Page 39 of Wrong Squad, Right Mess

I kept them alive, sure, but that didn’t mean that I accepted my own helplessness when it came to fighting. It always chafed at me, always felt unfair, even if I tried not to show it.

“Ah, the lovebirds.”

I frowned at Carter’s statement, wondering who the hell he was talking about before Ingram and Shear walked in.

Shear didn’t react, but Ingram smirked and asked, “Jealous?”

My gaze bounced between each of them, wondering exactly what I’d missed.

It took a moment for it to become clear, and it made me question if I really was as dumb as they liked to say. Did that mean Ingram and Shear…?

But what did that mean about Yun? My brain tried to do the gymnastics required to work out this love triangle? Dodecahedron? It was for sure a shape they’d tried to teach me in a geometry lesson that I’d slept through.

“I’m not jealous,” Carter said as he stirred the pot of soup on the stove. “I’m just sad that my favorite reality show of ‘when will the idiots work this out’ is over. It’s been going on for years, you know?”

Ingram lifted his hand, flipping Carter off even if he didn’t seem that annoyed. Shear ignored us all, which at least made things feel normal, as he headed to the table to take a seat.

Yun walked in, and Ingram moved his hand back, running his fingers through his hair as though to hide his little gesture toward Carter. “Hey there, Spark. Feeling better after a shower?”

She nodded, but I had to admit, something about her expression tipped me off, as it had Carter. I understood what he’d meant by her being off, like something weighed on her that she tried desperately to hide.

I glanced toward Shear, who only shrugged. It seemed he was less willing to just go traipsing around in her head than he had been before. I got it, but that didn’t mean I liked it.

I waved Carter off. “I’ll serve the bowls since you cooked. Go sit.”

“Yes, Mother.” He took a seat, then caught Yun’s waist and pulled her into his lap.

She only struggled for a moment before giving in. “Really?”

“There aren’t enough seats.”

“So let Kenyon sit in your lap.”

“He’s too heavy.” Carter set his chin on her shoulder, appearing content, as though even that much contact helped ease his mind.

“I’m not heavy,” I complained as I filled each bowl with the food. Civilians would need to worry about corruption in here, about the risk of eating, but not us. The entire meal hadn’t taken long, as we’d only budgeted around an hour to stop and rest.

Ingram helped bring the bowls over, then we crowded around the small, round table, all bumping elbows if we stretched out too much.

It struck me as strange, how relaxing it could be with them around me. Even here, even with the danger that surrounded us, we were comfortable. It was as though we brought what really mattered with us.

The noise of eating filled the space, with Carter and Yun managing to get the food to their mouths despite sitting together.

“Wish we could let you sleep,” Carter said, voice soft. He probably didn’t want to be yelling right next to Yun’s ear. “But we should get a move on before too long. We’ve got time, but you never know what might happen. Better to get there with extra time than risk cutting it close.”

Yun nodded, but didn’t make eye contact with any of us.

It made my stomach hurt, this feeling that there was something more going on than I couldn’t understand. It was a tension she held herself with, the way she didn’t quite meet our gazes. It all said something was going on that I didn’t know about.

Shear didn’t want to dig around in her head, but maybe we wouldn’t have a choice…

“You should get some guiding first,” she said.

“We’re fine,” Carter assured her, wrapping one arm around her waist as though to anchor her to him. It felt like an attempt to keep this distance from growing. “You don’t need to exert yourself.”

She shook her head. “You’re all here because of me. The least I can do it make sure to give you regular guiding. Besides, you said it yourself—you have no idea what’s going to happen, what we’re going to run into. There’s no reason to risk you using too much power later and needing it when there isn’t time. Emergency guiding is never the best option.”

Carter pressed his lips together, the unhappiness clear on his face.