Page 72 of Corvak's Challenge

After a moment, she makes a noncommittal sound. "You've got him all wrong. He must have misunderstood you. That's all."

"I'm not so sure," Valmir continues.

This time, Aidy sounds exasperated. "Look. I know Corvak better than you. He wouldn't keep something that important from me. When I say he didn't know, he didn't know. We've beenunder a lot of stress for the last few weeks, and if something slipped his mind, I'm not holding it against him. Don't try to start something, all right?"

"Me? I wouldnever," says Valmir in a tone that implies he very much would indeed.

Aidy continues. "If you want to pick on someone's relationship, how about you and April tell us all about why you're fighting resonance, hmm?"

"Oooo," Nadine says. "Burn."

I grin despite myself. Aidy is so fierce in her defense of me, deflecting back onto the others.

"Why amIfighting resonance?" April cries, voice carrying. "Have youmetValmir? I'd rather put a fork in a light socket."

"What I want to know," Aidy continues, "is what Valmir was doing so far out here if you two aren't going to do the whole resonance thing anytime soon. It seems like a weird time to hunt."

"Oh, did she not tell you?" Valmir is all purrs now.

"Shut up, Valmir," April says. "Just. Shut. Up."

He laughs, and this is a good time for me to make my presence known. I make a few heavy footfalls and clear my throat before moving into the light at the entrance of the cave. I pretend to be surprised to see all of them gazing up at me, and gesture back at the valley behind me. "Do we have skinning implements? We're going to keep the hide."

Nadine holds a long leather-wrapped bundle out. To my surprise, Aidy grabs it and jumps to her feet. "I'll come with you. I need to get some fresh air. My stomach isn't liking all this smoke from the fire."

Immediately, I'm concerned. Is she not feeling well again? She looked good inside the cave—healthy, cheeks bright, eyes no longer hollow—but perhaps I've missed something. As we step out into the snows, I notice she's not wearing her cold weathergear and I take my cloak off, wrapping it around her. "Shall I carry you?"

Aidy looks at me in surprise. "What? Oh, no, I'm fine." Her cold hand steals into mine. "I wanted a chance to walk with you. That's all."

We walk, steps slow. When the snow gets deeper, I move ahead to forge a path for her, and she follows behind me, our hands yet together. "I…did know we were clones," I confess, unable to stand it any longer. "You were sick and I worried it would make you even more miserable, so I thought I would bring it up later."

"I figured it wasn't malicious."

Her answer surprises me. "You're not mad?"

Aidy laughs. "Oh, I was furious at the moment. I've been stewing over it a few days now, and I no longer want to grab you and shake you, but I haven't forgotten. I would never bring you down in front of the others, though. I'm not going to let them think less of you because of something like that. We're a team."

I feel even more miserable and guilty, because she protects me even when she is hurt by my actions. "Wearea team," I agree. "Thank you, love."

She squeezes my hand tightly. "You need to remember the team part though. If you keep stuff from me because you're afraid of how I'll react, you're not seeing me as an equal. You're seeing me as someone to protect from the world. We're in this together. We have to be united. Now more than ever since we're bringing a baby into this world." Her voice trembles a little. "Do you understand?"

I pause and turn to face her. "I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

Aidy turns her face up to me, the breeze blowing her long hair about her face. "And that's why I'm not more angry than I am. I'm hurt, but at the same time, I get it. I haven't been feeling mybest, and with the snow-people and Valmir and everything…it's been a lot. But no more secrets between us, all right? If I can't trust you to have my back, who can I trust?"

"You must be able to trust me." I acknowledge that I have made a mistake. I did not trust her instincts, and I should have. But I still hesitate, because something she said is pressing on me and I have to say it aloud. "Idosee you as someone to protect, though. I want to keep you safe. I want to make your life comfortable, and I want to bring you joy the same way you bring it to me. I don't know if I can change that part of who I am."

A small smile curves her mouth, and she plays with my fingers. "Okay, well, you can still protect me and look after me, because I plan on doing the same to you. But there's a difference between doing it because you love and respect someone and hiding things from them because you think they can't handle it. Understand?"

"So I can still rub your feet and take care of you?"

"Absolutely. I'm not a monster." She brings our joined hands to her mouth and kisses my knuckles. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem…rattled."

Because I am. With every day that passes, I worry that I'm not going to fit in with these people. That once we reach this beach destination, she will realize she doesn't need me. That I am not a good provider and a worse protector, and that she can do better. She deserves someone that handles delicate situations with ease and doesn't hide them from her. She needs someone that will look at strangers and see them as allies, instead of someone that sees nothing but potential rivals.

But…I want to be her male. I don't want anyone else coming near her. I don't want anyone else receiving her smiles or her laughter. I want her to come to me with her problems so I can fix them. Increasingly, I worry Iamher problem. "I am out of place with strangers," I admit. "It is…difficult."

Her eyes widen with surprise. "You've been doing so well! I had no idea."

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