Chapter 23

The five of us stand in a small clearing of forest in a semicircle around our Lieutenant who repeats the instructions we were given his morning. I look around as he talks, only half–listening because 1 already know what our job is. I’ve got a good memory, after all.

I look up at the sky above the trees, thinking that it took longer than I thought to get everything ready and get us here. It’s already well past noon, which doesn’t give us a ton of time before night falls.Our task is pretty simple, though. All we have to do as a group is light a fire, boil water so that it’s potable, produce some kind of sustenance for ourselves – fish or edible plants – and demonstrate that we can do basic first aid if anyone gets hurt in the process. Once that’s done, we’ll be given a compass and a map with our location marked and we’ll be required to traverse the ten miles back to the barracks. Anyone who doesn’t complete the group tasks, or fails to make it back tomorrow by dinner, receives a failing mark.

I shrug, thinking it will be pretty simple, as the Lieutenant hands Alan our small packet of supplies, which contains the first–aid kit, flint, a machete, and a small spool of wire with some fish hooks. We’re strictly forbidden from using anything in our packs to aid us – they’re only supposed to carry extra clothing and blankets in case we need to sleep out here before the jobs get done.

“I think.” Alan says, turning towards the group of us, “that our best plan is to get this done and hike through the night. I, for one,” he says, looking at Luca and I with particular venom, “have no true interest in spending more time as a group than we have to.”

“No argument for me,” Luca says, nodding in agreement. I don’t say anything at all as Alan begins to parcel out the supplies to his friends.

“How the f**k,” Perry murmurs, “are we supposed to boil water when they didn’t even give us a pot?”

Alan looks askance at Graham, who just shrugs, making my eyebrows go up. Am I seriously the only one who knows the answer to this?

I wait a second for Alan to volunteer the answer but he just stares at the flint in apparent confusion while Graham grabs the machete and strides over to a tree, starting to hack at the branches. Luca’s eyebrows go up as he smirks, and I can tell that he’s a little entertained, watching the smaller smack at the branches.

“What – what the hell are you doing?” I ask, my voice ringing through the clearing.

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All eyes turn to me, including Graham, who glares. “I’m getting firewood,” he says, as if it’s obvious.

“Oh my god,” I huff, stalking over to him and grabbing the machete out of his hands. “You can’t use live wood for a fire – it’s wet. Wood has to be dry.” Graham shouts and grabs back for the machete but I quickly move out of his way. I sigh and look around. “Do any of you know how to do any of

this?”

“I can fish,” Perry says, reaching out for the coiled wire and set of hooks. He looks over at the deep

stream that runs by our clearing. “I mean, I usually use bait, but…I can dig up worms and tie these lines to some poles.”

“Great,” I say, my voice dry. “Why don’t you take Graham and do that. Us other three will get

started on the rest.”

“You’re not in charge here. Clark,” Alan says, his voice bitter.

“I think he is.” Luca says, crossing his arms and grimacing at Alan. “I mean, if you want to pretend you know what you’re doing out of pride, I guess that’s fine – but I’m completely lost here, and willing to take direction if it means not losing my place in the standings. What about you?”

–

Alan takes a deep breath, so clearly battling his pride and not wanting to admit that I might have skills he doesn’t even if I am a shrimp. But eventually he exhales and tosses the flint at me. I barely catch it after it bounces off my chest.

“All right.” Luca says, turning to me with raised eyebrows. “What’s next?”

“Fire first,” I say, nodding. I give terse instructions, falling into a very pale imitation of my father, who taught us all of this stuff when we were very young. I mean, Jesse and Rafe have been going on big camping trips with dad and Uncle Roger for years, doing much more complicated stuff than this. But dad? He always made sure I could do the basics.

“Luca,” I say as I begin to gather dry brush, wood, and stones – both flat and round. “I want you to go see if you can find some berries.” I snap my head up and hold his gaze, “do not eat any of the ones you find a lot look good but will make you sick. Just….bring them all back here, in case the fishermen don’t have any success with their worms. Alan, I want you to go into the woods and find the fattest birch tree you can find. White, with smooth bark – do you know the one I mean?”

–

“What the f**k is this,” Alan growls, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are you trying to embarrass me, sending me on a mission to find a fat tree?”

I roll my eyes at him, exasperated. “I don’t know what your problem is with me, Wright, but it

– the bark would be great if you could get over it until we’re through this. I’m not f**king with you can be used to make a container for the water. So will you just go find it?”

—

Alan stares at me for a long moment but then turns and heads into the woods, his hands fists at his sides. Luca winks at me and gives me a little salute before heading in the opposite direction. I take a glance over at Graham and Perry, who are busy tying the fishing wire to long sticks. Pleased to see them busy, I get started with the fire.

After arranging the flat rocks in a circle, I create a small pile of dry brush in the center. Then, kneeling quite close to the pile of brush, I use the machete to scape some magnesium on the back of the flint. Leaning close, I strike the flint with the metal edge of the blade, sending sparks onto the pile.

The magnesium lights in a flash and when one of the sparks catches, I’m ready for it. I lean forward, blowing gently on the flame to give it oxygen. I dangle some dry brush above the baby flame so it has something to consume. It stutters for a moment, but the flame greedily takes the

bait, starting to flare. I grin. pleased, and sit back on my heels, starting to add some small sticks.

“Wow,” a voice says, and I blink, looking up at the Lieutenant, who nods at me. “That was….that was crazy fast.”

“Thanks,” I say, giving a pleased little nod. Fire it’s never really been hard for me. I’ve always even been faster than Rafe and Jesse with this part. The lieutenant nods again, making a notation on his clipboard, and I grin, realizing that I’m getting credit for making the fire.

By the time Luca come back with two handfuls of berries, the fire is burning cheerfully and I’ve started adding small logs that I’ve hacked up with the machete. “Holy shit,” he says, his eyebrows going up. “Did you did you do that?” noveldrama

“No.” I say, looking at him with blank sarcasm. “When you were gone the Lieutenant tossed me a lighter.”

“That is…seriously impressive, Shrimp,” Luca says and I grin, stupidly pleased at his compliment as I stand up and reach out my hands.

“Show me what you’ve got, pretty boy,” I say, teasing. Luca laughs as he drops his haul into my hands. I sigh as I quickly sort through the selection. “No luck,” I murmur, tossing the berries into the fire. “None of those are edible.”

“How do you know that?” he says, looking mournfully after his bounty.

–

“Why do you keep asking me these things? I already told you I went camping.”

“With like, the King?” Luca asks, wrinkling his nose a little in disbelief.

“Yes,” I say, grinning at him a little. “Except, we don’t call him the King. We just call him…Uncle Dom.” Or, dad. Uncle Dom is just what Jesse and his siblings calls him.

“That’s so weird,” Luca breathes, shaking his head at me, making me grin.

“I found the fat tree,” Alan says ruefully, coming into the clearing and renewing his glare.

“Show me” I say, giving him a thumbs up. Scowling seriously, does this guy ever cheer up? – Alan leads Luca and I into the woods. I grab the machete on our way. It doesn’t take long to get to the tree

Alan selected and I nod it will work.

“Okay,” I sigh, lifting the giant knife, “this is going to take a while. I need you two to go back and feed the fire while I work. Just….keep giving it more wood, make it burn really high and really hot. And when it gets really hot and there start to be coals beneath the live flames, start putting those round stones into the embers.”

“Why?” Alan asks, his voice snotty, and I turn to glare at him.

“Because little elves told me to, Alan,” I say, totally dry. “Does it matter? Just do it.”

Luca bursts out laughing and Alan glares at me, but Luca pats Alan on the back and leads him away.

12:38 Sun, Tu Mar

I shake my head, starting to cut and peel back a large swatch of the birch bark.

“It’s gonna be a long night,” I murmur to myself as I work.

Yes! My wolf says, trotting back and forth inside of me. Let’s stay all night under the stars! We can share a blanket by the fire cuddle up! We can –

“Oh my god,” I sigh, doing my best to ignore her.

1

But honestly? I’d be lying if I said that I don’t share some of her impulses.

—

we can sit with Luca

Because the opportunity to hang out with Luca alone, at night, under the stars? Well. I’m not going to get very many opportunities to do that with Rafe glowering over my shoulder.

So…..do I take advantage of this opportunity?

Or just let it pass?

And if I did decide to take advantage of it…

What would that look like, precisely? I bite my lip, my stomach fluttering as I consider it.