Page 48 of The Bonds of Indigo

The sound of bones snapping back into place and Atlas groaning pulls my attention back to him. I drop my arm, and he rolls his eyes as his body begins putting itself back together. It’s not pleasant, but he’s a tough cookie

“We need to get cleaned up,” Amarah says as she moves back into view, clutching the bag in both arms. The bandage covering her stitched-up arm is drenched in blood, and I’m irritated at myself for worrying it’s not from the Werewolf.

I nod and reach down for my Mundane friend, who is mumbling as he takes my hand. I haul him to his feet. He pops his head from side to side, then fixes his eyes on Amarah.

“I’m not being carried again by this guy.” He thrusts his thumb in my direction. “Which means we are hiking.”

She looks down at her legs. “Yeah, about that…”

As if her legs call to me, my gaze drops to her bare thighs, straight down to her toes. The crimson coating her skin doesn’t hide the goosebumps lining her legs or the hairs standing on end.

She clears her throat. “I don’t mean to be insensitive to your feelings, Atlas… but our comfort outweighs your pride.”

I quite literally snort.

“I’d also rather not bleed out and have to go to another hospital. I need to change the wrap on my arm and get it cleaned.” She takes a step in his direction. “You can sit in my lap this time while he carries us.”

Watching his mouth drop is quite humorous, even if we aren’t really in a position to laugh.

“Listen, if you think I’m going to sit in your lap over his arms, that bump on your head has lapsed your judgment.”

Bump? I tilt my head, looking at the top of hers, but don’t see anything.

“Then let him carry you, and I’ll sit in your lap again. I don’t want to have this argument with you over your feelings.”

“It’s… You know what.”

How’d he know she has a bump? I don’t see anything.

“You’ve known me for a total of maybe an hour, and you’re disrespecting my⁠—”

“I’m not disrespecting you, Atlas. Who is going to tell? I’m not. I’ll be gone after all this and you’ll never see me again. I’ll completely forget you ever existed, so what is a little bit of humiliation for some comfort?”

He groans and slowly looks at me; I catch his irritation in my peripherals. I haven’t taken my eyes off the Witch, who just calmly put him in his place. She tucks her head down but flicks her gaze at me before sighing.

“Please? I just want to⁠—”

“Fine. The closest town is Sylverton. You going to be alright there or must I suffer longer in his arms so we can get to another town?”

It’s honestly adorable how flustered she’s made Atlas, and she isn’t even trying. He’s got OCD and keeps a very clean, precise appearance. He was picked on in the militia for it, but it helped him excel for being a Mundane, and he put every asshole in their place.

“I’ll be fine.”

Amarah steps up in front of him, and when she puts her arm around his neck, that indigo string in my mind goes taut. He places his hands under her knees, and that same thread vibrates. I wonder if she can feel it, because she looks over at me with indignation in her gaze. Then she puts her hand onto his chest—alright, now she’s doing it on purpose.

What the fuck?

Doing… what on purpose?

Atlas moves to me and hisses through his teeth, “I hate this. You owe me big time.”

I scoop them up quickly. While carrying my friend isn’t really a big deal to me, it’s this anger that’s bothering me.

“Don’t overthink your feelings.” The moment I start rushing us through the trees, her voice brushes against my brain. “It’s the bond. You don’t feel anything for me. Once I’m fully connected with Vendra, I’ll ask her to break the connection.”

“Good.”

“…Good.”