Page 147 of Enchanted Shadows
Her eyes filled with tears, and I sensed all the questions she was wanting to ask. When had things between Kessara and me gone from fake to real?
It was a question I didn’t even know the answer to myself.
I got a cup of coffee in a disposable container and headed for the door, tearing into the muffin for something to do. Jorah had snapped at me down our bond to eat something, so here I was, obeying my queen. Worrywart that she was.
Wren fell into step beside me. “I just wanted to check in to say that we didn’t see a thing all night long. Fern is threatening to shoot water at random shady spots until she finds Calix. And Pippa informed her that was a terrible idea. Which only led Sam to launch into forming a more efficient and cohesive plan.”
Even in the thralls of utter despair, I felt my lips smirk. That sounded exactly like my team.
Wren stopped me, pulling on my arm.
“What Wren? I have to—” I didn’t even know what exactly I had to go do, only that I had to do it. “Walk the forest again. Even if it’s useless.” We were still pulled back this morning, but I would walk that barrier and edge all day if I had to.
“Can I walk it with you?” she asked. “I’m worried about you.”
I was beyond sick of the worried glances and whispers by this point. “Aboutme?” I gestured toward the forest. “Kess is the one out there freezing and starving to death!”
Even though I had just bitten her head off, my sister threw her arms around my neck and held on. “I know,” she bit out. “I know. Miles told me you aren’t sleeping much. I’m not either. We love her too, you know.”
I closed my eyes, feeling the sun on the back of my coat, the burn of my emotions. “Wren, I can’t breathe. I hate this.”
“I know. We do too.” After a moment she added, “But I have to think that she will come back.”
“Because you refuse to think otherwise?” I whispered, voice raw.
Wren pulled back and smiled at me even while wiping at her eyes. “Because if she can put up with you in all your stubborn glory, that woman can do anything.”
I took a deep inhale, a trick I had seen Kessara do a hundred times, to try to control her breathing when she couldn’t control anything around her. I saw Miles walking over, Miles who had again spent the night on my couch, which I knew from personal experience was not all that comfortable.
“I love you, Wrenchy,” I told her as I ruffled her hair, which I knew she hated. Life was just too short and too chaotic not to grant those words often and freely to the people you loved.
“I love you, big brother,” she said back.
“Wren is going to walk the perimeter with me,” I told Miles.
Miles was quiet a moment.
A moment too long for my sister as she snapped, “What now? I’m following all orders. We stayed out of the forest last night despite the fact that we are missing a very big part ofour team.”
“I didn’t say a word,” Miles said defensively. “Not a single one.”
“I could feel your judgy thoughts.”
I put up a barrier of magic around the three of us without another thought.
They both turned to me surprised.
“Knock it off,” I snapped. “Whatever this tension is between the two of you, I’m over it. Life is too short for this shit. Talk through it, or don’t, but don’t do whateverthisis. So now I will walk the perimeter by myself. You two will stay right here in my sound barrier and talk to one another.” I held up a hand toward Miles. “And before you even ask, yes, that is an order.”
I dropped the barrier only to get out of it, and then put it right back.
I took another bite of my muffin, not even really registering what kind it was. Was it banana? Blueberry? Life had no flavor in its current state. I was beyond caring.
My eyes continued what I’d done the past two days, scanning everything, searching, begging.
Kess, where are you?
Miles wouldn’t leaveme alone. This morning I had left him with my sister for over an hour, but now that it seemed they had a newfound alliance, they both were worrying about me.
