Keeper of the Lost Cities: Rebuild [COMPLETED]

Chapter Seventeen - MARUCA

"And me!" Stina chirped, raising her hand. "Don't forget me, dear."

Maruca rolled her eyes. "I'm going to patrol the perimeter."

"Fine," said Belisia, eyes locked on her papers as she waved her hand. "Do what you Nobility do."

The Ancient's tone suggested apathy, perhaps even boredom, which only made Maruca more furious. How could the leader of this site not care about security?! There were humans in this camp, practically defenseless!

She stormed out of the tent, barely registering the firelit scenery. Why were people so incompetent sometimes?

"Whoa, bronco," Stina shouted, jogging to catch up with Maruca. "Even with this dulling thing, I can practically taste your fury."

"Yeah, well, I don't really care. And what in the Lost Cities is a 'bronco'?"

"Uh, I think it's a human horse term for a horse that bucks a lot. Mom used to study human textbooks on equines, and I came across it once."

"So you're comparing me to a horse?"

Stina snorted. "You should be flattered."

"'Flattered' isn't the word I'd use."

"Sheesh, someone's grumpy. Maybe instead of trotting around the camp you can get a little nap in."

"Cut the horse terms, Stina. And it looks like the sun's just rising, so you'll be stuck with me for another twelve hours." Maruca pointed at the treetops, where the first rays were starting to peek through the branches, then used the distraction to sidestep Stina and walk to the black orb tucked inside a bush.

"Hey!" Stina whined. "What was that?"

Maruca shrugged, barely paying attention to the other girl as she crouched to study the obscurer. "Thought it was worth a try."

Stina huffed. "In the hopes that your unlikeable nature hasn't already rubbed off on me, I am going to go find someone who's somewhat tolerable."

"You do that."

Stina hesitated, and Maruca got the sense that she was waiting for Maruca to say that she'd changed her mind, that she wanted Stina to help. Guilt gnawed at Maruca, but she bit her lip and bent even closer to the obscurer, hoping the Empath would get the hint. It wasn't particularly nice, but she had to focus.

The shuffling of leaves indicated Stina had turned and was walking away. Maruca blew out a breath—finally. She started to straighten, ready to move on to the next orb, when she heard the scream.

She was standing before it fully ended, and then her feet were moving—she was running, not toward the camp, but away from it, aimlessly trying to pinpoint where the sound had come from. But everywhere she looked there were trees; no girl—the shriek had been a girl's—and no danger.

Maruca started to panic. There hadn't been another scream, and it had been too long since the last.

Flashbacks of the same helplessness she felt now hit her in full force, and she stopped moving, tried to breathe, tried to think. Where had it come from?

"Over here!" Stina called, sprinting past Maruca.

Maruca followed, stumbling over roots and twigs, and she realized she could see Stina, which meant the other girl had followed her out of the camp.

Stupid, she thought.

Then, almost reluctantly, And brave.

As they ran, flashes of brown and green gave way to the yellow and blue brushstrokes of the sky, then dark greys and blacks as the forest's canopy stretched over their heads. Seconds passed, perhaps minutes—though it felt like longer—until Stina finally halted, ducking behind a tree. Maruca flanked her on the right, hidden by the dense foliage.