“All bad, I’m sure.” Lysa beamed.
“Nah, not all bad. Just mostly,” Christian answered, and Lysa swatted his arm.
Gemma smiled. She never thought she’d see this side of him, and blazes, it felt good.
“Where’s Dad?” Lysa asked Christian.
“I sent him home,” he replied.
Lysa sighed, but she seemed to understand. “Well, show me around then, and tell me where I put my stuff.” She pointed with her thumb at the bag on her back.
Christian’s grin was still plastered to his face as he took Gemma’s hand in his and led Lysa on a quick tour of Tent City. Afterward, the three of them found Hawk and Imara and joined them in the mess hall.
The companionship was unparalleled. Gemma didn’t remember smiling so big or laughing as hard as she did while Lysa told many childhood stories to embarrass Christian.
Imara and Lysa became fast friends. Gemma also couldn’t help but notice the way Imara and Hawk would subtly touch the others’ hand in affection. It seemed she’d missed a lot while she’d been in the temple, but Gemma couldn’t be happier.
As their group wandered back to their tents, she and Lysa meandered behind the other three, who continued to taunt and tease each other.
“Thank you for what you’ve done for Christian,” Lysa said, hooking her arm with Gemma’s and slowing her down. “You have no idea how hard things were for him, so to see him smile like he is . . .” Her eyes pooled with tears.
“He’s done a lot more for me than I did for him. Trust me.”
They let their three friends wander ahead and walked at their own pace.
“He really loves you, y’know,” Lysa said. “And I’m pretty sure you’re the only person he’s ever truly loved.”
Gemma’s chest fluttered. “He loves you too.”
“Yeah, but he has to.” Lysa laughed, and it rang, bright and unguarded, like sunlight breaking through clouds.
Gemma found herself smiling again. “Still, you’re the reason he fights as hard as he does. You gave him something to come home to. Don’t think that doesn’t matter.”
Lysa blinked fast then beamed. “Guess that makes us quite the team then, huh? You keep him smiling, and I’ll keep him from doing anything stupid.”
Gemma chuckled. “That sounds like a lot of work.”
“You have no idea.” Lysa’s laugh was bright and easy. “Good thing we’re both stubborn enough to manage him. Between the two of us, he might actually stand a chance.”
Gemma couldn’t keep the grin off her face.
When she and Lysa at last reached their tents, Christian was several paces away, talking with a girl of Asian descent. Andby the look of it, the conversation was heated. They knew each other.
Lysa stiffened.
“Who is that?” Gemma asked.
“She’s, uh, an old friend of Christian’s from the Falaichte. I didn’t realize she was part of the distraction team until we were already in the field. She was at Gallowood House.”
Gemma spun her head to look at Lysa. “Wait, the Systems knows about him being in the Falaichte?”
Lysa nodded. “I don’t believe it was a pleasant conversation, but yeah.”
Gemma narrowed her gaze at Christian. Whathadshe missed those weeks he was in Perileos? She’d been so wrapped up in her own slop that she’d never asked him about it. Maybe she should.
The girl Christian spoke to caught Gemma’s stare and then stroked Christian’s chest before heading over to her and Lysa. Gemma’s face lit on fire at the intimate gesture.
“Ah, soyou’rethe girl,” the girl spoke. “I was wondering if Christian would ever introduce me.”
