Page 131 of Revenge of the Forgotten

For whatever sick and twisted reason, Vega had hoped at least the latter showed up.

“I’ve never seen you in action like that,” Quinley commented when Vega stood beside her.

Vega had only known her for a brief moment in her last life—a life in which she was so far from who she was now. “I’ve never been this version of myself,” she replied honestly, pulling her wild battle hair back in a high pony, her usual braids pinning her flyaways down to her scalp.

“I think I like this version.” The girl bowed her head, reaching her hand out to brush Khort’s arm.

He stiffened at Quinley’s touch in Vega’s presence. She pretended not to notice, staring as a flame took over the dead bodies, sending their souls to whatever afterlife they deserved.

“I’m going to head back to my post. Let me know if there is anything else I can help with.” Quinley waved goodbye to Vega, disappearing before their eyes.

Her invisibility reminded Vega too much of Marlena.

She pulled herself farther into her coat despite the warmth coming from the flame. The fire sizzled, the smell of flesh burning too overwhelming to ignore. Vega swallowed down the bile forcing its way up.

“You okay?” Khort asked, turning from the flame.

His voice distracted her from the smell she’d been fixated on. “Fine,” she said, offering a small smile as they walked through the now-empty streets.

The sun was peeking over the horizon, bringing forth a new day.

“Meaning you don’t want to talk about it?” Khort raised an eyebrow.

“No, you don’t want to talk about what’s on my mind, so why bother?” Vega watched as the sun rose slowly from behind the hills and sank behind the winter storm clouds looming in the distance.

“You’re still thinking about Earth,” he stated.

“I’ll never stop thinking about it.” Vega shook her head. “Not when it’s the only viable option we’ve got.”

Khort sighed. “Vega.”

“Please, I can’t talk about it anymore.” Not with someone who couldn’t see what was so clear.

Vega loved her friends, she did… but they’d begun to baby her in ways she wasn’t used to, in ways that made her feel inferior because of a curse she couldn’t control.

She tried to understand, putting herself in their shoes, trying to fathom what it would feel like if it were Arlet with the curse and not herself.

But all she could think about was how Bridger never once made her feel like she couldn’t do something—with or without a curse.

And that was a problem because Vega shouldn’t be thinking positively about Bridger in any sort of way—not after everything.

Not after the way their kiss made her feel.

“I hope you know Arlet and I are doing what we can to keep you safe.”

Vega bit back a scoff, her teeth cutting into the inside of her lip. “Yeah” was all she said.

They reached the hut where Arlet was helping fix up some wounded rebels. She smiled at them both as they approached, but it didn’t reach her eyes. There was nothing happy about burning bodies, no matter what side of the line they came from.

“What did Quinley say?” Arlet asked, passing the supplies in her hands to a healer.

“No movement in Aeris, Fortis, or Ardor. It seems they’re going to let us have this little battle,” Khort answered.

And really, that was what this was—a little battle.

Seventy dead soldiers with rankings under level three, who were looking for trouble, was nothing more than a bothersome morning to those in power.

“Hmm,” Arlet hummed. She nibbled on the inside of her lip.

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