She does neither.
“I’ll be in my tent,” she mumbles, turning away.
My forehead throbs, annoyance digging a hole into it. “You asked me to trust you,” I say before she can leave. “And I do, Jyn. Whatever you have to tell me, I promise I won’t take it poorly, but Ineedanswers.”
Jyn pauses midstride. “No good will come from telling you the truth.”
“How do you know that?”
“You won’t be able to handle it.”
“How can you possibly know what I can and can’t handle?”
“We’re not having this conversation right now, Sai.”
“Then when?” I snap. “When, Jyn? Because at the rate things are going, I may well be on my deathbed before you tell me what all this is about!”
Jyn bristles. “I’m trying toprotectyou!”
I set my jaw. I’m tired of pretending this doesn’t hurt. “Why do you keep pushing me away?” I ask, my voice so thin it feels like it might break. “Have I done something to upset you?”
“Hey, Leaf Water!”
A heavy sigh escapes me. Gods have mercy on my weary soul.
Feng stomps over, her nostrils flared. “Don’t think ye can get away from me that easily. I’ve got a bone to pick with ye.”
“Can it wait until after I—” I glance to my left. Jyn has already disappeared into her tent. I wish I could say I was surprised.
Feng leans forward, jabbing a finger against my chest. “What happened after the dragon carried ye off? Where’d it go? How’d ye escape? Where’d ye last see it?”
“You know, it’s the damnedest thing,” I say with a forced laugh. “I can’t remember what happened.”
“Ye really expect me t’ believe that?”
“I was half-dead when she rescued me. You’ll have to forgive my poor memory.”
“She?” Feng needles, raising an eyebrow.
“It,” I correct myself, gritting my teeth.
“So it flew off and didn’t eat ye?”
“Perhaps it wasn’t hungry.”
“And who’s she?” Feng asks, glancing askance at Jyn’s tent. “Met her during yer miraculous escape, did ye?”
“I stumbled upon her home in search of assistance, that’s all.”
Feng frowns. “Then how’d she end up comin’ all this way with ye?”
“She wished to travel,” I say, vexation coursing through my blood. “And we happened to be headed the same way. I didn’t realize it was frowned upon to form a traveling party.”
“But what about—”
“Enough,”I snap. I can’t help it. Feng is testing my patience, and I’m in a foul mood to begin with. I will myself to be calm. “Please, I need a moment’s respite before you continue your interrogation, though there isn’t much else I can tell you. The creature isgone, Feng. Leave it at that.”
Her face falls, and it catches me by surprise. I know how badly she wanted the prestige that came with hunting the last dragon, but her reaction to a missed opportunity for glory seems stronger than it should be.
