Free Crimson Sky: A Dark Sky Novel by Amy Braun

who tried to steal, trade, or attack them. Garnet had a farmer working for his colony, but only he and a handful of his most trusted thugs knew where that person was.
    And it was rare that he felt inclined to share.
     
    Since fresh fruits and vegetables were a challenge to grow with the limited light from the overbearing clouds, meats were a little easier to come by. Most survivors stopped caring about the kind of protein they devoured as food became scarce. When the farm animals were gone, wild animals were next. Westraven didn’t have many forests, but the deer, rabbits, birds, and coyotes in them were quickly hunted to extinction. After that, humans turned on their pets. After that, they captured and ate rats. That seemed to be all that was left, and while it wasn’t terrible if I didn’t think about it too long, even rats were growing scarce. Once all the rats were gone, we would have to turn to something else. Possibly human meat.
     
    The very idea terrified me, but not as much as the rumor that some other colonies had already started doing it.
     
    So when the marauders brought out a small crate of unwashed vegetables, a few bruised fruits, and dried meat, I was stunned. I stared at the contents of the box as Sawyer set it on the floor next to the kerosene lanterns we were circled around. I had to be dreaming. I looked at Sawyer, Gemma, and Nash as they sat across from me. They clearly enjoyed the shocked look on my face.
     
    “We made some deals,” Nash explained, taking out a small red apple and giving it to Gemma. She was reclined against Nash’s chest, comfortable in his arms and content with ignoring me. “We check on our farmer pal Davy, make sure other marauders don’t rough him up and he has what he needs to keep growing, and we get some of the fresh food he grows.” Gemma took a big bite of the apple, chewed contently, and handed it to Nash. He took it eagerly, holding her closer and taking a bite of his own.
     
    “He’s growing food aboveground and no one’s caught or bribed him? How?”
     
    “Davy’s discreet,” Sawyer said, rummaging through the box before he found an apple of his own. He rubbed it along his shirt to clean it. “And we’re very good at what we do.”
     
    He started eating the apple and I felt my stomach start to rumble. I could barely remember the last time I ate real fruit. Garnet was good about keeping us healthy mostly through unused vitamins from apothecaries and hospitals– he liked his people pretty, he said– but it didn’t compare to what I was seeing now. I looked at the marauders for permission, but they seemed lost in their own world. So I reached into the box, and took out an apple, a carrot, and a wide strip of dried meat. I tore into them even before I sat back down. I was eating so fast I barely tasted anything I put in my mouth. Even if the marauders decided to keep me in their group– even if I wanted to stay– I couldn’t imagine things would be this convenient.
     
    “Garnet treats you all like shit, doesn’t he?”
     
    I looked at Nash, whose arms were curled around Gemma. She had the apple back, but was watching me with just as much interest as her lover. There was still animosity to her gaze, but hopefully she would hear me out. Before we sat down for dinner, I heard her arguing with Sawyer about keeping me around. About the impossibility and utter danger of the deal we made. It was clear Gemma didn’t trust me. Maybe it was because she didn’t know me. Maybe it was just who she was.
     
    While I thought about my answer, I looked at Nash and Gemma. Physically, they couldn’t look more opposite. His dark skin and bulkiness, her paleness and thin frame. But I barely registered it, because they just fit. I could see the strength in her that attracted the kindness in him. I could also see his willingness to defend her combining with the comfort she felt with him. I barely knew them, but even I could tell that Nash and Gemma were perfect