Page 156 of Beasts of Mine

“That is generally how overnight assignments work.” I told Luca as I stepped around a shallow patch of mud, unable to keep the amusement from my voice.

“Where?” Luca asked immediately, scanning the route ahead as though the answer might be visible between the trees.

“The same field shelter I used before.” I adjusted the strap pulling across the top of my shoulder. “Mara already knows it, I know the radio works there, and it’s close enough to the upper stream.”

“Close enough.” Luca repeated, and the emphasis made me turn toward him.

“What?” I asked Luca as he stepped over a broad root and waited on the other side while I crossed.

“You could stay at the temple.” Luca offered, keeping his tone casual even though the brief hope in his face gave away how much he wanted me to consider it.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“I could also stay at the field shelter.” I reminded Luca as I stepped over the root and adjusted my camera bag against my hip.

“You could.” Luca agreed immediately, falling into step beside me again instead of trying to argue. “If that’s where you want to stay.”

“But?” I prompted Luca when the crease between his brows made it obvious there was more coming.

“The temple is closer to the northern part of the upper stream.” Luca began, lifting one hand before I could accuse him of turning this into a sales pitch. “You’d lose less morning light. It’s still inside the zone you gave Mara, so you wouldn’t be going somewhere she doesn’t expect you to be.”

I kept walking and waited.

“You’d have filtered water, somewhere dry for your camera, a bed instead of a field cot, and you wouldn’t have to carry all those batteries back to a shelter that can’t charge them.” Luca continued, glancing toward the heavy pack as if it were helping make his case. “And if the weather does move in tonight, the roof doesn’t leak.”

“The field shelter barely leaks.” I defended it, mostly because the thoroughness of his argument made me want to resist on principle.

“Barely.” Luca repeated as one eyebrow rose.

“It has character.” I informed Luca while stepping around a fern that had grown halfway across the trail.

“It has a tarp.” Luca corrected me, amusement finally appearing around his eyes.

“That tarp has successfully kept me alive.” I reminded Luca as I looked over at him.

“I’m not criticizing the tarp.” Luca assured me, although his face said otherwise. “I’m saying you have another option.” I studied him for several steps while our boots sank lightly into damp soil and something small rustled through the leaf litter somewhere off the trail.

“You’re making a very strong case for your option.” I told Luca as I shifted the overnight pack again.

“I want you there.” Luca admitted without pretending otherwise, and the simple honesty took some of the teasing out of me. His voice softened when he continued. “But if you’d rather use the field shelter, I’ll take you there tonight. You asked us to court you. That doesn’t mean you have to sleep in our home because I want you to.”

“Is the radio signal good at the temple?” I asked Luca after a moment, already working through the advantages in my head.

“There are two places where Malek and Tavian use theirs.” Luca nodded toward the route ahead. “The western wall is usually best. Higher terrace too, depending on the weather.”

“You have charging.” I said to Luca, thinking aloud now.

“Solar.” Luca confirmed with a nod.

“Dry storage.” I continued.

“Yes.” Luca answered.

“Filtered water.”

“Yes.” Luca confirmed again, and I saw him trying not to look too hopeful.

“A bed.” I finished as I glanced toward him.