Camille drove Lucien’s pickup truck down the dirt road that rolled through the fields. Some farms were still abandoned, but others were occupied, refugees returning or residents who had never left. Henry sat in the middle of the bench seat, Lucien beside the window. It was quiet, a calm afternoon. If the landscape hadn’t been littered with abandoned military equipment, it would seem like the battle had never been fought. But it was, and no one would ever forget.
“Are you all right?” Lucien asked.
Henry nodded. “Better, but still weak.”
Lucien felt his forehead. It was still warm, but cooler than it had been. “You’ll feel stronger each day.”
“Where are you taking me?” Henry asked.
Camille hesitated, studying the landscape. “The less you know, the better.”
Lucien watched her, always al
