Chapter 5
Kit should have known that she wouldn’t be allowed to spend the night with Jade.
Scorpia returned after Jade had managed to eat a little bit, and she told Kit that she had to go back and join the others for the night. Kit knew that it made sense, if Scorpia was going to sleep in her own tent then she didn’t want someone she didn’t know in there.
But leaving Jade was hard. Kit felt like each step away from her was as if she was trying to wade through thick mud. She doesn’t even remember the path she took to seek out her group.
Airk draped an arm around her, patting her chest as he told her that everything would be alright and invited her to sleep next to him. Kit thought of when they were children and climbing into each other's beds after their father left because they would wake up and fear that the other would have disappeared just like him.
Kit settles on a bedroll between Airk and Elora but she doesn’t sleep. She felt like she was waiting for something and it took a few moments for her to think of her room back at Tir Asleen and how she would leave her window unlocked and open for Jade to crawl through at night. If Jade didn’t come in, Kit would sometimes go out.
Sleeping in the barn with Jade always made Kit itchy and Jade’s bed was far smaller than her own, forcing the two of them to squish together to sleep comfortably. But Kit would wake up in the morning to her best friend picking hay out of her hair and that alone made the trip worth it.
It was foolish to feel so lonely when sleeping with a group of other people. She had her brother on one side and Elora on the other, her arm brushing against Airk’s elbow if she moves any further to one side and Elora’s foot is touching Kit’s bedroom while she slept.
Kit stared up at the sky, listening to the sound of fire crackling nearby as it simmered down from where Elora had cooked them dinner. Her body ached from all the walking and heavy lifting she had done for the past few days, and she felt absolutely exhausted both mentally and physically, but she just couldn’t sleep.
If she were back at home and felt like this, she would have climbed right out her window and made her way down to the barn. Jade had grown used to her appearances and when Kit would poke her and tell her to move over, Jade would let out a sleepy grumble but do just that, even lifting the blanket up so that Kit could slide underneath.
Kit watched the stars in the sky, making her own constellations and stories behind them when she heard the crunching of gravel and leaves as someone neared them. They had been on their quest for too long because the sound of someone approaching had everyone waking and immediately sitting up.
It was Scorpia, to Kit’s surprise. The woman looked like she had just woken up, her hair slightly unkempt. She stopped in front of the group and pointed at Kit. “You. Come.”
Kit blinked but pushed her blanket back and started to climb to her feet. Airk grabbed her wrist, still not trusting the Bone Reavers.
“Why?” Airk demanded. Scorpia looked like she had very little patience to deal with him.
“She’s being asked for,” Scorpia rolled her eyes and then beckoned Kit closer again. “Come on. Don’t make me wait.”
Kit tugged her hand away from her brother, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile as she moved toward Scorpia. Scorpia’s hand braced the back of her neck and guided her forward.
“She had a nasty dream,” Scorpia commented as they walked back to her tent. “Was calling for you. Wouldn’t calm down when she woke up.”
Kit knew that Jade probably wouldn’t sleep on the table for the night but seeing her in Scorpia’s bed, hunched over as she tried to catch her breath, reminded her of back at home. Kit moved forward, Scorpia’s hand falling from her neck as she approached Jade.
Jade’s head jerked up with panic written all over her face. The panic then turned to fear before settling on distress. Jade reached for her and Kit had a brief moment where she thought about the fact that she was climbing into the Bone Reavers leader’s bed but she shoved that thought aside as she crawled into bed next to Jade and wrapped her arms around her.
Jade sank into her arms, going from tense and panicked to limp and weary in a matter of moments. Kit knew that Scorpia was still standing there, watching and waiting. Kit worried about doing something wrong and being kicked out but then decided that she would do what Jade needed her to do, whether or not it was appropriate for someone she barely knew to witness.
“You were gone,” Jade whispered into Kit’s shoulder, hot tears seeping into the fabric of Kit’s shirt. “You fell through and you were gone under the water. I couldn’t get the whole back open, I couldn’t save you. You drowned, Kit.”
“I’m right here,” Kit replied, cupping the back of Jade’s head. “I’m okay. You helped me, you saved me.”
Kit held Jade for a few moments until she felt something wet seeping into her shirt, much lower than there should be anything wet. Kit slowly pulled away to inspect the cause, her breath catching in her throat when she saw the bloody patch growing on Jade’s side.
“Shit,” Scorpia was suddenly tugging Kit away from Jade. “You ripped your stitches.”
Jade’s hand latched onto Kit’s wrist before Scorpia could pull her out of the bed. Scorpia clicked her tongue against her teeth in disappointment but instead moved around Kit to grip the bottom of Jade’s shirt and tugged it up to inspect the soaked bandage wound around her torso.
“I’m going to go get a healer,” Scorpia pinned Jade under her stare. “Don’t move.”
Jade’s eyes flickered to Kit’s shirt when Scorpia left, remorse in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I got blood on you.”
“It’s just a shirt,” Kit brushed it off, trying not to think of the fact that Jade’s blood was seeping into her shirt, and touching her skin. She tried to push away the memory of blood on her fingers as Jade apologized for being stabbed in the first place. “You’re not going to pass out again, are you?”
“No…” Jade said but she didn’t sound so sure, her face seemingly paler than it was moments ago. “It doesn’t even really hurt. Just… aches.” Jade watched the spot on her shirt very slowly but steadily grow. “When are we heading back to Tir Asleen?”
“I don’t know,” Kit was eager to get home but at the same time she never wanted to return. She wouldn’t be able to handle whatever disappointment her mother aimed at her because of Graydon’s death nor would she be able to tolerate another arranged marriage. Kit loved Jade and she desperately wanted the girl to be her other half officially but she knew that her mother would never accept that because of Jade’s status. “Don’t worry about it.”
Jade eyed her with a small frown on her face before she reached out and grabbed Kit’s hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll do it together,” she promised the girl in front of her.
Kit wondered if Jade understood the weight of the words she was promising. Sorsha may severely punish Kit if she found out about their relationship and Kit didn’t want to drag down Jade with her.
But she doesn’t have it within her to refuse the statement, not when Jade squeezed her hand and smiled at her.
Scorpia not only brought a healer but she found new tops for them both as well. Jade refused to let Kit leave, even when they had to remove her shirt to redo the stitches. Jade kept a firm grasp on Kit’s hand throughout the stitches as Scorpia hovered nearby, watching the healer work.
Kit snuck a glance at the wound, something akin to relief filling her when she saw that although the wound was an angry red and sluggishly bleeding, almost all of the infection and dead tissue was gone.
Kit doesn’t understand how Jade could start to fall asleep while getting stitches. Fear swooped through her briefly at the thought of perhaps she had lost too much blood. But nobody else seemed concerned so Kit squished her fear down and continued to hold Jade’s hand.
She doesn’t remember when or how she eventually fell asleep but she woke up laying next to Jade, a new blanket draped over her and the empty feeling of having expected nightmares only to not dream.
“So you weren’t lying.”
Kit flinched at the sudden voice, rolling over from where she was pressed against Jade to see that Scorpia was sitting in a chair and watching the bed. Kit suddenly realized where she was and embarrassment surged through her as she tried to sit up.
“If you try to get out of my bed and wake Jade up then I will kick your ass,” Scorpia warned and Kit froze before she slowly glanced down at the girl still sleeping against her side.
Kit slowly moved back down, trying not to tense up when she felt Jade sleepily grip her shirt. “Sorry.”
Scorpia rolled her eyes at the apology and rocked on the back two legs of the chair. “So, you weren’t kidding when you said you loved my sister.”
Kit’s face got hot at the comment. “I… yes.”
Scorpia let out a hum, eyeing them on her bed. “Judging by the way she keeps asking and hanging on you, I’d say she feels the same.”
Kit doesn’t know whether to confirm or deny the statement. “Maybe…”
Scorpia scoffed. “I may not know her that well but she looks at you like you hung the stars and moon. If she doesn’t love you back then I’ll eat my left shoe.”
Kit blinked at her a few times, taking a moment to feel Jade’s chest rising and falling beside her before she spoke. “Is that okay?”
Scorpia looked at her, a frown on her face as she tried to decipher what Kit was talking about. Kit felt slightly guilty when the offended look crossed Scorpia’s face. “Are you insinuating what I think you are?”
Kit tore her eyes away from Scorpia, peering down at Jade’s sleeping face. “I’m sorry. I just know that a lot of people will not accept it for many reasons.”
“If this is you trying to say that you’re too good for my sister because you’re a princess…” Scorpia started, the front legs of the chair hitting the floor as she leaned forward.
“My love for her would never be accepted by my mother,” Kit said and Scorpia’s scolding died off. “I am the princess of Tir Asleen, I am to marry someone for politics, not for love.”
“That sounds like shit,” Scorpia commented. Kit ran a hand over Jade’s hair as she nodded.
“Yeah. This whole journey has helped me realize that I can’t lose her. But when I go back, things are going to change. I do love her, Scorpia. I just…” Kit swallowed hard. “I don’t know if they’ll let me. There are too many factors. Her status is only one of them.” Kit loved a girl. Others would find that disgusting.
“Fuck them,” Scorpia scoffed and Kit glanced at her. “Love is love. As long as both people are happy, it doesn’t matter.”
Kit grew up on stories of the Bone Reavers being ravenous beasts who would kidnap them if they wandered too far away from the castle. Kit was taught to fear them and yet at that moment she couldn’t help but wish that the people of Tir Asleen were a little more like them.
“Fuck, are you crying?” Scorpia questioned. Kit brought a hand up to her face to scrub at her cheek.
“No,” Kit said as her sleeve soaked up the tears rolling down her face. Her time away from home had let her grow and develop in ways that she couldn’t before and Kit had learned so much about herself. She doesn’t think that she would be able to squeeze herself back into that little box that her mother wanted her in.
Scorpia stood and made her way over to the bed. Kit didn’t know Scorpia very well but she was starting to learn exactly the kind of person she was.
“Listen,” Scorpia sat on the edge of the bed. “I think that you’re a spoiled royal brat who, until recently, has never had to work a hard day in her life. I cannot fathom the reason that my sister would love you.”
Kit bristled at the words, ready to defend herself when Scorpia held up her hand to stop her.
“But, for some reason, she does. She sees something in you that I don’t,” Scorpia glanced at Jade. “She took a blade for you. That speaks more than any words. So this is what I’m going to say.”
Scorpia leaned forward, setting her hand on Kit’s knee to get her attention. “Based on your reactions, I can assume that you will be unable to pursue who you love should you return to your home. Because for some reason, Jade likes you, and for that reason alone, I extend to you an open invite to the Bone Reavers. Here, you will be able to love who you wish to love.”
Of all the ways that Kit had expected the conversation to go, an invitation was not it.
“That being said, if you break my sister’s heart then you better hope you have a head start because I will hunt you down,” Scorpia patted Kit’s knee before she stood up. “Good talk.”
Kit watched Scorpia leave the tent, still trying to digest the information that Scorpia had given her.
It took two days before Jade was out of bed on shaky legs, all grins and laughs as she complimented Boorman’s muscles for carrying her and thanked Elora for freezing ice for her fever.
Kit couldn’t help but hover near her, even if Jade was on the mend. She had almost lost Jade and she realized just how quickly someone she loved could be taken from her. The others seemed to realize it as well because they never strayed far, always checking in.
Jade got grumpy with that pretty quickly. “Can I not have a moment alone to think?” She snapped.
Kit tried to plaster herself to Airk’s side to keep from running after Jade as the girl walked down toward the river to have a moment of peace. Airk slung an arm around her shoulders and Kit took a moment to sit with her brother. They hadn’t really discussed all that had happened yet and Kit wasn’t really keen on doing it anytime soon.
It took one of the Bone Reavers dropping an empty pot, a metallic clang echoing through the clearing that reminded Kit too much of clashing swords, for her to give up trying to stay away. Kit left to go find Jade.
Jade was sitting on a fallen log by the river, watching the water flow. Kit took a seat next to her hesitantly, surprised when Jade doesn’t hesitate to lean against her, resting her head on Kit’s shoulder. Jade took a deep breath, letting it out in a tired sigh.
“I’m getting better every day,” Jade started the conversation. “We can go back soon.”
Kit thought of the complicated emotions that they both felt toward returning. “I suppose so, yes.”
Jade let out a hum, her arm wrapping around Kit’s waist. “I really wouldn’t mind it if time stopped for a moment though,” Jade murmured. “I’d like to just sit here with you for a while.”
“Who’s to say that we can’t?” Kit rested her head on top of Jade’s. “I think that after all we’ve done, we deserve a break.”
“You can’t stop time, Kit,” Jade let out a soft laugh, a noise that always made Kit’s heart flutter.
“I would for you,” Kit would give Jade the world if that was what she wanted. “I’d find a way.”
“Mhmm, I’m sure you would,” Jade’s hand tugged Kit a little closer. “But I’m good right where we are now.”
Kit sat with Jade and watched the river until the sun set, unable to help but think about how willing her mother would let her be with Jade if she knew how many times Kit almost died. Kit really wasn’t asking for much. She’d put up with the stupid dresses and the events and even do all of the boring royal etiquettes if she could just be with Jade.
Besides, if all else failed, Kit knew that there was at least one place she could fall back on where she could be who she truly is.
Never once did Kit ever think she would be considering becoming a Bone Reaver. But she would do it for Jade.
She’d do anything for Jade.