Elemental Hunger

Chapter Thirteen

"Are you sure she's over here? Why would she come this way?" Adam's words came out in annoyed bursts.

"Look, can you feel her spirit? She's way less hyper than you. Shut up. I need to concentrate."

"I am not hyper."

"Whatever. Are you going to tell her, or should I?"

Their footsteps—Adam's at least—came closer. I wondered what he needed to tell me.

"I'll tell her. We can't have any more secrets." He stopped moving. "But you keep your big mouth shut about my soul...yearning for hers, got it?"

Hanai laughed. "You just said no secrets."

"That doesn't affect our Council. I'm working through it." The leaves rustled again as he resumed walking.

"You keep saying that like you're solving a problem. Gabby is not a problem. Did you see—?"

"Shut up."

Silence. Neither one of them moved or spoke. I worked hard to keep breathing in and out. See, I wanted to let them in, both of them. Right into my life, to share my deepest, darkest secrets. But I'd been hurt too many times before.

I dug my fingertips into the frozen earth and rebuilt the wall around my heart. It flopped against the confining barrier, but I thought of Jarvis and then Patches. They'd both chosen other things over me. So had Cat and Isaiah, even if their something better was a Council.

I couldn't bear it if Hanai and Adam did the same thing.

"Trust me. My," Adam cleared his throat, "feelings for her are a problem."

"Because why?"

"They just are."

"If you say so. There she is. Told ya," Hanai said, emerging from the trees right behind Adam.

"Gabby, are you okay?" Adam crossed the leaf-strewn cement and scrutinized me.

"Hyper," Hanai whispered.

Concern and anger simultaneously burned through Adam's eyes. I did my best to smile, but the action stretched my skin too tight. "I'm fine. Look, I found a building." I pointed behind me. "There's food, shoes, coats. Maybe we can come back before we leave for Gregorio."

"You went in there alone?" Adam eyed the closed door like it had done me wrong.

"Yeah, why not? Are you scared of the dark, Airmaster? Or you think girls can't—"

"Chill, Gabby," he interrupted. "I was just worried about you when we made it back to the settlement and you weren't there. Okay?"

I bent under the weight of his glare. "Yeah, okay." He hadn't denied being afraid of the dark. "You want to go see?"

"No, I've been there before." Adam put his arm around my shoulders and turned me away from the garage. "Let's get back. Hanai, lead the way."

Hanai disappeared into the trees, leaving me alone with Adam. He didn't remove his arm, and I actually liked how it felt across my shoulders.

"Listen, Gabby, don't go off on your own again. I—we were really worried. You're our Firemaker, our Councilman. We're nothing without you."

"We?" I asked. "Or just you?"

Adam pulled me into a hug. I inhaled his lemony, ashy scent as I closed my eyes.

"Me. I was worried. I...I like you Gabby, in case you haven't figured that out."