Keira's Fire

Chapter 13

"So apparently, I'm under surveillance," Owen said casually as we sat, waiting for the soldiers to settle into their camp.

Ever since my idiotic brothers decided to talk to Owen and me this morning, there had been this growing tension between us. Which wouldn't have bothered me as much if I wasn't sitting with him for hours in the woods. I never wished for the attack to begin more than I did this time. I desperately needed to work off some frustration. But apparently Owen was ready to talk about our shared humiliation.

I cringed. "Sorry about my brothers. I think my mother dropped them on their heads when they were babies. Repeatedly."

Owen chuckled. "They're just watching out for you."

"I suppose it's sweet in a twisted sort of way," I said. "But really Owen, I don't know what they're talking about."

"Don't you?"

I'd been staring straight ahead to avoid making this whole thing more uncomfortable, but hearing the hopeful tone in his voice, I whipped my head around to face him, speechless for the first time in my life.

"I mean, not that I would...or that we would..." he floundered making me smile slightly. "I mean, I thought, or hoped rather, that their concerns weren't totally unfounded."

I still couldn't seem to find my voice. I just sat there blinking at him as a smile pulled at his lips.

"Can I ask you something?" he said quietly.

All I could do was nod mutely.

"Would you kiss a man in front of your mother?" He gently trailed his fingers down my cheek.

"I-"

I wasn't even close to sure of what I was going to say, but at precisely that moment, the signal came, indicating that it was time to move. I jumped up, hurrying into place and Owen followed.

"Chubby's mine," Owen whispered from beside me after we had a chance to take inventory of our enemies.

Ever since discovering that Owen was a pretty good shot, we'd been having contests to see who could get the most difficult targets first. So far, we were basically tied, but I refused to admit that he was as good a shot as I was. As of yet, I also avoided having a real contest back at camp, just in case he actually was.

"Not if I get him first," I whispered back, focusing on the large man at the far end of their camp site.

When the signal came, I was ready to move as always, but Owen swiped the arrow from my hands before pushing me backwards so that I rolled into the ditch where we'd been hiding a minute ago.

By the time I righted myself and scrambled back to my post, most of the soldiers were already dead. I grabbed a new arrow, but before I could shoot, the man I was aiming for took an arrow in his chest and fell to the ground.

It was an arrow that came from the man standing next to me.

I looked at Owen, irritated and gave him a healthy shove. I didn't get to shoot anyone and there were only two men left. No doubt the others would take care of them before I could even aim.

I was about to follow up my shove with an angry remark, but Owen suddenly grabbed me and pulled me to the ground just in time for an enemy arrow to go whizzing by overhead.

"I told you he was mine." He grinned down at me.

"You cheated," I complained and tried not to think about how I wasn't terribly upset that he was lying on top of me.

"Oh well." He chuckled softly.

His smile slowly faded and I had to remind myself to breathe when he brought his fingers to my lips.