Page 64 of Saints & Sinners

Joe chuckled before we ended up spending a few hours together in the Healers Sector, talking while he allowed me to draw sunflowers on his arm with a Sharpie pen.

Later, when I’d finally been cleared to leave, I headed back to the dorm with one thing on my mind.Hunter. But when I got there, he was nowhere in sight except for Brandon and Silas sitting on the sofa.

“Grace!” Brandon got up, his eyes scanning me whole to see if I was okay. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed in relief. “Do you maybe want to watch some Star Wars with us? Silas agreed to sit through it in silence.”

I laughed, grateful he wasn’t dousing me with concerns over whether I was still hurting or about the fight with Norah. I knew Norah was still in the Healers Sector, since the Nightsteel might have worked alittletoo well. “Do you really believe that he’ll sitthrough it in silence?”

Silas gave me an exaggerated scowl, crossing his arms as I joined them on the sofa. “Your lack of faith disturbs me.”

Brandon gasped so loudly and dramatically that it made me burst out laughing. “He said the quote! See, I fucking told you, you’re a secret Star Wars fan.”

“Usedto be. Ever since I met you, you’ve made me hate it.”

The three of us settled in, and though my mind often drifted to where Hunter could be, the worry gnawing at me began to ease. Silas and Brandon bickered over the films while I had no idea what was happening half the time, and finally, I invited Marnie around for backup.

I was letting myself relax for once in a place that was out of my comfort, and I didn’t even mind it. Not one bit.

Chapter Thirty-Three

The first thing I hadn’t expected to walk into when I arrived at the dorm was for me to see Brandon explaining Star Wars lore, complete with grand hand gestures and sound effects.

Grace sat on the edge of the sofa, captivated by the gun noises Brandon had just demonstrated. Marnie was beside her, and Silas was sprawled out, looking like he was enduring torture.

“Lightsaber mechanics just make no sense.” Silas muttered. “And don’t get me started on the Jedi code.”

“Um, the Jedi code is far more intriguing than our own Angelic Code,” Marnie stated.

“Exactly!” Brandon shot Silas a mocking glare, but I doubted he even cared.

“It’s basically the same thing!A Jedi cannot fall in love. Oh,where have I heard that shit before? We’re practically living it in real time.”

“Yeah,” Brandon muttered. “Just without lightsabers and a Millennium Falcon.”

I glanced at the table where a packet of skittles lay, mostly emptied with the greens picked clean. Typical. Grace always went for those.

I let the door close with a soft click, and all four of them lookedup, but it was Grace who held my attention. She glanced at me—free of bruises and blood—and her face shone with relief.

“Thank fuck,” Silas dropped his head back, and I cocked an eyebrow at him. “I was being bullied by these lot. I needed you here on my side, Cain. Tell them you hate Star Wars just as much as I do.”

“I like Star Wars.”

“No, Cain, you don’t. Otherwise, we aren’t friends.”

“Then we’re not friends.”

Silas pouted. “You’re lashing out. I get it. It’s fine; we can kiss and make up later, preferably in my room. Jerry misses you holding her.”

I rolled my eyes and walked over to them, stopping a couple of feet away from Grace. The only object in our way was the table.

Brandon stretched, yawning like he hadn’t just been on an enthusiastic Star Wars rant. “Well, I think that’s enough education for one night,” he said, standing and patting Grace on the shoulder. “Glad you’re feeling better, at least.”

Marnie stood, too, almost colliding with Brandon. They awkwardly exchanged looks before she held her hand out. “Thank you for tonight. I learnt a lot about lightsabers and that little green sensei who speaks funny.”

I raised an eyebrow, watching how they interacted. It was like witnessing two shy puppies meet for the first time.

“Yeah,” Brandon’s voice went high before he cleared it and shook Marnie’s hand. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Um, well, okay, bye then!” Marnie rushed to leave but not before saying, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Grace. Don’t forget to text me later tonight.”

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