“I’m okay.” She realized she was leaning into him and forced her body to straighten. She remembered Slash’s bloody corpse draped across the men she’d killed. She felt the weight of the woman’s body on her shoulder as they hiked to the summit of the volcano. Every time Serina paused, every moment she wasn’t concentrating on the next task, she saw Oracle’s head snapping back when the bullet hit her forehead. If Serina gave herself time to think, she’d drown in regret.Īnd Jacana wouldn’t be the only one haunting her. If-when-she did, Jacana’s small, broken body would fill her mind. The truth was, Serina was afraid to slow down. He didn’t argue, which was good, because she might not have had the energy to stand her ground. Serina shook her head and limped up the steep aisle of the amphitheater, using his grip on her arm to help steady her balance. “I can check on the guards by myself,” Val offered, taking Serina’s arm. When Serina moved to follow, her legs wobbled. If you’ve got rations or belongings in your camps, bring them with you. She pushed the squeaking cart up the aisle, calling out suggestions to the other crews: Take your injured to the old ballroom. “Can you organize the sleeping arrangements and help distribute this food? Val and I’ll check on the guards.”Īnika straightened her shoulders and nodded. Even for her, who’d been on the island for weeks, not years, this truth still felt like a dream.

“We’re not prisoners anymore,” Serina said again, as much to remind herself as the rest of them.

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart