When Last Night Didn't End

8.4

I lifted a hair pin from its velvety bed, turning it this way and that, letting the crystals tied at its wider end spill over my hand. A huge, hand-carved metal flower with leaves sparkled against the glint of the afternoon sun. It's beautiful.

"Never pegged you as a hair pin enthusiast," Arzo's voice bled in my ear. I turned to find him peering down from my shoulder. "Are you going to buy that?"

The multicolored, drop-shaped crystals clinked against each other as I placed it back on the box. "We're ethran-less, remember?" I said, ducking my head at the vendor who glared at me for touching his wares without paying. "I don't have anything aside from the stuff I saved up. I can't start splurging now."

Arzo mussed his hair. "Fine, I get it," he clicked his tongue. "You don't need to remind me of that. Which reminds me, would you come with me to the forest? There's something I'd like you to teach me."

I stared up at him. The sun's glare shining past the low house roofs surrounding us slapped my eyeballs and gave my vision a stinging haze. "Why didn't you ask me back in Dragnasand or when we're in the forest?" I shielded my eyes just to see his face properly. I waved my hand at him. "Just ask me here, then."

Arzo scratched his ear. "It's a physical technique," he glanced at the bustling people and the passing horse-drawn carriages. "I can't make you bust out some moves in the middle of the street."

I considered it, looking away to give my eyes a rest. "Well, if you insist," I was saying until my gaze landed on two familiar figures. There, clamoring on the stall bearing glinting craftsmanship, were Kora and Revery. Oh, they looked happy together, even though they stood quite the distance from each other. Since the day we arrived in this town, I've lost count of how many isolated times I found them in the same arrangement. Even during the jjangkai mission, it's like they couldn't be separated from each other.

It's...

"Sel?" Arzo said behind me. "You spaced out there."

I shook my head, blinking fast. It's fine. It should be fine. "I'm fine," I said. "Let's go."

I moved to shoulder past Arzo—whether he followed me or not was up to him—when I heard a voice coming up behind me. "Hey, you two," Kora greeted in a tone far too cheerful. "Enjoying the town?"

Before he could see my face, I turned towards the hairpin section spread out before me and palmed the one with the huge flower once more. "Yeah, it's fine," I said, perhaps a little too quickly. Why was I even acting this way?

"Sel, you alright?" Kora asked.

Something about how clueless and harmless that question was snapped something in me. I gritted my teeth, swallowing whatever scathing reply climbing up my throat. Instead, I forced a smile out. "Yeah, peachy," I said. "Why?"

Kora shrugged. "Well, we'll be going forward," he said. "How about a team dinner later? I saw a place not far from here. We could try that."

"So that's how it is," I blurted. It's too late now. I let my mouth get the better of me yet again.