Cole was hissing at her as they ran, but she didn't hear him either. She couldn't focus. Cole's words floated over her like snowflakes lost in the wind. He stopped where he had a bike waiting. Out of breath, he turned to Kahli, scolding, "Snap out of it." When she didn't blink, Cole grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard. She felt his hands on her, but her mind kept repeating, Will. Will is one of them. Cole yelled at her, but Kahli barely heard him. It wasn't until his palm connected with her cheek that she blinked. When he raised his hand a second time, her green gaze focused. Catching Cole's hand by the wrist, she stopped him before he struck her again. Kahli's gaze was blank. She held his arm and jerked him close, like she was going to snarl in his face, but she didn't speak.
Cole ripped his arm away, "You need to drive us to the others. Now. Snap out of it, Kahli. They need you. I can't do this alone. Cassie means well, but she doesn't know what's out here. You do." His words bit into her like a starved animal. Each word stung, making her feel foolish for being so shocked.
Breathing hard through her nose, Kahli nodded. Kahli grabbed the bike and swung her leg over the top as Cole stood next to her. Kick starting the bike, the engine turned over and Cole climbed on back. Without a word, the two circled the palace to survey the damage. Carnage would better a better word. Kahli knew if she turned around to look at Cole's face that it would have a satisfied smile. The palace was burning at both ends. Only the center seemed untouched. Pillars of black smoke stretched into the night sky, illuminated by the golden glow of the flames consuming everything and everyone in its path. It was a moment that she'd never forget. Everything that place represented was burning, soon it would be reduced to cinders and charred earth. Kahli glanced over her shoulder at Cole. He nodded once, and then they headed toward the others, allowing the wind to cover their tracks.
Cole clung to Kahli's back, bouncing around on the back of the bike every time they hit a bump. When they were off the palace grounds, they ditched the bike and continued on foot. Kahli grabbed the contents from the bike's frame and shoved the stuff in Cole's pack. Cole hadn't said anything to her. They walked for over an hour in silence, the wind making their faces raw. Kahli didn't grab a mask to protect her face from the weather. It was a novice mistake, but she didn't think she'd need one. Kahli's plan had been to go back for Will after torching the palace, but things changed.
Kahli's heart slid down into her stomach like a piece of lead. The heaviness crushed her chest, making her ribs feel like they could crack under the weight of remorse. It was all she could do to make her legs move.
"He's not worth it," Cole finally said, glancing over at her. Kahli stared straight ahead, her face devoid of emotion. "Kahli - " Cole reached out for her hand and held onto it. His fingers pressed into her hand. Kahli stopped and glanced over at him. Cole's voice was less poisonous than she expected, it was almost supportive, "I know you feel betrayed, but you can't shut down right now. That fire bought us a few days at most. The vamps were dousing the interior flames before we got off the palace grounds. You're the only one that's survived out here for any length of time. They need you." After a moment, his voice softened and he said something uncharacteristically Cole, "I need you. I can't do this on my own. There are too many of them. And the world isn't like it was last time. There's no palace to run to, no safe place for us. We need you." He released her hand, allowing it to drop to her side. It hung there like dead weight for a moment.
His words sank in slowly. Kahli nodded. Swallowing hard, she finally spoke. Her throat burned from swallowing so much smoke. It made her voice sound like gravel, "We can't go to the safe house. Will knows where it is. I suspect that he knows where all of the safe houses are." Cole's face pinched together, making him look years younger. Cole was always fighting, always trying to save himself and Cassie. It wore him down, making him bone weary. Kahli could see it in his eyes. She knew how it felt, how desperate things can be. Kahli explained, "Will was following me, tracking me, before I realized he was there."
Cole's eyes widened. Concern made his voice urgent, "Then where do we go?"
Kahli looked back at the sunrise spilling over the horizon. Long beams of orange spilled across the white earth, chasing away the night. An idea formed in her mind. "We have to go somewhere they'll never find us. Someplace that never existed. The place we were supposed to go if we were caught..." Kahli took Cole's hand and turned it over. Pushing back his sleeve, she looked at his wrist, and pointed to the rune. "We'll go here."
Cole didn't blink. He didn't contest her. Instead he nodded, and she dropped his arm. "Do you think it's still there? The camp, I mean. I was told the same thing. If I was captured, I was to show them the brand on my wrist. The vamps would take me home, but they said the brand was fake, that we concocted it."
Kahli shrugged, "I was told the same thing, but it doesn't make sense. Why would both our parents be so certain that Section 8 existed, and tell us to get there if there was nothing there." She shook her head slowly, her hair floating around her face, "I believed Will. I believed it wasn't there and that we got busted, but maybe that isn't true. It exists." Certainty flooded her body. She felt like the brand was a puzzle piece and they were holding it upside down. "Maybe the vamps didn't know about it because it's not a farm. Maybe it's another safe house? One we missed? Besides, I don't see another option." Walking, she kicked the snow, sending white flakes flying. When she walked through the cloud of white, snow clung to her collar and stuck in her hair. Glancing at Cole, she asked, "Were you ever there?"
Cole shook his head, "My parent's spoke about it and told us about the rune, but I've never been there. Honestly, I thought it was just meant to keep vamps from realizing we were wild. After all this time, I thought Section 8 was a fairytale."
Kahli smirked, "Same here, but I guess it's time for fairytales to come true. Since your crest burned the rune off my wrist, we'll have to hope yours is enough. The rest of the palace humans were raised on farms. They won't have any idea where it was. Let's just hope we can find it."
Cole looked at his wrist, at the mark he'd though was a brand all these years, wondering if it was something more. He nodded to Kahli and said, "To Section 8."