Page 104 of Brambles and Bellflowers
His statement ended in a shout as I snatched the blade and tossed it at the little furry beast, hitting it, point first, directly in the face.
“Nowwill you eat it?” I asked.
“What the hell?” Miles was pressed against the tree, hand over his heart. “You’re not supposed to be able to do that!”
“Throw a knife?” Why, that was just silly. With practice, anyone could throw blades. “Do you still have a problem?”
“Well it’sdeadnow.” Miles looked past me, gazing at our food. “There’s no reason to waste it. Wait a minute.” He grabbed my chin. “Did you just trick me into giving up the knife?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” I answered, my skin warming under the critical way his gaze moved over me. “Those were real tears.”
And they were… tears of frustration.
“Can youactuallyuse weapons?” He was frowning at me. “Or was that just a lucky throw?”
“Um…” I tilted my head. Did it matter?
“Never mind.” He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We can deal with it later. Bring that thing over here so we can clean it, and then we’ll eat.”
Miles cooked—aperfect blend of spiced meat and salad. Even in the wilderness, he delivered. Yet here in the fading light, glowing warmth of the fire, and quiet atmosphere, I couldn’t quite get over the feeling that something was off.
As it had been since I’d killed dinner.
He glanced at me when he thought I wasn’t looking, with an appraising gleam in his eyes I didn’t quite appreciate.
“What?” I pulled my knees to my chin, trying to ignore the cold against my back. It wasn’t really all that bad—the thick shrubbery managed to block the wind—but we would have to make sure to keep the fire going.
Unlike last night, we’d have to sleep in shifts.
“Nothing,” he said, turning his attention to the fire. “It’s just… I never really thought about it before.”
“Thought about w-what?” I asked, my voice catching. That sort of judgmental look was never a good sign for someone like me. My heart was racing at the implications.
This was the longest we’d been alone together. Did he decide he didn’t like me very much after all?
“Don’t overanalyze,” Miles interrupted my musings. “I was just wondering, do you really know how to fight?”
I choked and pulled my knees closer to my chin.
He continued, asking the question I’d been dreading for weeks. “What happened when you fought Daniel Cole?”
“N-not sure.” I let out a shaky laugh. “It was a very c-confusing time.”
Miles narrowed his eyes, before he shrugged and tossed a squirrel bone to the side. “Don’t tell me then,” he said. “But whatever it is, nothing could ever make me think less of you.”
I found that hard to believe. It was a nice platitude, but in every relationship—or at least the healthy ones—there had to be boundaries. Something that one person could do that would besoatrocious, that there was no turning back.
“You have nothing to be ashamed about,” Miles continued.
I almost believed him. My fingers dug into my legs, and my muscles were wound so tightly that I felt sick. I opened my mouth, but no sound escaped.
What could I say?
His shoulders dropped as he inclined his head. “Come sit with me.”
I was unable to resist when he asked me like that—especially with those eyes. I crawled around the fire and curled into his side as he wrapped his left arm over my shoulders.
“That’s better.” He pressed his cheek against my head. “Now sleep. I’ll take first watch; I’ll wake you when it’s your turn.”
