The Network ( Book One of the Grounders Series )

21

I latch onto an outcropping and wait as the others fall into the river as well.

Joss is the last one out, failed by one of the Council member, ungracefully hurtling himself after us.

I balance myself on the outcropping and load my bow, hoping my sopping arrows will fly right.

Miraculously, it does, and when the arrow hits the man, he is flung off course and lands on the bank of the river.

Ghosts surround him, eternal slaves. They are pale as Snow White eyes as black as obsidian. That's what Aroculan would've turned us into if it weren't for Kalin.

I leap into the water as Cicada nears my outcropping, and latch onto her hand. No matter what, not if I fail as saving my people, I cannot lose her. She is the only person who's loved me no matter my endless list of flaws.

We rush down the river, struggling to stay afloat against the powerful current.

The world is blurry, full of wetness as we twist and turn in the river, fighting the water as it threatens to submerge us.

My hand never leaves Cicada's as we float. If I lose her now, I will not be able to continue this wild goose case for a mysterious creature I've never seen.

We rush down the river which eventually drains into a calmer, wider river. I am plunged beneath the surface and claw upwards to get both Cicada and I above the water.

The others follow closely as a canoe with torches mounted in the sides pulls up to us.

The man inside the canoe is old, with white hair. He war ads a leather vest and trousers. He extends his hand to me.

"Give my your hand, kid," he says and I immediately reach out to him. He pulls me up into the canoe followed by Cicada.

Kalin swims over to us and he also climbs aboard.

"More rebel boats are coming for the other two," Kalin assures me. Then he gives me an incredulous look. "Alaric, your nose is broken."

I reach up and touch it gingerly, sending sparks of pain through my nerves.

"Here," he says gesturing for me to come closer. I do. He hold my face, pressing his thumbs to either side of my nose and pushes it back into place.

I let out a strangled cry as tears spring to my eyes and agony erupts through my face. I back away instinctively and hold my face protectively.

"It was just setting it," Kalin says, "it should be fine now."

The sailor rolls the oars through the lake. The boat and oars are made from wood. How long has a forest been growing down here?

In the middle of the lake-like body of water is a small island shaped like a claw, with a curl in the end. This must be the Strip.

The sailor docks the boat and we climb out onto the bouncy woods structure.

Once we are on solid land again, I collapse to the ground and lay there, relaxing my muscles. Cicada, Jonah, and Joss lay down on the stone next to me.

"These little buggers like death warmed over," the sailor notes, "what the hell did you do to them, Kalin?"

The servant-slash-rebel soldier chuckles. "I saved their asses is what I did, Dax."

"Ok. I want the leader of their group taken with us to the war room, and the others taken to the village to rest."

"I think the leader is that one."