Page 72 of Blue Arrow Island
“I’m trying to make it look like we’re talking about hairstyles or something so no one suspects we’re plotting destruction and shit,” she says.
I smile. “Good idea.”
My gaze wanders to another fire, where Marcus is sitting on a log with Nova, Ellison and Niran.
Nova has her arm around Ellison, the two of them laughing. Marcus’s eyes lock onto mine, his broody scowl dialed down. Niran is talking to Marcus and it looks like he’s also whittling something out of wood with a knife.
“Is it just me, or is he always intense?” I murmur.
Amira follows my gaze to Marcus. “Always. When it gets closer to sunset, Jun will get out his ukulele and play and people will dance, but not Marcus.”
“Never?”
She shakes her head and looks around. “I don’t see her out here, but have you met Zara?”
I lower my brows, considering. “I don’t think so.”
“She’s tall and blond. She’s on the security team. Anyway, I hear she’s been trying to get with Marcus for literalyears, and he won’t bite.”
“Hmm. Gay?”
“Nope. I’ve overheard him and Niran talking about women.”
Marcus’s eyes bore into me, his expression unreadable. Just in case he’s a lip reader, I turn to face Amira.
“I think there is someone,” I say softly. “Whoever owns the knife I had that day you found me in the jungle. He wants me to tell him where I found it, but I won’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because information is the only power I have. I’m not giving it away for free.”
“Smart. You think the owner of the knife is a woman he’s in love with?”
Irrational jealousy twists like a knife in my chest. “He’s desperate to know about the owner of it. He said it’s someone important to him.”
“Interesting. If it’s true, she’s been gone for years, because why would people tell me Zara’s been chasing after him if he already has someone here?”
I nod. “That’s a good point.”
“I’ll ask around, see if he was ever with a woman here.”
The happy, gentle sounds of a ukulele being played fill the air. My eyes dart back to Marcus. Ellison has already gotten to her feet and is holding on to both of Nova’s hands, encouraging her to get up.
“They’re together?” I ask Amira.
“Who? Oh, Nova and Ellison. Yes, aren’t they adorable? Ellison is the sweet, effervescent one, and Nova is the serious, dedicated one. She’d behead anyone who tried to hurt Ellison, no questions asked.”
Nova slumps to the side, trying to fight getting up, but she quickly relents, putting her hand on Ellison’s lower back as they walk over to an empty spot to dance.
“I love that,” I murmur.
Both women beam at each other as they dance, Ellison leading. My gaze flicks back to Marcus, and when I find him already looking at me, my heart pounds unevenly. Niran isn’t sitting next to him anymore.
Amira clears her throat. “Um. For a guy who’s possibly in love with someone else, he looks at you kind of ... a lot.”
My head whips to the side and I gape at her. “At me? I told you, it’s because of the knife.”
She pinches her brows together. “You think he thinks staring at you will make you tell him where you found it?”
