Page 68 of Feathers and Thorns

Soren grabbed her arm, whipping her around to face her. “Don’t be stupid.”

“I came back for you, didn’t I? Don’t ask me not to go after him,” she said, clearly frustrated.

“I’m not saying don’t look for him,” Soren reassured her. “I’m just saying, it’s going to be dark soon and splitting up is a terrible idea.”

Enara knew her friend was right and swung her fist into the nearest wall in frustration. The skin of her knuckles turned red and angry, and shock waves of pain reverberated up her wrist. A moment later, the pain was gone, and the scratches had healed over, thanks to the remnants of healing water in her system.

“He could be bleeding out somewhere, or worse …” she verbalized, not wanting to finish the thought.

“You know we need to give him more credit.” Soren placed a hand on her friend’s back. “He’s strong and resourceful, not to mention Jai’s fighting skills aren’t anything to scoff at, either.”

Enara wiped the stray tears from her cheeks and straightened her back. “At first light, we go search,” she said with finality.

“Agreed,” Soren said, pulling her in for a hug.

“Thanks for talking me off the ledge, lady,” Enara whispered against her cheek.

“Anytime.”

“Those tears aren’t for me, are they?”

From down the path, Baz’s voice lifted their spirits.

“Baz!” both girls yelled excitedly.

He sauntered toward them with a huge grin plastered on his face. “Don’t tell me you were planning my funeral already,” he joked as Enara ran into his arms.

“Hey,” she whispered into his ear.

“Hey back,” he replied, pulling away just enough to kiss her forehead.

“Don’t mind me,” Soren said, scooting Enara out of the way to give Baz a hug of her own before ruffling his hair.

“Hi to you too, Soren,” Baz said, punching her shoulder playfully. “Now, what did I miss?”

* * *

After the twins pulled Baz off of Rook, they attempted a more civilized means of conversation. Apparently, he had also noticed Rook’s lack of attendance at Jai’s almost-hanging and had wanted to say a few words … with his fists. To his credit, Rook had allowed him three good hits before he had started dodging blows.

“Will you two stop it?” Soren screeched as Ori and Ikei pulled them off of each other. Soren was ready to tear her hair out.

“Hasn’t there been enough bloodshed today?” Ikei asked as Soren wiped a crimson streak off the side of Rook’s face. His eyebrow had been split, and though it was already healing, it had bled a lot.

Rook licked the last of the blood from the corner of his lip as he stared into Soren’s eyes.

She gave him an incredulous look back that said, “Now is not the time for flirting,” before facing her friends.

“Look, you don’t have to like one another, but if you hurt each other, you hurt me. So, can you at least attempt to get along?”

“Fine,” Enara repeated her sentiment from earlier.

“All right, Sor,” Baz said, seemingly calmer now that he had at least punched the smirk off of Rook’s pretty face.

“As you wish, little bird,” Rook replied.

Ori’s laugh broke through the awkward exchange. “And we thought we had a weird family dynamic.”

“You and me both, brother,” Ikei replied.

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