hadn’t noticed,” Lir says dryly, rubbing at his wrist. “I would hate to see you a lot on edge.” His eyes widen at his own statement and he starts stammering. “I mean… Just… I wasn’t referring to…”
“It’s okay.” I sink down, my backpack pressing against a tree trunk, until my butt lands in the dirt. “I think I just need a moment. There’s too much noise in my head right now.”
Lir sits down across from me, pulling his knees into his chest and wrapping his arms around them. I mirror the movement. The edges of the dress flap against my thighs. Oh yeah, I’m wearing a dress. So not only did I touch him, now I’m flashing him. My face heats and I slide my legs to the side, pulling the dress down around my knees.
I shrug out of one shoulder strap and swing the backpack around. First things first, I need to change. A light jacket. Two soft t-shirts. A small bundle of food. Canteen. Sleeping bag. My knife and hilt. Pants? Please tell me there are pants in here. My fingers brush across a rough texture that can only be denim. Thank goodness.
I pull the jeans out and shimmy them up underneath the dress. Next comes socks and some nice sturdy boots. I’m almost as excited to get rid of the stupid sandals as I am to get rid of the dress. A shirt goes over my head and I strip off the sleeves of the dress, pulling it down and stepping out of it before sliding my arms into the shirt sleeves. Lir jumps a little when I toss the now crumpled dress past his head and into the woods. It probably would have been better for me to stuff it in the pack, to cover our tracks and all, but it’s too late now. I lean back against the tree and close my eyes, finally a little more comfortable.
“So what is your plan exactly?” His words are quiet, near a whisper.
So far, I don’t really have much of a plan, but that probably wouldn’t be the best thing to admit to right now. I open my eyes and squint at him. He’s staring at the ground. It’s the first time since Lir stepped off that ship that his wall of confidence really cracks. For just a moment, a flash of vulnerability, maybe even fear, passes across his face. What must it be like for him stranded out here alone and hurt with only me to depend on? He looks so incredibly lost in that moment— and young.
“How old are you?” I ask.
The wall slams back down. “In your years? Nineteen.” His head comes up and he narrows his eyes. “Why?”
“Just curious.” I roll my shoulders and straighten my legs out in front of me. “I’m seventeen, well almost eighteen now. My brother too. We’re twins.” His head tilts to the side, his shoulders lower and one leg extends forward. Silence fills the gap between us again. I want to know him, to know something, anything to ease my fears about Jace. “What about you, any siblings?”
“One,” he says. I just stare, waiting for the rest. Lir avoids my gaze and his voice softens. “A sister, Stella. She’s seven.”
“I’ve always wanted a sister. Do you guys get along?”
“Yes.” Again, I wait for more words, but he doesn’t continue.
Elaborate swirls appear in the dirt as I trace my finger through it. There’s a burn behind my eyes and I have to swallow twice before I can get my next question past my lips. “Do you think they’re hurting him?” My eyes dart up to meet Lir’s emerald gaze and one of my hands curls in on itself, my nails pressing into my palm.
“I don’t know.” At least he’s honest. Though I may have preferred empty assurances.
There are so many other questions begging to squeeze out of my mouth. Why did they do it? What do they want with him? Who did it? And is Jace even alive? Lir doesn’t have the answers to these questions though and, even if he did, I might not like them. I can’t afford to get sidetracked.
I look away and rub my eyes with the back of my hand. Get it together, Jax. No tears. “I don’t have one. A plan. Not really anyway.” I laugh nervously.
“It’s okay.” I sink down, my backpack pressing against a tree trunk, until my butt lands in the dirt. “I think I just need a moment. There’s too much noise in my head right now.”
Lir sits down across from me, pulling his knees into his chest and wrapping his arms around them. I mirror the movement. The edges of the dress flap against my thighs. Oh yeah, I’m wearing a dress. So not only did I touch him, now I’m flashing him. My face heats and I slide my legs to the side, pulling the dress down around my knees.
I shrug out of one shoulder strap and swing the backpack around. First things first, I need to change. A light jacket. Two soft t-shirts. A small bundle of food. Canteen. Sleeping bag. My knife and hilt. Pants? Please tell me there are pants in here. My fingers brush across a rough texture that can only be denim. Thank goodness.
I pull the jeans out and shimmy them up underneath the dress. Next comes socks and some nice sturdy boots. I’m almost as excited to get rid of the stupid sandals as I am to get rid of the dress. A shirt goes over my head and I strip off the sleeves of the dress, pulling it down and stepping out of it before sliding my arms into the shirt sleeves. Lir jumps a little when I toss the now crumpled dress past his head and into the woods. It probably would have been better for me to stuff it in the pack, to cover our tracks and all, but it’s too late now. I lean back against the tree and close my eyes, finally a little more comfortable.
“So what is your plan exactly?” His words are quiet, near a whisper.
So far, I don’t really have much of a plan, but that probably wouldn’t be the best thing to admit to right now. I open my eyes and squint at him. He’s staring at the ground. It’s the first time since Lir stepped off that ship that his wall of confidence really cracks. For just a moment, a flash of vulnerability, maybe even fear, passes across his face. What must it be like for him stranded out here alone and hurt with only me to depend on? He looks so incredibly lost in that moment— and young.
“How old are you?” I ask.
The wall slams back down. “In your years? Nineteen.” His head comes up and he narrows his eyes. “Why?”
“Just curious.” I roll my shoulders and straighten my legs out in front of me. “I’m seventeen, well almost eighteen now. My brother too. We’re twins.” His head tilts to the side, his shoulders lower and one leg extends forward. Silence fills the gap between us again. I want to know him, to know something, anything to ease my fears about Jace. “What about you, any siblings?”
“One,” he says. I just stare, waiting for the rest. Lir avoids my gaze and his voice softens. “A sister, Stella. She’s seven.”
“I’ve always wanted a sister. Do you guys get along?”
“Yes.” Again, I wait for more words, but he doesn’t continue.
Elaborate swirls appear in the dirt as I trace my finger through it. There’s a burn behind my eyes and I have to swallow twice before I can get my next question past my lips. “Do you think they’re hurting him?” My eyes dart up to meet Lir’s emerald gaze and one of my hands curls in on itself, my nails pressing into my palm.
“I don’t know.” At least he’s honest. Though I may have preferred empty assurances.
There are so many other questions begging to squeeze out of my mouth. Why did they do it? What do they want with him? Who did it? And is Jace even alive? Lir doesn’t have the answers to these questions though and, even if he did, I might not like them. I can’t afford to get sidetracked.
I look away and rub my eyes with the back of my hand. Get it together, Jax. No tears. “I don’t have one. A plan. Not really anyway.” I laugh nervously.
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