repay, but he could try.
“I can’t thank you enough for what you did... But if you ever need anything, ask and it’s yours.”
Her lips parted into a wide smile. “I’ll hold you to that... Krieger.”
He liked the way she said his name. “By the way, the name Krieger, it’s unusual, right?”
She nodded, becoming serious. “Yes, it is.”
“What does it mean? Something special—something special to you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe.” She turned then, about to walk out the door. The butt of her handgun still appeared at the band of her cargo pants. Vixen from behind.
“One more thing, why do you live in the trees?”
She didn’t meet his gaze. “It’s safer this way.” With those words, she was gone.
Krieger moved to the bed and sat, resting his head in his hands for a few moments. After shrugging off his shoes and jeans, he lay on the cot and closed his eyes. He was tired, to be sure—
His head whipped up when he heard rapid footsteps, men shouting, and horns blowing. How much time had passed, he wasn’t sure; seconds, minutes, hours? Had he dozed off? What was happening?
Eva.
Maybe it was because she had saved his life, or maybe it was because she had shown him genuine kindness... Or maybe still it was something else, but he had to find her.
His skin broke out in gooseflesh as he ran out onto the wooden balcony and down the connecting wood bridges until he arrived at her hut. The sunlight was poking through the trees, casting gleaming beams across the wooden floor.
He didn’t bother knocking as he approached her hut, just ripped the door open and entered her room, but she wasn’t there. “Damn it.” Where would she go?
He dashed out the room. Even more people were emerging from their huts now, making their way in the direction of the dining hall. The horns were still blowing, men were still yelling. Where the hell was Eva?
He followed the men, women, and children. Nameless people who all looked frightened. It was apparent this wasn’t a common occurrence. The horns blew louder now, a howling deep call that sent shivers over his arms, and from the look on the faces of the people he joined, there was no question it was trouble.
Wide eyes surrounded him. Mothers clung to their children; fathers shielded their families. Weapons appeared in hands as they all shuffled farther into the structure.
The group assembled in the large hall. In the middle of the room hung a giant metal chandelier covered with unlit candles. On the far side was a small stage he hadn’t noticed before. The group huddled before it and waited.
Moments later, he saw Eva. She was with her father and another man closer to Eva’s age.
He had broad shoulders, black hair, and dark eyes. He was wearing camo pants, and a handgun was strapped to his thigh. The man’s jaw was hard set, and a vein pulsed in his neck as his eyes bored into the crowd.
Krieger’s stomach turned. The man radiated danger and worse...
They walked onto the stage as Samuel waved his hand and waited for silence. “We have just received word of approaching soldiers from Stone Haven. I want everyone to remain calm. We will meet them on the field and try to defuse the situation in a peaceful manner. Please return to your homes and await further instructions. Soldiers—with me!”
Families filed out of the hall as whispers erupted among them. Krieger weaved past them in the opposite direction—he had to reach Eva before she left. She no doubt would want to go out onto the field. She would need protection, and after what she had done for him, the least he could do was offer his help. She may not know it now, but he was prepared to defend her.