Battle Strong by Elizabeth McCready (the ebook reader txt) 📖

now, we are stuck here. I just spoke with Lewisse and the command team will be notifying us at first light with a verdict. For now, just try to get some sleep.” Ander said, he moved to Beth and sat beside her.

Noeh watched Ander’s eyes find hers and their wordless communication made him sick. Of course, Ander would chose the spot closest hers and the spot to separate her and Noeh. Frustrated, Noeh turned his back to them, to her, and fell asleep to the hushed rustling of horses and humans.

*~* 

Ander couldn’t sleep. He checked on Beth every few minutes, making sure she was sound asleep. He thought of her words, her sadness. She missed Chaess, it made Ander’s heart ache to think of what she was feeling. How she must’ve felt when Kallide died. How unnerving her screams were. How chilling it was to watch her prepare for battle after such an incident. Death made her cruel. He was thankful that her malicious behavior was only temporary. He worried, though he knew she was so strong, that one of these days something may happen that she won’t be able to recover from. That her profound viciousness would become permanent. He tried not to let his mind drift to those thoughts.

Ander laid on his back, observing the ceiling. He noted the wooden framework and all the nails haphazardly jutting out of the boards at all angles. He wondered how long it had been since anything other than the main aisle had been repaired or maintained. He also wondered how old this building even was. As far as he could recall, no base before them ever had horses. So why start now? He figured that would be a question for the command if he ever made it to the end.

Beth’s panicked breathing broke his train of thought. Suddenly, her body was thrashing.

“No, no.” she mumbled. Ander realized she was dreaming, unsure of how to handle such a situation, he put a hand on her shoulder.

“Shh, it’s okay, you’re safe.” He whispered. She opened her eyes quickly tears pouring down her cheeks, breathing heavy and frantic. “It’s okay,” he whispered cupping her face in his hand, “It’s just a dream. It’s me.” 

“It’s not a dream, they’re really gone.” she cried, and he knew exactly who she was talking about. He wrapped his arms around her.

“I know.” It was all he could say. He let her cry, and would let her cry as long as she needed.

Eventually, her breathing steadied and her body stilled from the trembling. Her head was rested just below his chin, her arms wrapped around him still, as his were around her. He didn’t move her, he didn’t want to. She needed to sleep, or maybe that was just the easy excuse he made for himself. 

He kissed her forehead softly and finally got some sleep himself.

*~*

Quinn wasn’t even sure what had woken him in the middle of the night. Quietly, he scanned the room looking for whatever disrupted his much needed rest. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but Beth sobbing in Ander’s arms was definitely not it. He watched silently, he realized that if someone saw him staring they would most definitely think he was a creep; but he felt like he was onto something. What if this changed something. Or what if it didn’t matter at all. He wasn’t taking any chances.

Just when he thought the excitement was over, she fell asleep. Exciting? Maybe not, but she was wrapped in his arms. Quinn was astonished when it didn’t end there, Ander kissed her! On the head, granted, but nonetheless a kiss! He sat still mouth gaping as he watched the whole ordeal unfold. He looked around to see if anyone else was seeing this, and of course they weren’t. If he didn’t know any better he’d think everyone else was dead, how could no one else wake up for that? It was the most interesting thing to happen since he’d gotten to the camp, well other than all the combat.

*~*

Noeh knew the day would suck from the moment he opened his eyes. At some point in the night he had turned to face the very spot where Ander and Beth were far too comfortably wrapped around each other. His face burned with both hatred and envy. Of all the times they could’ve chosen to be repulsive, they chose now. He scoffed and left the hayloft like a child being refused chocolate in a candy shop. 

*~*

Beth woke to the sound of someone shouting profanities. Her face flushed when she realized how she was laying. Her eyes searched Ander’s face for any sign of waking as she peeled herself from his arms. As soon as her body was no longer touching his, she raced down the stairs, missing half of them, and actually collided with Noeh. 

“Woah there, Tiger.” he said steadying her, “In a hurry?”

“I- uh - well- I,” she fumbled for her words, trying to form an actual thought.

Without another attempt at speaking, she fled down the narrow hallway under the hayloft and crashed into one of the rooms, slamming the door behind her. She sank to the floor and gathered her breaths. A few minutes went by before she realized there were tools in the room. Slowly, she stood and observed the various hammers, screwdrivers, saws, horseshoes, wrenches and so many other tools that she didn’t even know existed. She ran her finger along the surface of one of the work benches and collected so much dust that it changed the color of her fingertip. She wiped her hand and looked to the other side of the room where piles of wood and metals were sprawled across the floor and in buckets. Hanging above them, she saw several brooms, brushes, and pans hanging on the wall in organized bundles. She ran a hand across the bristles of a handheld broom and reached for its handle. She carefully pulled it and a pan from the wall and rid the work benches of dust and debris. 

*~*

He wasn’t sure whether it was appropriate for him to simply walk in, he wasn’t sure if appropriate was even the right term for what he was questioning. But he did anyway.

“You alright in here?” Noeh asked.

“I’ve been better.” She half-smiled.

“Beth, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? Noeh, sorry is not the remedy here. Look, I’m not mad, I actually don’t even know what I am. But with everything that’s going on, I can’t relax about this. I know it wasn’t your fault, I do. But, it’s still hard not to have adversity to you at this moment. And sorry will not fix it.”

“Then what will? I’m not going to stay clear of you, I’m not going to avoid you. What other option is there than to be sorry?”

“The option to go back and change time.” She paused. “Maybe.”

“Sounds easy enough.” Noeh gave a small chuckle. “So what, I’m supposed to just wait around for you to feel okay with me? Because I couldn’t single-handedly protect you from twenty soldiers? That’s not even fair.”

“I never said it was.”

“Oh, then what are you saying, Beth?” He became irritated.

“I’m saying you need to give me a little time, Noeh.”

“Time? Really? This is war, Beth. We don’t get time.” He started to raise his voice, the sudden change in his tone startled Beth.

“Why are you getting angry? Is this really so ridiculous for you?”

“I’m angry because you were my best friend in this shithole, Beth. I’m angry because all of a sudden you’re not paying attention to anything, you are being wreckless, you are getting yourself into trouble. You could’ve been killed, and now you’re saying you need time? Beth that’s ridiculous. That cannot be your reason. I know you. Why are you really upset with me?”

“I’m not upset with you, Noeh. I just have things to deal with, things that don’t really concern you.”

“Oh, that don’t concern me. Beth, you are kidding. You have secrets now? Is that it? What is your deal?”

“My deal is that you are overreacting, right now. You are acting crazy. You are smothering me, attacking Ander over me, and now yelling at me for asking for time. Look, I wasn’t any better that day but you are taking your anger and whatever feelings you are harbouring and making this place more hell than it already was.” Beth said. 

“Ever think that maybe there is a reason for that?” Noeh gulped.

“I don’t want to.” She said sharply, turned and started for the door.

“Sure, go run to Captain Loverboy why don’t you? Just like you always do.”

“It’s not like that.” She snapped, her face blushed. “Why do you hate him so much?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes, Noeh, it matters a lot. It’s causing trouble and tension in our team and I am sick of it. I’m tired of being pissed at you for it.”

“Pissed at me? What for?”

“Every since you found out who Ander was, you’ve been a shit person. You’re letting it get to you.”

“Of course I am, Beth,” He raised his voice. “Do you forget what he put you through?”

“Do you forget that you were my best friend?”

“That’s kind of part of the problem here, the problem is he hurt you, Beth! He destroyed you. And now you’re just going to sit back and watch him do it all over again? Forgive me if I have a problem with that when I was the one who stuck by your side!”

“I’m not letting him do anything! There a things that you have no idea about, Noeh.”

“Then what do you have to say about last night, Beth? Huh? You were all over each other. You can’t tell me after all that, that you two don’t have something going on.”

“Keep your voice down.” She said, her face drained of color.

“It’s not a secret, Beth, everyone saw, it. We were all there. You are just clueless aren’t you?”

“Noeh, stop.”

“He’s trying to earn your trust back, just so he can destroy you again. Can’t you see that?”

“Noeh, please.”

“He’s doing all that protective bullshit, to earn your trust just to rip it to shreds again”

“Do you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, it’s because he actually cares?” Beth snapped.

“He doesn’t care, Beth. I care. I-” His voice cracked, his eyes dropped. “I’m the one that cares.”

“You have a lousy way of showing it.” She said, and started for the door, but stopped as Noeh rushed to meet her holding her arms with his hands, surprised she didn’t pull away. “If he doesn’t get a chance to be sorry, then neither do you.” She said.

“That’s not fair, Beth. I care about you.” he said brushing a tear from her cheek.

“And I care about him, and he obviously cares about me. Your ignorance is blinding you, Noeh. I-I don’t know how to explain what I’m feeling, but I’m feeling something for him so grow the hell up and accept that or stay out of my way.”

She turned again for the door, Noeh reached out and pulled her back in, one hand on her waist, the other moved up from her arm to her face. Their faces inches apart, he placed a hand in her hair and to the back of her neck. Then. He. Kissed. Her. He kissed her softly, for a single moment that seemed to drag on forever. 

“I cannot believe you!” She yelled throwing a punch so hard to his stomach that he hurled over in pain. “What is wrong with you? I tell you that I have may feelings for another person and you feel that is an appropriate time to kiss me?” She started out the door with anger.

“Beth, no, please,” he coughed, “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Noeh. Stay the hell away from me, I mean it.” She growled as she walked out the door.

*~*

Quinn hid just in time for Beth to run out of the room. He couldn’t believe all the drama he’d been missing out on. He went over all the facts he’d gathered