Page 42 of Broken Fate
The other man laughed, sticking out a hand to me. “Hodin.”
I took it. “Jada.”
“We trained together,” Clive explained. “When I first joined.”
“Right,” I said a little sourly at the reminder of his hidden life for the past few years.
Clive gave me a little smile. “I wanted to tell you.”
“I know,” I said, waving it off. “It’s fine.”
“You were at the manor?” Hodin asked.
We both nodded.
“Damn. I’m glad you made it out. I have to go, but it was good seeing you, Ghost. Jada.”
“Ghost, is it?”
“It’s a joke,” Clive said. “‘Cause I turned so white after a chewing out that they said I looked like a ghost.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah.”
It might have started a joke, but I could see in his eyes that Clive took pride in it. Not the origin of the name but the fact that hehada name. That he belonged.
I had to get it out of my head that he was still the stumpy nerd I’d first met. Clive was growing into a man. He was changing. We were all changing. Including me.
What the end result would look like was shrouded in mystery. I didn’t know the outcome. When the dust settled, if I still lived, what might my life look like? Would I ever replace the emptiness my parents’ loss was just beginning to create? I didn’t know.
But thingswerechanging, and I still had a question to answer. One I had to answer right there and now.
I caught Clive’s gaze and held it. His brow wrinkled as he took in my look.
“How do I help?” I asked bitterly, making my choice.
The last time it had been presented to me, Andi had sort of led me by the bit. I hadn’tmadethe choice, but I hadn’t disagreed. Now, I was making it.
And there was no turning back.
Clive watched me intently. He could have interpreted my question as a there and then thing. Could I help with the injured, or get more kits, or whatever else. But he saw my question for what it really was.
“You want in,” he rumbled.
I nodded. The time for wishy-washy thoughts was past. My world was changing, and it was time I got ahead of it.
“I’mallin.”
After all, what else did I have to lose?
Chapter Twenty-One
“Oof.”
I hit the ground hard but didn’t waste any time, rolling to the side as a fist slammed into the spot I’d just vacated. My foot came up and around, heading for a finishing blow as my opponent dove after me.
“Gotcha,” I whispered with a grin.
