Page 58 of Ashes of Gold
He cups my cheek. “Since we met, it feels like at every turn the world tries to take you from me.” His hand falls from my face and he turns away. But I don’t miss the way he swipes under his eye.
“Look at me.” I make him face me, and the iron resolve that was just there has cracked. I see him now, the way I saw him working over my wounds in that cell, with such care in his touch. My Jhamal. Armored to the world, but inside, fluffy, delicate, and sweet. I smooth a thumb at the tear he tried to hide.
“I will not die,” I say, hoping it’s true.
He takes my hand and kisses my fingertips. “Then we have already won.” He shoulders his weapon and tightens the bandage on his wound. He turns to go.
Part of me goes with him.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
TOTSI’S SHOP’S DOORS AREbarricaded shut and blackened all over. Moonlight glints on the glass windows, webbed with cracks and charred as if someone took a blowtorch to them. Faraway voices ricochet off the abandoned buildings like bullets.
“What happened here?”
Grag shrugs, but his lips twist in curiosity. He offered to accompany us to Totsi’s since he, too, was going that way. I’m still watching him closely with side-eyes, though the intel he gave so far seems legit.
Zora sets down on her knees, palms up, like she’s been known to do. Her lips move a mile a minute, but her whispers are too low to hear. I look at Bri and she shrugs.
“We should have started this journey properly or stopped a long time ago,” Zora says, hopping up. “Thankfully, the Ancestors are gracious.”
Prayer? Is that what she’s been doing?
She kicks her weapon up from the ground, catching it with her hand. She twirls it on her finger, and it thrums to a stop at Grag’s throat. “I’m watching you.”
He gulps.
“I swear, I’ve told it true.”
“Then why do you linger? Why aren’t you running to see your Memi or whoever it is you say misses you so bad?” Zora’s suspicions stoke a fire in me. I’ve wondered the same, but if he is telling the truth, he has valuable information. We could use that if he trusts us. I cup her wrist and lean in for a whisper.
“I am skeptical too. But my grandmother used to say that you catch more flies with honey than you do with salt.”
She nods in agreement and relaxes her weapon.
My wrist vibrates. Glass crunches under my feet and I push the door handle, but it doesn’t budge. Blasting this door off its hinges with my magic would make too much noise.
“Bri, anything?” I ask.
She nods, moving toward the entrance. Zora’s head is on the swivel.
“Give me a few.” Bri rummages through her bag at the door, and I swipe up on my watch. Maybe it’s news about Tasha?
Julius: T said she thinks she wants a dog. But her daddy ‘nem ain’t having it. And random—I was thinking about that time we rolled through Rickey D’s for a milkshake during 3rd period and you just HAD to go inside and use the restroom. You remember?
I snort laughing, and Zora cuts a sharp glance at me. I hang over my watch arm, savoring the remnants of home, comfort, for the brief moment I can.
Me: OMG I’m still scarred! I told you we shouldn’t have skipped that day.
Julius: How was I supposed know Ms. Thomas and Mr. White wasdipping out during 3rd period too for they own lil “milkshake” sesh in the Rickey D’s restroom.
Me: OMG STAHP!
Julius: I ain’t had a Rickey D’s milkshake since.
Bri grunts and something clicks. “Got it. Rue?”
“Coming!” I say.
