Page 25 of Red Demon (Oria #1)

Sister

H and-to-hand combat day, and I was cocky enough to take on four. Ash and Galen stayed out of it, leaving me pitted against Meragc, Ruan, Plato and a younger boy named Horeshio who’d been coming to morning training since last fall.

I got my ass handed to me the first time, nursed my bruises, then scored on three out of four the second time.

Asher stepped in that last round when poor Horeshio had enough, and just as Ash was attempting to land an elbow strike, a flash of pink dress caught my eye. Mira, her black hair shining in the dawn. She’d been coming every day for almost two weeks now.

Asher got his elbow shot in, sending me stumbling back. He grinned, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Mira’s here to leer. That’s our signal to wrap up,” Galen boomed across the clearing, giving her a teasing grin.

Mira waved back. “And how are you this morning, Elder Eirini?”

I grimaced. No one ever called him that. But he puffed his chest out and saluted all the same.

Last week, when she started arriving in the middle of the sessions, Galen had insisted there were no spectators in his militia.

Although Mira tried some forms with us for a few days, she always wanted no part of the violent sparring, and threw out very Asri-sounding reasons as to why.

Since then, she’d made a point of arriving precisely one hour after sunrise to walk us back along the forest path, bringing a dish of cut fruit or duck eggs to contribute to breakfast.

I picked up my bag and hustled toward her before Galen had a chance to say anything awkward. Asher took his time, chatting with Ruan.

Dogwood petals fell around Mira, fluttering in the space between us.

We hadn’t been alone to talk since, well—voids, I didn’t know what happened after we went swimming.

I was afraid to bring it up and have everything fall apart, and that alone was the sign that it already had.

That kiss didn’t sit well, and I was no stranger to that feeling, even if I didn’t understand why I felt it almost every time, with anyone.

Time to be brave, and end it before there was anything to end.

“Hey,” I said, my voice a hoarse whisper.

“Hi Jesse,” she said, her voice crisp as the rainy morning breeze. She rummaged through the purse across her body and pulled out a small vial. She unscrewed it, revealing a needle on the cap. “Do you mind if I collect that blood sample now?”

“Go ahead.”

“I’ll need your hand.”

My hand? I’ll let the elders know. That would be the worst possible thing I could say out loud. I held out my palm, trying to clear my head as she unwrapped a cloth that smelled like alcohol.

She scrubbed at my callused finger for what felt like forever.

“Jesse,” she said. “Are you ready?”

The concern in her eyes, the gentle touch of her hand gripping my arm, sent a different kind of spark through me. I wanted to keep this much in my life; her in my life.

“Didn’t you just see Ash elbow me in the gut? I don’t need a warning, just go ahead and—”

She pricked me, smirking.

“Yeah, do that,” I mumbled.

“All done.” She sealed the vial with a click. “Thanks, Jesse.”

“No problem.” My words caught in my throat. I needed to talk this out before I confused myself further.

“We should talk.” She looked over my shoulder, and I turned. Ash met our gaze, then pretended he didn’t, keeping his distance on the far side of the clearing. Galen was already walking ahead of us up the road.

“Yeah,” I said.

“Jesse.” She met my gaze with what appeared to be some effort. “You’re incredible. You’re kind, funny, brave. You did nothing wrong…” She took a shaky breath.

My heart flapped in my chest like a trapped bird, waiting for the “but.”

“But what I realized,” she continued, her voice gaining strength, “is that I really admire that bond you have with Asher. The brotherly connection. I’ve had friendships, but nothing quite like what you both share. I haven’t known you very long, sure, but…”

The words trailed off, what was left unsaid heavy in the air. Relief washed over me, and I felt like I understood. My own thoughts settled.

“If I’m ever dumb enough to let an elder marry me off,” I began.

She froze.

Not a good start. I winced. “Family is there for you, no matter what,” I tried again.

“Ash will have a couch for me when I get divorced, much to Galen’s shame.

We’ve already worked out the details. Or more likely, I’ll refuse to get married in the first place, much to Galen’s shame.

I just have to figure out what will shame him least, and stick to that.

But I’ll need Ash’s couch either way. Anyway—” Fuck. I was rambling.

She just stared, considering.

Asher looked away when I caught his eye across the clearing. “I seriously doubt he’s going to have the same problems I do.”

“I agree.” A wistful smile graced Mira’s lips. “So what does a girl who has known you for such a brief period of time need to do to get a couch from you? Or is that inappropriate?”

A smile tugged at my own lips. “Yeah, you got a brother, if that’s what you mean.” I realized the full depth of that didn’t terrify me. I shifted my stance. “Ash adopted me in his head after a week, and well, I think I feel the same about you as I do for him.”

She lit up at that, and we both looked at Ash, who was still pretending not to be side-eying us as he packed the last of his things.

“But I don’t have a couch. I need to get my shit together,” I said.

Her smile widened. “Maybe in a year, I’ll have a little apartment in Thebos or Ea Shadohe. Same offer. And I mean it. A decade from now. Twenty. I’ll be there for you too. Family.”

I closed my eyes with the warmth of her words. And it meant so much more than the hurricane of emotions I felt after kissing her. This was the foundation that survived all that. “My home will always be open to you too, Sister.”

She hugged me then, holding me tight, with her head to my heart. It felt right for her to be there, safe.

I caught a glimpse of Asher’s back as he strode fast down the path home, alone.