Biting my lip, I bent my head. “By saving him, I think I burned it all up.”
“You mean it’s gone?” He peered down at me, his expression unreadable. “This link between us is gone for good?”
My shoulders lifted. “I don’t know. I think so. I took too much. Drained it… it wasn’t just Andris I brought back.”
Scorpion opened his mouth to respond.
“Hey! There you are.” Maddox came around the corner, his regard jumping between us suspiciously. “You talk to Andris? We going?”
“Yeah.” Scorpion took a huge step back from me, and I realized how close we were and what it must look like to Maddox.
He turned away, marching toward his friend, his voice gruff. “She’s coming with us.”
“Is she now?” Maddox’s lips curved a little, peering back at me. “And here I thought it was the little blonde making you jerk off earlier.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Scorpion growled, knocking his shoulder into Maddox, making him laugh.
“Someone’s a bit sensitive.” Maddox snickered, following behind his buddy.
“Hanna,” I said her name, feeling it like a blade, while catching up to them. “Is she… is she all right?”
Maddox and Scorpion looked back at me.
“She’s fine,” Scorpion huffed, his response widening Maddox’s smile.
“Though I would hold off seeing her for a bit.” Maddox winked back at me. “Think she had some choice things to say about you… or was it about you?” He nudged Scorpion. “Oh right, she wanted to cut off your dick and stick it up your ass.”
Scorpion snarled, his strides getting faster. “Just shut the hell up.”
“For god’s sake, will you stop flirting with each other so we can go?” Birdie stood at the entrance, shoving a knife into her sheath. Wesley stood next to her, loading his gun.
“Oh, someone get jealous?” Wesley tugged on her ponytail.
“Ugh!” She hit him. “You’re so annoying.”
“Admit it. You love my youthful charm.” Wesley prodded her again, like a pesky sibling.
“Juvenile is more like it.” She rolled her eyes.
“Ahhh, now I see…” Wesley tapped on his lip.
“See what?”
“Why you keep asking to guard that human who barely has pubes yet.”
“I do not.” Her shoulders jerked back, her defenses going up.
“Oh, come on.” Wesley laughed. “Henrik told me you took over his shift. Twice now.”
“It was that or help in the clinic. I’ll guard a pretty boy over playing nurse any day.”
“Not like Birdie has the best bedside manner,” Maddox huffed with amusement.
She glared at him.
They were all so close, acting more like siblings, and it made me envious. I used to have Caden, but I was always enamored of him in some way, so there was never a “sibling” thing there. I grew up very much in an adult world, alone, and never with any of these types of relationships. Even as we got older, we were taught more to compete than to help each other.
The closest I had were Caden and Hanna. Two people who despised me now.
“We ready to roll out?” Scorpion shoved his loaded gun into his holster.
“Yep.” They all nodded, twisting for the door, already knowing what the plan was. I had no idea what the strategy was, but I figured I could learn on the way.
“Brex?” Hearing my name, I whipped around to see Ash.
“Hey.” I took him in, tangled hair, dirty, ripped clothes, and ragged. He jogged up to me, looking like he hadn’t slept well, if at all. “You look like shit.” I tried to joke, but the sentiment was hollow, the playfulness not even reaching my face.
Ash scoffed, his eyes going over me as to say, same to you.
“Where are you headed?” I realized he was carrying his backpack, the one with the fae book inside. I tried to reach out to it, see if I felt anything. Not even a tiny buzz or pull. My feet shifted underneath me, the knot in my stomach braiding tighter.
“I was going to head back to my place for supplies. I have some rare healing herbs.” He tugged the bag straps tighter. “Grab some clothes, maybe a shower. Like you should.” He winked at me. I knew he was trying to lighten my mood, so I forced a shallow smile on my lips, but it quickly went limp, my head bowing.
The elephant danced between us, the subject both of us were hoping we could avoid.
“He’s not here,” Ash whispered.
Swallowing, I lifted my head, my expression blank, my eyes not able to meet his. “I figured.”
“It’s his way.” Ash tugged on my chin, forcing me to look at him. “It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. It’s how he handles emotional situations.”
I pinned a detached expression on my face. “He can do what he wants. He’s no longer tethered to me.”
“Brex.” Ash tipped his head, his tone sorrowful, showing off the deeply bruised and bitten skin along his neck.
“Holy shit.” My finger immediately went to the spots, my eyes widening in shock, realizing what they were.
“Yeah, it’s how I deal with emotional situations.” He pulled his jacket collar up, glancing away. “It was a rough day.”
“Someone here?” My mouth parted, glancing over his shoulder as if his bedmate would pop out. My mind reeled with prospects.
He shrugged with one shoulder, a strange blush dotting his cheeks.
“Oh, my gods.” My mouth dropped. “Kek? Lukas?”
Ash stared at me.
My eyes widened. “Both?”
“X, if you’re coming with us, hurry up,” Scorpion’s voice yelled down the stairs.
“Saved just in time.” Ash bumped my shoulder, strolling past me.
“You are not getting off so easy.” My voice trailed after him.
“Actually, I got off easy several times.” He grinned at me before twisting away and charging up the stairs.
The fog was thick as it advanced over the city, rolling and wrapping itself around buildings and the darkness. Bundling deeper into my coat, I shivered with cold. It was the kind of night you’d want to spend indoors by a fireplace, eating something rich and creamy.
Cries from livestock and howls from feral animals haunted the skies, prickling the back of my neck as we moved through the streets on foot. Those not searching for trouble huddled close to their camps, the moist air strangling the bit of warmth they could get from the fires and dampening their thin blankets. The weeping of hungry children cut across my heart. I wanted so badly to help fill their bellies and find them a place to feel warm and safe.
I used to steal from Istvan to help Maja’s family, thinking I was doing some big, heroic thing. It wasn’t even a crumb. Our country was so broken, and what was worse was the hopelessness strewn across their faces, the awareness that this hell was all they’d know.
The five of us kept a tight formation. Scorpion and Birdie were on lead, Wesley and I in the middle, and Maddox watching our backs.
“Where are we going?” I whispered to Wesley.
“The old Lehel Market,” he murmured back.
My boots made a squeak on the cobbles when I stopped. “What?” I blinked at him. “Lehel?”