Page 112 of These Divided Shores
She paused. In that opening of silence, no one spoke up. No one argued. Even Jakes, fuming at the outskirts, only turned and marched up the road, hands in fists at his sides.
Lu watched him go as if watching her own rage walk away. Elazar still had her permanent magic vial as well asTeo—but a lightness filled Lu’s chest, something delicate and velvet. Something like... hope.
However they confronted Elazar next would be right, better, and wouldn’t leave greasy disgust on Lu’s soul.
Kari took a step back. “We have all been through an enormous horror. Think on what I have said and rest here tonight. Tomorrow morning, you make whatever decision you feel is best for your people. But I will be here, and with whoever remains, we will figure out a way to end this war and move toward a future benefiting us all.”
Kari turned—and swept Lu up in a hug.
Lu stiffened, took a breath, and settled. A moment of comfort, a brace ofYou are not alone. I love you.
“How are you going to get Teo back?” Vex asked from Lu’s side.
The question withered these rare gentle feelings.
Kari pulled back to brush the hair from Lu’s forehead. “Tomorrow,” she said. “We will discuss these things tomorrow. Tom knows how much Teo means to us. He will not harm him.”
“Won’t he?” Lu whispered, a single tear tumbling down her cheek.
Kari’s smile was heartbreaking. She took Lu’s head between her hands and gave her a resolute shake. “I have to believe that pieces of the man I know remain in your father. I know you don’t trust him, but trustme. We will get Teo back.”
She gave Lu a final hug and a kiss on her forehead, and left.
Lu started to follow Kari. Nayeli’d run off; Ben was talking with Gunnar up the road. Nate, Pierce, Rosalia—they were gone, too.
Vex’s chest hollowed. Where did he fit—with his cousin in Argrid; or on Grace Loray?
Or with Jakes, who had vanished from the road and taken his opinions with him?
His answer had always been with Edda and Nayeli, on theRapid Meander, in their own little haven. That life was gone, ripped from Vex before he’d had a chance to say good-bye. It squeezed a howl from his throat, and he bowed his head to cover it.
Now that that life was dead, where should he stand?
Lu was only a pace away. Vex shot after her and draped his fingers around her wrist.
She turned—but didn’t smack him away or shout in his face. He scrambled for something innocuous to say, a joke or a flippant remark to cement this peace between them.
“Can we work on the cure again?” Vex gawked thatthatquestion had come out of his mouth. “I mean, I know there’s a lot of other stuff going on, but I just thought, maybe—”
Lu freed her hand. His heart squeezed until she lifted that hand and put it on his chest.
Vex gaped as her thumb slipped under the gap in his shirt.
The muscles in Lu’s throat constricted. “Of course. I’ll see what I can salvage.”
Vex winced.Salvage.The attack had likely destroyed most of the sanctuary’s plants.
But he nodded, struck by her hand over his heart, and how warm she felt.
“Thanks,” he said. And then, because he needed to see her smile, “Princesa.”
Lu’s gaze shot up to his. She rolled her eyes at him and smiled, a slight crook to her lips before she walked away.
Vex realized that he hadn’t trembled since she’d touched him.
25
THE RAIDER HEADScouldn’t agree on most things, but they agreed to have a vigil at midnight for everyone lost in the attack.
