Page 167 of Axis of Fire

Only Airis and I remained silent while Dwayne pretended to consider his options.

“Well.”

He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Since nobody else volunteered, I suppose I'll join too.”

His expression grew increasingly heroic.

“I wouldn't want you all suffering while trying to decide which team gets two players and which gets three.”

With that, he started marching confidently in the wrong direction.

Mike sighed.

Pointed toward the actual field.

And redirected him.

Dwayne adjusted course without a trace of embarrassment.

Naturally.

Before leaving, Gwendolyn glanced back at me.

“Can I leave you two alone without returning to a murder scene?”

“Go already.”

I rolled my eyes and began setting up a small easel low enough for me to sit comfortably cross-legged in front of it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Airis doing exactly the same thing.

“You could've stayed with them,” I said.

“Nothing's going to happen to me here.”

“I like painting.”

Airis's answer came so casually that I looked up.

“So I agreed to this for my own benefit, not yours, Fireling.”

A quiet snort escaped me.

At least his irritation level had apparently dropped.

He'd started calling me Fireling again.

Opening my brush case, I reached for the water bottle.

Airis grabbed it first.

Then poured water into my cup without a word.

I immediately looked away.

God.