Page 44 of Marked

The morning crept in slowly, casting light across the top of the tent. The forest outside was quiet; only the faint chirp of birds and the occasional creak of swaying branches hinted at awakening life outside.

Inside the tent, the warmth still clung to the sleeping bodies nestled under layers of patched wool and military-grade blankets.

Blair was the first to stir, noticing they slept past the time they had intended to be awake.

Her breath fogged lightly in the cold air as she blinked sleep from her eyes.

She shifted slightly, careful not to wake Damien.

His arm was slung over her waist, heavy and unmoving, his body curled protectively around hers.

She could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing, the subtle weight of his presence even in sleep.

She let herself stay there a moment longer, watching his face in the early light. Her eyes traced over his sharp cheekbones, his auburn beard scruffy, and a scar leading from behind his ear down his neck she hadn't noticed before. Even at rest, his expression was tense .

Blair reached up and brushed her fingertips against his temple. "Hey," she whispered. "You awake?"

A slow inhale answered her. Damien's eyes opened, slow and deliberate. His deep-set eyes, encased in a piercing blue, had speckles of a paler shade around his iris.

"Yeah," he murmured, voice thick with sleep.

She smiled softly, lowering her volume. "You didn't move at all last night. I think that's a record."

"I was tired. All the training is catching up to me," he explains, pulling her body into him.

Blair pulled back just enough to study him, her hand trailing down his chest. "How about we switch it up today? We need to stop in town for some supplies anyway. I am not eating beans again." Her face contorted into a look of disgust.

"Sounds good," Damien agreed as he yawned, stretching.

They sat like that in silence, the cold creeping in beneath the tent flap as the world outside came to life. Finally, Blair sat up a little, propping herself on one elbow.

"Also.." she began, observing his face as she walked her fingers up his chest. "Before we head to town, I want to do some new type of training with Blake." Damien, who was watching her fingers, blinked once. His face didn't change as she continued," What do you think?"

His jaw tensed. "If you insist."

"Can I insist on something else?" she asked, her head slightly cocking to the side as she moved her fingers up his throat and along his beard .

"And what would that be?" Damien replies suspiciously, holding her hand against his face.

Blair pulls her fingers away and sits all the way up now, letting the blanket fall to her waist. "You telling me why I couldn't show Blake the dagger?"

He looked at her, taking a deep breath. "If I'm being honest, I don't know the real answer. I don't know a lot about it, but I know it's different, and I'm just more comfortable keeping it hidden right now."

"What do you mean different?" Blair asks, her brows furrowing.

Damien keeps his gaze steady, "I've always been able to sense it like it's alive.

" Damien shakes his head. "I've been researching it for the last few years, and there's a lot of old stories that fit its description.

" He pauses a moment before bringing his hand back to scratch his head, "The sheath I made for you? The one I gave you when we left SilverDawn? It’s special.

When sheathed, it hides the dagger. Makes it so no one can sense it. ."

She looks down, clutching the blanket to her chest. "Why would you give it all to me in the first place?" Blair asked, her eyes staring blankly at the ground.

He repositioned himself as well, moving his body to sit in front of her.

"I’ve always been able to sense the dagger.

.. and not in the same way Blake senses shadows.

I feel it on a deeper level, and I knew if you had the dagger, no matter where you were, I could find you.

I felt like it belonged with you but I wasn’t sure how it would affect you.

It's part of the reason I've been wanting you to keep it sheathed. I don't know exactly who can sense it."

"Don't you think that is something we need to find out?" Blair blurts, bringing her eyes to him as she clutches the blanket tighter. "Blake is right here. He is on our side. There probably isn't a better person to test it out on, especially with his enhanced abilities."

"Fair." he said, softer now, eyes searching hers. "You know, as much as I regret dragging you into this mess, I'm glad it was you. You help me in more ways than you can ever know." He leans in with those words, kissing her on the cheek.

Blair smiled up at him before moving close to his side. "Same, actually. I always thought I had a good life. I loved it. I loved teaching, but these last few weeks, I've felt more alive than I ever have."

"Good," Damien says proudly. "So, about this training, should I be worried about anything?" he asks, his eyebrows rising slightly.

Blair let out a short laugh, "No if anything, I would pull up a seat and enjoy the show.

" She laughed again as he buried his face into her neck.

"Actually, I think I might know the perfect way to see if he can sense the dagger!

" she squealed as his teeth bit into her earlobe.

She pushed his face away from her, trying to get away but failing.

"And when he doesn't sense it, I get to openly wield it, deal? !"

Damiens's eyes narrowed in response as he began to full-on attack her, making her squirm in a fit of laughter. "Deal," he said in between squeezes .

After a few more minutes of laughter, kissing, and uninterrupted bliss, the two made their way out of the tent hand-in-hand.

Blake eyed Damien as he packed his gear, moving slowly and with caution. Blair caught sight as she rolled the tent linens up and paused, letting out a sigh. "He's not going to kill you. You're fine." she breathed out and then continued to roll the cloth.

"Are you sure? He still hasn't said one word to me. Is that his play, psychological warfare?" Blake asked, putting the last of the items in his bag and raising his eyebrows. Blair stood, giving him a bright smile.

"I promise, we're good." She throws her bag over her shoulder and shrugs at him, "Just give him time. Besides, I need you to have a clear head going into training today."

Blake's shoulders slump as he peers into the sky above them, "Isn't it a little late? I thought maybe we were taking the day off."

Blair's smile grew as she nodded to him, "We are, kind of.

We're going to do some light training and then go into town for some supplies.

Did you think I was kidding yesterday?" she smirked at him as his face started to light up.

"Damien can be stealthy, but he uses raw power and his fists.

I want to test you on something else. Unless, of course, you're not up for the challenge?

" she finished, raising her eyebrows in a challenge.

Blakes dimples pop as he answers with a ferocious smile. "Oh, bring it on!" Blake yells, pounding a fist into his open palm .

Damien scoffs as he walks across the site, his own bag at his back.

Looking at Blake, he slaps the back of his left shoulder.

"I got money on Feisty," he says as he continues walking past him and up behind Blair, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

Blake laughed out loud at that and gestured to the path that led to their training area.

They walked away with half of their supplies packed and in bags, and the rest left at camp.

Once in place, Blake shuffled back and forth on his feet in preparation and rapidly blew in and out several times.

Blair looked at Damien but pointed to Blake, rolling her eyes at his choices and blowing out a deep breath.

"Eyes closed, Blake. No peeking." Blair said as Blake's body stilled, a look of confusion on his face.

After realizing she was serious, Blake sighed dramatically, folding his arms. Blair moved behind him, pulling his shoulder down so he leaned over. She tied a piece of cloth around his eyes, blinding him. As she did so, Damien turned and started to walk away.

Muffled footsteps moved around Blake as he tried turning in the direction of the sounds.

"We're going to test out your ability. I want you to find me.

It'll be harder than finding someone with shadows, that comes easy to you.

I don't have any shadows to sense, and Damien won't be around.

So, close your eyes and try to hit me, and as you try, tell me if you feel any changes around you.

" Blair stomped a few times and then quietly snuck to one side of the field .

Blake threw his head up, "You blindfold me, tell me to sense you, and now you want me to just trust that you haven't wandered off to get snacks?!"

A soft chuckle echoed from somewhere to his left or maybe his right. "If I brought snacks, I'd still be kicking your ass between bites," Blair answered as she moved around him to her bag, taking out her sheathed dagger and securing it to her thigh.

"Great," he muttered. "He was definitely right about you being feisty..."

The air was quiet except for the faint rustling of the trees around them.

Blair silently slipped off her shoes and felt the grass with her bare feet.

Blake strained to hear it, focusing. No sight.

No crutch of visual cues. Just the whisper of air and the sound of her breath when she let him hear it.

He pivoted toward the sound of a weight shift and jabbed forward. Nothing. Just empty air.

"Miss," Blair said sweetly from behind him.

He spun, fists up. "Stop teleporting, witch."

Another quiet laugh. "No magic. Just skill."

A second later, two fingers pinched his nipple.

"Ow! Hey!" Blake recoiled. "What kind of training is this? Should I have signed a waiver for sexual assault?"