Free Phoenix Overture by Jodi Meadows Page A

dripped down his face and neck. My whole body trembled with relief. Fayden was alive. “Where’s Stef?”
    “I saw him a minute ago. He’s fine.” Fayden looked me over, and his eyes cut to the forgotten sling on the other side of the roof. “Were you
hiding
?”
    “One tried to shoot me!”
    Fayden scowled. “I told you to defend the wagon.”
    I stared at him. “I almost
died
.” In spite of that truth, a tendril of guilt slithered through me. I’d been given
one
task. Just one. And I hadn’t been able to bring myself to even attempt it. I’d hidden, like a coward.
    My brother threw his hands in the air. “So did I. So did others. And some
did
die. You’re not a child anymore, Dossam. You need to learn to fight.”
    I shuddered, and the guilt turned into dread. “I can’t. I’m not a fighter.”
    “You have to be.” He knelt next to me. The disappointment in his tone was unbearable, but even worse was the understanding. He knew why I’d hidden. “This isn’t the Community. We’re more vulnerable out here than ever. You need to learn to defend yourself, and the other people in this wagon.” With a sigh, he offered his hand and pulled me to my feet. “Come on. We’ve got to help bury the dead. Then we’ll work on getting you in shape to defend yourself.”

10
    FAYDEN FORCED ME to throw rocks with him first thing the next morning.
    “This isn’t hard.” He scooped up a few palm-sized stones. “Slip the loop around your fourth finger; hold the other end between your forefinger and thumb. Wind back and throw, releasing the loose end of the cord.”
    He demonstrated, swinging the sling back and around so it made a figure eight in the air. He released. The rock whizzed through the air and struck a fallen sign a few dozen paces away. A loud
whap
echoed where the stone hit a line of faded numbers.
    “Just like that.”
    I heaved a sigh and attempted to follow his instructions. The loop went over my finger easily enough, and I grasped the other end as he showed me. But the jagged rock he gave me kept falling from the leather pouch before I ever managed to get it moving.
    “It’s broken.” My rock clattered to the ground.
    “Hold on to the rock through the pouch.” He showed me. “Drop it as you’re winding back. Let gravity help your momentum.”
    “Okay.” Dubiousness colored my voice, but I did as he said. The rock stayed in place as I swung it back and up and around, just like I’d seen Fayden do—
    Sharp pain crackled up my left shoulder. Swearing, I dropped everything and clutched my shoulder. “That hurt!”
    Fayden laughed and shook his head. “That’s pathetic. You have to release the stone or of course it will swing back and hit you.”
    “You’re the worst brother,” I muttered, gathering up my supplies.
    “You know I’m the best.” Fayden jerked his head toward the sign he’d used as a target earlier. “Try again. Aim for the sign. It’s big enough, even you should be able to hit it.”
    “Don’t be so sure.” I fitted the sling onto my hand again, loaded the rock as he’d shown me, and swung back and around. This time, I released the cord between my finger and thumb, and the stone whistled through the air—somewhere far to my left.
    Fayden grinned. “Well. That’s closer to the target than your shoulder. Try again. Step into it this time.”
    As dawn bled across the sky, I practiced hurling rock after rock. My arm grew sore, but after several dozen tries, I finally managed to land a stone sort of near the sign. It clanged against the enormous metal pole that had once held the numbered sign high above the road.
    “Well done!” Fayden clapped my back, making me stagger forward. He wore a wide grin. “Soon you’ll be out hunting for supper with me.”
    I doubted that. Not if they wanted to actually
catch
supper. But I smiled, too, because I
was
improving.
    “Once more.” He glanced over his shoulder at the caravan where everyone was waking and beginning to