“I’m leaving.”
We continued to jab at him as he elbowed his way out of the tent. “I hate you all,” he called out.
“You love us!” Lennox cheered, a smile lighting up her face. “Goddess, I needed that.” She slumped back in her chair. “Anyone got any alcohol? I need a drink after today.”
53
LENNOX
My siblings followed at my side as I led them back to my tent. When I explained to Luka my plan, he gladly found somewhere else to spend the evening so I could spend time with Nol and Kara. I felt like I’d hardly spent time with my siblings since Nol and I had returned—we had a lot to catch up on. In the morning, we started marching—the war began.
So I had decided I wanted to carve out some time for us, just the three of us.
Because who knew when we’d be able to steal a moment like this again?
I dragged the extra chair from Kara’s tent behind me, placing it by the roaring fire where two other chairs already sat.
Once we were settled with blankets across our laps, I pulled out the bottles of wine I had gathered, pulling the cork out with my teeth and spitting it in the hearth. I took a swig before passing the bottle to Nol.
“So I guess we’re finishing the whole bottle,” he said tentatively.
“We are threepeople, it’s not absurd, Nol.”
He brought the bottle to his lips but hesitated. I raised a brow. “Are you going to drink or…”
“The only drink I’ve had since I’ve been out was with Luka while you were still unconscious. It didn’t go well.”
Kara laughed. “What do you mean it didn’t go well?” I grabbed the bottle from his hand and took another swig before handing it to Kara.
“I—” He shook his head, his dark hair falling across his forehead. “I’m not telling you.”
“Oh c’mon, Nol. I won’t make fun of you,” Kara protested.
“Yeah, you won’t make fun of me, but she will.” He elbowed me in the side.
“Hey!”
“Lennox, I might have been in captivity for three years, but I don’t think you’ve changed that much.”
Kara laughed, the sound loud and deep. “You’ve got that right. If anything, she’s gotten worse!”
“You know what I didn’t miss? You two ganging up on me!” I pointed at them with the bottle.
“Ganging up on you? Did I misremember our childhood?” Nol reached for the bottle. “If I remember correctly, it was almost always you two against me. You were thick as thieves. Kara, you followed Lennox everywhere, even if it was into trouble.”
“Only because I always knew you’d bail us out,” she sing-songed.
“Please tell me that’s changed now.”
I hesitated, Kara took the opportunity to speak for me. “Not really, I have more self-preservation skills now. Lennox still runs head-first into danger. But now she does it with Luka at her side. There was a while there when she went out on her own in secret though.”
“I’ve enjoyed seeing the two of you together.” Nol leaned back, bracing his hands behind his head. “You andLuka. You complement one another so well. When you told me about him—I believed what you said, I could hear the emotions behind your words—the way you talked about him. But I don’t think I understood how much you loved him until I saw the two of you together. Honestly, I think it’s because I never saw you getting married. I never thought you’d find someone that would fit with you. That you’d be willing to settle down with.”
“Well, isn’t that nice?” I reached for the bottle and took another long swig. Just because I never had any serious relationships didn’t mean I didn’t want one. None of them fit me, not until Luka.
“No wait, let me finish. I mean—you’re unique Lennox, you’re independent. You don’t need anyone, but you want Luka, I see that. And parts of you need him. He brings out the best in you and helps calm your flames, but he doesn’t dull them. Just helps you keep them under control when you need to. But he lets you flourish.”
“It’s been like that since the day they met,” Kara interrupted. “He pushed her and brought life back into her. I tried for two years to rekindle those flames, but I was never able to.”
