Tested

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

“What do we do if we cross paths with the fae and the werewolves?” I asked as we rested in an abandoned warehouse. We had found a fully-stocked vending machine, and I had pretty much overdosed on sugar and was close to collapsing. So worth it.

“Hide,” Dad said. “If a species can keep werewolves as pets, then always hide when you come close to them.”

“Maybe they could help us. If they’re royal or whatever, maybe they could protect us from the vampires.”

“I’ve no doubt they could protect us if they chose. But that’s the problem. The price we would have to pay to persuade them would be too great. Freedom’s a far better option. For us. For now.”

I stared at him. “For now? Do you think some day that will change?”

“It depends on you and the rest of the world.” He stretched out his arms. “If you succumb to your anger and lose yourself, then I’ll need help. If the rest of the world turns on you, then I’ll need help. We don’t know what will happen.”

“What do you think will happen?”

He sighed. “I wish I knew. I never imagined any of this would happen. There have been wars in the past, of course, but this age is more progressive.” He shook his head. “And also more devious. Instead of open war, battles are fought through politics and the like. I can’t imagine what the vampires thought would happen. This was a disaster for them just as much as anyone else. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out another species had instigated all of this. Thankfully, the vampires are being reined in again, but this just proved the need for vigilance.”

“And it’s not over yet,” I reminded him. “They’re still out there.”

“But they would never have been allowed to rule here for long. And the beings who would have come to stop them could have caused worse wars.” He crossed the room to his bag. “Let’s just be grateful that this was nipped in the bud before that happened.”

It didn’t feel like it had been simple or caught early to me. “Do you really believe the fae would want to keep me?”

He hesitated. “I’ve heard rumours. And powerful beings forget the desires of others. They worry about their own whims, and they’re fawned over so much that they answer to no one. In this world, there’s always a risk a powerful being will wish to pluck you from my arms and keep you for themselves. I’m not about to let that happen.”

A rumbling sound in the distance drew my attention. I moved to the window.

“Careful, Jess.”

I ignored Dad and watched as a line of army trucks rode by. “No werewolves,” I whispered.

Dad joined me. “If we go up to the roof, we might see where they’re heading.”

We raced up the stairs and out onto the roof, Dad making sure the door stayed open. I rushed to the edge of the roof and watched, relatively safe in the knowledge they wouldn’t interfere with us.

“We need to change our path,” Dad said with a groan as he moved to my side. “They’re taking the exact route we planned.”

“Maybe that means it wasn’t as safe as we thought.”

“But it’s the quickest if you have the same destination in mind,” he said thoughtfully. “I wonder if they’re checking out the radio alerts.”

“No, they’re slowing down,” I said. We had the perfect view of the town from that rooftop. “Look!”

Some of the trucks stopped moving, while others drove to a different part of the town. Some of the solders went inside buildings. After a few minutes, people trailed out of one of the buildings, chatted with the soldiers, and got inside one of the trucks.