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“Good, I need you to stay here for two days, that is all. Help them pack up and move out. There is an empty town near The Rim. It’s called Spring, and it’s probably the safest place even if it’s not as habitable as everywhere else.”

“Can I offer another suggestion?” she inquires, raising her hand and making me smile—this fucking girl.

“Sure.” I nod.

“We wait for two days, if they don’t open the door, we abandon Paradise like you suggested.

Then we take them with us,” she looks at Archel then, “to The Forgotten. There is enough room and they will be better protected. They will need to earn their place, but the people are friendly and will help them.”

“They will accept them all?” I query.

She hesitates then, her face hardening. “Not any who harmed those there. I speak for my people, and they will face punishment for that. The others, yes.”

I take in her tone and stance. She’s a leader, that much is for fucking sure. Leader, survivor, and fighter, she will be good to have on my side.

“Then do that, your punishment and vengeance is yours to have, and Piper?” I lean forward. “Make them pay for what they did, make it fucking hurt.”

The men around the table cheer as we share a smile.

“Too fucking right, hotness.” She holds out her hand in a fist and I raise my eyebrows, making her sigh.

“You’re too hot to be dumb, you fist bump it,” she explains.

She grabs my hand, and only years of practice stop me from killing her as she bumps my fist into hers, then pulls it back and makes an explosion with hers.

I know Jago spotted how close I was to attacking out of instinct, and he doesn’t seem happy, but offers me a nod when I straighten up. “It is sorted then,” I declare.

“I bet she has a bigger penis than even you. You should have a measuring contest,” she whispers to Jago, distracting him from glaring at me.

“It’s not sorted! My people should have a choice!” my dad shouts, and my patience snaps.

I get in his face, mine cold and my tone deadly.

“Listen up and listen hard. I will say this only once. My men, the people I love most in this world are being tortured as we speak so I can babysit your fucking pompous ass. I don’t give a fuck if you are scared out here, or that the last time you came out was when you lost my brother and me.

You will do as you are fucking told for once or so help me God, we will leave you here to die.

You are being given a better choice than most—protection and a new home.

Everyone here had to earn that, had to fight for that, and you want to complain it’s not fair?

Life isn’t fucking fair, sweetheart, but you keep on going, keep fighting because it’s the only life you get.

So you are going to go back there and tell your people what is happening, then you will pack up.

You will listen to Piper, you will do as she tells you or you die, but I am not wasting another moment of my life on a man who left his own daughter to die at the hands of a madman, not when the men who saved me and brought me back to life are suffering. Do we understand each other?” I finish.

Everyone else is silent, all eyes on us. I watch my father swallow as tears gather in his eyes. “I understand,” he replies.

I step away then, turning my back on him to face my men. “Pack up! We are rolling out soon!” I yell and then stride away, trying to hide how much I need to hurt something right now. My hands are in fists and my body is wired up.

I push into my tent and grab my bag, starting to pack to distract myself. I hear footsteps and know it isn’t Dray, he wouldn’t be that loud.

“Worth, can I have a minute?” Piper calls from behind me, as I shove things into my bags. I turn and sigh.

“Sure.”

“I want to help with the war, I think I can.”

I raise my eyebrow, crossing my arms. “Piper—”

“No, I was always saying I want an adventure and, well, this is it. I can fight, I can lead my people. If you fail, you said it yourself, the Wasteland is theirs and they will probably kill us all. If I can stop that, I will. When I take the Paradise people back to my people, I will speak to them and gather our fighters.” She stands tall then without any give in her expression. She isn’t asking for permission.

I smirk then. “Good, then help us, fuck knows we will need every man we can get.”

The tent pushes open again and Evan, Archel, and Jago stand there, making me groan. “This isn’t a fucking counselling chamber, take your lovers spat elsewhere,” I warn.

“Worth, I’m going with her,” Archel informs me.

I nod. “I know.”

He grins then and I wink back. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. Look after her, will you, and meet us at the front line.”

“I’m going too, if she will have me?” Evan asks, looking at Piper.

She swallows but nods without looking at him, and a giant smile curves his lips. “Shit, who’s going to patch me up now, Doc?” I tease.

He laughs then narrows his eyes on me. “Stop getting fucking hurt. Don’t let anyone else patch you up or do it yourself. I’ve seen your needlework on your skin already and it fucking sucks. No getting shot, stabbed, burned, tortured, or captured. I will see you after the Cities.” He nods.

“Thanks, Doc,” I reply. I’m going to miss the bastard. “I’m glad you found her,” I add lower and he freezes, looking at me, his expression softening.

“You’ll find yours again, Worth. They wouldn’t dare die on you. You aren’t saying goodbye again, not this time, and I won’t sing you a fucking song like Vas,” he teases and I laugh.

“No goodbyes, not anymore.” Then despite myself, I stride over and hug him, and he returns the embrace.

Just two people with shared pain. We bonded in those cells and Vas’s death only solidified our friendship.

It’s strange, I’m crude and rough, and he’s sophisticated and posh, but it’s ours.

“Look after yourself, keep practicing what I showed you,” I tell him, and then lower my voice again.

“Don’t let her get away this time,” I whisper, then let go and step back.

“I’ll see you at the front,” I tell them all.

“What? I don’t get a hug?” Piper pouts and everyone groans, making her smile.

“I’m just saying, thought we were going to all hug it out?

No? Guess not.” Jago huffs, grabs her, and throws her over his shoulder, then nods at me and walks out as she carries on talking.

Evan looks after them, smiles at me, and follows, leaving Archel and me.

“Take care of him,” he murmurs.

“I will,” I reply.

Then he smirks. “Long live our fucking queen.” He salutes and marches out of the tent after Piper.

Who fucking would have guessed it?

Now, it’s time to get my men back. I’ve had enough distractions.