Page 28 of Nyx
“Well, they technically are, sometimes…” He trails off as he glances around at the dozen or so ducks. “I don’t see one that stands out as being a male, but I can’t be sure. I don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep, and I’ve only read about them. The females will lay eggs regardless, but without a male, they aren’t fertilized.” My brows pinch, and he notices my confusion. “That means the egg is just an egg, and won’t grow a baby duck inside it. Are there any nests?”
“Yes, over here,” I say as I step along the rocks. Reyes pulls in a sharp breath, but the ducks ignore me as I pass.
He snorts another laugh. “Of course they like you.”
At the far end of this alcove, the shallow water butts up against a short ledge with thick greenery on top. Under the bushes, three nests hold piles of stark white eggs. “Here.”
“How many eggs are there?”
I takea quick count, but I realize I can’t remember the names of the numbers in English. My face burns, and I fight with what to say. The silence is heavy as I struggle for the word, knowing Reyes is so excited about this place. Now I can’t answer his question, and it feels like a failure.
“Nyx?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper, but he must hear me, because he makes a quiet whining sound as I stare at my feet.
“That’s my fault,” he says, and I wonder why he always wants to take the blame for my shortcomings. “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.” He’s watching me carefully when I glance over my shoulder, with that expression he gets sometimes when we talk. Round eyes and pinched brows that form those wrinkles on his forehead. It makes him look so worried.
“The numbers… I forget.”
“That’s alright,” he says. Soft, always so soft with me, and I fight against those flutters in my stomach again.
“I can… take them for you?” I offer, and his eyes dart around at the ducks, peacefully swimming in circles.
“Try one and see if they get upset.” He keeps a close eye on the birds as I choose an egg from the nest, but they don’t stop their paddling to pay me any attention. Reyes grins when I wave it in the air at him. “Leave a few in each of the nests, but collect the rest of them. Use your shirt to carry them.”
There’s plenty of excess material on my shirt, so I grab the ends and carefully place the eggs inside into a pile. The ducks never bother me, though I worry I look silly. My appearance has never mattered to me, but I can’t help but wonder what he thinks when he sees me. He is lovely tolook at, with his handsome smile and those gorgeous curls, whereas I never smile, and my hair is uninteresting and flat.
My stomach takes flight at the memory I’ve replayed dozens of times since it happened. He called me cute, andbeautiful, even though I’ve never felt like either of those things. He acted like he meant it, though. His eyes always show his truth.
I wonder if he knows that about himself.
When I reach the other side, Reyes laughs as he peeks into my makeshift carrier. “This is amazing, Nyx. You did so good.”
Warmth blooms in my chest as I stare up at him, and the sunlight catches on his eyelashes and hair. “This is good?”
“This is very good,” he agrees with a soft smile. “Do you think you’d be willing to come out here every few days and collect the eggs? I’ll, uh… I’ll join you when you do... if you want.”
“I want,” I agree, and he relaxes again as we make it to the path. We walk without speaking for a few minutes, and I love how comfortable it is. Reyes never makes me talk when words aren’t needed. He doesn’t mind my silence.
The quiet is interrupted by his low laugh, and I glance over in question. “Sorry,” he says with a chuckle. “I just realized that Ronan’s going to be able to bake so many new things now that he has eggs. You’ll be Cameron’s hero.”
The thought makes my face heat.
I’ve never been anyone’s hero before.
Never been anyone’sanything.
We walk into the village, and Reyes tells everyone about the ducks. Their attention is uncomfortable, but it’s softened by the size of their excited smiles, and I don’t hide behind Reyes, even though I want to. Something big and powerful swells inside me as I realize I can give back to those who have given me so much.
Not a liability, or a responsibility, but someone with a purpose, small as it may be.
Dinner is on the fire, but Ronan makes room for another skillet. Reyes forms a protective wall beside me so the others don’t get too close, and Ronan smacks the egg against his bowl. Orange and clear liquid falls from the shell, and he tilts the bowl so I can see it.
It certainly doesn’t look like a duck.
The smell of the cooking vegetables makes my stomach growl, and it only gets better as the eggs sizzle in the skillet. They become yellow and fluffy, and there are enough here for everyone to get a serving. Reyes and I sit on some rocks further away from the group, but this time, I don’t turn my back to them. I poke the eggs with my fork and pull them closer to inspect them. Reyes focuses on his plate, but he has a wide grin as he looks down at his food.
I put the tiniest piece in my mouth, and perk up as I take a bigger bite. “Do you like them?” Reyes asks, and I nod happily. We finish dinner and return our plates, and even as he heads back into his house with a wave, that lightness remains.
