Eva let her head fall back against the wood as she stared up at the sky.
If anyone wanted to take her place, they were welcome to it. Traveling in the wagon promised to be even more uncomfortable than riding horseback for hours on end.
She had a feeling she was going to be one massive bruise by the time they stopped for the night.
"What can you do?" Delia asked. "The Hawkvale chose her for this. We're apprentices anyway. We'd never have been where she is."
"It should have been one of us," Jason said.
"You mean it should have been you," one of the other apprentices, Eva thought his name was Quinn, pointed out.
She couldn't help the brief flash of a smile. It seemed his fellow apprentices weren't as blind to Jason's shortcomings as she’d thought.
"That's not what I meant," Jason argued.
"Save it," Delia said. "I get why you don't like her, given your history, but you're not even giving her a chance.”
"Enough chatter," Ollie barked. "You still have tasks before we set out. Jason, get back to work. Quinn, Delia—even though you’re staying behind, I expect your best for Hardwick."
There was a stunned silence before the apprentices made muffled apologies as they headed back toward their individual assignments.
The sound of someone moving closer reached Eva and fingers slipped through the slats. "Don't listen to whatever they're saying. They're jealous. They'll warm up to you soon enough."
Eva grunted as she touched her fingers to his. She doubted it, but she didn't bother saying that to Ollie. He needed his lies even if she didn't.
"I'll bring you food and water when we stop. For now, this will have to do." A canteen followed by a wrapped package sailed over the wagon wall.
"Ollie, thanks," Eva said.
"What is family for?"
He walked off as Eva rested her head against the wagon wall. In Eva's experience, family usually meant guilt trips and impossible expectations before the inevitable betrayal and heartbreak.
"Are you just going to watch us all day?" Eva asked without looking up.
"Tempting, but I'll let the two of you bond in private." Ajari disappeared from view.
"You have interesting taste in friends," she told the mythological.
He snuffled and snorted in agreement.
