Thalia poured warm herbal tea into chipped mugs made from scavenged porcelain and dried coconut husk. A dim lantern swayed in the corner of the treehouse, casting flickers of gold against the walls made of branches, cloth, and weathered canvas. Xenia sat cross-legged on the floor, her hands cupped around the tea to hide their subtle tremble.
"Go ahead," Xenia finally said, voice low. "Ask what you want to ask."
Thalia didn't hesitate. "Does your camp have its own leader?"
Xenia paused, glancing down into her tea. "To be honest with you… I don't think we do. We're more like… organized chaos."
Rafe let out a small laugh. "You're being humble again. Don't listen to her," he told Thalia. "It's Xenia. She's the one who got us this far. She made the call to fortify the cabin, planned how to expand into a working farm, even rallied us to go out and look for survivors." He leaned against the treehouse wall, arms folded. "If there's anyone we look to for decisions, it's her."
Thalia glanced at her son Tyrone, who was busy lining up stones on the floor as if they were toy soldiers. Her face softened, the creases of worry loosening.
"I'm sorry about what happened back there," she said at last, stirring her tea with a dried stem of leaves. "I didn't mean for any of it. I just… wanted to keep you from entering that mansion. It's a hive. That place was already too far gone."
Xenia's jaw clenched slightly. She nodded once, the pain from losing Tenorio still fresh, sitting like stone in her chest.
"I can't bring him back. But I want to help you now," Thalia continued, her voice gentle. "I'm a former scavenger soldier. I know tactics, survival, resource hunting. But all I ask is that you help me protect my son. That's my only condition."
She reached out and gently tousled Tyrone's hair. The boy blinked up at her, puzzled but smiling.
"Where are you going, Mommy?" he asked.
"I'm going with them, sweetheart. I have to go fight the evil dragons, remember? Like in your stories." She smiled, brushing his cheek with her thumb. "You'll stay here, okay? Keep the treehouse safe for me. And remember—if I don't come back right away, it just means the dragons are being extra stubborn."
Tyrone nodded solemnly, then threw his arms around her. "Yes, Mommy. I'll wait. I'll be the knight of the tree!"
The moment tugged painfully at Xenia, and her chest tightened. Her fingers gripped the cup just a little harder.
"I miss Rhys…" she said softly. Her voice almost broke.
Thalia turned to her. "Do you have a son too?"
Xenia gave a small nod. "Yes. Though he's not biologically mine. He's a baby. I chose to become his mother." She paused. " His parents… they didn't make it. But he's still here. Alive. Safe. That's all that matters."
Thalia raised her brows slightly, her tone kind. "That's brave. And beautiful. Where is he now?"
"He's in the cabin. With our companions. There's a woman there—Anna—she watches him when I'm away. We also have a little girl named Cecil. She tries to help."
"Well," Thalia smiled, "it sounds like you've built something good there."
Rafe nodded. "We're trying. But we came out here with a mission."
"Let me guess," Thalia said, setting down her tea. "You're looking for a vehicle."
Rafe smirked. "Smart."
"You'll need one if you're going to keep expanding. Makes sense." She glanced toward the window, where the forest beyond was slowly being claimed by the night. "That won't be easy, though. The mansion we passed? It's crawling with the dead. But I saw several vehicles inside. Mostly cars, maybe a motorbike. Getting to them, though… it would take serious distraction."
"We'll try anyway," Rafe said, determination burning in his eyes.
Thalia nodded slowly. "Okay. If that's what you want… then I'll help. But I'm low on ammo. This"—she lifted a dull brass casing from her pocket—"this is the last shell I have that can be reloaded for my shotgun."
Xenia perked up. "You said you were a soldier, right?"
"Correct."
"Then maybe you can help us create some kind of distraction. Something loud. A bomb. A trap. Anything."
"You want to draw the infected away so you can grab a vehicle," Thalia concluded.
"Exactly," Xenia said. "Get in. Get out. Fast."
Thalia thought for a moment, then nodded. "We'll need at least three things—metal scraps, alcohol or fuel, and fire starters. If we can get those, I can make a few small timed explosives. Not enough to destroy the mansion, but loud enough to make the dead chase shadows."
"There's a gas station not far from here," Thalia added. "It's mostly looted, but if we're lucky, there might still be something we can use."
Rafe leaned forward. "And if we get two cars… that'd be even better."
"I'll drive one," Thalia offered. "Do either of you know how to drive?"
Xenia hesitated, then scratched the back of her neck. "Well… honestly… I've only ever taken public transportation. I never even owned a bike."
Rafe stifled a laugh.
"Okay," Thalia said, raising a brow. "So it's just me and muscle-man here driving. Noted."
"Two cars it is," Rafe added, nodding.
"We'll leave at dawn," Thalia decided. "It's too dark now, and the forest's alive with things we don't want to meet."
"And we're sure Tyrone will be okay?" Xenia asked.
"I've trained him," Thalia said with pride. "There's a hatch under the treehouse with emergency supplies, a flare signal, and enough food and water for three days. He's safer here than anywhere else."
They all sat in silence for a while, sipping their tea. Outside, the crickets began their nightly chorus, and the soft creaking of the treehouse swayed like a lullaby.