Page 114 of The Master and the Marionette

~

Ruth wishes me a good night’s sleep and finds a spot around the fire that Kane started for us. The night grows quiet with a special hum, an ambience only the trees and wind can make. I change into the clothes Kane laid out for me. Pants, one of his white shirts, and a wool coat. It’s not that cold out currently, but I appreciate finally having something to keep me warm when I sleep. It’s sad how much I took for granted. Even something as simple as a blanket to sleep with.

Kane’s legs are stretched out comfortably. He’s using a tree as a headboard to sit up and read. As I get closer to him, I recognize the label on his book. Holy Bible. I’ve never really seen him read it before. He looks as concentrated as a healer performing surgery. His left hand is holding the wooden cross that hangs around his neck, fidgeting with it, outlining its shape with his index finger. His eyes bounce up to the campfire, keeping an eye on a meat cooking over the top of the flames.

I lower myself down quietly next to him. The trunk of the tree is illuminated by the orange glimmer of our campfire and large enough to provide back support to the both of us. Reaching down to our feet, I pull up our usual sleeping blanket, but pause midstretch realizing we’re the only ones with a blanket.

“I gave them their own backpacks with blankets, clothes and necessities for the trip.” He answers the question that is taking a train route of panic around my head.

“Really?”

He nods, bookmarking his place, and setting the Bible to the side.

“Wow. That’s… kind of amazing.” I search for our friends across the fire, only now noticing them tucked peacefully under their own blankets.

He completes my paused action and pulls up the rest of the blankets, covering my arms and shoulders.

I smirk up at him. “Cuddling up with Niles all night under one blanket wasn’t appealing to you?”

He raises his eyebrows and hums a closed-mouth laugh. “That was the driving motivation behind that act of kindness, yes. And not to mention, Dessin would have a temper tantrum.”

I nod in agreement. My attention flickers over to his Bible that he set down. I reach across his body, my chest hovering over his lap, as I pick it up. Kane lowers his eyes and fixates them on my body grazing his. He doesn’t seem to care what I’m reaching for. The attraction radiating from his body is as tangible as steam from a boiling teakettle. I drop my gaze back down to the book as I get comfortable in my spot.

“May I?”

“Sure.”

I open the Bible back to his bookmark. He points to the spot on the page he left off at.

“Jeremiah 29:11-14,” he reads. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

I’m moved by the sentiment in his voice.

“Why is this passage important to you?” I ask, setting the Bible down.

He levels his gaze to look at me from under his top lashes. “Because I have to believe we’re going to find a way out of all of this.” He rubs his hand across his jaw in thought. “This chaos… it’s all I’ve known my whole life. I need to believe that we’re going to find peace one day. That God will bring us back to a good place.”

“Your whole life… that’s a long time to keep fighting.”

“Yes, it is.” Kane shifts his weight to face me with his entire body. “In all truth, this fight won’t be over for a long time. This won’t be the last of the terrors we face together.”

Together. That word creates floating feathers in my stomach.

“And how long do you expect us to stay together?” My tone suddenly turns cold. “Because let’s just say we do make it through all of these terrors in one piece. Let’s just say ten years from now, we’re free to live in peace. What then?”

He keeps his eyes on me, steady, unwilling to break the connection that’s holding our gaze. “I expect when that day comes, we’ll build a house in the Red Oaks where we’ll live out the rest of our days in peace. No more fighting. No more running.”

I clasp my hands together and press them to my mouth in frustration.

“As friends, right?”

His lips part slightly. He takes several seconds to answer. “That’s right.”

“Really… well, what if I want to marry someone one day? And have babies?” Please don’t break my heart again, Kane. Please don’t hurt me.

“Skylenna…”

“No.” I shake my head. “Don’t you say it again.” I slide my hands up his chest to grasp his neck. He takes a shaky breath as our skin touches, sharing warmth, sharing a pulse. “Don’t hurt me again, Kane.”

---