Page 4 of Fire Touched

Carter is a shell of the young man I knew a month ago. He doesn’t lie to me. He pauses eating long enough to shake his head.

‘You need to sleep.’ I try to keep my voice gentle, not reprimanding.

Carter shakes his head again.

‘Why no?’ Every night, I hope he’ll find a spot to rest. Where he feels comfortable enough to join our camp and close his eyes. But so far, he hasn’t. At the dark, haunted look that passes over his face, I know I shouldn’t press. His shoulders tuck in a little more, and I know I’ve hit my limit. It does him no good for me to press.

‘Okay,’ I concede. ‘Just eat.’

Carter lowers his gaze again, his shoulders ease a fraction, relieved I won’t push.

‘We’ll be heading off again soon. Maybe things will be easier when we get to Terran. You won’t have to be around us all the time.’

Carter chews, swallows. Looks up at me. ‘I’ll be alone?’

He hasn’t said so many words to me in days. ‘I, uh, I don’t know. Isn’t that better, though?’

Carter takes me in, then looks over at Ella. He shrugs, then resumes eating.

Not the reaction I expected. Maybe he just doesn’t want to be near Killian. Not that my mate would hurt him. Okay, he kind of wanted to, but I convinced him not to.

I watch over Carter as he finishes his breakfast for a change, then offer a small smile and take his bowl when he’s done. I so desperately want to know the horrors he endured. What caused those awful shadows in his once-bright blue eyes. But I hold back.

Carter hunches over again on his rock, legs drawn up, chin resting on his knees, and it makes my heart ache. I don’t know how our bond works, if it’s real, a cosmic mistake, or whatever, but I do care about him.

‘I know you probably don’t want me to say anything about it,’ I start, my voice soft, ‘but you’re free of your uncle now, Carter. You never have to go back.’ It takes all my will power not to hug him—jeez, who knew I was such a softie?

Carter, to my great relief, doesn’t flinch at my words. Slowly, he loosens his grip on his legs and lets them unfold. Without meeting my gaze, he says, ‘Has anyone ever hurt you?’

I’m both startled and relieved at his words. ‘Not quite like that, but yeah. Back home, at Cinder, there was this jackass named Levi. He used to beat me up on the regular for, you know, being my awesome, freakish self.’

Carter’s eyes widen, a frown drawing his brows together. ‘I hope you returned the favour.’

‘Not yet.’ I smirk. ‘But one day.’ This time, I reach slowly for his hand. ‘Your uncle is on my list too.’ My voice is hard, and I’m a little surprised at the powerful, protective surge within me.

Carter lets me take his hand for three seconds, then draws away. ‘You and all your fire power?’ His lips quirk upward, just for a moment.

‘Fuck you.’ I laugh, patting his knee.

‘How has it been going with your fire?’

I blink. ‘Carter, that was a full-sentence question, calm down.’

He shoots me a glare, then his expression softens. ‘I don’t mean to cause trouble. With you and Killian.’

I shake my head. ‘No, it’s fine.’ I hold my hand up, trying to show off my not-so-awesome fire powers. ‘And, uh, not the best.’ I scrunch up my face when the smallest flicker of fire dances through my fingers. ‘Bloody hell.’

I meet Carter’s gaze. A weight begins to lift from my chest. He’s talking to me, a little. He ate a meal. ‘You won’t really be alone,’ I add. ‘We’ll be around.’

‘I just won’t have to listen to you snore?’

If I weren’t being such a nice person to him, I’d shove him into the stream. As though sensing this, he raises his hands. ‘I meant Ella.’

‘Mmm-hmm.’ I touch his leg gently. ‘Come on, smart-ass. You can help pack.’

Carter follows me back to our little camp.

Killian is the first to notice. ‘Going to help this time, are you?’

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