Page 12 of Blade and Arrow Origins

Sorrow slashes through me. There’s a part of me that wants the contact, but another that fears the memories it could trigger.

Trying to cover the momentary awkwardness, I shove my hands in my pockets and work my smile into something broader. More convincing. “How was the drive?”

“Not too bad.” Cole shrugs. “Long, but I listened to some audiobooks, made some calls, plus it gave me plenty of time to think.”

“And the visit with Zane? It was good?”

“Yeah.” He smirks. “I get there, and of course, a woman’s hitting on Zane.”

My muscles relax and my smile becomes genuine. “Why am I not surprised?”

“It’s that martial arts thing.” Shaking his head, Cole chuckles. “I guess there’s just something about it women like.”

“I guess,” I reply. “I’d rather learn to do it than watch, though.”

Then I glance at Cole’s duffel on the grass by his feet and exclaim, “Sorry! You’ve been driving for hours and I’m making you stand out here. Let’s go inside, I can make something to eat—”

Cole coughs. “Um…”

I make a face at him. “I can cook.”

“Are you sure about that?” His brows jump up to his hairline and his lips twitch. “I seem to recall a lot of burned meals whenever you’d offer to cook.”

“Well,” I amend. “I can makesomethings. Grilled cheese, pasta, soup…”

“Or we could order takeout?”

I laugh, a foreign sound. But it feels good. “Takeout is fine. And I have some Sam Adams…”

“That sounds great. But—” Cole pauses. “First, I was thinking… do you want to take a walk? There’s a park just a few blocks away, isn’t there?”

“Sure.” Honestly, I don’t blame him for not wanting to spend a lot of time in my apartment. With its tiny windows and claustrophobic feel, I don’t love being there either. “We can swing by the deli on the way home, grab some subs, and they have those cookies you like.”

He lifts his chin. “Sounds great, Nor. Let me just throw my bag inside and we can go.”

Less than a minute later, we’re walking down the sidewalk towards the pocket park, which has become one of my favorite places to visit. It’s cute and cozy, with lush hedges enclosing it on three sides, filled with vibrant flowers and winding stone paths and benches tucked into little shaded nooks. Even though it’s public, I never feel crowded here. I can find a quiet spot and just let my mind go blessedly blank for a while.

As we approach the entrance to the park, Cole glances over at me and says, “You look good. I’m not saying that to be weird. But since that last time I saw you…”

“I know.” My cheeks heat. “Even after New Mexico, I was still embarrassingly weak. Just walking around made me tired. But I’ve been jogging every day, and I have a weight set in the apartment, plus I started going to pool at the Y a couple times a week. So I’m feeling a lot stronger now.”

“Good.” His expression sobers. “Not that you need to do anything on a timeline. But I’m glad. That you’re feeling—”

“More like myself,” I provide. “I know how I looked when you saw me all those months ago with Finn.” Stopping just inside the entrance, I step off the the path and look at him, my voice throbbing with sincerity. “I know how bad I was. I didn’t realize then, but I do now. And I hate that you had to see me like that—”

“Nor. Don’t apologize.” His eyes darken in empathy. “We were worried. But never apologize. Ever. We’re a team. That’s what we do. When one person is down, we have their six.”

I grit my teeth. I never wanted to be the one needing help. But there I was, wasting away through my own depression and apathy, and it took Finn and Cole to snap me out of it.

More firmly, I tell him, “Thank you for doing that. Making me go. And I’m better now. Truly. Not one-hundred percent, but I’m getting there.”

“Good.” Cole angles his head towards a bench nestled between a small cluster of oaks. “Do you want to sit here?”

“Sure.” As I sit down, he follows my lead. “So, are you going to tell me about this mysterious surprise you’ve been hinting about?”

“Yes. But.” A deep inhale. After he blows it out slowly, he says, “I just have to ask, Nor. Have you considered talking to Jackson?”

“No.” It’s immediate. Adamant. I can feel my walls clinking back into place. “I’m not going to. Please don’t push me on this.”

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