Page 28 of Scavenger's Oath

I step further into the room. The air feels hotter near him, like even the fire knows better than to flicker without permission.

Biting down my frustration, my voice tightens. “It's about the girl.”

When he finally speaks his voice casual as ever, almost amused. “She bite you?”

“No,” I growl. “But Myles did more than that to her.”

There’s a pause in the movement of his blade. A flicker in his eyes. Finally giving me more than indifference. I know he heard the commotion last night.

So I keep going. “She barely moves. She's not sleeping. I just checked on her and—”

My hands rake through my hair as my chest heaves.

“Fuck, Phoenix. She’s barely there anymore. Just a shell. Trying not to breathe too loud. And it's not some fucking raider or scavenger that did it. It wasMyles.”

Guilt coils around my heart and squeezes, until I can barely breathe around my own words.

Phoenix exhales through his nose, leaning back and resting the knife on his thigh. “Did he hurt her?”

“She's bruised, Phoenix,” I snap. “Shirt torn off her. Fingerprints all over her. What the hell do youthinkhappened?”

His throat works, jaw clenching tight. “You know Myles. He doesn't think. He reacts.”

“Yeah, well, that reaction damn near broke her.”

I take a step forward, not threatening, but close enough that he has to look at me. Meet my eyes. “Are you just gonna let him destroy her? And then what? Throw her back into the world when he's done, to be picked apart by scavengers?”

Phoenix’s face is unreadable. The same cold apathy etched into every line. But I know him. He's not as numb as he pretends to be.

“Sounds like you're getting attached,” The corner of his mouth pulls back in amusement.

My jaw tenses. “Don't start.”

“Didn't.” Phoenix flips the knife once, catching it by the hilt. “Just sayin’—you're the one sneaking her food. Blankets. Water. You sure you're not softening her up for something yourself?”

Something in me flares at his accusation but I choke it out before it has time to break me apart.

Eyes darkening, I step forward again. “I'm trying to keep her human.” I growl, low and deadly.

Silence settles between us again, heavier this time.

Glancing back up at me, he takes a deep breath. “You think if we coddle her, she'll survive?”

“I'm just trying to do what you did for me,” I say quietly. “You pulled me out when I didn't even remember how to ask for help. When my choice had been taken from me too.”

Phoenix doesn't say anything, but heislistening. The way his fingers tighten slightly on the hilt of the knife makes it clear.

Taking a breath, my voice wavers. “I just... I don't know how to reach her. And now it's gotten worse. I sit with her, and she looks at me like she's underwater. Like even blinking hurts.”

Phoenix stands slowly, the fire crackling behind him as if feeding off his energy. He doesn't speak for a long time. Then his eyes meet mine, tired, shattered, but resolute.

“I'll talk to Myles,” he says.

His jaw tics once. It’s more of a reaction than I expected.

Blinking back my surprise, the relief that hits me isn't clean. It's tangled up in everything else, rage, helplessness, guilt.

But I nod once. “Thanks.”