𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭

24

I found Chase sitting on a rock facing a creek, deep within the dense woods of Tempest territory. He flinched as he heard me coming up behind him, turning quickly, looking ready to fight. But his shoulders relaxed as he realized it was me.

"Oh, it's just you. Sorry, I thought Oliver was..." he ran his hands through his hair, sighing.

"How are you doing?" I asked as I plopped down beside him.

Chase shrugged and mumbled something that I didn't quite catch, picking at the grass that grew at the base of the rocks. I could see him furiously blinking, as if trying to fight back tears, not meeting my gaze.

"You can tell me," I whispered, lowering my voice into something that I hope was consoling.

He let out a heavy breath and ran his hands along the side of his face. "I just... I really was hoping I'd get to see Noah today. He was always so... rebellious." Chase let out a sound that was not quite a chuckle, but it was progress. "I thought for sure I would find him with the Tempests, but I guess not."

I wasn't sure exactly what to say then, so there were a couple heartbeats of awkward silence before I found my voice again. "Rae said he was a good man."

"He is," Chase agreed, furrowing his brows as he let his words sink in. "Was." He inhaled deeply before changing his tone. "You still have blood on your face, by the way."

"Oh!" I said, reaching for my cheeks and feeling my fingers come away sticky. I bent over the water, trying to wash away all my memories of the shattering glass, the blinding lights, the pain in my forearm...

"Yeah, nice of them to give us tattoos," Chase smirked as I stared at my arm. The snake curled tightly around the olive branch, as if strangling it.

"The snake's supposed to represent us," I smiled. "As if it's our fault that we're resistant."

"There should be a whole freaking storm surrounding that branch," Chase commented. "That would be more accurate."

"A Tempest," I corrected, raising a brow. "Speaking of which, Oliver showed us around the camp. The other girls are getting stuff out of these old boxes. We found clothes! And there are blankets and stuff for everyone."

Chase glanced up at me, his face softening. "Let's stay here for a while."

I felt a traitorous blush fight its way into my cheeks. Stupid, Maia! What are you thinking?

But I pushed that thought away, allowing myself a couple more moments of bliss. "Sure, let's."