Book 3: One Step Forward

Candace

“There’s got to be something we’re missing.” Heavy bags hang under Kieran’s eyes as our stay in Kar Castle stretches into the second week.

“I don’t have a clue what,” Taner replies, equally tired. “He hasn’t even replied to any of our attempts conclusively enough to figure out what’s pissing him off.”

“I know what’s pissing him off.” Ingrid scribbles aggressively on the scrap paper she’s started bringing to these planning meetings. I asked her once, and she said she’s sketching, but she won’t show me what it is. “It’s the fact that he’s awful and trapped us here to torture us permanently.”

Finn snorts. Ever since he pulled me aside, I’ve been looking at his boredom differently. It seems patently obvious that his eyes are trained on the middle distance because he’s listening now. I honestly don’t know how I could’ve missed it—I’ve never had to catch him up on the conversation because he stopped paying attention or repeat myself when I