time watching him instead of the trees. I couldn’t help but wonder if what Eden had said would work. Did he need more than just a flash of skin? Did he need some kind of assurance, too, that I wasn’t just using him for his body to become immune?
As soon as we crossed over Tolerance’s wall, Eden called Thallirin’s name and waved for us to follow. I didn’t realize her intent until we were standing on Mya’s front lawn. Had I known where Eden was leading us, I would have convinced Thallirin to take me home first.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
“We need to let Mya and Drav know about the map and the cows. The animals won’t live on their own for long. If we want any chance at long-term survival, we need to move fast to rescue them.”
“But why do Thallirin and I need to be here?”
She flashed me a grin.
“You have other plans?” she asked.
“Maybe,” I said, then scowled at Thallirin when he quickly put me down.
“That’s what I thought,” she said. “Come on. It’s good to socialize.”
With anyone else but Mya and Drav, I thought to myself.
Eden knocked on the door, and Drav opened it a minute later.
“Hey, Drav. If Mya’s up for it, we have some news from Tenacity.”
He let us in, and I saw Mya in her usual spot on the couch.
“Feeling any better?” Eden asked, removing her coat. I reluctantly did the same and followed her into the living room.
“It comes and goes,” she said with a look at Drav.
He grunted his agreement before shifting his gaze to me. There was a lot less scowl this time, which just annoyed me.
Ghua sat and pulled Eden into his lap, where she snuggled comfortably. I looked at Thallirin, and he just stared back at me. Stubborn fool. I turned back to Mya.
“We traded goods for a map that supposedly leads to livestock,” I said, just wanting to get the conversation over with. “Garrett has the map. It’s a three-day walk, but it should be less than a day to drive there.”
“Pregnant cows,” Eden said. “Oscar was as obsessed with animals and needing them to survive as he was with needing women.”
Ghua growled, and Eden absently patted his arm.
“The man was right on both counts, just wrong about how he went about obtaining them. If there’s still something living out there, we should move quickly to bring it back.”
“What do you have in mind?” Mya asked.
“I think a group should leave today,” Eden said. “They’d probably reach the farm just before nightfall.”
“That’s too dangerous,” Mya said. “The hellhounds—”
“Need to be hunted,” Thallirin said. “Humans cannot go with us.”
“Go ask for volunteers,” Drav said. “Will you come?”
Thallirin nodded. Ghua stood and set Eden in the chair and left with Thallirin and Drav.
“What in the hell just happened?” I asked.
“I think they decided they’re going to get the cows,” Mya said, leaning her head back on the couch. “I can finally puke in peace.”
“That bad?” Eden asked.
“It seems worse when I’m stressed, which has been constant since the breach.”
If she was looking for pity, I wasn’t going to give it. I felt bad about the stress and the baby situation but held firm to my belief that she’d handled things wrong with me all around. And when she’d had the opportunity to make amends, she didn’t even want to do that.
“How are things with Thallirin?” she asked.
“Fine.” I stood and grabbed my jacket. “I think I’ll go home and sleep before I grab a night shift on the wall.”
I moved around the kitchen, making myself dinner. It wasn’t the nice candlelit dinner for two that I’d hoped for, just a lonely dinner for one. I could have gone to Mom and Uan’s, but I didn’t feel like company. The reality was that I missed Thallirin. At what point had I grown so used to his presence? I’d resented his attention and now I resented his absence.
His image rose in my mind. I didn’t see his scars, only his steady gaze. His stoic expression. That lack of apparent emotion had frustrated me at first. However, I now realized that his stability had comforted me more often than not.
Was stability enough of a reason for me to feel what I was feeling? Anger that he’d left me? Missing him to the point that I’d barely slept after returning home? I sighed and stared out the kitchen window at the fading light, knowing I wouldn’t have the answer until he returned.
Finishing