*Kyra*

I catch myself constantly stealing glimpses of Hayes' injury. The way the scars seem to crawl up his neck and into his cheek like a thorny rose vine creeping up a trellis. It twists and dips, spots shiny while others are dull and deep. My fingers itch to touch it, to trace the

tendrils that caused him so much pain as they dance up the side of his head, burning off half his eyebrow.

It's mesmerizing, almost beautiful. A map of his sufferings. He finds it appalling, convinced I could only feel the same way. But I don't avoid his touch because of his injuries. I run from the sparks he seems immune to.

The explosion that rips through my body and tries to urge me to follow what the moon goddess has given me. It's not about moving on from what I lost, but accepting what I am being offered. But I'm not sure I can or that I want to.

"Ask me," Hayes sighs heavily, the annoyance clear in his exhale as he remains looking forward. My brows pull together, the left corner of my lip pulling down in a confused frown.

"What exactly am I asking you?"

"Did it hurt? Does it still hurt? How did it happen?" Hayes says, his voice flat and unaffected.

"Is that normally what people ask?" I watch him closely as he clears his throat and looks in the opposite direction. "Because I got the feeling people avoid you."

"Because of my burns?" He scoffs, and I snort.

"No, because you're an asshole now."

Dean and Marcos chuckle ahead of us, both of them shaking their heads.

"Yeah, well, if I look like an asshole people don't ask me annoying questions," He grumbles.

I arch a brow and smirk up at him, regardless of how much he tries to look away.

wanted to know." I remind

me," He says. "I assumed

backward as I face him. "Every warrior knows what creates those burns, and I know the pain they bring the bearer of them." Then I spin on my toes and walk toward the front of the group. I catch up to Nisha, sliding up on her right side as she looks amused by my presence. Neither of us speaks. Why would we when there isn't much to

we are going to be stuck together for a while, then I may

lost, Tracker?" She muses, her deep brown eyes blinking

tell her. "Just coming up

when he isn't around, usually

points up

Koda." She offers and I admit her immediate desire to send me off ruffles my skin and my

something to offend you?" I ask, tired

arches

me is purely a personal choice." I scoff and nod my

take a few steps before she exhales and groans. Her hand reaches out, clutching my elbow, tugging

just...I am protective of these guys. They are my family, a weird, fucked up and very anger filled family. But that's all I have, so yes, I am hesitant to welcome someone else

for a family." I say my word, drifting off as my eyes scan the area around us, a scent prickling my senses as I slow down. The trees are still, not a breeze breaking through the dense foliage of the forest, yet my nose draws my attention

something to me as I narrow my eyes, tilting

in the faintest way pulling me off

it pulses away, calling me to follow. I can feel the excitement rising in my gut, a smile

but I am too far gone, already on the

cut around a tree,

looking green and still moist. It's more like a dent, as if a rock were

my hand to my nose and look closely. There is a slight shimmer, an oily hue, on

spit its

Ezrah and the egg are close. Now it is a matter

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