When Caleb returned to Ashleigh’s side, he was shocked by the absolute emptiness of the settlement. There were no shuffling figures, no bodies on the ground. Only Ashleigh walked alone down the rugged dirt road toward him.
She explained what had transpired. The disappearance of the bodies, the destruction of the mound, the veiled threat of the Leshy.
They were both exhausted.
The settlement was empty. There was no reason they couldn’t just choose a home and take a well-deserved rest. But they both felt the emptiness of this place, the haunting quiet.
Ashleigh led the way as they moved through the trees and the brush down the mountain to their car. Almost three hours had passed by the time they reached their destination. Finally, both too tired to chat or plan their next move, they crawled into their seats and fell asleep.
When she woke up, the car was moving steadily down the road. She sat forward, surprised by the restriction of her seatbelt.
