Chapter 232Four Followers

We walked silently to the others. It wasn't far now, the wooden building soon coming up to us. For a moment I enjoyed the feeling of our simple walk. Even with all the worries around us, simply walking still gave me the peace I so dearly desired. Khuna and Valerie heard us coming and smiled as we walked toward them. They appeared extra happy when they saw who was at my side.

"Kai!"

Khuna and Valerie ran toward him as soon as they saw him.

Valerie gave him the biggest hug of the two and smiled at him stubbornly. "Where have you been?"

Kai looked at me for a moment. "Searching."

I interrupted. "It's a story for another time, first of all there is a change of plan. Kai was spying on them when I found them and he came up with something a little cleverer than we did."

Valerie shrugged. "Do tell."

Kai spoke brightly. "Well, Amy told me you were planning on luring them here and burn them. The problem is that they wouldn't all go in a building like this. Also, getting them to follow you on a whim is very tough."

Valerie shrugged again. "So?"

Kai smiled. "We challenged them, more specifically Amy. To fight them for leadership. I hoped they'd be prideful enough to jump to it, especially if it's a girl challenging."

Valerie and Khuna looked at both of us with surprise, Khuna didn't seem to like it.

"Are you crazy?" But Valerie stopped her.

"What else?"

Kai fumbled with his fingers. "Well, I've made some firebombs a while back and I can get some more. We'd have them all in one place and could make it one big inferno."

Valerie looked at Kai with a bit of awe and suspicion.

But Khuna... she hesitantly looked at me. "I can't do this, Amy."

I nodded. "I understand. But will you be there?"

She nodded. "But I won't set off anything."

I walked to her and gave her a hug. "It's really alright, Khuna. I know this is all still hard for you."

And for me...

A gentle moment of silence passed.

Khuna looked in my eyes and smiled bravely, glad she wouldn't have to pull the trigger. It wasn't like her to fight like this, she was the one taking the punches, not giving them. It's just who she was.

I was just about to release her when I heard a young girlish voice behind me that made a chill run down my spine.

"You still haven't found it."

I turned around, behind us was someone I wasn't expecting to see at all. She stood there, innocent and sweet with that backpack still on her shoulders. Her body still young and fragile to see, her presence dark and brooding. This wasn't a good time, not a good time at all, what did she want from us anyway?

Isabel...