Ambriel has managed to avoid the 'curse' that has turned most of humanity into monsters. After being separated from her mother as a child, Ambriel keeps her head down by earning her keep as a scavenger. That is until one morning, she ventures too fa...
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As soon as Carlo picked up on the argument brewing on the other side of the cave, he made every attempt to ignore it in spite of Jo's very obvious non-verbal gestures in that direction.
It's not yer business. Yer already in too deep.
While he was mostly sure that Ambriel had nothing to do with hunters or Eden, the same couldn't be said for her company. The villagers rightfully had questions after hearing rumors of him and Joao towing two outsiders into Sundryhurst. The fact that one of these outsiders was being kept in his house only added more fuel to the fire.
Only a select few including the elder knew the details in regard to their "guests" — whatever was necessary for security reasons at least. Carlo even kept Joao out of the loop. Childhood friend or not, Jo had a big mouth. They didn't call him "radio bemba" for nothing and while that "gossip radio" had its uses, this thing with Ambriel? Not one of them. Until the looming threat of Eden was quashed, and the cultists were out of their village, Carlo was determined to keep as much to himself as possible.
That was the plan anyway. He was beginning to understand that despite his best efforts, Ambriel had a knack for fucking up his plans.
"...but messing with tainted items, Bri? One brush against bare skin, and it's over."
Carlo paused over a stack of books he'd been loading into a crate.
Really. One touch of what — a glass goblet gonna deform ya? Choke on some holy water, Lemon.
Jo, who stood next to him, was listening a lot more intently than he should have. Annoyed that Carlo was paying him no mind, he nudged Carlo with his knee. Carlo shot him a look of warning.
No.
Joao waved his hands wildly as if to say, "Come on, really? You're not going to say anything?"
Carlo shook his head and returned to the task at hand. That was, until Lemon shouted, "...risk turning into a monstrous abomination!"
Shit.
Carlo set down the crate with a clunk, straightened, and glared across the cave. Not at Ambriel and Blayne, but at the others who were bearing their fangs, lashing their tongues, and raising their hackles. A few met his eyes. It was enough to keep them rooted in place.
Carlo wasn't the strongest amongst his people, especially when compared to Boulder's family, but he was definitely amongst the most intimidating and well-respected. He spent his waking hours day-in and day-out patrolling outside of Sundryhurst, in all sorts of weather conditions to gather intel, find resources, and if needed, fend off threats. With what happened a few years back, not many were willing to put their lives on the line to go as far as Carlo did. Not all had the wings to cover as much ground as Carlo did. His contributions to the village did not go unseen, and because of it, he was considered just as high rank of a Guardian as anyone in Boulder's family was.
