Chapter 196

I looked up to smile at him and was stunned at his appearance. His lip was split and his fists were freshly bloody. He looked like he'd been fighting all morning.

We walked into the forest and I found the nerve to ask him what happened.

"I wanted to fight with someone," he said simply, "so I did."

"Are your Brothers all right? Which one did you fight with?"

I'd seen Kein after being attacked by them. It worried me to think he'd taken his aggression out on his Brothers again.

Damien laughed, short and humorless. "We fought with another family. There is a young group of Warriors in the compound. They are exceedingly easy to draw into an argument."

We sat down in a quiet spot and Damien uncovered what he'd brought. There was a small cup with the bowl. It was the new health drink. I'd vomited it this morning, so he'd brought more. We ate in silence for a while before a sound came from deeper in the forest.

Damien sprung between me and the