Chapter 2
At first, Eva thought Krieger’s fever had returned, making him irrational and delusional. He was in no condition to start duty.
If her father was unable to reach a peaceful resolution with Stone Haven, a battle may ensue. And he was in no way ready for that.
“I’m sorry, you just can’t. You only woke from your coma yesterday.” She moved around him as she gathered her gear.
Her room was small, but with his large frame taking up space, it seemed claustrophobic.
He took hold of her hand, forcing her to look at him. “You need me.”
She shrugged out of his hold, her cheeks heating at the contact. Why did he have to be so pretty?
She cleared her throat. “I’m glad you are so... gung ho about helping protect Everwood, but today is just not the time to start.”
Eva resumed packing her weapons. Her dresser drawers held more than just clothes—it was a wooden chest armory.
Her knives slid into the hemp fabric bag easily, but her guns had to be jammed in until they fit. When she was done gathering them, she hauled the bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door.
He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His broad chest heaved with deep breaths as he looked down at her from his towering height. “Please, I want to help.”
“Look, you wanted to be a soldier, then your first lesson is how to take orders. You are to stay in Everwood until otherwise commanded.” She studied him as he processed her words, then walked around him to the door. “Return to your room, and get some rest. I will need you in working condition soon.”
Her hand rested on the frame of the exit when another horn blew. She had to go. She glanced over her shoulder, her breath quickening as the bellow of the horn called to her once more.
She left him standing in the middle of her room and tried to ignore the protest in her gut. Why did it bother her to leave him?
He was her charge, one of the people of Everwood she was trying to protect. That’s all.
She made her way to the elevator, which was a wood platform connected to a pulley system that lowered them to the ground. Some of the men preferred rope ladders, the stairs, or just plain tree climbing.
When it reached the ground, she found her father. Her people carried extra gear as they made their way to the field. The mile-long walk toward the border would not take long.
She strode by his side. “So, what’s the plan?”
Samuel loaded a pistol, adding the bullets with ease. “I ask them to leave. Nicely.”
She grunted. “And what if they don’t?”
He shoved the gun into his waistband and positioned his shirt around it, giving her a hard look.
He traipsed fast, keeping a steady pace. His face was stern and steadfast. Samuel Wolf wanted a peaceful resolution; she just wasn’t sure if he’d get it.
Birds sang their songs as the morning dragged on. Feet ruffled the dead, drying leaves on the ground. Metal clashed against metal. The smell of wet grass and gunpowder filled the air, causing her stomach unease.
Shit, she hated the moment right before a confrontation. The unknown of combat, and the wait for certain bloodshed. The things her nightmares were made of...
In a fight, adrenaline stocked her veins, piquing her awareness. The sheer will to survive, to keep her people alive, was a strong force within her.Greater than even she would like to admit. But the moments before sent her mind reeling.
Her hands fidgeted with her clothes; the collar seemed too tight for her liking. The bag she carried weighed on her bones, irritated her skin, and pounded on her spine. There was a time she contemplated revenge—the best way to get even for her mother’s death. For all the pain Stone Haven had put her people through. Slowly, she had come to the conclusion that keeping her people safe was what would honor her mother the best.
Yet, the idea of revenge still flared in the heat of battle. Every Stone Haven soldier she killed could have been her mother’s killer... at least that’s what she told herself so she could sleep at night. The truth was, this feud, these battles, were wearing on her, especially the killing.
Eva shook her head to rid her mind of those thoughts. She had to stay sharp, for their enemy was close. She saw them now, in the brush, waiting. At least two dozen of them. There were so many possible outcomes.
Eva’s fists tightened as anticipation coursed through her.
Guns cocked. Bowstrings tightened, creaking to be released as knives unsheathed.
But hope blossomed in her chest when she saw the white flag being raised in the distance.
Her father saw it too. His hand rose over his head to give the signal to wait for his command.
At that moment, guilt struck her. Maybe Krieger could have come. If this ended peacefully, it might have been a good first view of Everwood’s ways.
He could see firsthand that all they wanted to do was survive and live in peace. This feud, the fighting, the battles, the struggle to live day to day with fear... was never part of the plan.
A man stepped forward from the other side, crossing over the tall tan brush with steady movements. The light shone off the metal strapped to his thigh—he came armed. Another weapon was outlined under his shirt. This man emanated danger.
He stopped in the middle, stood tall, and waited. His light hair and bright blue eyes stood out against the brush of the forest.
General Albert Rush.
He was second-in-command to Thomas Beck, the leader of Stone Haven.
General Rush was often seen in battle. Rumor had it Mr. Beck was too important to spare on the field. The thought made bile rise in her throat. A leader should be out in front with their people, willing to fight and die by their side. Coward.
Little was known about the mysterious Beck clan, but what was certain was Mr. Beck ruled and had two sons. Heirs to Stone Haven, that had never shown their faces in battle these past ten years—never risked their lives in this apocalyptic world they lived in.
Their settlement was built up against the rocky incline of a mountain. A wall of stone, scrap metal, and wood was built to enclose their land from one side of the rocky terrain to the cliff edge.
Eva had only viewed the wall from afar and was not able to see what lay beyond it. Scouts had reported over the years that the design to build on a rocky mountain ledge came with significant downfalls. One was the avalanches in the winter, and another was mudslides in the spring.
The weather patterns were unpredictable, at best, up in the hills and mountain terrain, the worst happening below in the valleys. On the occasion when tremors were felt, it caused their settlement significant losses. Oh yes, Mother Earth was a cruel bitch indeed.
Loss of life, loss of crops, loss of usable land. It was no wonder they were trying to fight for Everwood’s land and provisions.
The fact that there was a peace treaty in play... What would they want to secure it?
No. She could not think of that. That was tomorrow’s worry. Right now, she had to be focused on the present moment, not a future that made her unable to sleep at night.
As if she needed another reason—the nightmares came no matter how she tried to avoid them.
She held her breath as silence fell over the crowd.
Her father stepped forward. She mimicked the motion.
Samuel held up his hand, halting her. “No, Eva. Stay with the soldiers.”
She shook her head. “But—”
His brows deepened as his eyes narrowed. “That’s an order.” He turned from her and met General Rush.
General Rush laughed, the sound deep. “Let the men speak, girl.”
Eva’s stomach squeezed with unease. Excuse me? Who does he think he is?
And what was with her father? He’d never talked to her that way before. He seemed more than just concerned for her and their people. He seemed angry.
From this distance, she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She strained over the silence for even a piece of information, but all was lost on the gentle breeze.
The general handed her father a letter. He tucked the item inside his jacket, securing it.
Then, it was over—within minutes.
General Rush returned to his guards without a backward glance.
Her father looked to the ground as he approached, yet did not stop when he reached her side. He moved through the crowd, and with another wave of his hand, he yelled, “Fall back.”
Something was wrong. Her father always discussed these things with her. She rushed to his side. “What happened? What’d they want? What did he give you?”
He wouldn’t look at her. “We’ll discuss it later. For now, they have called a cease-fire.”
Her foot caught a dip in the dirt, and she lost her balance for only a second before she found her footing again. He didn’t stop to assist her.
She had to run to catch up with him. “But, Father, they attacked us, we all barely made it out alive. What has changed—”
He whirled on her, and she stopped in her tracks. “They want a peace treaty as much as we do. Until one is solidified, for the sake of both parties, there will be a cease-fire!”
His face contorted, showing the lines around his eyes, making him look older. He was so angry... but that wasn’t the whole of it. He wasn’t telling her something.
Stress levels were high and tempers ran deep. This was no time for twenty questions. Her father couldn’t keep whatever it was from her for too long anyway, could he?
He turned on his heels and made his way back to Everwood. She stood for a moment and watched as the men gave her sympathetic looks. Did they know what her father was keeping from her?
This must be a day of bad feelings, first guilt over leaving Krieger and now regret. She shouldn’t have questioned her father in front of the men.
Everyone was eager to hear the ongoings of their rival, but when they would find out was at the leader’s discretion, not hers.
She forced herself forward, wishing for the day to be over and a good night’s rest for once. It had been weeks since she slept in her own bed. With Krieger, as ill as he was, she wanted—scratch that—he needed someone close by.
That’s why she’d insisted he stay in her room. With the medical hut overwhelmed with patients, he had to go somewhere. Hadn’t he?
She adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she entered the safety of Everwood.
She climbed the stairs and entered the weaponry storage room, set her bag down, and picked up the clipboard, taking note of their inventory.
She had been meaning to get to this ever since she returned from her last mission, but Krieger had needed her. Hopefully he was resting like she ordered him to.
Keeping track of how much ammunition and how many working guns they had was vital. Mother Earth knew they used a number of bullets to hold off Stone Haven soldiers during their retrieval of the Skyline Sanctuary people.
By the time she was done, the sunlight was dimming as it fell behind the trees for the day. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t get the events of the morning out of her mind. Why wouldn’t her father tell her what they discussed? What could they want in exchange for peace?
Eva couldn’t wrap her brain around it.
She held her head in her hand, fatigue hitting her hard, along with nostalgia.
It was times like these that made her miss the way things were before.
Before the world collapsed and, soon after, her favorite person. The memories she had with her mother seemed to fade as the years went on, but the hurt was just as strong. Mom...
Her throat tightened at the thought.
Lock it up, Eva!She scolded herself.
She just needed to get some rest. She grabbed her bag and left the weapons room, then climbed the stairs that would take her to her hut.
She set her bag down, walked over to her cot, and let herself fall face-first on her bed.
Longest. Day. Ever.
Her eyes shut for only a moment as she inhaled a long breath.
The room still smelled like him. Her pillow, her blanket, her cot...
She rolled onto her side and took hold of the material, bringing it to her nose and inhaling. He smelled of sunlight, pine wood, and a spice all his own. Her stomach twisted again at the thought of him.
Eva flopped on her back and stared at the ceiling. Was he resting easy?Were his stitches ready to come out?
She should probably check on him.
She stood, changed out of her fighting wear, and put on a long-sleeved white cotton shirt and black loose-fitting drawstring pants. She grabbed her fur pelt, then disappeared out her door.
Darkness had fallen on the settlement. Glowing lanterns hanging on the side of the huts lit the way as the balls of her feet led her across the wooden bridge to the entrance of his room.
She knocked lightly and entered. Her eyes looked upon him. Upon this stranger. His lips were parted, his breathing was steady, but his blanket had fallen partly off him.
She sat on the edge of his bed and hauled the pelt off the floor and up around his neck, her fingers grazing the skin on his hands.
He was cold. Block of ice cold.
What if she hadn’t come to check on him? He wasn’t even out of the woods a day, he could relapse, and next time he might not be so lucky.
Eva wasn’t sure what made him come back from the brink of death. He was strong, a man fitting of the name she had bestowed on him.
She had been sure he’d lose his battle with the fever, but she didn’t give up on him. She kept him cool, gave him water, and sang sweet words of comfort. Had he heard her?
When she reached her hand out to him and cupped his face, he leaned into her but stayed in his slumber.
Warmth filled her chest.
Eva retracted her hand. She was not this girl; she would not be this girl. The one who swooned over handsome men. Many had tried to impress the leader’s daughter with words of love, acts of bravery, and shows of beauty. None could sway her.
Her interests had always lain elsewhere. But now, now her interests were right here in this room, with him.
What was it about him that drew her attention? Maybe it was because he was a mysterious stranger who happened to be above average in the looks department. Or maybe it was something else?
Could it be the way he whispered “Angel” as he burned or his strength to overcome his infection? Or maybe it was the way he looked at her. He didn’t look at her as the leader’s daughter—he saw the real her. Like she was the only person that mattered.
Derek, for years now, had let his interest be known. But he was like a brother to her—she admitted that to him, and he had accepted that fact. She’d known him since she was a kid, since they had founded Everwood.
Krieger, on the other hand, intrigued her. Something about him drew her interest, even if he was just a stranger to her. Hell, he was a stranger to himself.
Nonsense. Just plain nonsense. She needed him healthy if he was going to help Everwood. That’s it.
She yawned as she turned her back to him, stocked the small wood stove, and started a fire. Once the flames began to crackle, she went back to the edge of his bed. As soon as she sat, she felt his hand on her lap. Did he like her presence, even in his sleep?
Well, shit. She might as well stay. She hadn’t nursed him back to health to have him relapse.
She picked up his hand and placed it on his stomach as she eased off the bed, and with slow motions, she removed the lantern from the stool and set it on the floor. Eva sat on the wood structure and kicked her feet up onto the end of the cot, resting her head against the wood-paneled wall as she arranged the fur pelt on her lap.
Her eyes traveled back to him as her lids became heavy, the stress of the day weighing on her.
If her presence made him feel better, then she could spare the time for him. But only one night, then she had to go back to her normal routine.
Her eyelids closed as his hand clasped hers.
The damn birds were chirping as the sun was just beginning to rise. She startled awake, falling off the stool.
Morning . . . Shit, it was morning already.
She looked to the bed. Krieger was sitting up, eyes studying her. He stood and held out his hand to her.
Eva accepted his help, noticing his eyes tracking her as she stood. Her stomach fluttered with an uncomfortable feeling—a feeling she didn’t recognize or need.
The warmth from his hand seeped into her chilled skin, and she yanked it from his grasp, took a deep breath, and met his eyes.
“Good morning, I-I need to check your stitches. Here, let me look.”
She reached for his shirt, grazing his midsection, but he backed away. “Your hand is freezing.”
“Oh.” She rubbed her hands together and blew warm air into her cupped hands. “Now let me look.” She took a step toward him, and this time, he didn’t back away.
Her head dipped low as she lifted his shirt to look at his wound. When her fingers touched the skin of his abdomen, his muscles flexed and gooseflesh rose on his skin as she inspected the area. For a man who had been sick for so long, his physique was still intact. The bruising and swelling were lessening with no bleeding.
“Looks like they’re ready to come out,” she said.
She let his shirt fall back into place as her eyes met his. His hand touched her arm, and her breathing quickened. Was her mouth hanging open?
She backed away, lowering her gaze. “Come by my room after you get ready. I-I’ll take them out.”
No reply was needed, just a quick escape. She hauled ass all the way back to her room and pressed herself against the inside wall after hastily closing the door.
A few deep breaths later, she eased off the wall and got ready for the day.She had no sooner put on a fresh pair of cargoes, a long-sleeved green shirt, and a brown utility jacket than Krieger walked through the door.
He wore the same clothes, but his hair was damp and his face sparkled with wetness. A droplet of water hung from the cleft in his chin. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.
She sighed. “Don’t you knock?”
He shrugged. “Didn’t seem necessary, you were expecting me.”
She pointed to a chair without argument. “Sit.”
After removing her medical kit from under the bed, she crossed to him, not meeting his eyes. This would be a lot easier if she didn’t look him in the eye. That seemed to be the turning point when things went wrong for her.
She knelt in front of him, eased his shirt back, and began to clip the stitch. “This may be uncomfortable.” She chanced a glance at him. She could handle a glance. Couldn’t she?
He nodded, then exhaled hard as she drew out the thread.
“Sorry. I’ll want to keep an eye on it for a while, but otherwise, you’re good. Still take it easy though, you’re not back to full health yet. Okay?”
He grunted an agreement as she moved away from him. After she cleaned her tools with alcohol, she grabbed her bag from the bed.
“Why did you come to me last night?” he asked.
She heaved the bag strap over her head to rest on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”
He stood and clutched her hand. “Thank you, Eva.”
His skin was rough, calloused, but felt nice in an odd way she wasn’t used to. That flutter in her abdomen appeared again, and she swallowed hard. “I have to go.”
“Go where?”
“Talk to my father.” She turned from him and headed for the door.
“I thought I would get a tour of the settlement today.”
Of course. Shit. “Krieger, tell you what. I’ll meet you in your hut as soon as I’m done with my father, and we will take that tour.”
He nodded with a smile, then asked, “Did something happen yesterday? Is that what you have to speak with your father about?”
Shrugging, she said, “That’s just it. Nothing really happened. Their general spoke to my father, then we all just went home. It was...”
“Odd.”
They shared a knowing look as she nodded. “Yeah, and my father wouldn’t tell me what they discussed. I’m hoping this morning I can—”
Krieger’s raspy laugh filled the tiny space. “Interrogate him? You’re good at that. The information is as good as yours.”
Without thinking, she lightly punched his shoulder as the corner of her lips twitched up. “Hey, I am not.”
She couldn’t resist a second look at him. Damn it. A laugh escaped her. His grin was as wide as a jack-o’-lantern as he gazed down at her. Mother Earth, that smile.
What was she doing? Had she lost all her sense?
She walked outside her hut, Krieger not far behind. “I’ll see you in a few, okay?”
As he backed away from her, a sheepish grin still lingered on his face. His eyes never left her.
She turned and shrugged off the giggles as she walked toward her father’s unit. When she approached his door, she knocked and waited for a command.
“Enter.”
Striding into the room, she held her head high. “I want to talk.”
He was seated at his desk, which was covered in charts. He didn’t look at her, but she heard him sigh. “Be seated.”
The bag fell from her arm as she took the seat with quick movements. Was her eagerness so obvious?
He stood and walked around the desk, leaning against the solid wood bureau. His glasses hung from a chain around his collar as he addressed her. “I’m glad you came. We do need to go over a few things.”
She crossed her ankles and let her hands rest in her lap. “I’m listening.”
When he wouldn’t meet her eyes, a feeling of foreboding washed over her. Whatever he was about to say wasn’t good. “It seems the Becks’ son is dead.”
“Okay. What does that have to do with us? Do they think we killed him?”
He looked to her now. “Apparently, he was involved in the caravan battle, he didn’t make it. They thought we were invading their land. They extend their apologies—”
She laughed. “Their apologies? Give me a break! Why was he even there? Everyone knows the Becks don’t fight. Now we are honoring a truce with them?” She shook her head in disbelief.
Samuel took hold of her shoulders. “They want an end to this fighting, Eva, as much as we do. Like I said last night, Thomas Beck is very interested in a peace treaty, especially now that his son has been killed. They have people they are trying to keep alive too. They need better land to farm and hunt on.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I got that part.”
He sighed. “Well, it seems they have a condition to the treaty.”
“What kind of condition?”
“Mr. Beck would like more confirmation that we won’t back out of the treaty, something more than just a piece of paper.” She was about to protest, but he held up his hand. “Also, they are willing to share their lands and game that occupy it.”
Her father looked to the floor.
She shook her head. “Well, tell me. Please. I want to know.”
He leveled his gaze with hers. “A marriage between you and the Becks’ last remaining son. He is to be named the new heir of Stone Haven, since the passing of his eldest.”
Her heart stopped as a sharp gasp escaped her lips. Fear and anger wrestled for control. “Are you suggesting I marry our sworn enemy?”
“Yes... I am. But, Eva, I don’t want you to say anything now. I want you to think about it.”
She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Was she breathing?
Marriage? Her?
“Eva?” Her father knelt in front of her chair. “The decision will always be yours. And if you agree, we can add any stipulations you want to. But please understand this treaty would put an end to an almost decade-old feud. I need you to consider this.”
She couldn’t look at him, but she slowly nodded. For her people, she could consider this.
He rubbed her shoulders, then stood, moving behind his desk. “Good. Now there’s something else. I need you and your crew to deliver a letter to the Skyline Sanctuary outpost. The letter has a list of the survivors of the caravan and explains the events that took place during the trek here. I know the settlement is anxious to hear if their people arrived safely. Also, we need a log of the current weather patterns happening in the valley. Winter will be here before we know it, and it’s vital we keep track of it. We need to know if the patterns are worsening.”
She looked up at his words. A mission? Yes, she could focus on a mission for the settlement and not the—
“Eva, you know the outer points of the valley are a safer place to camp.”
She nodded and stood. “I do. I’ll leave as soon as I can get the crew and gear ready.”
He approached with quick steps and handed her the letter meant for the Skyline Sanctuary, then wrapped his arms around her, embracing her in a hug.
“Eva, be safe. And think about what we talked about. I’d like to have your answer before the annual Harvest Celebration.”
One of her hands clasped her father’s back. “I understand.”
With stiff movements, she turned from her father and walked out into the morning air.