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“Wow. River, That’s very pessimistic of you. It’s not something I would expect you to say at all,” Aiden said, sarcasm dripping from his tone. “River, here’s a big brother advice moment. Ready?” He waited for her to respond. When she glared over at him, Aiden continued. “What you just described is friendship. You have been experiencing normal, healthy friendships. No one knows anyone else’s thoughts. Stay out of Kaia’s head.”

“It’s also implyingtheyare the reason you wouldn’t be friends,” E.Z. added. “And quite frankly, that’s hard to believe.”

He had a good point. They both had a good point, even if I was starting to feel a little bad for River. If she stopped singing, she might not be so bad. And talking in my head. She’d need to stop talking in my head or listening in on me. And then maybe she’d be fine. Her giggle was growing on me. That could stay.

“You saying you don’t want to be my friend?” River grinned at E.Z.. “That hurts my feelings. Kaia wants to be my friend.”

E.Z. and Aiden both objected weirdly fast to that suggestion. “But does she?” E.Z. asked, overly skeptical. At the same time, Aiden declared, “Kaia has enough friends. I told you not to corrupt her.”

I changed the subject, getting it back on track. “No one else has said you echo?”

“No, just you, you weirdo.”

“Do me! I’ll tell you if it echoes.” E.Z. vibrated in excitement while he waited for her response. When it came, he started to yell, outraged. “How would you know?! Fine! You can be the next judge. You’ll see.”

“I can’t. Kaia would be jealous,” River responded. “So, did it echo?”

“Nope. No echo,” E.Z. exclaimed. “Just one annoying Spirit User, not multiple.” He grinned at her. “Our Kaia Stink is just special, which we already knew.” He flashed his damn grin at me over his shoulder next.

E.Z.’s grin pissed me off. That thing was dangerous, and he shouldn’t be just grinning at every single female like that!

My eyes whipped to River when her voice broke my head again.

Kaia, tell them you want to be the judge.She was shooting exaggerated, encouraging head nods in the guys’ direction, wiggling her eyebrows.

Which they all naturally caught.

Be the judge of what?I thought back at her.

The dick-measuring contest. E.Z. thinks he’s the biggest.

I didn’t react except to think murderous thoughts at River. And why was she talking to E.Z. about his dick? I didn’t know. And I didn’t like it. I was going to kill her.

The grin E.Z. shot me over his shoulder said he knew exactly what she was implying. His stomach started to shake under my hands from his quiet laughter. At leasthekept it quiet.

I narrowed my eyes at a River in a warning.Invasive, I yelled at her in my head, reminding her of our conversation last night. Then, as we rode closer, I whispered-hissed it again, just to be safe. I don’t know why I whispered. The guys knew exactly what she was doing.

I faced forward, burying my face in E.Z.'s back. Avoiding eye contact and ignoring everything was easier with my face hidden. Plus, he smelled so good, and rubbing my face on him made my face happy.

I very pointedly tried not to think anything about River or the guys in any way. Not that it worked. Not thinking of something is very difficult to do. Especially since I only seemed capable of thinking thoughts I really didn’t want anyone else to hear.

“Stop worrying so much. The capital is full of such prudes,” River scoffed.

“Excuse me?”

“You save yourselves in some misplaced sense of propriety, then allow yourselves to be claimed like slaves.” River’s voice sounded incredulous. “They’re controlling their women. Owning them. And the women allow it. No, thank you! We have different views of all that out here.”

“There is nothing wrong with wanting a family,” I defended.

“Family is great. I’m talking about the novelty of pride and choosing to throw away your ability to make a single decision. Those antiquated rules were created to keep you pliant. Our lives may suck out here at times, some will say all of the time, but we choose what men we want to join with. They don’t Claim us. We can join if both people want to. We choose what life we want and how we live.”

River paused, swallowing back some of her frustration. Her voice was rising the more she spoke.

“You’re not one of them anymore, Kaia. Break out of this shit. All of them are blind. Take the opportunity to look around and open your damn eyes while you’re out here. See how everyone else in Adaria lives. Without the blinders.”

Aiden groaned. “Goddess, you couldn’t last an hour into the trip? I told you we needed to introduce her slowly. I actually clearly remember saying not to insult her and then scream at her about how she’s blind.” He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily, giving his horse some lead. When he opened them, he was much calmer. “River, this is why you’re never on recruitment missions.”

“I’ve recruited.”