Shadows Peak |✔

Chapter 38: Sydney

"Evan," Charlie said, his tone silencing the young man whose stare was burning through Sydney.

Her eyes widened at the crude words that were seconds away from leaving the young man's lips. Evan's mouth was no longer moving, but his eyes held all the words he wanted to say. Sydney internally flinched under his angry stare, but didn't let it leak through her walls, holding in any fear she felt and allowing it to dissipate as she thought of the guns she had in her reach.

"She can help us," Casey said, again, this time more sternly.

By now, Sydney was feeling uncomfortable with the way Casey was promising she could help. With the air as tense as it was, she hesitated to stir the coals, but had to interject.

"I'm sorry, what exactly do you need my help with?" she spoke for the first time in front of the others.

Casey's brown eyes locked onto her, surprise within them, as if he assumed she knew; like it was so obvious. There was scoffing in the background, but Sydney ignored it, focused on the guy who brought her back to where she stood.

"We need you to lead us to the mercenaries. We want you to take us to their camp," he said.

"You want me to what?!" she questioned, her mind racing to what that would mean.

I can't go back home, yet!

Casey furrowed his brows at her reaction.

"You're the only one who can do this, Sydney," he clarified. "No one's ever been able to find them once they leave a village."

"That's probably because you've all been looking in the wrong places! The mercenaries aren't anywhere you've ever been!"

"Then where are they?" Charlie asked, his arms crossed and his face in an impatient scowl.

Sydney noticed his demeanor, and took in the way his question was more of a demand, but she understood that he was burdened with grief. She knew just how snappy that could make someone. Moments after Liz's death, she had pointed her gun at an innocent young man who was only trying to help her. It's seemed so long ago to her, now.

"They're headed back to the Eastern Region, no doubt," she said, causing the horde of westerners to gasp.

Charlie's lips tightened together in a frown, and Sydney heard the whispered flow of curse words leaving Casey's mouth. Clearly, that was not the answer they were hoping for. What did they expect?

A loud and piercing cackle erupted from Evan, the sound chilling and sharp; not one of joy, but of cynical amusement.

"Do you guys honestly believe her?!" he asked, turning to look at Sydney. "Look at her! She's nothing more than a lying wench trying to cover for her people! Why are we entertaining this when we could just kill her already and avenge those they've taken from us?!"

Sydney's fist clenched at the harshness of his judgement and the thought of him wanting to drain the life out of her; the touch of Reid's hand on her shoulder eased her enough to relax the blood-drawing grip she had on herself, but she still was on edge.

"No one lays a hand on her," Casey asserted through gritted teeth. For a moment, Sydney believed he still cared for her...but then he turned around, and his face was anything but caring. "We need her alive to lead us to the girls."

She couldn't help the way her face cringed as Casey nonchalantly danced over the prospect of her being killed. Moments ago, when he was convincing her to come back, Sydney hoped Casey promised to keep her safe because he still cared about her, but it was becoming clear that he only said that because he needed her help, and she was of no use dead.