In Between Seasons

Chapter 38

The next morning Hunter woke me just as the sun was creeping across the horizon. He didn't say anything but smiled at me as he pulled the blanket off the loveseat before leading me down the steps to the hanging chair on the lower porch. His arms pulled me into his lap, and I placed my head against his chest as he covered us with the blanket. My eyes fluttered as I forgot the world around us, only remembering its presence when I heard the rest of the Tribe beginning to stir. I watched in contentment as the sun danced its way across the sky, painting the canvas of the world in hues of blue, purple and orange.

"What will they think?" I asked.

He placed his chin on top of my head. "Let them think what they will—it will never change what's really going on."

I snuggled in closer to him, and I could feel his lips gently kiss the top of my hair. I knew it was more than just the training they would disapprove of.

I only could wonder in content what it all meant when nothing else seemed to matter.

~~~

"So," Mara began as she walked into the laundry room and jumped onto the washer as I folded clothes; "I saw you two on the porch this morning."

"And?" I snapped, kicking the door shut behind me.

"It was nice. You guys looked very happy," she replied, grabbing one of my shirts from the bin and folding it.

"Did everyone else see it?" I asked as I tried not to look the way my stomach was feeling.

"Obviously you guys didn't care if anyone saw?" she asked, taking the towel from me and folding it in her lap.

"We all do stupid things in the heat of the moment," I replied as I looked up at the ceiling.

It just wasn't like Hunter to do something without thinking. I wondered if I was impairing his judgment and what that could mean.

"I told everyone I was making a big breakfast in the kitchen. I involved everyone—I can be quite the bossy bitch when I want to be, so no one noticed you two on the porch," Mara said as she placed her hands on the towel with a satisfied smile. "You're welcome."

"I still don't get why you're helping me, or why Rob is helping Hunter," I replied, searching her face for any sort of clue.

"Don't get too excited. We aren't doing anything we don't feel benefits us—befriending the leaders always helps the peons," she replied, and I wasn't sure if it was because I wanted it to mean something else, or if it did, but her eyes seemed softer than her words.

"Did Rob get flattened out last night?" I asked as I picked up another towel to resume folding.

"Not at all, as far as I know they didn't talk, but talking is more of a girl thing. Rob told me Hunter gave him a personalized training session which was quite useful. It's hard for anyone to get as good as Hunter because he's so guarded with why he's so talented," Mara said as I placed the folded towel in her lap.

"Good for Rob, someday we'll all need a bit of his training," I said, picking up the last pair of jeans and folding it.

Mara tilted her head at me, her eyes observing my reaction carefully. "You think there's something coming for us?"

Yes, and it's all because of me.

I bit my lip to keep from closing my eyes as the acknowledgement of what was plaguing me sunk in. They would come for me. I was too much of a liability alive. There was a chance I knew too much.

Now, they were right.

The disjointed puzzle of my life was coming together, but there were still things missing. That was why I hadn't told Hunter about my dreams—about my suspicions.

I locked eyes with Mara praying they said something other than what I was about to say, "No."

"Of course not," she said, her eyes not leaving mine as she gave a stiff nod.

There was a knock at the door, and Rob peeked his head in. "Hunter let us off for lunch— I swear you're a miracle worker, Kate!"

"I'm sure it had nothing to do with me," I replied, my eyes still locked on Mara's.

Rob looked between the two of us. Mara's eyes were still on me and mine darted down to the towel in my hand.

She had to understand; at least, I prayed she did.

"Did I interrupt a girlie talk?" Rob asked as his brow furrowed.

"Not at all," I said before I picked up the basket of laundry. "Just gossiping a bit."

Rob didn't look convinced as I pushed past him out the door.

I didn't want him to believe me.