Sky Breaker by Addie Thorley

Author:Addie Thorley [Thorley, Addie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781645671305
Google: eV72DwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1645671305
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Published: 2021-05-03T16:00:00+00:00

We leave at once, traipsing northward through the flooded marshlands with a surge of newfound energy. The shepherds pass out food and dry clothes with minimal bickering, and more than enough people volunteer to pull the heavy wagons. It’s amazing, what a little bit of hope can do.

“Can you believe this?” I ask Serik, who walks beside me. “I thought we were finished.”

I expect a proud, moon-eyed grin, but he shrugs and drags the toes of his boots through the mud.

I reach for his arm. “What’s wrong? Everything’s coming together. It’s nothing short of miraculous.”

He looks at my hand instead of my face. “Chotgor is so far north, and so cold. Even colder than Ashkar. And I’m already exhausted. It will be miraculous if we don’t freeze to death.”

The strain in his voice makes my heart squeeze. Our new plan may have lifted the weight from the rest of our shoulders, but it’s settled squarely on Serik’s. He’s been so strong and unflappable since we left Sagaan—the steady hands reaching down to lift me and the shepherds out of every pothole.

It’s about time someone eased his burden.

“Keep going. We’ll catch up in a minute,” I tell Ziva. Then I lace my fingers through Serik’s and guide him into the forest. Out of sight of Ziva and the shepherds, where the air is thicker and bullfrogs welcome us with throaty croaks.

“Where are we going? We should stay with the group.” He tries to turn back, but I tighten my fingers on his sunburst cloak, drag him around an enormous tree, and tug him closer. So the entire length of our bodies touch—arms, legs, and chests fitted together as if chiseled from the same mold. “What are you doing?” he whispers, hazel eyes wide.

“Thanking you. For refusing to back down and never giving up on me. For standing beside me when no one else would. For believing me, even though I gave you every reason not to. You’re the strongest, bravest, most loyal person I know, and I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I thank the Lady and Father every day for their kindness. I figured it was about time I thanked you, too.” I lean up on my toes, eyes locked with his, and gently tilt forward until our lips touch.

His mouth is warm and soft, and tingles explode in my stomach. It shouldn’t be possible for such a small touch to make my body flare with heat, but I am burning, blazing, bubbling with need … until I realize Serik isn’t kissing me back.

I pull away, cheeks flaming. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have—”

He reaches out and takes my face in his hands, his thumb trailing over my scars. “Yes, you most definitely should have. I should have been ready, considering I’ve spent half my life imagining this moment.”

“Only half?” I say with a breathy laugh.

Then his lips are on mine and his hands are in my hair, and even though our clothes are muddy and dripping, I feel like I’m sprawled across the sand, baking beneath the desert heat.

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