The Consequences of Coerced Evolution (Book 1 in the Legends of Erosvold)

CHAPTER 9

The trio stepped out of Byron's apartment into the golden afternoon. The air kissed Evi's skin with a slightly moist warmth, and she squinted at the brightness of the sun. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been out this early in the afternoon. More often than not, she was either still sleeping off the night before or hanging out in her apartment with the shades closed. She didn't mind the sun, she was more accustomed to hanging out in the dark. It made it easier for her to hide.

She blanched as that thought crossed her mind. Apparently, nothing could keep her safe once the Wulanin had it in their minds that they wanted to make a move. Five years of "peace" and being left alone by anything from her previous life had been taken away in one night. She probably shouldn't have been surprised at the abruptness of it all; her training had taught her to always be ready for the unexpected. But in her defense, she had assumed that after being banished, those rules no longer applied.

Once again, the thought of why she was going on this Journey crossed her mind. She had been banished, which technically meant that she didn't have to abide by the Eros rules and laws anymore. And yet, here she was, wearing armor she had thought she threw into the river years ago and looking for a way to get into Naraka. She didn't have to, and yet she did—because the rest of the Eros would still abide by the code that ruled their lives. They wouldn't leave her alone, and that inflexibility would lead to war.

She shook her head. That last thought felt very human. Evi couldn't fault the Eros for sticking to their principles and punishing those who didn't follow the rules—even if they had been banished. If they didn't structure their lives by their ethics, what would that make them? It may have seemed inflexible, but it had kept their race thriving for millennia. Humans were still so new to the game. It was hard for them to understand the good of the group because there was so much selfishness that permeated the species. Again, Evi couldn't fault them for that. They were young, but at the rate they were going, they weren't going to evolve any time soon.

She smirked. The youth of humanity was why the Eros and Wulanin had abandoned them so long ago. Sure, the Wulanin came back and visited every once in a while, usually for their own selfish reasons and to test out new weapons, but more often than not, Earth wasn't worth dealing with. Why Conrad was so focused now was concerning—and part of the driving factor of why Evi made the choice she made.

She hated to admit that this Journey wasn't based on wanting to save humanity. Personally, she couldn't care less if they were wiped off the planet or out of the Universe. It would do a lot of them a huge favor. Despite all that she'd been through, part of her was loyal to the Eros. She didn't want to see them drawn into a war that they could potentially lose, especially if they weren't prepared for what the Wulanin threw their way. Did she have hope that her actions would be viewed in a favorable light and get her off Earth? A bit, but she knew better than to hang her hat on that idea. If nothing else, maybe she could get moved to a less dreadful place to spend her banishment. Inaction could certainly get her sent to a far worse place, and she didn't want that.

The three of them stepped into the alleyway behind the bar and headed toward Byron's truck. It was a brown Ford F350 Super Camper Special from the 70s with a camper cover over the bed. It wasn't much to look at, but it was in good condition; Byron made sure of that. He usually only drove it when having to pick up extra kegs from the supplier. Otherwise, with his apartment over the bar and the ability to have everything delivered directly to him, he rarely left the neighborhood. Evi worried that the truck wouldn't make it beyond a five-block radius. She was also unsure how well the three of them would fit in the cab. Thankfully, it had a bench seat, but it was still going to be a tight fit.

After throwing their items in the back, they piled into the cab. Evi fidgeted with the weapon around her wrist. It wouldn't take much for her to slide it into the palm of her hand and press on the jewel to extend the sword, but thoughts of what happened in the bar kept running through her mind. The scar on her arm began to tingle again. She wasn't able to dwell on the thoughts for too long, as she was bumped on both of her sides as Byron and Liam climbed into the truck. Their doors slammed shut, and the engine roared to life. On the plus side, the engine didn't sound old; there was no hesitation or sputtering, so that eased some of Evi's stress. As Byron put the truck into reverse and started moving, a touch of anxiety tingled her stomach and caused her breath to catch.