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“I can’t stress enough the importance of using ripe peaches,” Sterling asserted.

“Mhm.”

“They need to be firm, understand?”

“I do.”

“Otherwise the texture in the compote won’t pair well with the bread.”

Jarek grunted out another reply, angling his head up toward the star-pocked sky. Theila shone bright like it always did. Rion was waning, only a few days away from a new moon, making the dark sun, Erebria, visible in its place just above the smaller moon.

Erebria may have been where the Primordials came from, but from everything he’d been taught, it sounded more like a hell than Theila. Jarek imagined it was as cold and desolate as his father said, but at least Eizreth’s prominent moon experienced light, beauty, and change throughout the seasons, something he wondered and wished the souls he sent there were able to feel.

Sterling snapped his fingers. “Are you listening, or did you go back to brooding?”

Jarek shrugged his free shoulder. “Am I not allowed to do both?”

“I don’t believe—We could’ve been talking about something other than my hobbies. Something more interesting?”

Jarek arched a lazy brow at him. “Something like Luka?”

Sterling returned the look, skeptical. There was no manipulation other than what Jarek could muster himself. Sterling loved the sound of his own voice, so keeping him off of one topic was easy when there was always a handful more he could distract himself with.

“We started on that earlier, huh…” Sterling crossed his arms. “Where’d I leave off?”

“He’s quiet.”

“Quiet, yes. Keeps out of trouble. Nothing really odd by itself, but the other day, Silas and I got to talking, and I asked him how he was doing without Lils. Silas tells me he’s fine for the most part, but he absolutely lost it the other day. It was like he was a completely different kid.” Sterling rubbed his chin. “During the hunting trip, Luka tripped and cut himself on a stick poking out of the ground. Silas goes up to help since he’s bleeding, and Luka starts kicking and screaming like Silas was the one who did it. Luka ended up cleaning the wound himself, and the little soul sucker moved on like the whole thing didn’t happen.”

Jarek’s brows furrowed. “Did Lilith mention him having strong reactions like that?”

“I was hoping you knew more,” Sterling said.

“You believe she’s going to tell me anything about Luka?”

Sterling shrugged. “All she mentioned was he was guarded when it came to his arms. I had no idea blood triggered him so badly. Saints, I wonder what was going on with him… Nothing you can think of?”

“Valen was cruel, but we never felt the pain of it through his hands,” Jarek said. “He wouldn’t dare let anyone treat us the way Luka’s been treated. I have no idea what Reatia was doing to him or why.”

Or who’s allowing it.

Sterling bobbed his head, sincerity creeping into his tone. “What about Lils? Is she doing alright? I would’ve asked her myself, but I shot myself in the foot with that one this afternoon.”

Jarek rocked his head noncommittally.

“I’m only asking how she is. You would know better than anyone.”

“She’s doing about as well as you think.”

“Things have been difficult for her, I’m sure.” Sterling pressed his lips and flitted his gaze opposite Jarek. “Have you been doing anything to alleviate her troubles?”

“I am not entertaining this again.”

“I meant with that parasite you call a soul, but since you brought it up…”

“Nothing was brought up.”

“I was only joking about it before, but if you two are sleeping together, by all means, I’m not going to stop you.”