POV: Jax đ„đđ
Jax never liked silence.
It made people think too hard.
And when people thought too hard, they started saying things they couldn't take back.
The fire crackled in the middle of the camp, but it did nothing to warm the chill that had fallen over the group since the shapeshifter incident. No one had spoken in over an hour. Kael was sharpening his sword for the fifth time. Ariya sat with her back to the fire, her gaze fixed on the stars. Lyra had disappeared to "scout," which probably meant she was avoiding the tension, too.
"Soooo," Jax finally said, tossing a twig into the flames, "anyone else feel like we've entered the stage of this journey called 'total breakdown of morale'?"
No answer.
"No? Just me? Cool."
Kael's sharpening slowed, his expression unreadable. "You think this is a joke?"
"Yes, actually. That's kind of my whole thing."
"We were nearly killed today. Again. That wasn't funny."
Jax sat up straighter. "You think I don't know that?"
"I think you make light of everything so you don't have to care."
Jax's smirk faded.
"Say that again."
Kael stood. "You heard me."
"Oh, I heard you, Captain Brood. What I didn't hear was why you've been acting like you're the only one who gets to be worried about her."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Don't."
"Don't what? Don't call out the fact that you glare at me every time I make her laugh? Don't pretend like you're the only one who gives a damn about Ariya?"
Across the fire, Ariya turned â slowly.
"Jax, stop," she said quietly.
"No," Jax snapped, rising to his feet. "He thinks I'm some careless clown playing games. He doesn't get that I've bled for this team too."
Kael didn't move. But his voice was low and lethal.
"Then act like it."
"I act like the only person willing to say it â that we're being hunted, and none of us are okay, and maybe pretending everything's fine is going to get someone killed."
Lyra returned just in time to hear the end of it.
"Did I miss the part where the testosterone exploded?" she asked, raising a brow.
Ariya stood, her eyes shadowed. "Both of you â enough."
Jax froze. Kael looked away.
"We are tired. We are hunted. We are not breaking apart because of one enemy's trick," she said. "That thing whispered to all of us. You think it didn't say something to me, too?"
Her hands curled into fists.
"It showed me visions of fire swallowing the world. Of Kael's corpse at my feet. Of Jax laughing as the world burned. Of Lyra walking away from me."
Everyone went silent.
"And still," Ariya whispered, "I'm here. You're here. That's what matters."
Jax swallowed hard.
Kael finally looked at her â and his face softened.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
Jax rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah⊠me too. Mostly."
"Progress," Lyra muttered.
Later that night, as the fire dimmed and stars returned to the sky, Jax sat beside Ariya while Kael kept watch.
"He really likes you, you know," Jax said, not teasing.
"I know," Ariya replied. "But it's not about liking right now."
"Then what is it about?"
She glanced at her marked arm, still glowing faintly under the bandage.
"It's about surviving long enough to deserve the ending."