did. But instead, she was kind and whispered, ‘Do not fail my people’ before leaving the tent. We never discussed it again.”
His recollection was filled with such emotion that I clutched my chest. I heard the tent flaps shift and something pound against the dirt outside, shaking us out of our intense conversation.
“I don’t know how you do it all,” I whispered as my eyes fluttered shut. Despite his sad story, exhaustion still clung to my senses.
“Same way we all do, Agapimenos. We just do what we can.” Tallis rolled his neck and scratched his forearm before leaning closer. I noticed grey circles under his eyes, too.
“You are such a hypocrite, Scavenger,” I said. Exhaustion made my sloth-like words drip and cling to each syllable.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re tired too.” I wordlessly shifted in the cot, making room for him. Tallis didn’t argue, even though indecision marred his expression. He slipped into bed beside me, and I bravely wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing in his smoky scent. My lips trailed his neck and along his jaw line.
“Agapimenos, you’re killing me,” he moaned out and I smiled against him. “No more,” he added in a strained tone. My fingers traced the delicious V on his lower abdomen as I yawned.
“Why must you be so cruel?” I whined while pulling away and snuggling deeper into the cot.
“I could ask you the same question.” Tallis rolled over so that his muscular back was facing me. I tested my luck and wrapped my arms around his middle.
“I don’t want the world, Jules. I just want you to recognize that there is more here between us than lust and secrets.”
“Ok, so what if I told the world. What if I agreed to a courtship, what then?” I asked. “Would I become a Scavenger? Move here? One day marry you and be a Scavenger’s wife?”
Tallis turned to face me and smiled, as if envisioning our future together. He didn’t seem concerned by all the obstacles or even doubt that it would work.
“That sounds like a good plan to me,” he said softly while inching closer. “It's not so bad here, is it?”
“No,” I began, trying to visualize what he so easily saw. “I guess it isn’t.”
Tallis kissed me. It was a slow, drawn-out kiss meant to show me all that could be. How could something so new feel so good and make me feel so whole? I snuggled into him, reveling in the feel of him, as I drifted off into a deep sleep.
Chapter Twelve
“Jules, wake up,” a voice said while shaking me. My eyes opened, and I squinted, blinking as they adjusted to the bright light from the lantern. After a moment, Tallis' worried expression came into focus.
“Wh—What’s going on?” I asked. My voice was still rough with sleep, and I coughed to clear it. I felt disoriented, then I remembered where I was.
“It’s Gordon,” Tallis began in a sad voice and my stomach dropped in worry. “He’s missing. We need everyone to search for him.” I sat straight up, causing my head to accidentally bump into him. We both held our foreheads while I shimmied off the low cot.
“Where was he last seen?” I asked while feeling around the tent floor for my bag.
“Nikketa sent him here with dinner for you…” Tallis said. His face morphed into an expression of sincere pain.
“You don’t think…” I began.
“That he overheard my story? That's exactly what I think,” Tallis replied while clenching his fist. My fingers found the strap of my bag, and I immediately began rifling through it to find my Tablet.
There was only one person I knew that could track him down. Even though it killed me to call and ask for help, Gordon was worth it.
“Who are you calling?” Tallis asked while turning the electric lantern brighter just as Cyler’s face appeared on the screen.
“Jules? Where are you? Kemper said you haven’t made it back to the Dorms yet,” he said with a furrowed brow. I noticed that he was at the Train Station.
“I fell asleep at the Scavenger Camp,” I explained briefly. “I need your help.” I cleared my throat of emotion. In two sentences he revealed how much he still cared—that he still checked in on me.
“What’s wrong? Where’s Tallis?” Cyler asked again, and Jacob’s face filled the screen.
“He’s here,” I began while standing. “Cy, there's a boy here. His name is Gordon and he’s missing,” I said. I lifted my hand to my cheek and was surprised to find