The Bright Escape by Alex Knowles

Author:Alex Knowles [Knowles, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-15T22:00:00+00:00

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10

Vinx, Larc, Juteng, and I weren’t disturbed at all where we settled. We spent the rest of the day going over our expectations, plans. I brought Vinx up to speed.

I woke the next morning in a different bed with Juteng sleeping on the pillow. I watched her for a while, her chest rising and falling. Her feet twitched, dreaming.

I tucked back in and put my nose to hers, then blew.

Juteng’s eyes popped open, and she pulled back. “Did you have to? I was having a wonderful dream.”

“Sorry,” I said. “I’ve had word from Atalie. She and the warriors are in the field—she said they have something to show us.”

Juteng stretched and turned upside down, exposing her belly. This was the first time I’d seen her do this. There were a couple of bald spots.

“Still molting?” I asked.

She huffed. “Doesn’t seem to want to end.”

I noted the tiny pin feathers and deftly moved to help her. She stayed like that, and relaxed.

“Thank you,” she said. “For caring for me.”

“You make sure I’m looked after,” I replied. “It’s only fair I do the same. I’m not sure I’d like to try and do this at full size though.”

She laughed and squirmed when I tickled her. “Easy,” she said. “They’re a little tender.”

When she finally moved a while later, she stretched once more, and I threw the covers back. “Let’s see if Larc’s awake.”

We moved into the kitchen, where breakfast had been delivered—nothing fancy, what looked like bread, meat, and juice. I was pouring more juice and finishing eating when Vinx and Larc walked in. Vinx yawned. “Sorry, I think we stayed up way too late talking.”

“We’re heading to the warrior training fields, eat up.”

Vinx sat down and started to eat. “I don’t think I’ve ever talked as much as I have these last couple of days.”

“The more you get to know and anticipate each other the easier it will be.”

“I don’t want to slow you down,” he said, packing a ton of meat onto some slices of bread. “I’ll eat and walk.”

“You sure?” I said.

He glugged his drink back, then moved to the door. “I want to see what Atalie’s been up too.”

“You missed her?”

“She agreed to be by my side, yet I stayed the night away from her. I want to be sure we are okay as a couple.”

“I understand. It’s a good thing to miss the one you love.”

“Is being in love—” His face reddened. “Does it hurt?”

“Just as much as being away from Larc will now too,” I replied.

Vinx put his breakfast to his lips. Larc took a bite, too.

“Hungry?” He offered the Ticaran the rest of the sandwich. “I can grab another.”

Larc laughed. “Just wanted to see what you did. I will ask for our food to be delivered to the field.”

“Oh, okay.” Vinx walked out of the quarter, past the food bank cafe, which already had several sitting eating and out through several corridors to the back side of the mountain.

The ground rumbled beneath us. “What are they doing?” I asked.

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