“No, come in,” I offer, stepping out of the way and opening the door wider. “How are you?” I ask a little awkwardly.
I haven’t seen him in a while, and it’s like someone hit the reset button on my feeling easy and comfortable around him, and now we’re just stiff and awkward. He walks in and looks around. I run through a short list of small talk options, but they all revolve around what he’s been up to these days and what’s new. I already know he was off doing war shit, but I feel wrong asking about that. Like somehow I’m betraying Treno, Zeph, and Ryn by inserting myself in the middle just by asking questions or being told about it.
I’m trying hard to be motherfucking Switzerland in this Avowed, Hidden showdown. Well, maybe not Switzerland exactly, as I think what the Avowed did and are doing is pretty fucked up. But either way, I doubt I’ll be helping anyone by shoving my nose in any of it.
“I want to apologize again for leaving the way I did. I wish there had been some other way, but my hands were tied. I swear to you, if it hadn’t been life or death, I would have never left you after—”
“It’s fine really,” I offer hastily.
He looks so upset, and I feel bad. I hope he doesn’t think I’m mad at him. His notes pop up in my mind and worry trickles through me. Shit. Was I supposed to write him back? I didn’t even think of that. No wonder he’s all grovely.
“I got your notes,” I reassure him. “I completely understand.”
“You do?” he asks, surprised.
“Of course! You have a duty to your people; I would never take offense to you putting that over me. I’ve been fine,” I tell him.
I offer a smile, and he studies me for a beat and then visibly relaxes. “I was so worried,” he admits, and I chuckle and reach out to rub his bicep comfortingly.
Damn, it’s like petting a boulder.
Heat stirs in me, and I flip off Pigeon in my head.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that we’re okay,” he tells me, pulling me in for a tight hug.
I wrap my arms around his torso, unable to stop myself from soaking up the warm affection. It seems I’m like a moth to flame these days when it comes to people being nice to me.
“I know I just got back, but I made plans to make my absence up to you. I have the whole day planned, and I vow there will be no disappearing or leaving anything unfinished,” he tells me, stepping back so he can look at my face. His eyes are earnest, and his offer is adorable.
I hesitate for a second, eyeing my bed and wondering if he’ll take a raincheck. His face falls ever so slightly, and something in my stomach does too.
“If...if you don’t want to, I, of course, understand,” he states, and even his chin dimple looks bummed.
“No, it’s not that at all. I’d love to spend the day with you. I just need to grab something to eat first. I skipped breakfast, and I have a little bit of a headache,” I explain, the thought of yummy food now all I can focus on.
“Then to the kitchens we go,” he announces, offering his arm. I take it and chuckle as he leads me out of my room. His excitement and eagerness is contagious. I forgot how good I always feel around him, which is weird because we haven’t spentthatmuch time together. I shrug and go with it. It’s a nice change from all the broody shit I’ve been dealing with since I got here.
* * *
Treno lays down a blanket, and I look around and wipe at some of the sweat gathering on the back of my neck. It’s supposed to be the cold season sneaking in to displace the warmth, but it feels like the warm season decided it wasn’t going to go quietly. Suddenly the barely there dresses popular in Kestrel City make a shit ton more sense. For the first time since I was forced into one, I wish I had gone with the scantily clad dress instead of the Narwagh hide pants, bra, and vest.
Treno sits on the blanket and starts unpacking the picnic basket he had prepared for us this morning while I was stuffing my face. He tugs at his own braided armor vest, and I feel better knowing I’m not the only one turning into some kind of sweat beast here.
He looks up at me and gives me a shy smile that cracks me up. He’s been so nervous today as we’ve puttered around Kestrel City and checked out what there is to check out. This gorgeous, ripped, Altern of the Avowed is nervous aroundmefor some reason, and it’s proving to be seriously entertaining. I mean, I practically unhinged my jaw and consumed a whole slab of meat this morning in an effort to satiate my ravenous appetite, and yet he’s been looking at me all day like I’m some kind of prize.
I snort and Pigeon wing fives me in my head. She gets it. It makes no fucking sense that he’s even looking my way, but you won’t hear me complaining. I sit down on the blanket and scoot over until I’m in the shade. Treno’s mismatched gaze fills with satisfaction, and I wonder if he only put half the blanket in the shade on purpose so I’d end up sitting closer to him.
“So, flower, I’d like to sit here and eat all kinds of sweet things and hear all about you,” he announces, grabbing a piece of dark purple fruit that’s the color of a plum but shaped like a strawberry on steroids.
He takes a bite of the fruit and leans back on his elbows, watching me the whole time. I chuckle.
“Um, okay, what exactly do you want to know?” I ask, not sure where to even start when it comes to me. Between the journal I read days ago and the memories that surface more and more every day, I’m not even sure what the CliffsNotes version ofmeshould contain anymore.
“I want to know whatever you want to tell me,” he states wisely, showing interest but keeping the ball in my court.
It’s been ages since I’ve been out on a proper date. Mostly because, as a latent, shifters took issue with me, and I’d never found a Non I was interested in. But as odd as the timing of today is, it’s been nice spending time with Treno. I like getting to know him, and it makes me look at the conflict between the Hidden and the Avowed differently. There’s a human element to both sides now, and it soothes something in me that I can’t quite explain.
“Well…I’m twenty-five. I am a mechanic, or at least I used to be, where I come from.”
