Page 54 of Feathers and Thorns

They rode on in companionable silence as Saoirse chatted animatedly with Callan.

Ori and Ikei had surprised everyone by being the most loquacious of the bunch. Throughout the morning, they had regaled the group with the story of how they had ended up in the king’s care. The beginning of their tale was hazy due to the fact that they had only been five when the events had started. They had a hard time remembering details of their parents, though they mentioned they had a sister who was two years their senior.

“They all think we are crazy,” Ikei said.

“The kids in Patrivah are another thing,” Ori continued. “They are not laughing now, though.” He grinned at his brother.

They had apparently excelled so highly in their combat training that they had been sent straight to the king’s guard after graduating, and then guarded the king himself after the previous men had aged out.

They had not been demoted, per say, but put into a position better suited for their skills. They had become trainers and teachers for the new recruits to the Patrovian army.

Loyal to the king and with a skill level to match their intellect, Ikei and Ori went on about growing up in the castle with Callan. They seemed forever grateful that the king-to-be was so accepting of his new adoptive siblings.

“My mother was no longer able to bear children after having me, so I was happy to gain two new brothers,” he explained.

Saoirse, it seemed, had joined the Olecastor boys six years prior when she’d joined the castle staff as a chambermaid, but her positive attitude and work ethic had gotten her promoted to head of house within two years. She had become fast friends with all three of the boys, but Callan was the one lucky enough to have gained her affections.

“I still think I could have you, if I didn’t feel so bad for my brother’s lack of courting skills,” Ikei said, leaning forward on his horse to poke Callan with his staff.

“You wish,” he replied, turning swiftly, causing Ikei to lose balance and fall off his horse.

“Are you just going to stand there?” Ikei asked, looking at his brother through the dreads that were blocking his view from the ground.

“No, I think you got this,” Ori replied, trotting onward.

Something inside Soren warmed as she looked at them. They reminded her of her friendship with Baz and Enara and, in some aspects, even Jai. Each its own group of misfits brought together by sheer chance and ended up being closer than any blooded family.

Her heart sank when her gaze fell back on Rook. Even with the explanation of what had happened to her father and the feelings she had been trying to ignore, she was still having a hard time trusting him. She worried that if they ever made it through all this alive, whatever their future held, it would not be this. It would always be them and him. She knew that it would never work, because if she had to choose between her friends and the man who stood before her, she knew what her answer would be. She would rip her own heart out and bury it in the sand before giving up on her family.

“What’s wrong, little bird?” Rook asked, his sapphire eyes searching hers.

“Nothing,” she replied.

He gave her a look that said he knew better, but he did not ask again.

* * *

Enara huffed out another breath as her and Baztien trudged along behind the rest of the group. She preferred to have everyone in her line of sight, especially Rook.

What does she see in him? she thought angrily.

“You know, I can practically see steam coming out of your ears,” Baz chirped.

“I want to trust her, Baz—you know I do—but I think she has a blind spot when it comes to him. I’m worried about her.”

“And that’s okay,” he said, reaching a hand across the space between them.

She reached back, giving it a squeeze before returning her grip on her reins.

“You’re allowed to worry,” Baz continued. “But you also have to let her make her own mistakes.”

“But if she makes a mistake now, it affects all of us,” she said in a resigned tone.

“Don’t forget that I have eyes, too. If there is anything, we will figure it out together, okay?”

She gave him a soft smile and nodded. “Okay.”

“We should probably also discuss what Rook said about Vreburn,” Baz prompted, brushing his hand through his hair nervously. It wasn’t a topic he wanted to bring up, but they were getting close to the provincial crossing, and he wanted to know Enara’s mindset going into the next stage of their journey.

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