Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,408

up with a plan for Cy and Patrick’s rescue, I was left behind. I went outside to sulk when Tallis approached me.

“Did you not want to come?” Tallis asked briefly while looking at the Transport behind me. Something about his question annoyed me.

“Are you insinuating that I don’t want to be there for my brother?” While they had made preparations while I sat at the kitchen table earlier, I had simply watched and stewed in anger. But now? I wanted to unleash my frustrations on the unfairness of it all.

“Of course I know you want to be with your brother, Jules,” Tallis replied softly. I felt like an animal he was trying to tame. I watched his eyes wordlessly observe me. We were two people in a standoff. Tallis’ eyes flashed once again to the others as they began loading the Transport with supplies. He grabbed my arm and moved me to the side of the house, out of view from everyone else.

I opened my mouth to yell at him, but instead he grabbed my neck and pulled me forward, our lips collided with passion as I worked my anger out on his soft lips. I grazed the tips of my fingers against his stomach all while he nipped at my bottom lip.

“I want you to come with us,” Tallis whispered between kisses. I shook my head no while our lips fought for dominance. His arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer while placing a confident knee between my legs.

“I want you to fight for what you want, Agapimenos,” he urged while pulling me tighter. “You are so headstrong, so perfect.”

I leaned into his words and sucked his bottom lip just as he pulled away.

“When will you stop playing the victim?” His lips tried to find mine once more, but I was frozen in anger. After noticing that I wasn’t responding to his kisses, Tallis stopped and pulled his torso away.

“I am the victim,” I growled out in frustration while placing two confident hands on his chest. I pushed him away, my feet stumbling against the force of my shove. “My parents died, then the only family I knew sent me away!” I screamed. I didn’t care who heard me, I needed to get it out.

Tallis walked closer to me but I held my hands up. “I didn’t fight to tag along on this little adventure, because there was no point. I bypassed the rejection, Tallis. I know when to give up,” I said, in a much softer tone.

Tallis brushed his hand through his long white hair. With flustered heaves of his chest, I watched as his eyes found mine. There was a devastating sadness there that lingered.

“One day, you’re going to tell them all that you’ve just told me. You could be the one to save the day, Jules. And for the record, I don’t know when to give up.”

Tallis stormed off without sparing me another glance. As he boarded the Transport with the rest of them, I bit my nails. This felt like a pivotal moment, one where I could decide to go after him and fight my way for a place on their journey or stay behind.

With a harsh exhale, I stole one last look. Despite the dark tint on the Transport windows, I felt his gaze. It made turning away and heading back to the Walker Dorms that much more painful.

Chapter Sixteen

Nikketa kept throwing me worried looks from across the fire outside her and Gordon’s tent. I’m not sure why I moseyed back to the Scavenger camp after Tallis’ departure, but for some reason, it was where I felt most comfortable.

I spent the evening silently agonizing over Tallis’ last words to me and Cyler’s disappearance. Nikketa seemed to recognize my need for space, so she left me alone to stare at the fire while reading a book.

“Did you come here to mope, or are you going to teach tonight?” Gordon asked in a bitter tone. He barely contained his disappointment about my absence the past couple days. I knew I was letting him down, but I needed a moment to breathe.

“You’re one to talk,” I replied while flipping through the pages of one of his old books. I really needed to buy him a tablet.

“What’s that supposed to mean?

“I mean,” I began while standing from the old log I was sitting on and stretching my muscles. “You ran away instead of confronting Tallis.”

Gordon rolled his eyes and huffed.

“Because he murdered my Grandfather,” Gordon