Page 139

“I owe you a day to recover,” she said, meeting Orzen’s gaze. “Still not sure how you managed to carry me all the way here.”

Jessa hid a grin behind her own mug. “Don’t think he minded all that much.”

Wren dropped her gaze to her tea, pretending she hadn’t noticed the way his thumb traced the dented rim of the tin or the glare he shot toward Jessa.

“I can’t believe we didn’t know Silas was…one of them,” Branwynn mumbled, bringing their focus back. “Didn’t he say he had friends in Thistlehold? Did he make all of it up?”

Wren’s shoulders slumped. “I suppose he did. He said he was from Elgen’s Cross. The details he gave always seemed genuine to me, but I wanted to believe he’d been telling the truth...”

“Elgen’s Cross, you say?” Across the fire, Garin stilled, listening closely. “You sure?”

When Wren recounted the conversation she’d had with Silas the first day, Garin grumbled a curse beneath his breath.

“Knew better than to let that detail slip around me. Elgen’s Cross was destroyed before I was born, nearly a hundred cycles ago. Sold out to the Witherborn by one of their own.” He rubbed a hand across his beard with a sigh.

Silas had spoken like he’d really lived it. Wren shuddered, thinking about the long-limbed creature that had trapped Orzen in the chokevine. Maybe Silas had been honest…if only partially.

Maybe he’d truly loved Elgen’s Cross once. Maybe that grief was the very thing that had turned him into this. Whatever Silas had been before, the man and the monster were impossible to separate now.

Jessa sipped her tea and closed her eyes. “Could we stop talking about the undead nightmare that nearly got our friends killed this early in the morning?”

Orzen lifted his own mug in salute. “I second that.”

“Right.” Calen cleared his throat. “Well, since we’re staying for a day, I thought I’d scout ahead. Make sure nothing nasty’s lurking nearby.”

“Great! Something useful to do while we wait.” Jessa drained the rest of her tea and bounced to her feet. “Let me grab my pack.”

“I, uh…it’s probably best if I go alone.” Calen shifted, looking suddenly uncomfortable. “I don’t want to get distracted.”

The words hung in the air. Wren couldn’t hold back her wince as the comment landed like a lightning strike between them. Jessa’s brows narrowed as she looked at him, hurt evident on her face. Calen froze when he saw it, a look of confusion in his eyes. Poor boy didn’t even realize what he’d done.

“I’m a distraction?” Jessa folded her arms tight across her chest.

“I only meant—” Calen’s face flushed scarlet. His gaze flicked to Orzen, who gave the smallest shake of his head, a subtle warning. It wasn’t enough to stop Calen from fumbling on. “Monsters won’t care about me. I’m not threatening. You’d be safer here.”

“Didn’t realize I was so bothersome.” Jessa folded her arms, brows drawn over her dark eyes. “Go get yourself killed distraction-free then.” She spun on her heel and stalked deeper into the glen.

After a moment, Branwynn stood. “I’ll find her,” she said, pressing a kiss on Tommick’s curls and toddling after her.

“Gods, that didn’t go the way I planned.” Calen shoved the pale hair from his forehead with a sigh.

“You don’t say.” Orzen nocked back the last of his tea with a grimace, then clapped Calen on the shoulder. “Not quite how I would’ve worded it, kid.”

“It’s only…she’s a little loud sometimes.” Calen winced. “Probably best I didn’t say that either.”

“She saved you by walking away when she did, son,” Garin said with a low chuckle.

Jessa was a force of nature. Calen had no idea what kind of storm he’d wandered into. Wren wasn’t sure his quiet heart had the armor for that. Wren remembered being his age—words tumbling out wrong, intentions crumbling as she tried to fix it.

Then Wren thought of all the awkward things she’d said recently, the strange way words shifted wrong when she spoke too fast…especially around one large sword-carrying man in particular. Some things really didn’t get easier with time.

“Jessa’s right, though,” Orzen said, stretching and rising. “You shouldn’t go alone. I’ll go too.”

The rest of their meager breakfast passed in subdued quiet. Wren checked Calen’s shoulder, quietly folding the torn cloak once she determined it was healed enough. When they were finally ready to head out, Wren drew Orzen aside.

“Keep him safe,” she murmured. “For all our sakes. I don’t know what Jessa will do if he gets hurt.”

Orzen’s mouth curled in a crooked grin. “I’m not sure I want to find out.”