I reach for it and he hands me the bow. It’s light, as he said. It’s so light that despite its enormous size, I can hold it easily. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. It’s a deep purple with white stripes on it and I raise the bow, pretending like I’m aiming.
“Careful, love,” he says. “It shoots easily.”
Cautiously, I lower the bow back down and hand it over. I’m comfortable with knives, with daggers, but bows and guns are another thing altogether. Those are weapons I’m not entirely comfortable with, perhaps because I haven’t spent much time with them.
“What do we do now?” I ask, looking at the fereers surrounding us.
“We need to pack up the animals and head back to Diamond,” he says. “We’ll take Stremon’s ship. It’ll be faster than walking back through the jungle. This is a good haul and the meat will fetch a reasonable price. Getting back faster means the meat will be fresher and the price will be higher.”
“And then what happens?” I ask. The question comes out a whisper, and I hate the way I sound needy when I speak.
I hate the way I sound like I’m begging for him.
I hate the way I sound like a high school student.
“What do you mean?” Ezra turns and looks at me.
“Do I…do I go back to Mars after that?”
Is this the end?
Chapter 15
Ezra
There comes a time when every man must make a choice.
Will he be brave or will he be scared?
Will he be bold or will he be weak?
Will he press forward or will he give up?
What he chooses will determine who he is for the rest of his life. The way he makes that choice, that major decision, will impact how he makes his other decisions. The thing he chooses will determine his future.
And right now, I have to make that choice.
I am different from Dagger.
Some of our differences are huge. We’re from different planets. We’re different sizes. We’ve had different life experiences. We’re different species.
We’re from different worlds, but I can’t imagine going back to who I was yesterday. I can’t imagine going back to who I was before she fell into my life. I can’t imagine going back to a life without Dagger.
I can’t imagine it.
I don’t want to.
I want her.
The question is whether or not I’m brave enough to tell her.
My brother has always been the brave one. Quinn has never had a problem going after what he wants. Hell, he and his mate are traveling the stars together right now. They’re doing what most people only dream of and they’re doing it together.
Hayden, my sister, has always been the strong one. She’s been through hell and she’s still kicking. She’s been tortured and hurt and she’s still alive. She’s still hopeful. She’s still sweet. She hasn’t let her wounds hold her back.
But me?
I’ve never been either of those things. I’ve pushed women away because I didn’t want to be hurt. I’ve turned down relationships because they weren’t worth the risk to me. I’ve cancelled plans and broken hearts and been a terrible person, but now?