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"Where's Ark?" Kheir asked, urgently scanning the street. It looked pleasant enough, a little row of houses and shops with the blocky pub behind them, but pretty appearances could hide something nefarious as well as ugliness could.
"He went ahead to scout the building," Azrail replied, turning as they set off down the street. He smiled at the sight of Kheir's panic and added, "He'll be back soon."
"I should have gone with him," Maia muttered, kicking a stone out of their path.
"Ark's fine; he can handle himself."
Maia muttered something Kheir didn't hear. He knew her irritability was just a mask for her hurt—he could still feel it, like a corkscrew winding deeper into his chest. The pain didn't lessen even as they found a little café and ate a simple breakfast, grabbing a sliced meat roll for Ark before they left.
Maia had mellowed slightly, but there was no missing how badly she hurt. Kheir kept his eyes on her, ignoring the quick scowls she shot his way.
"I'm fine," she huffed, catching him for the third time as they pushed in their chairs and aimed for the exit. "Stop looking at me like I'm going to break."
Kheir settled his arm across her shoulders and guided her closer as they veered onto the street. "It's okay if you do break," he said quietly. "And it's okay if you don't. But you can't begrudge me being worried about you. You didn't sleep at all last night, and you won't look at Jaro."
At his name, she flinched, and Kheir's stomach dropped.
"Talk to him, my star. He didn't have a choice, you know that."
"He had a choice," Maia disagreed, bitterness souring her voice, "and he chose to lie to me. All those times he went to work while I stayed at the River House, and he—"
Kheir stroked down her hair, cursing himself for bringing it up. He should have left her well enough alone.
"Even after we—did he go right to him? To my fuckingcousin?"
"Ask him," Kheir said gently, smoothing strands into her braid as they crossed a narrow road. "Only one person can tell you that, dearest."
"I don't want it," she breathed, nausea rushing through Kheir's stomach—hers. "The truth. I don't want it."
"Your version could be worse—" Kheir's words stuttered off at a ripple of magic that moved through his stomach and across his skin, raising hairs and goosebumps. "What in the chasm?"
Kheir watched Azrail, Jaro, and Bryon react to the power too, and knew they'd all felt it.
"Ark," Maia breathed, her hurt replaced by a sharp urgency. "He's hurt."
She set off running without another word, her feet thundering down the path, and Kheir didn't hesitate to sprint after her.
