The Chosen Ones Page 20

“I’m not sure how much longer I can walk.” Susan, the woman we had saved, stumbled down the hill, her face pale with exhaustion.

  Susan. A simple name for a woman who was anything but simple. She was beautiful. Much prettier than any human I’d ever seen. Elegant, flirtatious, needy…I hated her.

  As she stumbled for the second time Thane was there, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her close. I paused as they paused, trailing behind as I had been for the hours we’d been hiking.

  Three days of hiking with Susan had me desperately wishing we hadn’t saved her. She whined. A lot. She hung on Thane. A lot. He, though, didn’t seem to find her annoying. He merely helped her along, being much more patient and kinder to her than he’d ever been with me. If this was how he’d been around his girlfriend, it wasn’t surprising that she had fallen for him.

  I didn’t know this charming, blatantly caring Thane. In fact, he made me downright uncomfortable. And I wasn’t jealous…at least that’s what I told myself. But the burning pit of hatred I felt in my chest every time she batted her lashes up at him wasn’t indigestion.

  “Can we stop, please?” She gazed up at him in adoration, flickering her lashes like she had something caught in her eye. No, I wasn’t jealous. I merely found the way she acted odd. I’d seen women do it before when they were attracted to a man. Did she liked Thane? But how? Why? She barely knew him.

  I watched them as he led her toward a large rock along the creek we were following. “Sit, rest.”

  He’d never been that gentle with me. I frowned. Annoyed, and yes, maybe jealous…I wasn’t sure. Dropping my pack to the ground, I plopped down next to a tree. If Thane wanted to baby her, fine. It would only get her killed later on. Whatever happened to the tough love Will had shown me? Apparently Thane didn’t believe in that. I pulled my dagger from its sheath and picked up a stick, carving at the end until I made a little spear. And then I started on another one merely to keep busy.

  “Let me see the hem of your dress.” Without her permission, Thane picked up the skirt of Susan’s gown and pulled out his dagger. Carefully, he cut around the edge, shortening the material. “Should be easier to walk.”

  How sweet of him. I glared at them from under my lashes. Utterly ridiculous. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting this way? And if she looked at him with that stupid grin one more time I just might be forced to use one of the spears I’d carved.

  A sharp pain sliced through the tip of my finger. Gasping, I jerked the knife away. Sure enough, I’d cut my finger. “Damn,” I hissed.

  Thane looked my way. So, I had to injure myself to get his attention. I didn’t bother to mention the cut, he’d probably smell the blood anyway. Instead, I tore my gaze from him and searched the satchel for a strip of cloth. I, unlike Susan, could take care of myself. Well, most of the time.

  “Oh my.” She actually blushed. “I’ve never shown my ankles before.”

  I rolled my eyes as I wrapped the material around my finger. Oh my, I’ve never shown my ankles before.

  Nausea had me gagging. No one was that needy, were they? I paused. Good god, had I been that bad? The thought had me jerking my gaze toward them.

  “You’ll get used to it.” Thane smiled. A kind, warm smile that he’d certainly never used on me. Who was this man? “I’ll get you something to drink.”

  He took the tin cup from his bag and headed toward the creek. All the while she watched him go, her gaze not daring to leave his back. “He’s beautiful. I wasn’t expecting him to be so stunning.”

  Wow, wait. Expecting him? What did that mean?

  “What compound did you say you were from?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

  “Do they have names?” She frowned, shaking her pretty blonde head. “This is all so new to me.”

  Maybe Thane didn’t like dark hair and eyes. Maybe he only found women with blonde hair to be attractive. Had his girlfriend had blonde hair? “Yet, you’re handling it all very well.”

  She shrugged, blinking her eyes innocently at me. “We must be strong.”

  “Right.” Her comment annoyed me more than I wanted to admit because I knew very well I hadn’t been strong. No, I’d lost it. Shame and confusion had me standing and following Thane. As he knelt by the creek, so did I, pretending I was merely scooping up water in my hand to splash at my sweaty face. “I don’t trust her.”

  Thane didn’t bother to look at me, merely drank the water, and then dipped the cup, rinsing it. “Why?”

  I fumbled, trying to come up with a reason other than I don’t like the way she looks at you. “She…she’s too…too clingy.”

  He slid me a glance. Was that amusement in his eyes? “Clingy?”

  Frustrated, I surged to my feet. “We don’t know where she came from. Don’t know how she got here.”

  “They released her, obviously.” He shrugged and stood. “From what she told me she worked in the kitchens, serving the king because she’s beautiful. If there’s one thing Dionysus likes, it’s a pretty face.”

  Wait a minute…he thought she was beautiful?

  “They released her because it was sport for them. According to her, they let her out just so they could hunt.”

  I shivered at the thought. Still, it didn’t make my thoughts toward the woman any sweeter. “Okay, but why is she so clingy toward you?”

  He quirked a brow and faced me fully. “What are you implying, Jane?”

  I’d always liked the way he said my name. Whispered, breathless, like a word he didn’t quite understand. “Nothing.” I peeked over my shoulder. She was watching us, pouting, as if annoyed we were taking so long. Was she thirsty, or merely wanted Thane back within her grasp? “It’s just that when I first met you….” I focused on his cool, hard gaze and swallowed over the lump of nervousness clogging my throat. There was no backing out now. “When I met you, I didn’t exactly trust you because I thought you were one of them.”

  “And so she must think it too,” he said dryly.

  “Anyone would, right?” I shrugged, hoping I hadn’t offended him. “I just think we should be careful. Remember what my grandfather said? He thought I was a pawn, you were using me to draw him out. And we were.”

  He lowered and dipped the cup into the stream. “Or maybe you’re just jealous.”

  I released a harsh laugh, even as I felt the flush of embarrassment race to my cheeks. “Excuse me?”

  He stood more slowly this time. “Jealous. She needs me. And you don’t like that.”

  “What?” I whispered, stepping closer to make sure she didn’t overhear. “Are you serious?”

  He shrugged and walked away, but not before I saw the laughter in his eyes. Stunned, I could only stand there and watch as he knelt and handed her the cup. She took it, smiling gratefully up at him. I wanted to shove him away. I wanted to push her in the creek. Maybe I was jealous. But maybe, just maybe I had a reason to be. After all, he had kissed me, hadn’t he? And now some whimpering female showed up and suddenly I was day-old bread?

  A sharp whistle pierced the sky, startling us. I spun around, turning toward the sound, hope blooming within my chest. I knew that call well. “Will?”

  I raced up the hill just as Will, Kelly and Tony crested the peak.

  “Will!” I didn’t pause, but threw my arms around his neck, hugging him. He smelled like warmth and earth and comfort. When I pulled back, he was grinning. I’d been gone for almost two weeks, and I swore he looked different in some way, although I couldn’t quite put my finger on what.

  He brushed his knuckles down the side of my face. “You survived.”

  I grinned back. “Barely.” I turned my attention to Kelly. “How did you guys get away?”

  She reached out and I hugged her, holding her close. In that moment I knew she wasn’t the traitor. Call me delusional, but I swore I could sense it. I knew Kelly and she would never betray anyone. Especially not Jimmy.

  “It wasn’t an attack.” Tony glared at
me, as if knowing full well I lied. “Thane made a mistake.”

  “Really?” I said, feigning shock.

  I heard the crunch of vegetation as Thane and Susan appeared. Good, let him deal with Tony’s suspicion. No surprise, Susan was clinging to his side like a tick on a rabbit. Had her bodice always hung that low? I frowned, looking away from her cleavage in disgust.

  “Will.” Thane nodded in greeting. He didn’t bother to say hello to Kelly or Tony, but then he rarely had. Oddly enough, they didn’t seem offended.

  “Thane.” Will’s gaze flickered to Susan. “Who is this?”

  The weariness I saw there put me at ease and validated my own feelings. Will, at least, would understand my reservations. “She’s a chosen one. We found her being hunted in the woods.”

  “Please,” Susan whispered, stumbling toward Will, her skirts bunched in her arms, showing much more than her ankles, although she didn’t seem shy now about exposing her body. “Please don’t make me go back there.”

  She fell into him with a sob and I knew Thane wasn’t the only one she was trying to manipulate. And by the softening on Will’s face, he too, was falling for her charms.

  I must have grimaced for Kelly caught my gaze and frowned. When she nodded toward the woman in silent question, I realized she was thinking the same thing as me. Who was this girl and why was she being so forward? I shook my head. I’d find her later and explain.

  Will stood there awkwardly, but eventually brought his arms up and patted her on the back. And there it was….the look in his eyes told me he had fallen for her as well. “Of course we won’t make you leave.”

  Kelly inched her way closer. “Who is she?”

  “Susan.” I frowned as Will led her up the hill, his arm still around her, Thane and Tony following. Tony would be next, no doubt, and then she’d have them all within her greedy grasp.

  “And do we like her?”

  I flushed, embarrassed. Was I that obvious? “Why do they do that?”

  She slid her arm through mine and we started up the hill. Although she didn’t trust the woman either, I didn’t miss the amusement in her dark gaze. She, too, thought I was jealous. “Do what?”

  “Just…let her fall all over them like that. Those first two weeks Will told me to get off my ass and fight more than once.”

  “Not at first,” she said fairly. “He babied you that first week.”

  I brushed aside a low-hanging branch, annoyed because she was right. They had set up a small camp at the top of the hill, a mere clearing with their packs settled in a circle. Almost two months ago had I been just like Susan? The thought made me ill. Maybe, just maybe, I didn’t like Susan not because she was clingy, but because she represented all that I had been. Pathetic. Weak.

  “Will and Thane…they can’t resist a girl in need,” Kelly added as we watched them help Susan to a spot near a fallen log. “Their lives revolve around saving people.”

  Her words left me cold. Would Will set me aside for Susan? I no longer needed him. He had a new pet. Perhaps that’s why most of the girls had been so cold toward me when I’d first arrived almost two months ago. I hesitated on the outskirts of the camp, my mind spinning. Surely he wasn’t that shallow. But as I watched him hand her some dried fruit, not once glancing my way, I wondered if maybe I had misjudged him.

  “We were worried,” Kelly said, forcing my attention back to her. “I’m so glad you’ve returned.”

  I gave her a tight smile. “Me too.”

  I tried to stay focused on Kelly but all too soon my attention was riveted back on the camp. I watched as Will settled Susan on some bedding and Thane brought her more water. Tony had disappeared to the creek but Will and Thane were focused completely on Susan. I certainly hadn’t expected this when I’d dreamt of our reunion.

  Kelly slid her arm around my waist and gave me a sympathetic squeeze. “It will be okay.”

  I forced myself to smile back. She was right. Things could be much, much worse, I realized as Tony returned to camp. I could be Kelly and in love with a traitor.