“We’re sort of a thing.” Mercy bites down on her lip, wondering why she just said that. Staking her claim before this gorgeous creature claps eyes on her man? Maybe.
“I see,” says Alyx, looking almost disappointed, which is just flat out strange. Unless Mercy’s being paranoid which is equally as likely.
“Hawk and Sam are a thing as well,” says Mercy, trying to fill the air with words. “Well not officially, but they will be. It’s inevitable.”
“Sounds very cozy,” says Alyx.
“Do you have someone?” Mercy asks.
Alyx looks stricken and Mercy reaches out to touch her arm. “I’m sorry. That was too personal. We only just met.”
“I used to have someone.” A sadness clouds Alyx’s eyes. “But not anymore.”
“Come on, then,” says Mercy, trying to break the awkwardness that she’s found herself in. “Meet the others. I warn you though that Gust is going to really like you. Especially when he finds out you’re unattached.”
“You know, I might head back and see you at the feast if that’s okay?” Alyx gives Mercy a wide smile. “I just remembered I promised Grace I’d help with the food.”
Mercy frowns, hoping it wasn’t something she’d said. “Okay.”
“It was really lovely to meet you.” Alyx smiles warmly and Mercy decides she must’ve imagined the awkwardness. “And I do love your hair. It’s like a waterfall at midnight.”
“Thanks.” Mercy puts her hand to her half-dry hair, feeling flattered that someone as beautiful as Alyx would pay her such a compliment. “I like your hair, too.”
Alyx gives Mercy a small wave and walks back down the beach.
Mercy watches her, wishing she possessed that same kind of cool sophistication. Who knew the Outlands could produce someone like that! She’d been sure it was full of thugs, the way her mom had described everyone there.
Tearing herself away from the sight of Alyx’s disappearing back, Mercy heads up to camp. The difference with the shelter is obvious immediately. Luca’s done an amazing job. Not even a storm is going to blow that thing down now.
“Did you wash in the ocean?” Nikita is staring at her, looking slightly horrified.
“It’s how they do it here.” Mercy gives her a reassuring smile. “I wouldn’t recommend it, but I do feel better.”
“I’ll wait for the next rain.” Gust lifts an elbow and sniffs at his armpit.
“Hope it’s soon,” says Siena through gritted teeth.
Mercy has to stifle a laugh. She’s given Gust a hard enough time already.
Luca finishes with the shelter and flashes Mercy a grin. “Ready to go?”
“Sure.” She goes to pick up the large jar of pteropods, but Gust beats her to it.
“I’ll carry this,” he says.
They all know he’s going to pass the pods off as his own personal gift, but Mercy couldn’t be bothered arguing. In truth, Gust needs every advantage he can get given he has a personality less appealing than a leatherskin.
“How much do we trust these people?” Nikita asks, as they set off in the direction of the Round House.
“Not at all,” says Luca. “Treat every single one of them as if they’re a threat.”
“They’re not all bad,” says Mercy. “You’re forgetting about Charity and Grace. And I met another one of them down at the beach just now.”
“This is why I told you not to go off on your own.” Luca shakes his head and walks on ahead. “Take Nikita or Siena with you next time if you need a private moment.”
“Private usually means alone, Luca.” She pokes out her tongue at the back of his head.
“I saw that,” he says.
Her jaw drops open. “You could not possibly have seen that.”
“No, but you just confirmed it.” He turns to grin at her and Mercy laughs. Why is it that the more frustrating he gets, the more she wants to tear off his clothes and cover his body with kisses?
“I hope we’re not the feast,” says Siena as they break through to the clearing. “Because I’m not smelling much food.”
A cluster of tables has been set up outside the Round House. They’re actually just tree trunks that have been split in half and set on the ground with large palm leaves laid beside them as seats. Mercy supposes it was too much to expect to be seated at a proper table with real chairs and a plate full of steaming food set down in front of her.
It’s almost dark now, the clearing lit by a small fire at the end of each table. If they weren’t in the middle of such a harsh environment, it would almost look beautiful. Romantic even. Mercy glances at Luca who’s scanning the clearing, no doubt looking for Sam.
Shifting her gaze, Mercy sees if she can spot her.
Hawk’s easy to find. Seated alone, his large frame is hunched over one of the logs, his legs pulled up in an uncomfortable pose. Sam is easy to locate after that. All Mercy has to do is follow Hawk’s line of sight.
Sam is seated between Grace and Raiden right in front of the Round House. Corbin sits on Grace’s other side. Placed behind them is the giant statue of Ronan, watching over them like some kind of evil spirit.
Sam and Raiden are chatting animatedly. Sam is telling some kind of story and Raiden is laughing at her every word.
“She looks like she’s feeling better.” Nikita makes her way over to Hawk.
“She really does,” says Siena.
“She still looks pale,” says Luca. “Don’t be fooled.”
Seeing them approaching, Hawk smiles and extends his hand to the rest of the tree trunk in front of him. “I saved you a seat.”
Mercy positions herself on a palm leaf beside Hawk and Luca takes the leaf next to her. Nikita and Siena sit on his other side while Gust approaches the main table and sets the jar of pods down in front of Corbin, dropping into some kind of weird looking bow.
“A gift for you, Commander,” he says.
Corbin screws up his face. “What the hell is this?”
“It was their idea!” Gust points in their direction and Mercy cringes.
Two of the Commander’s guards leap to attention and rush to stand on either side of Gust. A hush falls over the clearing as everyone stops to see what will become of him.
“Wait!” shouts Sam. “They’re pteropods! The greatest source of nutrition in Askala. Packed with vitamins, they’ve kept us alive for generations.”
Corbin eyes her suspiciously.
“I’ll eat one to prove it,” says Gust, wrapping his greedy fingers around the jar.
But Corbin slams a knife into the table right beside his hand, his reflexes so fast Mercy hadn’t even seen he was holding a weapon.
“Remove your hand,” says Corbin, glaring at Gust. “Or next time you lose it. This is my gift. You said so yourself.”
Gust attempts to take a step back. But Corbin’s men grasp him and hold him in place.
Corbin unscrews the jar and sniffs at the liquid inside. “It stinks!”
“They really are very nutritious,” says Sam. “One of those can keep you going for a week.”
Mercy isn’t so sure about Sam stepping in again, but it seems to be working. She’s sure Gust would be dead by now if Sam hadn’t said anything. Or at the least he’d have no hand.