BOOK 2

  CHAPTER 19

  Celebration

  Despite the late hour people dispersed toward the cooking fires rather than their homes or tents. Someone started a drum. Children ran between the adults, chasing wolves, shrieking with laughter.

  They brought out tables and set them up in front of the Village Hall. Two nights of celebration in a row. The first for their victory at the pass. Tonight for the bonding of Bash and Lilly. The village had decided it deserved to be happy, and no one was going to argue.

  Bash sat on a bench at the edge of the festivities, watching his people dance and drink and laugh. Torches flickered. Music played. Children chased each other between the legs of adults who were too drunk to notice.

  He wished Patrick could be here. The thought came unbidden, as it always did. Patrick would have hated this. Would have stood in the corner with his arms crossed, grunting at anyone who tried to talk to him. But he would have been here. That was what mattered.

  Bash's mind drifted to the bond. It had happened so fast. One second, he was dying, the next he was connected to Lilly in a way he couldn't undo. The decision had been taken from him. Bond or die. Not much of a choice.

  He wasn't sure he would have done it otherwise. On one hand, she would be in more danger now. Bound to him meant following him into whatever chaos came next. Into battles. Into situations where people died.

  But on the other, danger was already everywhere. If he hadn't been there today, she would have been gryphon food. And if she hadn't been there tonight... he would have bled out on the ground with assassin blades in his back.

  Lilly had killed for him. Two people. Without hesitation. He didn't know how to feel about that. He was grateful, obviously. Alive because of it. But also something heavier. She was eleven. Old enough to know what it meant. Something she shouldn't have to carry.

  At least now she had Rewind. At least now they could protect each other. Better odds than before. He hoped it would be enough.

  Lilly flapped over and landed on his arm.

  Bash forced the thoughts down, not wanting her to feel his doubt through the bond.

  Too late. She caught the tail end of it. Her head tilted. “Bash? Are you sad again?”

  He smiled at her. “I'm happy sad.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I'm sad that I'm happy.”

  Lilly was quiet for a moment, processing. Then she nodded slowly. “Oh. I know what you mean. Sometimes I think I'm too happy when everyone else is sad. And I feel bad for being happy. Like I shouldn't be.”

  “Yeah.” His chest tightened. “Just like that.”

  His thoughts drifted to Patrick before he could stop himself.

  Lilly felt it through the bond. She hopped up his arm towards his shoulder and snuggled against his cheek, her feathers soft and warm. “It's okay to miss your friend, Bash. I miss people all the time.” She paused. “But missing them means they mattered.”

  Bash stared at her. “Eleven, huh?” He shook his head slowly. “More like eleven going on ninety. You're way too damn smart.”

  Lilly beamed at him, puffing up her feathers with pride.

  Footsteps approached. Bash looked up to see Nora and Luis walking toward him. Well, Nora was walking. Luis was more... lurching.

  Nora's usual scowl was still firmly in place, but there was a looseness to her movements. A slight sway. And at one corner of her mouth, fighting against years of practiced disapproval, a crooked smile was trying to form.

  Luis was hammered. Again. His arm was draped over Nora's shoulder, and she was doing most of the work keeping him vertical.

  “Bash!” Luis pointed at him with exaggerated enthusiasm, nearly toppling them both. “You gonna join the party or what?”

  Bash shrugged. “I'm not really into the whole dancing thing.”

  “Nooo, no no no.” Luis waved his hand dismissively, then hiccuped. “You are so... you are...” He searched for the word, failed to find it, and switched to Spanish. “Eres el más chingón, hermano. El más...” Another hiccup. “...cool.”

  “Luis, I have no idea what you just said.”

  “He said you're cool,” Nora translated, her voice only slightly slurred. “Now get off your ass before he tries to drag you himself, and we all end up on the ground.”

  Jack hobbled over, using his cane for support. He looked at Bash, then at the bench. “I'll keep your seat warm.”

  Bash stood and nodded, offering him the spot. There were plenty of open seats nearby. Jack didn't need this one specifically.

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  But Bash understood. It was a gentle push. An excuse to stop brooding. Fine, he thought. Maybe just for one night.

  Luis grabbed his arm. “Come ON!”

  Before Bash could protest, he was being pulled into the crowd. At first, he stood stiff and awkward while people danced around him. Luis was doing something that might have been dancing if you squinted and were very generous.

  Someone handed Bash a drink that tasted like toilet water. Then another. The music changed to something faster. A drum beat pounded through the square. People started clapping in rhythm.

  Bash felt something loosen in his chest. Screw it.

  He raised his fist and let Psionic Strike crackle across his knuckles. Red lightning arced into the night sky, bright and sharp against the darkness.

  The children screamed with delight.

  “Again! Again!”

  He did it again. And again. Each burst drew more cheers, more laughter. The kids gathered around him, eyes wide with wonder, begging for more.

  Shai materialized beside him, her form bright and steady. “Show off,” she said.

  “You're one to talk.”

  She smiled and raised her hands. Light bloomed from her palms, spiraling upward in patterns of gold. The crowd gasped. The children forgot about Bash entirely and chased Shai's lights like fireflies.

  Then Shai turned to him and held out her hand. “Dance with me.”

  “Can you even...”

  “I've been practicing.”

  He took her hand. Her form held, solid and warm against his palm. Five seconds. Ten.

  They danced. It was clumsy and strange and probably looked ridiculous, but Bash didn't care. For a few minutes, Shai wasn't just a voice in his head or a flickering projection. She was here. Real. Present.

  When her form finally destabilized, she flickered back with a satisfied smile. “Not bad,” she said. “For a toaster.”

  She vanished, but he could feel her warmth lingering at the edge of his awareness.

  Luis appeared out of nowhere and threw an arm around Bash's shoulder. “I love you, man.” His breath could have stripped paint. “I love you. You know that? I love you.”

  “I know, Luis.”

  “No, but like... I really love you, man.”

  Nora appeared on Luis's other side. Together, she and Bash kept him upright while he continued his heartfelt declarations. “Te quiero, hermano. Eres mi familia. Mi...”

  He went limp. For a terrifying moment, Bash thought he'd passed out standing up. Luis rallied, straightened, and said with perfect clarity. “I need to pee.”

  Nora sighed. “I've got him.” She steered Luis toward the edge of the square, shooting Bash a look that said you owe me before disappearing into the crowd.

  Bash turned back to the party and found himself face-to-face with Lucille. She stood a few feet away, hands clasped in front of her, looking at him with an expression that was half shy and half something else. Her hair was down. She was wearing a dress instead of her usual nurse's clothes.

  She looked good. Really good.

  Bash felt his thoughts drift somewhere they probably shouldn't—

  “GROSS!” Lilly launched off his shoulder so fast she nearly took his ear with her. “Gross, gross, gross! You are so gross, Bash!”

  She flapped away toward the Village Hall, radiating disgust through the bond.

  Bash laughed. Couldn't help it.

  Lucille blushed but didn't leave. “Was that... did she just...”

  “She can hear my thoughts when we're touching.” Bash rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that.”

  “Oh.” Lucille's blush deepened. “What were you thinking about?”

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” He cleared his throat. “Do you want to dance?”

  She smiled and took his hand. They danced. A slow song this time, swaying together while the torches burned low. They didn't talk. Didn't need to. Just moved together, her head against his shoulder, his hand on her back.

  One song became two. Two became five. Bash lost count. For one night, he let himself forget about armies and assassins and the weight of leadership. For one night, he was just a man dancing with a woman who made him smile.

  ***

  The party wound down slowly. Bash sat on his bench again, surveying the aftermath. Half-empty mugs littered the tables. A few stubborn dancers still swayed to music only they could hear. Most people had stumbled off to bed.

  Luis was passed out on the ground nearby, face down, ass up in the air at an angle that defied physics. Bash stared at him for a long moment, trying and failing to understand what Nora saw in the younger man.

  Lilly slept on a perch someone had brought out from the Village Hall, her head tucked under one wing.

  And Lucille sat beside him, her head on his shoulder, half asleep. Her hand held his arm loosely. They hadn't said anything to each other since the dancing stopped. Just sat together, enjoying the quiet.

  People drifted by occasionally. A Beastmaster clapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, Lord Bash. And good luck out there.”

  A werewolf in human form nodded as she passed. “Safe travels.”

  One of the nurses stopped to squeeze his hand. “Thank you. For everything.”

  Bash nodded to each of them. Joked that they might be stuck another day, given the state Luis was in. They laughed and said he was always welcome here.

  Eventually, the square emptied. Just him and Lucille. Her breathing had slowed. She was almost asleep.

  Bash carefully stood, keeping her steady. Then he bent down and scooped her up in his arms. She was lighter than he expected. Her head lolled against his chest.

  “Mmm.” Her eyes fluttered. “Bash?”

  “I'm taking you home.”

  “Okay.” She smiled drowsily and snuggled closer.

  He carried her through the quiet streets to the nurses' quarters. Found her room. Laid her gently on the bed.

  She reached up and caught his collar, trying to pull him down. He gently took her hands and moved them away. Pulled the blanket up to her chin. Tucked it around her shoulders. “Thanks for tonight,” he whispered.

  Nora was waiting outside. She leaned against the wall, one foot cocked behind her, arms crossed. The torchlight caught the hard angles of her face.

  “Oh. Hey, Nora.”

  She just nodded at him. Then pushed off the wall and turned to go. “Good move,” she said over her shoulder.

  The threat was clear. If he had done anything with Lucille… Bash jogged after her. “Wait, really? You thought I would actually try something?”

  Nora kept walking, but her steps were unsteady. Still tipsy. “No. I don't know.” She shrugged. “All men are disgusting.”

  Bash laughed. “Yeah? Well you sure picked the worst.”

  Nora stumbled slightly. Caught herself. Didn't answer. They walked in silence for a moment. “I should break it off,” she said quietly.

  Bash felt something twist in his gut. “Oh. Nora... wow. I didn’t mean that.”

  She hiccuped and turned to face him, swaying slightly. “You don't say anything, okay? Luis and I, we're just... friends. Special friends.” She waved a hand vaguely. “He knows the score.”

  Bash shook his head slowly. “Nora, come on. You know men better than that,” he said, half-joking.

  Nora's head dropped. They stood there in the empty street, the torches guttering low. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled.

  Bash watched her. Saw the way her shoulders curved inward. The way her hands clenched at her sides. The way she suddenly looked very small and very tired. “Don't.” Her voice was rough. “Just... don't.”

  She turned and walked away. Her footsteps faded into the darkness.

  Bash stood alone in the street, wondering if he'd said the right thing or made everything worse. Probably both, knowing him. Sighing, he headed back to find his bed, luckily empty this time.

  Tomorrow, they would leave Beast Village behind. Tomorrow, the real work would begin.