Read Online Embattlement: The Undergrounders Series Book Two (A Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Novel) by Norma Hinkens - Free Book Online

Panju,” I gasp. “It’s gonna be okay.”
    She stares at me flatly before her eyes roll back in her head, and she flops unnaturally to one side.
    Jakob glances at me, his face rigid. “Her arm’s hanging on by a tendon. She’s gonna lose it, that’s if she doesn’t bleed to death first.”
    “Then do something! You know how to stop it!” I brush my trembling palm across her smooth forehead. Don’t die! Please don’t die!
    Wordlessly Jakob digs around in his pack and pulls out a threadbare shirt.
    I glance over at the dead wolf’s parted jaws, fangs daubed with fresh blood. A shiver crosses my shoulders. I’d rather take a bullet any day than be torn apart by one of these beasts.
    Jakob swiftly rips the shirt in two and fashions a makeshift tourniquet around Panju's arm. She groans weakly, but doesn’t open her eyes.
    “Someone’s gonna have to amputate it,” Jakob mutters in my ear.
    My stomach rolls. “We can’t do that. We’re not doctors.”
    Jakob grimaces. “It’s mostly taken care of. The wolf’s bitten clean through the bone and muscle.”
    I force myself to take a closer look at Panju's mangled arm. The bones in her forearm are crushed, the muscles pulverized beyond hope of saving. Jakob’s right. The only question now is whether we can keep her alive. I take a shaky breath. “Are you sure about this?”
    “We have no choice.” A sober look settles on his face. “Best get it over with now before she regains consciousness. I’ll tie her off. One of us needs to—”
    “I know,” I say, getting to my feet. “I’ll get the knife.”

    I n the end it’s Sven who does the deed, and Jakob who stitches a flap of skin over the wound afterward. Trout keeps his distance—supposedly he’s watching Izzy and our hostages, but I can’t help thinking of his one-knuckled finger. I’m pretty sure he has a disturbing memory of his own he doesn’t want to be reminded of.
    It takes all the improvised bandages we have between us, including Panju’s leftover gauze, to pad the stump, and several socks strung together to hold it all in place. After we’ve covered Panju with a couple of coats to keep her warm, we bury her forearm and drag a heavy boulder over the spot to deter the wolves from digging it up. Sven says the pack took off when they heard the shot, but they may have just retreated for now.
    “I’ll check in with the others, see if there are any updates on the pack’s movements,” Sven says, when we’ve finished doing what we can to make Panju comfortable.
    Jakob waits until Sven’s out of earshot and then reaches for my hand. “I was worried sick about you when the Council members came back. Jett said you were planning on joining up with an Undergrounder militia and didn’t need them. Something seemed off. I didn’t trust him.” His voice trembles. “I wasn’t even sure you were still alive.”
    I blink, suddenly overwhelmed by the emotion in his voice, coupled with the cold brutality of everything that’s just happened. “I’m glad you came,” I say, squeezing his hand. “You saved Panju's life.”
    He studies me for a moment, a wounded look in his eyes.
    I know he wants me to say I’m glad he came for me. Truth is, as badly as we need his help, I’m not sure how I feel about having Jakob here. I pull my hand free from his grasp. “Is Big Ed okay?”
    “He’s fine. I didn’t tell him I was cutting out to look for you though.”
    I frown. Knowing Big Ed, he’ll set out after Jakob. After all, I made him promise to keep an eye on him. “I hope he doesn’t come searching for you,” I say, in a disapproving tone. “There are Rogues in the area.”
    Jakob twists his lips. “Then come back to the base. There aren’t enough of you left to protect yourselves. And Panju won’t make it to the wilderness. She needs medical attention, antibiotics.”
    I whistle for Tucker and get to my feet. “We’re going to Shoshane City first. We’ll get what she needs