The Last Knight (An Awakening the Lightforged Novel)

Chapter 9: Simmering

The world is ending, so it doesn't matter if we survive a few more years, or just a few more days, unless we have a plan to get out.

C. 6 days, 27 hours since the assassination of rebel leadership

Uuchantuu stalked through the halls of Wolfden toward her room, too tired and annoyed to wonder why Araana had been so short with her lately.

Maybe she's also pissed at Koruuksi, and just decided to take it out on me. One more thing I get to do for him while Estingai's gone.

It had only been half a day since Estingai had stalked off with Kozasana after arguing with Koruuksi and Marjatla, and Uuchantuu was already worried about her.

And Koruuksi.

At the moment, however, she was far more annoyed than worried.

She pushed the curtain out of the way, marching into the main sitting room and toward their bunks, ready to chew Koruuksi out, when she stopped dead, cheeks bursting into flame.

"What in darkness are you doing?" she asked, trying to sound annoyed instead of like a mother reprimanding a child.

Koruuksi stopped kissing Odono, a tall Natari man. Adina, a gorgeous Samjati woman stopped biting at Koruuksi's neck.

Koruuksi shot Uuchantuu a flat look, though Odono jumped. Adina smirked, and Uuchantuu blushed even harder despite herself. The blankets covered most of Koruuksi and Odono, but not a lot of Adina.

"If you need me to explain that, I think we've got bigger issues," Koruuksi said. He'd found some violetsage to smoke, likely sharing it with the other two. His tone would have given him away if the smell hadn't already.

Uuchantuu sighed, trying not to resent her friend.

"Out," she said, flicking a hand over her shoulder. "Get dressed and try to get the smell off before Marjatla or Aaden find out."

Uuchantuu nearly brightened her gemcrest to push them apart with hardlight as Koruuksi's two companions looked at each other, then Koruuksi, waiting for him to roll his eyes and nod, before getting out of his bunk and dressing.

Uuchantuu specifically did not look at either of them, no matter how absurdly long Adina took to put her clothes back on. Or how nice her back was.

Both waved goodbye as they went, with Adina smiling again at Uuchantuu before she slipped out.

Koruuksi snapped at her about three seconds after their footsteps disappeared down the hall.

"You couldn't have come back later?"

He hadn't dressed yet, still lounging on his pallet with the blankets bunched around his waist.

"It smells like you already finished."

"We were about to go again."

Uuchantuu put her hands on her hips. "Not my problem. You need to get dressed and sober up. What in darkness do you think you're doing wasting resources like this?

Not to mention sleeping around while Marjatla and Aaden and I are getting crushed by the work it takes to keep this place running. Her organizational systems and his sense of logistics are all that's kept us functioning, and they need more help."

"Back off," Koruuksi said, letting the blanket fall as he rose from the pallet.

Uuchantuu didn't look away. She and Koruuksi had seen each other naked enough times that it didn't bother either of them.

She just glared at him, hoping he could feel it.

"You're shutting down," she said. "Smoking violetsage isn't just wasting resources from you—it's an abuse of power. I don't care when you use it to get people to open up, but using it like this? What are you thinking?"