by Chele Cooke
***
Nothing had been able to put Taye out of his good mood, not even when a customer had cornered him at the Trade Inn and accused him of cutting his smoking leaves with something else. Taye remained resolutely calm, explaining that he would exchange the foinah leaves for another batch if the man wanted. Georgianna had traded with Taye on many occasions, but it wasn’t often that she saw other deals. Taye was very careful about this, which was probably why he’d stayed under the Adveni radar for so long. His father hadn’t been happy about Taye’s decision to join the Carae. Taye had two younger brothers who he didn’t want being dragged into it, but despite his father’s refusal to see him, Georgianna knew that Taye passed money to them through his uncle whenever he could.
Having slipped back into the tunnels as the sun set, the two parted ways, Taye returning to the Carae to collect supplies, Georgianna to Medic’s Way. It wasn’t her turn for a shift, but with Jaid so worried about Si, she decided that if she could take a shift, she would. Jaid was grateful, and immediately set off to continue her search for her husband.
Things in the Way were quiet. Jacob, the escaped drysta, had been given a book by Lacie, and while he barely spoke when Lacie wasn’t around, he was surprisingly comforting company on a long shift.
Georgianna had been dozing when Keinah showed up. Apparently her baby had been kicking so ferociously that sleep was not an option. Georgianna had squeaked in excitement when Keinah let her feel the spot where tiny feet pressed through the skin, and had finally agreed to leave Keinah on the Way.
The shack was quiet and dark when Georgianna got there, pulling the tarpaulin aside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark, but seeing that Keiran was alone, she stepped further in, sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning over him.
Placing a gentle kiss against his bare shoulder, Georgianna smiled as Keiran rolled onto his back, cracking one eye open to look up at her.
“Hey,” he murmured, reaching up and rubbing the heel of his hand into his eyes.
“Hi,” Georgianna whispered. “Mind if I stay with you?”
Keiran smiled sleepily and shook his head, groping out until he found the edge of the blanket, flinging it back. Georgianna undressed quickly, clambering over him and settling down on the mattress.
“Good day?” he asked.
“Kind of. I saw Taye.”
Tugging the blanket over her, Georgianna wriggled her body into Keiran’s warm skin. He slid his arm underneath her body, tugging her in against him.
“Did you make a decision?”
Georgianna nodded against his shoulder, her fingers skating absently across his stomach.
“I’m going to take the delivery to Nyah.”
A burst of low laughter rumbled through him, tensing Keiran’s stomach beneath her fingers before he rolled towards her, wrapping his other arm around her waist.
“Of course you are,” he answered. “I’m just surprised it took you this long.”
Georgianna frowned at his mockery, but it was nice that he’d known which decision she would make. Yes, he teased her for being so predictable, but half the time, she didn’t think he was actually listening to her, seeming more interested in getting her clothes off. To know that he did sometimes pay attention and care about what she was saying felt reassuring.
She would have said something about it, but before she had even opened her mouth, he let out deep snore. Too late.