Family Matters: Season 2 Book 3 (Killing the Dead 9) Read Online Free Page A

to prevent chafing.
    Jeans, walking boots, the claw bladed knife Lily had given to me and of course my steel combat knife comprised the rest of my stuff. It wasn’t much by anyone's standards, even mine and I had never been especially materialistic. It was enough though in this new world.
    “She coming with you?” the older man who had rowed us across the moat earlier asked. I followed his gaze and found Jinx sat on her haunches behind me, tongue lolling. I shrugged and turned back to him.
    “Guess so.”
    “Just the two of you then?” he asked.
    “Couple more on the way,” I said as I looked at him properly for the first time.
    He was busy preparing the inflatable dinghy to ensure it was ready for another trip across the water. His clothing, while worn, was well mended and clean. He had a faint stubble on his chin as though he had shaved several hours earlier and his eyes were clear.
    “Where you off to?”
    “Why do you want to know?” I asked, suspicion evident in my voice judging by the way he shook his head and waved.
    “No offence lad, just passing the time with some idle chatter.”
    “Dumfries,” I said after a moment's thought. “Anything I should be aware of?”
    “Nay lad, just the usual.” He scratched idly at his nose as he thought and nodded to himself. “Follow the road from here to the river, it turns north towards the town and will take you straight there. Biggest problem will be Glencaple.”
    “My grandparents lived there,” I said. “My… family were there when the world fell, I assumed it was infested with the undead now.”
    “Oh aye, some of them on and off, but a few families decided to stay there and hold out. They’ve turned it into an armed camp.”
    “Dangerous to outsiders?”
    “Not so much. If you leave them be, they’ll leave you,” he scratched his head and shrugged wide shoulders. “They’ve no interest in leaving the village so we’ve had no problems so long as we stay away.”
    “They know you’re here?”
    “Oh aye, we asked them to come with us when we left.”
    “Then they are a threat to your sanctuary,” I said with a frown forming. “When they run low on supplies or need something you have… they’ll come for you.”
    “Nay lad, nay. They’re good folk, just wanted to stay in their homes until this is over.”
    “It won’t be over. You realise that right?”
    The older man shrugged and I had the faint impression that he disagreed but was uncomfortable with arguing. I almost sighed as I realised exactly how much I had relied on Lily to interpret this sort of thing for me.
    With nothing else to be said, we waited in silence until Gabe and Gregg came out of the rear doors to the castle's main – and only fully intact – building. Their faces were set, expressions grim and they looked for all the world as though they were walking to their deaths. Which, to be fair, they likely were.
    “Ready?” I asked and Gregg nodded as he shifted his weight restlessly.
    There was nothing else to be said and in silence, we climbed into the inflatable dinghy. It was a squeeze with the four of us and I was forced to have the dog sat on my lap. She at least seemed to be enjoying herself, her tail wagging as she panted.
    We climbed from the boat when it reached the banking and Gabriel shared a few words of thanks with the man who had rowed us across while I stared out at the surrounding trees and considered options.
    The splash of oars hitting water sounded and the others climbed the bank to join me. Gregg opened his mouth as though to speak but instead shook his head and muttered something beneath his breath before waiting quietly. Gabriel had no such patience.
    “What’re we waiting for?”
    “Assessing potential threat,” I said, my voice cold. “You’ve done little to secure this place.”
    “What’s to secure? It’s a bloody castle.”
    “These woods,” I said with a tilt of my head to indicate the thick trees that surrounded the castle on two