Final Debt

I didn’t ask how we would do that. But I did ask, “Are we going to the driver a kilometre away?”

“No. You’re right. It’s too dangerous.” His eyebrows furrowed, thinking of a new plan. “The Jeeps that the workers take to the mine aren’t far away. I know where the keys are stored. If we stay hidden, we can get there in time to leave when the employees do.”

“What about Cut?”

“What about him?”

“Will he have come looking for me by now?”

A harsh look filled his gaze. “Cut will leave you to Daniel. Call it training. Like a lion leaves its cub to maul its dinner before stepping in and killing it. He wants Daniel to use you. He won’t interfere with that.”

I wasn’t so sure. The way Cut had looked at me spoke of rage that his youngest son got me first. He’d hated Daniel had won the coin toss.

Stepping away from the smelly latrines and into fresh, morning air, I squeezed Jethro’s hand. “I trust you.”

His golden eyes glowed with their own daybreak. “I’ll make sure to finally deserve your trust, Nila.”

Tugging me forward, he smiled. “Now, let’s go home.”

I HID MY fear as I held Nila’s hand and guided her through the camp.

She didn’t need to know I had no fucking clue how to keep my promise. She didn’t need to hear my worries or concerns about this new plan. What she did need was for me to be strong and get her out of this mess.

And I would do it.

Gritting my teeth, I pulled her faster. I’d told her Cut would wait until Daniel had had his fill, but that was wrong. Cut had a fascination of claiming everyone for himself. His tolerance for time would’ve ended by now.

I had no doubt he would be on his way, if not already pissed at waiting so long.

Bird-song and awakening animals heralded in the new day. The calls and chirps sent chills down my back. Daniel had deserved to be devoured. Nature had taken care of it. But it didn't mean it was easy to watch.

Flashbacks of him growing up, of him chasing Kes and me, of the rare times we got along all unspooled in my head as pieces of him were sliced and disappeared down lionesses’ throats.

Guilt for not trying to understand or help him festered and I wished for a moment that I’d been a better brother to all my siblings.

But I couldn’t change the past. I barely had power over my future.

I had to pay attention to the present so I could save the woman I’d chosen above my family.

“Stay low.” I jerked Nila behind a shipping container, sticking to the darkness and shadows. The workers and guards who’d been sprawled unconscious after a night of debauchery had disappeared. The dusty footprints signalling the camp might still be quiet, but people were awake, in their homes, cooking breakfast, readying for work in a few short minutes.

We need to move faster.

Nila trotted beside me, her breathing shallow. She mimicked me without noticing, ducking when I ducked, scurrying when I scurried.

She wasn’t stupid. She knew what was at stake. And for some goddamn reason, she trusted me to lead her to safety.

I almost got her killed by the lions.

For the tenth time, I berated myself for taking her onto the plain with a body oozing blood. I knew the predators would come. That was my plan—for them to cart Daniel off and turn his body into animal shit—but I hadn’t planned on them coming so soon.

“Stay hidden.” My voice barely registered as I guided Nila down a small alley, bypassing the open paths and doing my best to remain unseen.

However, I knew it wouldn’t be enough.

Eventually, we would be spotted…it was just a matter of time.

We need to be closer to the Jeeps before that happens.

Nila tugged on my hand, pointing to the side where the fire had burned itself out and the strewn men and women had disappeared.

“I know.” I narrowed my eyes. “Stay quiet.”

She nodded.

My side panged with agony as I twisted around to continue our perilous journey. My fever gradually made me weaker, draining my system of reserves. Nila was right about needing a doctor. We both did.

I couldn’t stomach looking at her bruises without wanting to repay like for like. My short-term goals included getting her on a plane where I could assess how badly hurt she was and how much she’d hidden from me. My next plan was to secret her away where she couldn’t be touched while I went back to Hawksridge and finished what I should’ve finished years ago.

I refused to leave Jasmine in Bonnie’s clutches any longer. Especially now Bonnie knew the depth of Jasmine’s deception. And I needed to see Kestrel. To touch him and encourage him to wake from his coma and come back to life.

The Hawk children were down from four to three.

I didn’t want any more of us to die.

Nila stumbled, hissing through her teeth. I pulled her upright, matching her hiss with one of my own. I chuckled morbidly. We were both running on fumes.

Our footsteps made no noise as we moved forward. For all intents, the camp wasn’t large—housing upward of thirty to forty people. But this morning, it seemed as if we crossed the Serengeti with hyenas on our heels.

We ducked and froze, scampering across an open distance to the cover of another container.

We’re close.

Squeezing Nila’s fingers, I motioned with my chin that we were almost there. The parking lot was just around the corner.

Pointing at the ground for her to stay put, to stay safe, I untangled my fingers from hers and prowled forward to the edge of the fence line. I didn’t look back, but I sensed her annoyance with me leaving her.