Resistance

  Shouts of assent burst forth from all around Kaden. He tried to swallow, but his throat locked up. His hands trembled with the desire to grab the nearest person and shake some sense into them.

  Sir Richard stepped back, and one of the guards reached for the woman. Tears streamed down her face, and she wilted in his grasp. Kaden choked down a cry for the madness to stop. Before the guard led her forward, one of the captive men stepped up and said something Kaden could not hear. The guard led him forward instead, toward the execution block.

  Kaden dropped his eyes to the ground. Required or not, he couldn’t bear to watch.

  Not a single one of the prisoners begged for mercy. They met their deaths bravely and faithfully despite the hostile uproar of the crowd. By the end, tears tore viciously at Kaden’s eyes. He stood frozen, his thoughts a hazy, roaring chaos. What little he had for breakfast threatened to come up. But if he reacted, he would soon be on that platform himself.

  The crowd broke up, his classmates turning to return to Tarvin Hall, but Kaden couldn’t move until someone took his arm. He looked up into Sam’s watery gold eyes. He guided him around, and Kaden followed, a blank mask falling into place. But inside, he cried out to Elôm for intervention and justice for the murder of innocent lives.

  Evening approached. They surely hadn’t covered as much ground as they had on their first hunting trip due to how slowly Kyrin moved, but at least she was quieter. Hopefully that counted for something. She placed her foot down carefully alongside a dead branch and glanced up right as Jace halted and held up his hand. She froze. Just ahead, Tyra stood stone-still and stared intently into the trees. Very slowly, Jace reached back for an arrow from his quiver and nocked it to his bowstring. With stealthy steps, he moved a little farther ahead and to the right.

  Kyrin scanned the forest. Nothing moved in the shadows, but then a flicker drew her attention to a deer twenty yards ahead. Her eyes darted between the animal and Jace and her pulse quickened. Jace drew back his bowstring. She held her breath.

  At the deep twang of Jace’s bow, the deer jumped and bolted. Tyra ran after it, but it fell before she reached it. Kyrin blew out a breath and looked at Jace. It hadn’t even been her shot, but her blood surged with the exhilaration of the hunt.

  “Good shot.”

  Jace glanced at her quizzically. “Thanks.”

  She followed him to the downed deer, where Tyra waited. Jace patted the wolf on the head and pulled out his hunting knife. He knelt near the deer, but paused and looked up at Kyrin.

  “Will you be all right with this?”

  She smiled at his concern and the fact that he would even think to ask. And people thought he was some sort of monster. “Don’t worry. My family had a few farm animals when I was young, and my brothers cured me of squeamishness a long time ago.”

  Satisfied, Jace went to work gutting the deer. Kyrin stayed close and watched with interest. It probably would never be necessary to do it herself, but she could still learn.

  “So, did Tyra see it first or did you?” she asked.

  Jace shrugged. “About the same time.”

  Kyrin thought on this and glanced at Tyra, who waited patiently for Jace to toss her bits of scraps. It was fascinating to consider what type of abilities Jace might have that she did not. She wanted to know more, but how far could she question him without making him uncomfortable? With great care, she spoke. “I hope this question doesn’t offend you, but are you able to sense things faster than, say, Rayad or I would?”

  She watched his face and bit the inside of her lip.

  He paused, but didn’t appear upset. “It seems so.”

  What would it be like to have a heightened sense of awareness? But she didn’t question him any further. They’d had a good day, and she wouldn’t risk ending it on a bad note.

  Once Jace finished, he lifted the deer up over his shoulders and led the way toward camp. It turned out they didn’t have far to go. Again, Kyrin hadn’t even been aware they’d headed back. Coming alongside Jace as they entered camp, she looked up at him.

  “Perhaps you could teach me how to find my way in the forest. I had no idea where we were all day.”

  He glanced at her. “Maybe tomorrow I can show you.”

  A deep sense of pleasure welled inside Kyrin. She’d come so close to giving up, but today was even more than she could have hoped for. By all appearances, she’d made a breakthrough with Jace.

  Near the fire, they parted, and Kyrin approached Lenae.

  “That smile says a lot.”

  Kyrin didn’t realize she had been smiling, but it grew into a wide grin. “It was a very good day.”

  “I’m happy to hear it. I could tell it in Jace’s face.”

  “Really?” Kyrin glanced back at him. She was getting better at reading him, but it was good to hear that Lenae shared her observations.

  In less than an hour, the men gathered for supper. Kyrin filled her plate, but didn’t move to her usual spot next to Lenae or Rayad. On the other side of the cooking pot, Jace dished up and headed for his tree as always. Kyrin’s gaze shifted back to the fire. If Holden knew of her hunting trip with Jace, no doubt the rest of camp did. It would explain the questioning looks she received.

  She drew her shoulders back. She had come this far. Now it had to be all or nothing. Setting her eyes on Jace, she strode away from the fire and joined him at the edge of camp. His eyes, shining bright even in the twilight shadows, widened in open astonishment. She nestled down in the grass across from him and met his penetrating stare.

  “You don’t have to talk. I don’t want you to feel pressure to do that. I know what it’s like, and I’m not good at it myself. But I just wanted you to know that no matter what kind of blood you have, it makes no difference to me, and I don’t care what any of those men down by the fire might say or think.”

  Sunshine filtered through the canopy, falling warm on Jace’s face, and birdsong filled his ears. His eyes flashed open, and he bolted upright. Tyra lay stretched out beside him as she basked in the sun at their campsite by the stream. He rubbed his hands over his eyes, and it hit him. He’d slept through the night. For the first time in weeks, the nightmares had not tormented him. He breathed out a deep breath, refreshed by the rest. When was the last time he had slept so late?

  Kyrin. She would think he left her behind. Strange how much that bothered him. They’d gone hunting every day for almost a week. At first, he did it only to ease the guilt that wouldn’t let him rest, but, if he was truly honest, he now rather liked her company. Somehow, she understood him. Maybe even more than Rayad—a startling surprise. But she knew what it was like to be different.

  Jace threw aside his blanket and pushed to his feet. Tyra jumped up to follow him, and he strapped on his sword. He wouldn’t be unprepared if he and Kyrin ever came upon trouble. Her safety was far more important than his fear of hurting someone. Bow and quiver in hand, he strode toward camp.

  He slowed at the edge and looked around. A long time had passed since he’d seen camp during the day. He wasn’t used to so much activity, and his instincts shied away from it, but he pressed on with a purpose.

  At Lenae’s cabin, the door stood open to let in the warm fresh air. Jace stepped up to the doorway. Lenae and Kyrin stood at the table with their hands covered in flour. The older woman instructed Kyrin on something to do with baking. Jace knocked lightly on the doorframe, and they looked up.

  “Jace.” Kyrin’s tone held a little surprise, but if she was upset, he couldn’t tell.

  “I overslept.” He shrugged sheepishly. “I didn’t want you to think I left you behind.”

  A bright smile bloomed on Kyrin’s face, and she shook her head. “That’s all right. And anyway, you don’t have to take me every day…not if you don’t want to.”

  But he did, even though he didn’t say so. “I thought we could go now.” He hesitated. “But I don’t want to take you away from what you’re doing.”

  Kyrin glanced at the d
ough she worked with. “It won’t be much longer; otherwise, you can go. I don’t want to keep you either.”

  “You go on, Kyrin,” Lenae told her. “I’ll finish.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Lenae nodded, and Kyrin wiped her floury hands on her apron before setting it aside and giving Jace a quick smile. “I just need to get my bow.”

  She climbed the ladder to the loft, and Lenae turned to smile at him. It was kind of the woman to finish for Kyrin. Most people would have discouraged her from going.

  “Have you had any breakfast?”

  “No,” he admitted. In his haste, eating hadn’t even occurred to him.

  “Well, take this at least.” Lenae brought him a large sweet roll and a cup of coffee.

  He accepted gladly, appetite fully returned. Taking his first bite of the roll, the sugary softness nearly melted in his mouth and reminded him of Kalli’s delicious baked goods. Before he could voice a compliment, Lenae said, “Kyrin made them this morning.”

  Jace’s eyes shifted to her as she came down from the loft. “They’re very good.”

  A little pink dusted her cheeks, and she gave a modest shrug. “It’s one of my first attempts. I knew nothing about baking and cooking when I arrived here, but Lenae is fixing that.”

  Jace took another bite, but this one went down hard. Kalli would have loved Kyrin. He could almost imagine her in Lenae’s place, and how the two of them would have talked and laughed. A hot knife pierced his heart. He cleared his throat and pushed away the pain just before Kyrin looked back at him from over near the shelf.

  “Do you have anything for lunch?”

  He shook his head to give himself a second to moderate his voice, though it lacked the steadiness he intended. “No, I forgot it by the stream.”

  She stared at him for a moment with those perceptive, but kind, eyes. He glanced away, and she turned back to the shelf, tucking extra food into her pouch, including two more sweet rolls.

  “I’ll see you at supper,” she told Lenae as she joined Jace.

  “Have fun,” she replied with a smile.

  Jace let Kyrin precede him through the door and came alongside her as they walked through camp. The ache in his chest still throbbed faintly, but everything felt right until he caught Holden’s watchful eyes. The intensity and mistrust in his expression turned Jace’s stomach. He looked away, but the other man’s accusation followed him. It was just like Rebekah and Laytan all over again, and it hurt Jace more than he wanted to admit. The last thing he would ever do was harm Kyrin, but Holden would never believe that.

  “Don’t worry about him.” Kyrin’s comforting words pulled his attention back to her. “His concern comes from what he experienced, not from you personally.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “He doesn’t know you.”

  Simple words didn’t often encourage Jace, but something about hers had the power to lift his spirits, and he was able to leave all thought of Holden behind when they entered the forest.

  Even with a late start, they covered a lot of ground. Kyrin’s skill improved with every trip, and she learned much from Jace—how to find her way, how to spot and track animal signs, and which plants were edible. She’d questioned him one day as to how he’d acquired the knowledge. Most information had come from Rayad, but the rest he’d learned through experience, practice, and instinct. During this time together, Jace opened up a little more every day. Although they still avoided any serious topics, she sensed he was closer to sharing his deeper thoughts and feelings with her. After all, even someone as strong as Jace surely needed someone to lean on once in a while. He’d looked so sad for that moment in the cabin.

  But such thoughts couldn’t be dwelt on as she scanned the forest for any sign of game. It was one of the biggest things she learned from Jace—to always be aware of her senses and tune them in to her surroundings. She stepped along with care, deep in concentration.

  When she reached to push aside the dense underbrush, an ear-piercing shriek rang out to her right as something exploded from the leaves. She jumped back, her foot snagging, and let out a little scream as she landed in a bed of ferns. Her rounded eyes followed a plump, chicken-sized bird that fluttered off deeper into the forest. Heart rattling against her ribs, she looked up at Jace. He gripped his sword, but he let his hand fall back to his side as he too watched the bird disappear from sight.

  “What was that?” Kyrin gasped.

  “Rock pheasant.” He turned to her. “Are you all right?”

  Kyrin nodded and took in long, deep breaths. “I’ve never seen or heard one of those in my life.” She let her head hang back and willed her pulse to return to normal. Then, a nervous giggle bubbled out. She hadn’t screamed like that since she was little and her brothers played pranks on her.

  “Just about scared the life out of me,” she laughed.

  She raised her head to look at Jace again, and her heart skipped in surprise. A smile had broken out on his face—a comfortable, genuine smile that brought a sparkle to his eyes and transformed his expression from one that often made her ache with compassion to one that filled her with joy. Caught in the wonder of it, she could only stare. Slowly, his smile faded, replaced by self-consciousness.

  “What?”

  Kyrin shook her head and snapped to her senses. “Nothing, it’s just…this is the first time I’ve seen you smile.”

  Jace’s eyes dropped to the ground, and he shrugged. “I guess I haven’t had much to smile about these days.”

  “Well,” she said gently, “I hope that changes.” That smile had been one of the most wonderful things she’d witnessed since arriving here. It thrilled her inside.

  Jace said nothing, but reached down to offer her a hand. She gripped it, and he pulled her up out of the ferns. As she brushed herself off, he scanned the area. “I suppose we’ll have lunch here.”

  “Since I scared all the game away?” She gave him a wry grin.

  “The pheasant took care of that. It’s too bad we didn’t realize he was there sooner. They’re good eating.”

  He led her to a fallen log nearby. They sat down, and Kyrin pulled food from her pouch.

  “I take it you’ve encountered quite a few of these rock pheasants,” she said as she split the lunch between them. “I didn’t notice you react.”

  Now that he’d done it once, a smile came more easily to Jace as if the cage of despair trapping his joy finally unlocked. “Yes, they’re pretty common, but they only shriek like that when they’re startled.”

  Kyrin let out another amused laugh. “I think I was the one who was startled. I can’t believe I didn’t see him.”

  “They’re well-camouflaged. I didn’t see him either, or I would’ve warned you.”

  Kyrin just smiled with delight that he so easily talked with her now—not at all like their first hunting trip. His friendship meant so much to her after these few short days. She’d set out hoping to help yet another victim of cruelty and bullying, but he was so much more than that, filling a little of the hole left in the separation from Kaden. Through Jace, Elôm taught her how to let go of the familiar security of her brother and open up to others.

  She chuckled quietly to herself. Jace would be astounded by such thoughts.

  He gave her a questioning look, and she shook her head. “I was just thinking about my brother and how strange life is.” She gazed around at the summer beauty surrounding them. Longing squeezed her chest. As much as Jace had enriched her days, she still ached for Kaden to be a part of it too. “I can’t wait until Kaden can see all this. I’m not sure where he got the idea, but he’s always talked about living off in the forest.” She returned her attention to Jace. “I look forward to you meeting him.”

  A shadow crossed his face, flight instincts glinting in his eyes, but Kyrin was quick to reassure him. “He won’t be like the others. He might be a little wary at first, but that’s just because he’s very protective of me. He’d be that way with anyone.”

  She offer
ed a comforting smile. Once Kaden did arrive, and she held strongly to the belief he would, she was certain he would treat Jace as he deserved.

  The hesitation slowly drained from Jace’s expression. “He sounds like a good brother.”

  Kyrin gave a hearty nod, but her smile faded, and she dropped her voice to a more serious tone. “Do you know if you have any siblings?”

  Jace met her eyes for only a brief moment, but it was long enough to reveal the empty hole in his heart. He gave a tiny shake of his head. “No.”

  He bit off a piece of his roll, and Kyrin read it as the end of their conversation. She focused on her own lunch, and for a long time they didn’t say anything, but then Jace spoke again.

  “My earliest memories are of working as a slave. I worked and slept with the other slave children until I was strong enough for harder labor. I don’t even know who cared for me as a baby. No one told me where I came from, just that I was half ryrik…an animal.”

  Kyrin drew a quick breath, her eyes stinging because it was clear he still believed it. People were so horribly cruel. How could anyone look at Jace and see an animal? She couldn’t help but hate the people who had done this to him, warping his perception of himself for all this time, and she prayed for calm and the ability to help him. The anger dissipated into more encouraging thoughts. “But then Elôm brought Rayad along to rescue you.”

  Jace hung his head.

  “You don’t believe that?”

  He stared at his hands and murmured, “I don’t know if it was for me.”

  “Oh, Jace, of course it was.” She almost reached out to touch his arm, but held back.

  He shook his head and fell silent again. She studied him and the doubt etched in every curve of his face. Elôm, I want to help him so much, but how? Please show me.

  “I’m praying.” He glanced at her, and she went on, her voice low with conviction. “I’m praying He will show you beyond any doubt that no matter what you believe right now, He loves you. I know He does.”