14
When Caden came to, he did so with stars bursting across his vision and the worst headache he’d ever experienced. Dawn was cresting on the horizon, and he wondered how long he’d been unconscious.
He was lying face-down on the ground, his left cheek pressed against the dirt. A few rocks were jabbing into his skin, and he could tell his mouth had been open for a while based on the dryness. As he struggled to get up, pain flared across the back of his head and neck.
“Gods,” he gasped.
Caden got on his feet and looked at his surroundings. Bodies littered the area, a mix of both friend and foe. The horses that had been attached to the wagon and boxcar were gone. His immediate thought was to search for survivors, but first, he needed water. He walked unsteadily to the remains of the wagon
