“Okay.” I inhale. A gust of wind brought the scent of smoke into my nostrils, even though we’re buffeted by the briny breeze coming off the ocean, too. “You lead the way, Tovian.”
“Can you take off your shirt, Sunshine?”
“Oh, now you want a strip show?” I smile faintly. “No. I can’t, if I don’t want to burn to a crisp out here.”
I’ve braided my long dark hair and pinned the thick coils around my head in a crown. Over this, I tied a thin woven brim to keep the sun out of my eyes. My filthy white tunic has a high collar and a slitted V at my throat, with long sleeves. It’s too thin to provide real protection, but it’s too hot to wear anything heavier. What I wouldn’t give for a bottle of sunscreen from the outside world about now.
He grimaces. “You really aren’t friendly with the sun, are you?”
“No. What was your first guess?”
He chuckles. I’m rapidly coming to adore that sound, the way it curls in my midsection like dripping honey on a warm afternoon.
“Come on, Arianelle. You’ll stand out on these black rocks, so try to stay low. We’ll move fast between outcroppings and boulders.”
With that, he was off. Tovian lopes down the uneven surface, the muscles in his legs bunching with each step. I follow. Try to, anyway. Within minutes, my muscles are screaming.
“You okay, Ari?” Tovian calls back. Glancing up, he’s nowhere to be seen. Bizarre. His voice came from close by.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “Tired.”
Nineteen days of flight and fight have worn me down. I must keep going. There’s a resistance forming in what’s left of Oceanside. I can be useful there. I can redeem myself and save my country. I just have to get there.
“We can make it by nightfall, if we push.”
Tovian’s form separates from his surroundings as if by magic.
“Holy shit.” I blink twice, forgetting how tired I am. “How do you do that?”
“Camouflage.”
His trapezoid stands out as he raised one shoulder nonchalantly. Great goddesses, he’s fit. It’s covered in white handprints that look remarkably similar to the bird-droppings-streaked rocks, even from a reasonably close distance.
“I see that. Amazing. It was as though you disappeared for a minute there. Can I have some?”
“Some of what?” He’s distracted by something on the horizon.
“This stuff.” I poke his bicep. Tovian glances down at me. A slow smile spreads over his lips. I like watching the way emotions flicker over his features. It’s so different from Lorcan’s stone-faced, emotionless aspect.
And I will stop comparing them. Right now.
“You’d have to come and meet the Ansi, first.” He resumes scanning the horizon.
“You move fast,” I joke, wondering if he’ll understand the implications.
He does. Tovian shoots a quick glance at me, then leans in to kiss my cheek. “You, on the other hand, do not. Sore?”
I nod. He deftly turned the subject back to me. He’s so considerate, I don’t know how to react. I’m used to being told what to do, and then told I’m not doing it fast enough.
“Here.”
He passes me a leaf-wrapped parcel about the size of my pinkie finger. Inside was an uninspiring twiglike object. “What is it?”
“Dracaena leaf. Helps with muscle aches. Tastes terrible but it works.” He broke off a small section. “Chew on it. Swallow the juice but not the pulp. You’ll know it’s working when your tongue goes numb.”
I make a face. “No, thanks.”
“Your call, Arianelle.” He gives me that bemused smile again. “Let’s go.”
