Page 157 of Beasts of Mine

“Several.” Luca answered, managing to keep his face neutral for almost two seconds.

“And no leaking tarp.” I conceded.

“I was trying not to insult the tarp again.” Luca replied, and the humor in his voice pulled a smile from me. I pictured the distance between the upper stream, the familiar field shelter, and the temple. Luca was right about the morning route. Staying at the temple would cut out a section of backtracking and put me much closer to the area I wanted before the light changed. More importantly, Mara knew my entire working zone. I wasn’t abandoning the field plan or disappearing somewhere unrelated to the assignment. At six, I could simply tell her I was staying closer to the old stonework instead of the shelter.

And Luca had asked for today.

He hadn’t asked for tonight.

That decision was still mine.

“I’ll stay at the temple.” I finally told Luca, watching his face brighten for one unguarded second before he tried to pull it back under control.

“Okay.” Luca answered, and that one word sounded far too happy for someone pretending this was merely the most practical sleeping arrangement.

“Try not to look so pleased with yourself.” I told Luca as I stepped around another muddy patch.

“I’m not pleased with myself.” Luca replied, although his smile betrayed him almost immediately. “I’m pleased with you.”

“That is somehow worse.” I muttered to Luca, shaking my head as we continued.

“I thought it was better.” Luca answered, his quiet laugh following us down the trail. We walked for another few minutes before his gaze drifted toward my equipment again.

“How many batteries did you bring?” Luca asked as the trail narrowed between thick vegetation.

“Camera or everything?” I asked Luca, already suspicious after the extremely thorough argument he had just made for the temple.

“Everything.” Luca answered without hesitation, carefully moving a hanging vine aside so it wouldn’t catch across my camera bag as I passed.

“Six camera batteries. Two for the radio. Power bank for my phone even though it’s mostly useless out here. Laptop is staying at the station because I’m not carrying it through the jungle just to prove I can.” I stepped past Luca and let the vine swing gently back into place behind us.

“How long do the camera batteries usually last?” Luca asked as he moved beside me again.

“Depends on what I’m doing. Heavy burst shooting drains them faster. So does reviewing a lot of images. Humidity and heat don’t help.” I answered Luca as I adjusted the strap pressing into my shoulder, catching him nodding as though he were filing each answer somewhere.

“What?” I asked Luca when the thoughtful silence stretched.

“Nothing.” Luca replied before immediately reconsidering. “Actually, not nothing. We have solar. It isn’t enough for anything huge, but we use it for lights, charging radios, small equipment.” Luca explained as he stepped around a fallen branch and offered me his hand over the slick trunk.

“You’re thinking about my batteries.” I accused Luca as I accepted his hand, his palm warm and callused around mine while I crossed.

“And the laptop you left behind.” Luca kept hold of me until both of my boots were secure on the other side, then released me. “And whatever you use to back up photographs.”

“External solid-state drives.” I answered Luca as I adjusted my camera bag again.

“Those need charging?” Luca asked, genuinely curious rather than pretending he already knew.

“The drives themselves usually don’t, but the laptop does.” I explained to Luca as we continued. “Why?”

“You said you work while you travel.” Luca stepped around a patch of mud and waited until I was beside him. “If you’re spending time at the temple and there’s something you need to edit or back up, I want to know what it takes.”

“You’re planning a workstation.” I accused Luca, already imagining him quietly rearranging part of the temple the second I wasn’t looking.

“I’m thinking about what you need.” Luca corrected me, amusement slipping into his voice.

“That still sounds like planning.” I pointed out to Luca as we crossed a shallow section of trail darkened by runoff.

“Maybe a little.” Luca admitted.