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Hope bubbles inside me at the size of the target he’s selected. Maybe I can impress him as well as myself. Ignoring my hammering heart and quaking hands, I notch the arrow and pull back the string. After slowing my breath, I narrow my eyes on the trunk and release the string on an exhale.

The first shot goes rogue and sinks several yards in front of the trunk. With Cole’s encouragement, I shoot three more arrows. The first two fire off into the forest behind the stump, but the third lands in the river between two rocks.

Cole pats my shoulder. “Hey, that was a great first try! Most people wouldn’t even be able to clear the river.”

I’m not sure if he’s trying to be nice or if he’s genuinely impressed. Taking his boots off, he rolls up his pant legs, revealing corded calves and a hint of muscular thighs. I clear my throat, diverting my attention and rolling up my own pants.

With my stubborn insistence, we cross the river to fetch the arrows. I block out thoughts of being swept away, thankful for Cole’s steady hand holding mine as he leads us across the river. Rolling up my pants deemed a useless measure, as the water reaches up to my hips.

My foot glides off an underwater rock and I slip backwards. Cole catches me, pulling me into his arms before I can dip completely underwater.

His round eyes meet mine. “Are you okay?”

I nod, biting down my fear at the memory of my brother’s fate in this same river.

“I got you,” Cole whispers, to me and my fears.

We reach the other side, and Cole collects the arrows from the forest while I retrieve the one lodged between the rocks. I tug the arrow several times, but it won’t budge.

“Is it stuck, or broken?” Cole crouches down beside me.

I yank at the arrow once more, and it comes loose. The motion of my effort throws me sideways into Cole, and we tumble backwards onto the riverbank. My elbow jabs straight into Cole’s abs, and his breath saws out. The arrow escapes my grasp, flying off a few feet away from us, and my face lands on Cole’s muscled chest. I lift my head off his chest, my eyes meeting his, and my skin heats with embarrassment.

“Are you okay?” we say simultaneously and laugh awkwardly in unison.

I’m close. Far too close. Full lashes frame his glowing amber eyes, and a dark ring encircles his irises. The pulse in his throat flickers. The brown freckles staining his cheeks remind me of the patterned stars in a night sky, and my attention settles on the soft curve of his lips. Before I’m lost to the temptation, I twist away. But I’m stuck. His arms are wrapped around me, trapping me for a long second before he remembers to let me go. A faint blush blooms on his cheeks as I return to my feet.

I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants then extend a hand to help him up. He takes my hand, lifting to his feet, then retrieves the arrow I left on the ground. Our eyes lock again, and he pauses a step away from me. We’re so close, if I lean into him my head would tuck right under his angled chin, and I would fit perfectly in his strong arms. It’s not the first time I’ve yearned to be there.

He hands me the arrow, and I take it without breaking our eye contact, flinging it behind me. Before I can stop myself, I crash my lips onto his. I underestimate my power, and he stumbles backwards until we find ourselves on the ground again. But this time, we don’t allow any space between us. He kisses me soft and slow, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into him. My heart flutters at his delicate touch. He wants this too—it’s not all in my head.

Sliding one hand to my neck, he cradles my head. We melt into each other until I finally pull away.

“What was that,” he whispers, his gaze flickering between my eyes and lips.

“Is it your first time?” I echo his comment from earlier.

He laughs. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. But I didn’t think you felt the same.”

“I didn’t think you felt the same,” I murmur.

He twirls a lock of my hair around his finger before tucking it behind my ear. In that same movement, he slides his finger around my ear and down my jaw toward my chin, guiding me into another kiss.

I wish we could stay like this forever.

nine

I'VE GOT MY MONEY ON THE BIG GUY

Present day.

I dug a shallow grave with the rebel’s sword and buried the little girl’s doll near the river. Daeja helped me find two branches, and I cut the strap from my father’s journal to tie it into a cross. I must have gotten lost because the river is northwest of Hornwood, which means I turned back. I should be more upset, but a dark cloud of numbness dulls every hint of emotion.

I trace the grip of the rebel’s sword, my fingers brushing the swirls engraved into the hilt.

I’ll kill every last one of them. The thought is a whisper in the dark recesses of my mind, the severity of it startling me. It’s the only thing that makes me feel anything—aside from the relief Daeja sustained no major injuries.

My thoughts linger on my father.Had he been alive, would he have made the same decision? Could he have trapped and slaughtered hundreds of innocent lives?