Page 89 of Voidwalker
Fi winced when Boden punched her arm.
She punched back,harder. “What’s that for?”
“Don’t lie to me, Fi. What’s going on?”
“I’m killing time! Sincesomeoneordered me to wait it out up here.”
Boden deflated. All that mustered authority, crumbling the moment his shoulders sagged. Fi wished they hadn’t. It was easier to lie to him when he didn’t wear those tired eyes, enough to crack her like sheet ice.
“I’m sorry for leaving you in the lurch, Fi. You know I am.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I meant to visit sooner, but our energy conduits are acting up again.”
“… Oh.”
“Even the newest lines we put in. Been trying to keep everyonewarm, but I don’t want to send anyone to Thomaskweld for spare parts.”
“Sure.”
“After Astrid’s visit, we’re already in Verne’s sights. Wouldn’t want to give her any ideas about us needing help, pushing our sacrifice deadline up.”
“Right.”
“I know things looks bad. But we’ll fix things on our own. Like always.”
As he spoke, Fi nodded like a bobblehead doll. She didn’t typically allow Boden to monologue this long without some puckered face or snide remark, but her focus drifted over his shoulder, her expression forced blank with thinly-veiled horror.
Antal perched in the bough of a shiverpine, watching with red eyes and tail swaying. Fi’s thoughts became a string of expletives. She’d let her guard down again, distracted by a tussle in the snow and a flutter in her stomach. Of course she’dthoughtof telling Boden.
What if he disapproved of her pact with Antal? What if she disappointed him again? What if—
“Fi-Fi?”
Boden spoke in a hush. He stared at her mouth.
Fi went cold at his keen focus, his dark eyes wide in alarm. A week of energy mending had healed the cut across her lips—mostly. The scar felt tight against her teeth. A thin silver line spread past her lipstick, visible upon scrutiny.
Boden was scrutinizing.
“It’s nothing,” she said, too quickly.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Fi.”
“An accident.”
“Fi.” Her name cut deep, not the hardness of it, but Boden’s pleading undertone.
She itched for an out. Her easiest option would be evasion, getting rid of Boden before he noticed the beast poised in her trees. Lies leapt to her tongue, swift as survival instinct.
But he was her brother.
He was her brother, and he deserved so much better than her, and if this absurd alliance with a daeyari went anywhere, she’d have to tell Boden eventually. Fi loathed the quiver on her lips, that slip of dread she couldn’t hide.
“So. Boden. You know how we promised not to keep secrets from each other?”
Serious Fi made Boden look mildly panicked. Understandable.
