“They did it,” she says, putting a hand on my arm, her voice quiet. I live for quiet, but not with her. Everything feels out of place.
A blonde head appears in the distance, bouncing as it nears. Milo runs toward us, his arms stretched out at his sides like a child, as if growing up in Sonnet didn’t break his character, as if he didn’t inflict pain on himself solely to prepare for the torture from others. His smile is so big it makes me want to smile back. I don’t.
“We did it. Every last sprout of teva is gone.” He claps me on the shoulder. “Good thing the snow didn’t last. And it’s finally not pouring.”
“Anything left to smoke?” I ask.
He grins and pats his pants pocket. “I have the last of the dried petals, enough for a while, then that’s it, forever.”
Now I can’t help but smile. “Don’t lose that.”
“I won’t.” Milo bobs his head once at Never in greeting. “Looks like the asshole found you again.”
I smack his forehead with my palm, and he stumbles back, laughing. Nothing seems to bring him down. Never presses into my side, gripping my arm as though someone might tear us apart.
“Something like that,” she says. She must be too worn out for a sarcastic response. It makes me want to scoop her up and carry her away.
“I like you tall,” Milo tells her. He winks at me. “Who would have thought you’d link before me? I’ll be twenty-four next month.”
My chest heats, anger swelling, threatening to break ribs. “I’m not linked.”
Never’s heartbeat takes off at such speed I almost grab my own runaway heart. What is she so upset about? Then panic and blood-boiling jealousy pump into me… and I know. She’s worried who I’ll link with. She wants to be mine and actually thinks it could be any other way.
Sypher, Kaleida and the Hollow come up behind Milo, and that jealousy of hers already racing through me becomes fully mine. I can’t stand the sight of the Hollow knowing he’s had his hands on her. And I refuse to use his lame name with an initial.
Kaleida runs at full speed straight toward us. I grab Never and lift her out of the path and into me.
“What are you doing?” She smacks my chest and wiggles against me.
“Yeah, Eli. I was only trying to hug her,” Kaleida says, skidding to a stop then adjusting her white shirt, now gray with ash. “We’re all on your side, even Maverick J.”
I squeeze Never closer. What’s wrong with me? I’m so afraid of losing her that I see a threat in Kaleida? My mind blurs with confusion, with feelings that I can’t control—my new normal. Nothing is clear anymore. “She’s mine,” I mumble.
“We know.” Kaleida grabs my shoulder and gives it a shake, a smirk spreading into a smile. “I heard loud and clear through the bathroom door in Caldera. I was a stone away from climbing on top of him.” She points her thumb at Milo.
He looks at her with new eyes, as if he never considered her like that before. “What stopped you?”
Her cheeks flush pink.
I pull myself together and question Kaleida, trying not to let on how flustered I am. “Why not give her a fucking bar before knocking her on her ass? She hasn’t eaten in days. And what’s the Hollow doing here?”
“Why not fucking say something sooner?” With a mocking smile, Kaleida swings her pack to the front, flips the flap up and digs through the contents. “And did you really expect Mav to stay behind with a bunch of emotionless Hollows killing themselves? For the first time, he cares about something. Plus, Sypher wouldn’t leave him behind.”
“You okay?” Milo asks, focusing on my face in a way that makes me want to punch his jaw and hug him at the same time—must be the Kelter in me.
“I’m fine.”I drowned and almost lost Never.No big deal.I put her down, still holding her close. She looks up at me with full, bright eyes, as though she’s shocked that I’d think of her need to eat again. Maybe I am too. I look away. I’m not supposed to let her know how much I care. I’m not supposed to care at all.
“Why not fucking let me ask for food myself?” Never says with a grin at me as she takes the bar and a canteen from Kaleida. She thanks her before nibbling at the corner, then follows with a long drink. I can feel each gulp with her body up against mine like this. She hands the water back and goes for another bite. Good. She needs her strength.
Milo steps closer, his blue eyes narrowing with worry. “Have you seen Coen and Sola? We stopped by my house, and they were gone. The Centress too.”
“Zandrite had them in the Underbroke, but Kelter snuck them out. I’m sure they’re somewhere around here. The Centress has been taken care of.” I don’t elaborate on that.
Kaleida looks at me cautiously. “And Kelter? How come he’s not with you? Did you kill him?”
“Not yet.”
She laughs through her nose, her face relaxing.
