Free August Burning (Book 3): Last Stand by Tyler Lahey Page B

him, to where a tower of black smoke rose from the valley’s center. The infected spearman sunk his teeth into a shielder’s meaty thigh even as another trooper struck him down with a broken spear.
    The shielders could sense it, could sense their flanks were unprotected, and they began to tumble backwards, one by one at first and then in a sudden rush.
    “RETREAT!” Jaxton bellowed the order.
    In the frenzy Jaxton sought desperately to find his brothers, to find a Lion patch emblazoned in gold. His search was in vain, for they had all turned to scarlet.
     
    The Citadel
     
    The torchlight danced before her, and she jumped as a piece of the flaming rag fell onto her skin.
    “Check them again. Just do it.” Adira turned, fuming. An infection was rolling through the Citadel, though it was not the virus. The fear was changing people, making them mad. As she moved down the hallway, she hoped they would listen to her. The best men were out in the field, and those left behind were the lazy, the cowards, and the infirm. When they told her all the exits had been sealed, she did not trust them.
    “Adira!”
    “Kylie! Thank God.” Adira embraced her fierce young friend, and didn’t let go quickly. “It’s falling apart.”
    “Adira, what is going on? I can’t organize anyone. No one is willing to go back out. How can we help?” The girl desperately wanted answers, and Adira wanted to be the one to assuage her fears. But she could not. It had been hours since their return from the reservoir and the Southern Ravine. The infected were in the valley.       
    “There has to be someone. Someone has to be willing.”
    Kylie clutched her stomach. “I’m so hungry.”
    Adira she cursed the lack of food. As soon as the first alarm had been sounded a day before, the food had stopped coming in.
    Adira wondered where Jaxton was, and ached to know if he was ok. She could scarcely focus on keeping the Citadel secure, which she knew was her duty as a faction commander. All the other commanders were in the field, fighting the infected to keep the valley secure. They would turn the infected back, she was sure.
    “You alright?” A figure rounded the corner in the darkness.
    “Billy, you startled me. Wait. What are you doing here?” She eyed the southern man in camouflage, standing before her with sluggish eyes.
    He barely moved his jaw when he spoke. “We tried to hold. There were too many.”
    A pair of women darted past them in the darkness, scurrying to find food.
    “Wait. Wait. What was your position?”
    “The northern ravine. I lost five men. All Wolf.” Billy could barely stand.
    “Billy.” She clutched him by the shoulders. “Billy when did you get back? Have you told any of the commanders?”
    Billy sunk against the wall, fighting the looming exhaustion. “Few minutes ago.”
    She shook him. “Billy! Is the northern ravine open? Are they coming through?!”
    Billy nodded slowly, his eyes opening and closing. “I’m sorry, miss. I’m sorry.”
    “Is he ok?” Annabelle rounded the corner with her own torch. She knelt to his side, and her face stretched with lines of worry.
    Billy smiled broadly as he sat, and he touched her face. “Hello darlin’.”
    “Billy. What are you doing back?” She looked to Adira, who’s own eyes were wide in the yellow light. “What’s he doing back?”
    Adira could not move. “The north ravine is open. They lost it.”
    Annabelle stood. “What?” Her mouth rested agape. “Billy, there’s still men out there. Billy they’re all still out there.  They’re going to be attacked from behind! What is wrong with you?!”
    Adira panicked, and fled, leaving the doctor and Kylie alone with the fatigued Wolf commander.
    She hailed a man in camouflage as she entered the darkened lobby. “You! Are you Wolf!?”
    He staggered to her, his rifle slung awkwardly across his front. “I am.” She saw the sigil.
    “What’s going on? Did you send runners to the Lion? Where’s the