Page 21 of Aryn

Eventually Cato stands, stretching his arms overhead with a low groan. “Same time tomorrow?”

I look up at him, the moonlight catching the faint sheen of sweat clinging to his skin. “I’ll be here.”

He gives a short nod, then turns and walks off into the darkness without another word. I stay on the bench a little longer, listening to his footsteps fade. My pulse still hasn’t quite settled.

This is training, I remind myself again as I push to my feet and head back toward home. Nothing more.

Cato

The crunch of tires in the distance puts everyone on edge. Sovran is expected back today, but that doesn’t stop the fear that someone else might have found this place. We stand ready, then collectively relax when his golden hair becomes visible through the front windshield of an absolutely enormous cargo van.

“Damn, did he bring an entire city with him?” Reyes mutters.

“Clearly, you’ve never been to a city if you think it could all fit in there,” I say with a scoff. A heavy arm slings around my shoulder, and I turn to find Elas standing beside me.

He shakes his head as he gives me a jostle. It’s probably intended to be gentle, but he damn near knocks me off my feet. “Oh please, Cato,” he deadpans. “Tell us again how much better the city is.”

“And how there’s so much to do there,” Cameron adds.

“And how dull it is living in the woods,” Ego chimes in.

I shove Elas off me. “You guys can fuck all the way off. I don’t complain that much.”

“We sure about that?” Reyes mutters.

Elas chuckles as August leans into him, flashing me that blinding smile with his wide, curious eyes. “Ignore them. I love hearing your stories.”

“Thanks for not being a dick, August,” I say with a toothy snarl aimed at the others. Cameron opens his mouth, probably to argue, but before he can get a word in, Sovran steps out of the van.

Ronan and Aryn stand at the front of the group, damn near bouncing with how anxious they are to talk to him. If we were in a classroom, both of them would be wiggling in the front row, hands up and waiting to be called on.

Sovran’s eyes land on them. “Preparations have been made?”

I snort quietly. The guy’s never made small talk in his life.

Ronan nods. “They have. We’ve had daily drilling on weapons, defenses, and hand to hand combat. Everyone can defend themselves if it comes to it.” My eyes land on Cameron, wondering how true that statement is, but I hold back my commentary.

“We’ve also refreshed first aid and wilderness training,” Aryn adds, wanting to earn his gold star for the day. “Hunting, tracking, and the such.”

“Very well.” Sovran walks to the back of the van, and—just like I knew they would—Ronan and Aryn follow right on his heels. I huff another laugh, but curiosity wins and I trail after them.

“Ooh, what is all this?” Lillith asks as she peers into the cargo space. It’s packed to the brim with boxes and bags.

My brows shoot up. “We can’t carry this much.”

Sovran glances over his shoulder at me. “Since I was already gathering supplies, I brought some extra items for the village.”

Everyone pitches in to help unload, curious to see what he’s brought. Several boxes hold basic clothing—socks, underwear, plain t-shirts and shorts—in a variety of sizes, including some hard-to-find larger ones a few of our crew need. There are bags holding sheets, blankets, and towels, while a large tote is loaded with ropes and netting.

Behind those, a crate of culinary goods is packed with sugar, honey, flour, oats, rice, and more. There’s also a collection of cast iron cooking equipment to replace a few of the weathered pieces we currently use. Once those are out of the way, a bleat comes from the back of the van. We all turn at once to stare as two matching sets of rectangular pupils peek through the stacks.

Nyx makes a noise somewhere between a squeal and a squeak as he wedges himself through the bodies to peer into the cage. “What is this creature?” he demands, stretching to pet them.

Reyes might as well have hearts in his eyes as he watches his mate, chuckling fondly. “They’re called goats.”

“Goats,” Nyx repeats softly as one of them leans in to nibble his finger. He glances over his shoulder at Reyes, absolute glee written all over his face.

“They are a mating pair,” Sovran explains. “There’s plenty of greenery in these woods to feed them, so they won’t be a burden. The female can be used for milk once she bears offspring.”