Page 129 of Wings of Ebony
“I haven’t. He’s probably trying to get as far away from here as possible. This place is coming apart. Some are shouting for the Chancellor’s head and others are fighting them for saying it. It’s scary seeing people like this. What’s gonna happen?”
Smoke stings my eyes. “I don’t know, but you’re right, it’s a war zone. I’m going to reinforce the barrier over Yiyo to keep any Grays from going that way.” I nudge her. “Except you, of course. So, you better head that way and soon.”
She nods, but won’t meet my eyes. “Luke had been acting really weird, controlling almost, with questions about stuff he didn’t need to know,” she says. “I should have seen it sooner. I’m really sorry, Rue.”
“I didn’t see it either, to be honest. He always seemed cool.”
She mouths “sorry” again and squeezes my hand. I squeeze back. Feels good to have my friend again. Luke groans and Bri slams the toe of her shoe into him. “You bastard!” Another blow. “How could you?” And another. She’s going in.
As I turn to leave her to it, I spot slick skin like polished mahogany and I melt.
Jhamal.
He’s bandaging his shoulder and side. Cuts and scrapes line his arms and a nasty slash mars his cheek. The world fades to a whisper. Jhamal is all I see.
“Rue? What you…oooooh,” Bri says when she sees who I’m staring at. “Go ahead, girl.”
My feet stick to the ground like cement.
Time is fleeting.
We gotta say the things we think and feel while we can.
My dad taught me that.
I rush over. Jhamal spots me and limps toward me. Steps from him, his cuts are easier to see. A small gash runs down his temple, and thin red slashes color his cheeks. His pants are torn, his armor battered and caked in blood. And there’s Tasha behind him.
I squeeze her. “Sis, you okay?”
She nods. “I’m okay. Some old dude running through here tried to grab me, but your friend here hemmed him up.” Tasha grimaces, glancing at Jhamal’s wound.
Everything that comes to mind to say sounds stupid. How do I thank him? What words are enough?
“Thank you.” I throw my arms around his neck and he hugs back. “I’m so glad you came through. The costume was genius.”
His chiseled arms are tight around me. I can’t breathe in his grip and I don’t want to.
“I told you I can do whoop-ass too.” He chuckles. I laugh, his heart thumping fast against me. He’s so corny and cute.
Tasha looks between us. “I can take a hint.” She slides off and my cheeks burn. His lips part in a sideways smile and it’s sexy as shit.
“Your sister is very fierce, like you. She bit the man who tried to hit her.” He laughs.
“That’s T. By the way, have you seen the Chancellor?” I ask.
He points. “Heading that way, yes. I didn’t approach because I had Tasha with me. Then he just vanished on the spot.”
I’ll find him. “Jhamal, really though…” I meet his eyes and I could stay there, swim there, forever. “Thank you. Coming through with the photofri—whatever they’re called. The recorders. And looking out for T.” My insides shudder as lines dance up his biceps. I’m warm all over, trying to play it off.
“It is an honor, My Q—”
“Jelani,” I say.
“Jelani,” he says, holding my gaze. “Once things calm down and you finish knocking off whoever else is on your list…” He chuckles and his chiseled cheeks send a wave of heat up the back of my neck.
“Maybe we can do something other than fight the next time we see each other?” He flashes his pearly whites again.
“Yeah. I’d like that. Maybe we can catch the latest action flick back home.”
