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“Read,” he tells me. “Paint. Draw.”
“You can paint and draw?”
“I’m not very good, but it’s interesting to me, and it relaxes me.”
“Do you have brothers and sisters?”
“One of each, plus a sister-in-law. She’s human. You’d like her.”
“Is she a spunky little spitfire?” I laugh.
Ezra smiles. “I’m not sure what that is, but if it means sarcastic, yet lovable, then yes. That’s Fiona.”
“What about your parents?”
“They’re not around anymore.”
“I’m sorry,” I slip my hand in his. “Mine aren’t, either. It’s a hard thing,” I say, thinking about how much I miss them. “Growing up on your own. It’s hard having to find your own way, especially when the people you know and love and trust all have parents, all have these security blankets they can turn to when they need to.”
“I miss them very much,” he says. “But I’m lucky to still have a wonderful family who loves me.”
“You’re very lucky,” I agree. “Very lucky indeed.”
We walk in silence for a long time and I wonder if I’m ever going to find what Ezra has with his siblings. Am I ever going to have a place where I feel secure? Where I’m safe? Am I ever going to have a place where I can let my guard down?
Will Ezra be in that place?
Or will I be running for the rest of my life?
Chapter 11
Ezra
We stop for a brief lunch before continuing our journey. I don’t often hunt with other people and I never hunt with women, but Dagger is proving to be an enjoyable companion. She’s funny and interesting and she doesn’t seem to mind the fact that our journey is a dirty, sweaty one.
We find a lake in the afternoon and stop for a brief swim in the water. It’s small enough that I know the center is shallow: there’s no room for any large sea creatures. We don’t need to worry about being bitten or attacked. We can just relax and enjoy the water.
Dagger strips down, ditching her clothes on the small beach. Then she dips her toes in the water carefully.
“Haven’t you ever been swimming before?” I ask, surprised at how timid she’s suddenly being.
“No,” she shakes her head. “I’m not Mirroean,” she explains. “And I’ve never been there. My colony on Mars didn’t have any lakes or pools.”
“The water won’t hurt you,” I explain. “You can go all the way in.” I strip down, too, so I can join her. Maybe I won’t teach her to swim today, but I’ll be damned if she doesn’t get all the way wet. There’s something spectacular about playing in the water and I want her to experience everything she can while she’s here.
I’m not sure what Dagger’s plans for the future are.
Is she going to try to go back to Mars?
Is she going to move on to another planet and try to start a new life?
Is she going to stay on Sapphira?
Is she going to stay with me?
I don’t know and it’s not really fair to ask. She’s been through something traumatizing, something terrifying. She’s been through something nobody should ever have to go through. She’s been to hell and back and right now, I think Dagger deserves a little rest.
I think she deserves a little fun.
