Page 119 of These Divided Shores
“What’s the plan?”
“Get to New Deza. Do something courageous and likely stupid.”
Jakes didn’t stand. But his eyes flicked away, and his whole body shot upright, alert.
Vex turned to see Ben across the road, talking with a group of raiders.
“Fine.”
Vex whipped back to Jakes, who was standing now, fuming.
“I’ll come with you,” Jakes snapped. “When are we leaving? Now? Good.”
He marched away, toward the nearest exit to the docks.
Vex eyed Ben again. Behind him, Gunnar slumped out of the shadows of a cottage, watching Ben—the same way Jakes had watched him.
Oh.Vex knew Ben and Gunnar had become something of an item, but Jakes, too?
He trailed Jakes. As he walked, Vex’s attention stayed on Ben one beat longer, until Ben lifted his head and looked at him.
Vex stopped. There was too much space between them, and Vex didn’t have the fortitude for a sappy good-bye. He’d come back soon. Before Ben had to march to war against his father.
Getting Teo back would help Lu, but it wouldn’t really do a damn thing to help Ben.
Ben cocked his head. Vex gave a bright smile.Nothing’s wrong. Carry on.
Lu would explain why he’d had to leave. And maybe, by the time he returned, Vex would have figured out some way to help his cousin, too.
TheRapid Meanderwas still docked where Vex had left it weeks ago, tucked alongside one of the eastern tenements. It had enough supplies and moderate fuel, was in good enough condition—and was supplemented by weapons borrowed from the raiders.
Vex stood next to it, holding the tarp that’d covered it, unable to deny the swell of giddiness at the sight of his boat. The whole world had changed, but theMeanderwas still his. And here he was, Devereux Bell, about to cast off on a foolish, shaky mission.
Vex folded the tarp, trying to work it into the perfect little square that fit just so in one of the storage hatches.
“You never could fold that right.”
Jakes, who’d been shoving a crate of rations on board, cursed in Argridian.
Nayeli was standing behind Vex on the dock, her arms folded, her brows lifted in an unspoken question ofWhat the hell are you doing?
Vex dropped the tarp and swung on her. “We’re going to get Teo. Kari doesn’t need you here. You can come—” He stopped. “Only she does need you. You’re the acting Tuncian Head.”
Nayeli sniffed. She didn’t give him that private smile and wink and skip off, letting him do whatever insane thing he wanted to do. She didn’t ask how she could help.
“You’re going to let us go, aren’t you?” Vex took a stepcloser. “You’re not going to—”
“Your eye patch,” she whispered.
Vex touched his scar. His stomach roiled. “Oh. Yeah.”
Nayeli nodded as if he’d said something astute.
The silence between them was heavy. In it, Vex heard all the things they hadn’t talked about. Edda’s death. How Nayeli felt losing Fatemah. What it was like being the acting Tuncian Head, and how she was not going crazy thinking of Cansu every moment of every day.
Vex clamped his arms around her. “I’ve been a shit friend.”
Nayeli grabbed onto him. “You always are.”
