Free INK: Blue (INK Trilogy Book 3) by Al K. Line

wouldn't be surprised if wolves had once again populated the United Kingdom as they had done long ago.
    Finally he broke the silence. "Let's find somewhere safe to sleep, a house seems like a good idea to me tonight. No tents. Then tomorrow we can go and take a look at the fields you saw from up the hill Aiden. Sound good?"
    "Sounds great to me. Thanks. As long as you're sure?"
    "Absolutely not, but let's do it anyway."
    Famous last words? I hope not.

 
     
     
     
    FARM
    They had to skirt around the range of hills that stretched for miles. There was no way that they would make it before they lost the light for the day, so Edsel just headed in the general direction they needed to go and told everyone to keep an eye out for a property that definitely, no questions asked, looked unoccupied.
    He knew he couldn't face any more surprises, and if truth be told he wanted to find somewhere sooner rather than later, get to bed early, and hope that Lash was still feeling the excitement that had obviously aroused her after their encounter with the new wild animals claiming the country.
    And then hopefully tomorrow will be a fun day. New people, no danger of death.
    As they drove, scanning for a place to stay, Edsel couldn't help thinking about quite how much the danger element had clearly excited both Lash and Aiden; him too. He'd never really thought of himself as so drawn to the adrenaline rush that fear brought on, but there was no doubt it made you feel alive. But Lash? She was the one who insisted she wanted to go back to the peace and isolation they had been living in for years now. This was a different side of her entirely.
    Did she really want that? Or was it simply that her love for her family overrode all else? That wasn't a bad thing though, was it? Making decisions that were best for everyone, not just yourself. That's what he had done, even though it was because he'd convinced himself that he didn't enjoy the risks associated with life where you could encounter people. Just look where it had ended for him; covered in a patchwork of Ink, nothing but a trail of death left behind him, all three of them — they'd all been responsible for the killing of men that wanted nothing but to help.
    It seemed that Aiden was smarter than the pair of them, knowing that whatever the dangers were they thrived in such environments, and when it came down to it they enjoyed the risks and rewards of living amongst the remains of their civilization.
    But is it worth it? Would I want to really stay where there is a chance we will all be killed? Isn't it better to be safe? Or is that a total coward's way of living your life? Shouldn't we be trying to give something back, make amends for the things we have done, rather than running away?
    Edsel couldn't get it straight in his mind, there were too many conflicting emotions, too much to learn about himself he had never really given a moments consideration to. But what it all came down to was that much as he was enjoying being back — he had to admit that much — he would happily return to isolation if it meant keeping his family safe. The rest of the world could go to hell, he had to have priorities, and family came first.
    But didn't that mean that he should try to ensure they were happy? And didn't Aiden want this? The adventure, the chance to explore, to find a person he could share intimate moments with, whisper to in the night with his head resting on her breast, talking and feeling the closeness of such a bond? He deserved that, didn't he? And what about the future for everyone? If all people did was hide then there would be no more children — in a generation the human population of the UK would be zero.
    Ugh, how impossible is this? Just find somewhere to sleep, tomorrow is another day. And there is always tonight.
    "What are you grinning at like a demented monkey?" asked Lash, looking suspiciously at Edsel.
    "Oh, nothing. Just looking forward to an early night," said Edsel, with a