Page 36 of The Moonborn's Curse

Seren perched on a low-hanging tree branch, her bare feet swinging idly above the water. The cool scent of the forest mixed with the crisp splash of Niva hitting the pool below, sending ripples across the surface. Talis sat on a rock nearby, fiddling with some small circuit board and wires, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Seren watched him with barely concealed envy. "I still don't see why you get to mess around with all that when I'm not even allowed a phone."

Talis grinned, his dark eyes flashing with amusement. "Because I actually know what I'm doing." He held up a small device. "This? It's a receiver. If I can fix it, I might be able to listen in on the warriors' radio signals."

"Why would you want to do that?" Seren frowned.

"Because it's fun," he said simply.

Niva, bobbing in the water below, rolled her eyes. "Because he's nosy," she corrected, then smirked up at Seren. "Just like you're nosy about Hagan."

Seren scowled. "I am not."

"You so are." Niva swam closer, her golden-brown curls clinging to her cheeks. "And let's be real, he could be a hideous beast. Maybe you should just keep Talis as a backup plan."

Talis coughed violently, nearly dropping his receiver. Seren's face burned.

"Niva-!"

Niva grinned wickedly and turned toward Talis. "I mean, you wouldn't mind, would you, Talis? A betrothal's not binding if she runs away in terror, right?"

Talis, for once, was speechless. His long limbs tensed, his fingers tightening around the small device in his hands. His gangly frame made him look awkward, but there was a certain quiet confidence in him, something that only seemed to flicker when Niva brought up things like this.

Seren hastily turned back to her camera, lifting it to her eye. "I'm taking pictures now. You're both annoying."

Click.

Niva mid-splash, water glistening in the sunlight.

Click.

Talis, now studiously ignoring both of them, feigned deep focus on his gadget.

Click.

The curve of the trees above them, the way the light broke through the leaves, dappling their little hidden world.

She liked capturing things this way-fixed in time, unchanging. It made her feel like she had control over something.

"Don't ignore me, Seren," Niva called up. "We all see the way he looks at you."

Seren lowered her camera with a groan. "Will you stop?"

Talis flushed deep red and threw a small pebble at Niva, missing by a mile. "You're insufferable."

Niva cackled. "And you're obvious."

Seren groaned again, hitched her camera on a branch and let herself drop from the branch into the water, her wrap billowing before sinking. She swam away before Niva could grab her, enjoying the chill against her skin. When she glanced back, Talis was still on the rock, arms crossed, staring after her.

She didn't know what to do with that.

From the edge of the clearing, Rheon's voice interrupted them.

"Time's up. Out of the water, all of you."

Seren sighed but obeyed, wading out of the pool. Talis followed, pulling his trunks up higher as he stepped onto the shore. Niva, still grinning like a menace, made a show of taking her time.

Rheon waited with arms crossed, watching them like a hawk. His gaze lingered on Talis.

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