rose to the surface, releasing a smell so

owl of the stew and

d, his fingertips brushed against he

ulling back slightly. He dropped his gaze, h

t pushed away the constant chill that lived in his bones. He felt a gentle war

was clutching her own bowl, slurping

ed inside his shirt. His fingers closed around the

t him. A relic of the old world. It was his most precious posse

crystal caught the dim light, glowing with a fa

ready to speak the

nt mutated crab claw. The shell shattered.

ng object in Elvin's hand. She grabbed the meat and shoved

n his lips. He had prepared himself for this moment. But then he looked at her, her dirty face lit with pure, unadulterated joy over a

lose to his skin. This wasn't the right time. The vow deserved her full attention. He

avoring every drop of flavor. She looked up and ca

ked up the last piece of fish fro

need the

e piece of fish, tasting somet

el pointed at the pile of c

away," she said.

shells between them and pressed. His grip was immense. The

roken wooden bucket. "Fertilizer,

ooped up a handful of dirt. She rubbed it between her

hard. Compacted. Dead. I

e hoe she had made earlier. She

d the hoe high above her head. Sh

H

e construction of the underground fortress-and th