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Certainly not emotionally capable. Spiritually, she was no better. Despite her curiosity, her connection with the Wraith was pitiful. Maybe physically?

The image of her in the woods the other night came to his mind. Typically, he avoided looking at her longer than necessary, but he couldn’t stop his gaze from lingering after she ran off wearing next to nothing to combat the cold.

She kept up with travelling well enough that Jarek knew she had some physical strength despite being a thinner woman. Wearing only a man’s shirt and illuminated by the torches from the camp, he was able to see the subtle muscles along her arms, legs…

Jarek’s jaw ticked. Her face.

Lilith didn’t smile often. When she did, it was for show. The real ones she saved for Luka. He wasn’t sure she knew it had happened, but he definitely noticed the small, appreciative curl of her lips when they were parting ways. That was all it took to lighten her up? A little vulnerability?

Wait… why was he stuck on this? Her physique, that’s right. But Jarek latched a little too hard on the idea, fixating on the way the torches glinted off of her taut lips and ivory skin—like she was a statue carved from moonlit marble.

A wave of heat clawed through his body.

He didn’t know which was worse. Focusing on her mouth, or her skin.

Why am I thinking about her? She’s not even here!

The warmth changed directions. Oh, fuck.

Jarek manifested in front of the lodge, producing a tone that was more urgent than he liked. “Where is the Evelian and the incarnation?”

The conversation between Maude, Kyer, and Sterling came to an abrupt halt with less grace than a scratching phonograph. Maude and Sterling frowned in his direction, then Kyer gave Jarek an equally perplexed look.

“What do you mean?” the major asked.

Bloody gods, this man… At least when he was Draven, the only one he answered to was Valen while everyone else answered to him. “I didn’t sense them when we returned. Are you aware they’re not here?”

“Ah. Yes. I know.”

Maude jumped on Jarek’s interest. “When were you planning on telling us?”

“I was getting to it,” Kyer reassured in a way that wasn’t at all. “I worry Reatian Stalkers might be sticking their noses in Markoth. If there are any thrice-blessed in the group, I fear they’ll be able to find the camp, considering we have so much Flare energy surrounding it. So I sent Luka and Silas with a hunting party south of here, and Lilith is out pulling her weight.”

She agreed to this? Lilith must not have known Luka would be leaving; otherwise, Jarek couldn’t picture her parting from his side. How long had she been gone? He hadn’t seen her since finding her in the woods four days ago, just before he left to help stock the tunnels.

In the middle of the silent confusion, Sterling burst into laughter. Kyer’s emotions turned a bitter green as Sterling strolled toward the door of the lodge. “Lils took over his plan for weapon retrieval,” he said.

Maude and Jarek shared their exasperation. “What?”

Sterling’s laughter carried on inside, and Kyer feigned his surprise. “You can do me the courtesy of acting like I know what I’m doing.”

“You sent her to Gridian?” Maude asked.

“Alone?” Jarek added.

“No! Of course not!”

Jarek’s blood was hot, but it wasn’t as visible as Maude’s.

“I can’t believe this. I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone with her!”

“It was a decision I made myself.” Kyer kept his tone strict. “Lilith can handle it.”

“If she comes back.” Maude’s colors grayed like a rain-soaked cloud. “If you didn’t want to send a soldier, why not me? I could do it.”

“Lilith understands the ghostsoil trade. She knows the weapons and how to store them.”

“And I don’t? Has she been to Gridian? I’m already familiar with the area.”