Free Silenced by Natasha Larry Page B

genius. And so am I.
    I wonder if I can cure the berzerkers. Screw the C6 plan. I can think of a cure for the flesh eaters outside our gates.
    No, I’m thinking small.
    I can cure… All the things.
    And I will. Right after this walk.
    I stumble, and jerk my head right and left. When the hell did I start walking? Where am I even going? My gaze drops to my feet for proof of movement because I can’t feel anything.
    They damn sure are moving. Right, then left, then right.
    Nice.
    “Something wrong?”
    I lift my gaze toward Shoestring’s voice. He’s a few feet in front of me. I shake my head. Gray is sweeping on the left side of my vision. A feather light touch on my ear.
    Oscar.
    I love my frickin’ bird.
    “Hit us up with some walking music,” I say, the words slurring from somewhere else. Looking around, I try to locate who said it and how they knew what I was just about to say.
    Oscar starts to chirp the melody to some old school rap song. Can’t think of the name. Nothing matters but the beat though—
    That’s what I should have done. Created a rap label. Should have passed up on my scholarship to University of Georgia.
    I could have been Jay-Z, boats and fine women, instead of—
    Something soft and mushy oozes in between my toes. I jerk to a stop and look down. My toes wiggle and a few of them pop. When did I take off my shoes?
    Man, Orcs smoke some good shit.
    That reminds me of an epiphany I had about Tripp earlier. I glance up to find him regarding me with amusement in his eyes. I point at him.
    “You. Are an Orc. That’s why you’re mad strong.” I smile at how clever I am, then start walking again. Tripp chuckles. The sound echoes and swirls around me like a distant bell.
    “Yeah, I told you that five minutes ago.”
    “You don’t look like any I saw on TV.” I glance sidelong at him, eyebrow raised.
    “I’m liminal. Not all monsters can shift, and looking human makes it easier for everyone.”
    I reach my arm toward him, and two more float out beside them. Shit, I have three arms now?
    Now that’s a keep kids off drugs commercial.
    Ignoring my extra limbs, I clap his shoulder. “You may be a monster, but you’re all right with me.”
    He reaches up and squeezes my hand. Tingles jump all over my skin.
    “Thanks.”
    I take another step. My foot slips and Tripp reaches out to steady me. I blink the kaleidoscope of a world into focus. The front of the house edges into my swimmy vision.
    “I think I need to sit.”
    His grip on my arm tightens, then I’m guided down to the bottom step. It feels like a cloud is under my ass.
    “It’s almost dinner time.” Tripp’s voice, amused.
    I roll my gaze up and nod at him.
    Without looking at me, he says, “That was a good thing you did. For the prisoners in the Pit.”
    Orc grass still has my give-a-shit out of order, but it’s not that absolute not give-a-fuck from—
    However long ago.
    Curiosity buzzes my brain. “Why was it good? Sonya is dead, and these Enforcer fucks aren’t going to treat them equally. Probably push them to break the rules. In the end, I accomplished jack shit.”
    A smile stretches his boney face. “Not true. Every action accomplishes something. And it’s good to know that I’m fighting with a good man.”
    Orcs are known for their Zen like calm. And I just smoked the reason that stereotype is true.
    I snigger.
    “I’m not good. Not a man. And this isn’t a fight.” I lean against the side railing. “And, if it is, it’s not one I want to fight. Not on the team that drafted my ass anyway.”
    “Then why did you give in?” Tripp lowers himself next to me. “Just to save Sadie?”
    I shrug.
    “You must really love her.”
    Darkness rattles in my head. The drugs must be wearing thin, because something like guilt twists my gut.
    “I owe her.” I turn my head and study him. “What about you? Why are you here?”
    He smiles. “I volunteered.”
    My eyes widen. “You... Why?”
    Looking out at the compound,