Page 86 of Feathers and Thorns

“You almost blew your foot off!”

“I didn’t mean to step on it. It was an accident,” Baz replied.

Enara made another sound of annoyance as she finished wiping off his face. “Tell that to them!” She swept her arms around them at all the eyes that were staring in his direction. “What happens next time you’re in the middle of it and that spot is one of us?”

Baz hung his head in defeat. “It really was an accident,” he said quietly.

Enara scrubbed her hands down her face, immediately feeling like a piece of shit for berating him. “Hey,” she said softly, cupping his cheek, “I’m sorry.”

“No,” he responded more firmly. “I need to do better, be better. I don’t want it to be my fault that anyone gets hurt.”

Enara shook her head. She hated it when he beat himself up. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I knew it was an accident. I just … It’s all starting to get to me.”

Baz pulled her to him, wrapping her tightly in his arms. “We all feel the weight of what’s coming. We just have to make sure we focus on fighting the enemy and not each other.”

Enara sniffled against his shoulder, allowing herself a moment to feel all the emotions she had been holding in for weeks. Baz said nothing as she cried silently against him before she pushed off his chest and wiped a tear away.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated.

He wiped away the final tear and kissed the apple of her cheek. “Everything will be okay.”

“You can’t know that,” she whispered.

“No,” he replied. “But I believe it.”

* * *

Jai watched Baz and Enara embrace from across the field and wondered idly what Adaryn was doing at that moment. Apart from sharing a tent and their daily rituals, they had barely laid eyes on each other.

Adaryn would wake early to help Mrs. Ferndale get breakfast started, and he would sneak into the kitchens to share a quick breakfast with her before starting training. They would sit down in the mess tent for lunch, asking about each other’s days before separating again until dinner. He would leave her to join King Elias and Duke Erick to discuss strategy before turning in for the evening. Then they would come together before sleep in a tangle of teeth, tongues, and limbs, not caring if their moans were heard across the barren fields.

Adaryn was insatiable, and Jai was only too happy to concede to her in any way she wanted. Once, before dinner, she had ordered him to take her out back of the mess tent, their bodies crashing together passionately on the hard ground. He then returned to his seat by Erick and King Elias while she began filling serving trays with her hair slightly mussed and cheeks pinked.

If nothing else good came of this war, he would at least enjoy the fact that he could be with the woman he loved out in the open for all to see. Court etiquette had lost its place among the rubble that was now his kingdom.

War brought out a different side of people. The side that begged for blood to be spilled and for all those to relish in their dark desires as though they would die tomorrow. Because they might.

Jai adjusted his trousers, which had gotten uncomfortably tight due to his racy thoughts. He decided to check in on Soren and the old man, Kristoff, to see how they were liking their new bows.

He could hear the swoosh and thump of the arrows as they hit their mark, and he gave Soren a friendly wave when she noticed him approaching.

“How’s it going?” she asked, trotting over to him. Her armor chinked lightly as she moved.

“Decent day. Only a few minor injuries from the younger crowd. Warwick dislocated his shoulder, but Evelyn managed to replace it without much trouble.”

“Oof,” Soren replied, grimacing.

“He’s all right. Unfortunately, that means we are down another staff fighter. I’m glad we have Enara to pick up the slack.”

“Yeah.” Soren smiled fondly. Enara was definitely a woman to be reckoned with.

“Honestly, it’s been hard to find people to spar with her,” Jai said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’m not surprised. You should have seen the practice dummies back home.” A shadow fell over Soren’s eyes at the mention of Vreburn. Even though she knew her home was safe, it was hard to imagine what she would go back to if they survived the war.

Jai’s thick brows furrowed in concern at her expression.

“I can only imagine how well it’s going for the ones who do challenge her,” Soren said, trying to brighten the mood.

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