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He scowls at me before storming my way. I tense, worried I pushed him too far. He tears me away from Zig and moves to hug me, so I yell, “Wait.” He stops immediately, his face falling, until I open the pouch and reveal the eggs I collected. “I didn’t want you to crush these after all the effort I went through to get them.”
“You got them? You climbed a tree?”
“You don’t need to look so surprised. I might not be a ninja, but I do have some skills, you know,” I grumble.
“I know that. I’m just surprised Zig let you.”
“Let me?”
There must be a universal tone women use that all men understand means danger. Oz immediately backs up.
“I just meant that he’s protective of you. We both are.”
“Believe it or not, I’m just as protective. I get it. We are all each other has, but I don’t want to be the weak link here. If something happens—” I swallow hard at the notion. “If something happens, I need to know that I can do these things too.”
I shut up, the air thick with words unspoken. The truth is, the only time I’d need these skills myself is if they were dead and I was left here alone.
He reaches down and slides my hair over my shoulder. “Tomorrow, just like I planned, I’m teaching you how to throw a knife, and we’ll rig something up so you can get in and out of the plane by yourself.”
I open my mouth, but he places his finger over my lips.
“Nothing is going to happen to Zig and me, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
I look up at Zig, feeling his eyes on me.
“He’s right. You need to learn. I’ll teach you how to fight.”
“What the hell am I going to fight? A jaguar?”
The look he gives me makes my blood run cold. There are worse things than wild animals to think about. As far away as we are from the rest of the world, it’s easy to dismiss everything outside our bubble. But the thing about bubbles is that they always burst eventually.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Zig
Ipull off my boots and toss them on the floor near the foot of the mattress before pulling my T-shirt off over my head. What I wouldn’t give for a fucking shower.
Oz is already lying down, his arm behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling. I don’t ask what he’s thinking about because I know. It’s the same thing I am. If we can’t find water…
I shake my head. No, we will find water. Besides, neither he nor I have had any kind of reaction to the fruit. That should keep us going for a little longer.
I look up when Salem places her toothbrush down on the table and steps closer. She fiddles with the hem of the large T-shirt she sleeps in. For the most part, she’s relaxed around us. But there are still moments like these when she is hesitant, when her nerves get the better of her.
“You done?”
She nods as I twist to make space for her to move past me. A bead of sweat runs down my back as I face another night in these pants. But I do it anyway, for her. With a sigh, I crawl onto the mattress behind her, but she turns to look at me with a frown.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just hot, that’s all.” I offer her what I hope looks like a calm smile. When her frown deepens, I guess I failed.
Her eyes move down my body before landing on my pants. She looks back up at my face before biting her lip. “You should take them off.”
“It’s fine, little one. I won’t do anything to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“We’re all uncomfortable, Zig. Now take off your damn pants.”
Oz cracks up, making her turn to face him.
