Through The Ashes

35

The night had settled in deep, a quiet blanket of darkness broken only by the distant sounds of the city's ruin—echoes of movement, the occasional unsettling call of the wild, and the low hum of an unnatural quiet.

The rooftop offered a clearer view of their surroundings, but it also left them exposed to the stars. Jorn sat with her back against the rooftop wall, rifle leaning next to her. Mara was next to her, crouched on her haunches, peering out into the distance where the fog still lingered in the streets.

They had taken watch together, an unstated understanding that neither would find much rest after the day's events. Mara's face was lit by the dim glow of the moon, shadows clinging to the sharp edges of her expression as she kept her eyes on the horizon, always alert.

The silence between them had stretched long, and Jorn was content with it for a while, letting the tension from earlier drain away. But it lingered too—Mara's confrontation with Harrem.

"You kinda scared me back there," Jorn finally said, her voice low, a little teasing.

Mara's brow furrowed slightly, and she glanced at Jorn, a shadow of a smile playing on her lips. "Scared you? I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

Jorn snorted softly, adjusting her position against the wall. "I've seen my fair share of scary things. But watching you tear into Harrem? That's... something else."

Mara shook her head and turned back toward the fog. "He needed it. I wasn't going to let him act like that. Not here. Not with everything that's at stake." Her tone was calm, but there was an edge beneath it.

"I know," Jorn said, more serious now. "You didn't hold back, though. Not even a little."

Mara's silence stretched for a moment, her eyes narrowing as if she were replaying the moment in her mind. "I wasn't going to let him push me and I wasn't going to let him embarrass us either."

Jorn nodded. She couldn't deny the truth in Mara's words. She knew firsthand how dangerous it could be to let cracks form in the group's unity. Harrem had stepped over a line, and Mara had been the one to call him out on it.

"You did good," Jorn said after a pause. "It's probably better you said something before me."

"A fistfight is worse than some harsh words," Mara teased.

Jorn smirked. "Telling everyone we've done more than kiss is... up there."

Mara's lips curved slightly, the playfulness in her eyes softening the hard edges of her mood. "Yeah, that was bold," she admitted, her voice lighter now. "But I figured if Harrem was going to talk, I might as well give him something to think about."

Jorn chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You definitely gave him something. The way he looked at you... I don't think he'll be running his mouth anytime soon."

Mara turned to Jorn then, her eyes gleaming with something more mischievous now. "And what about you? You didn't exactly jump to clear things up either."

Jorn raised an eyebrow, a small grin tugging at her lips. "Why would I? If Harrem thinks he knows more than he does, let him. It's more fun watching him squirm."

Mara let out a soft laugh, the tension between them easing further. She shifted closer, her shoulder brushing against Jorn's as she leaned back against the wall beside her. "You like watching people squirm, huh?"

Jorn tilted her head, her smile widening just a bit. "Depends on the person."

Mara gave her a sidelong glance, her expression warm and playful. "And what if I told you I'm not done with my boldness for the night?"