The Outerlands - Sedition

by Aleigh Schuster

  Getting up from my chair, I decided to go after her, thinking maybe it was time for us to head home. I didn’t get more than a few feet before I heard a familiar voice.

  “Hey you,” Graff said, coming to stand beside me.

  “Hey yourself.” My voice broke, revealing a tinge of nervousness at his close proximity.

  “I was surprised when I saw you sitting over here by yourself. Thought you’d be dancing out there with Dera,” he said, raising an eyebrow as he tilted his head to the side.

  Nodding slowly, I said, “Not really into the whole overwhelming crowd thing right now. You know?” Plus, it didn’t seem right with Keegan and my father missing but I didn’t say that out loud. I blew out a breath and instead went with, “I was actually just on my way to find Dera so we could head home.”

  “Well, then I’m glad I caught up to you before you left.” Graff set his hand on top of mine, and the momentary spark between us warmed my body.

  “You are?” I asked, barely able to form the words.

  “Absolutely.” His gaze traveled around my face, eventually stopping to focus on my lips. “So can I convince you to stay a while longer? Maybe head over to where the guys are hanging out?”

  “Yeah,” I whispered, trying to contain my nerves. “I’d like that.” Everything about this easy-going Graff threw me off. All day I had felt something changing between us, developing into more than just friendship. I only hoped I wasn’t reading too much into it.

  He led me to the other side of the barn where some of his friends were gathered by a much smaller fire. There were a few people I knew like Gunner and Quinn, but the others I’d only met briefly if at all.

  Graff threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled me to his side as we walked over to the only empty bench. It was such an intimate move and my cheeks heated when multiple sets of eyes swung our way. “You think you’ll be all right hanging here with me for a little while?” he asked, his eyes roaming over my face.

  “Well, I would have been until you touched me and everyone went silent. Now I’m not so sure,” I whispered. He stared at me for a long second before he burst out laughing.

  I gaped at him. “What are you laughing at? I’m serious. People obviously find it strange that we might be friends.”

  “Is that what you want? For us to be friends?” he whispered in my ear, voice deeper than usual. My face grew hotter and for the second time tonight I was not sure how to respond.

  “We already are, aren’t we? I mean, I’ve pretty much spent every day for the past few weeks with you or Gunner. I’d say besides Dera, you two are my closest friends here.”

  He gave me an odd look but nodded and didn’t say anything else about it. Maybe assuming we were friends was the wrong thing to do. Maybe he thought of me more as a responsibility. I looked up and was relieved to find Gunner, Quinn, and Ford heading our way.

  “Hey, guys,” I said with a little too much eagerness as I backed out of Graff’s hold. Quinn and Ford waved in greeting as Gunner grabbed me for a big hug.

  “Hi-ya, Henley. Hey, Graff,” Quinn said. “Where have you guys been? We tried to save you some food, man, but to tell ya the truth, there’s not really much left now.”

  “No worries,” Graff said, clapping him on the back. “Thanks for the effort, though. I can just pick something up for us before Miss Sophia shuts things down.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Gunner said, squeezing me once more and letting go, “before I forget. We saw Dera a while ago and she wanted me to tell you she’d see you later on at the cabin.”

  “That’s right,” Ford cut in, “and she made me promise to walk you home.” He smiled at me, and then raised an eyebrow in amusement at Graff’s sudden thunderous expression.

  “Dera already left?” I asked, though neither Gunner nor Quinn heard me, both of their amused faces fully focused on Graff and Ford.

  “I’ll make sure Henley gets home safe,” Graff said in a clipped tone. “No need to trouble yourself, Ford. Not when her cabin is so close to mine.”

  “Oh, but it wouldn’t be any trouble at all, Graff. In fact, I’m looking forward to it,” Ford said, ignoring me and my questions altogether. He and Graff both moved closer to me, silently staring each other down with clenched fists, rigid postures, and with all this new tension in the air, I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. Gunner and Quinn both cautiously stepped forward, obviously thinking, like me, the situation was about to escalate.

  “So, uh…guys?” I asked. “No worries, okay? I’m actually fine to walk myself home. I don’t want to put either of you out. Really, it’s not even a ten minute walk from here.”

  “No,” Graff ground out without taking his eyes off Ford. “I’ll walk you.”

  There was a tense moment before Ford finally relented. He threw his hands out to the sides and grinned as he slowly backed away. “All good, man. All good.” Then he turned my way. “Henley,” he said, “I haven’t seen you much since the pond. Hopefully our next meeting won’t be so far apart. I’d like to see you again real soon.” He winked at me and without another word walked off through the barn.

  “Okay, then.” I breathed out a sigh of relief, although at the same time I found it strange Ford would bring up the pond incident. Of course, the way he made it sound…

  “So what was that all about?” I asked, turning to Graff. He ran his hands over his face, letting out a frustrated sigh, but didn’t answer.

  “Hey Gunner, you ready for another ale?” Quinn asked, throwing him a pointed look.

  Gunner swirled his drink around. “Yeah, I could use another one. And it sounds like I need to meet up with Cali since I don’t hear the band playing anymore.” He handed Graff his full cup of ale. “We’ll see you in the morning, man,” he said while patting Graff on the back as he threw a half-grin my way and they took off toward the bonfire. My eyes lingered in that direction long after they disappeared, not wanting to address the awkwardness that had built up between Graff and me.

  “It’s late,” Graff said, pulling my focus back to him. I nodded in agreement. “Probably best to walk you home now. Rain check on hanging out?”

  “Sure,” I whispered, deciding to let what happened between him and Ford go for now.

  Graff took my hand as we made our way back down the main road. We watched in silence as the activities wound down around us, men taking the tables down, women packing up what few items weren’t handed out. Overall, it looked to have been a huge success, considering all the bags I noticed the townspeople carrying home.

  “Do you mind if we make a stop before we leave?” Graff asked. “I’d like to get a bite of food from Miss Sophia’s. It’s sort of turned into a tradition to stop by each time, eat leftovers with her and Rafe, and then take off for the night.”

  “Of course. That sounds nice,” I said, and smiled up at him, happy to be included in something he found special. Besides that, I was pretty hungry. I’d eaten with Dera earlier, but that was four or five hours ago.

  He was still holding my hand as we walked toward the huge booth where all the extra food was stored. I wasn’t sure if he realized it, but I loved that the uncomfortable feeling from earlier had fallen away and we were back to our old selves.

  “Graff, Henley. Come in, come in,” Miss Sophia said as we came into view. She cracked open the small half door to the back of the booth as she hurried us in, giving each of us a peck on the cheek as we passed.

  “Please, sit. You join us for a late night dinner, no?” She motioned to a small table in the corner where Rafe sat alone devouring a plate of food. He looked up at us with a huge grin. It was then that I realized Graff and I were still holding hands. Before he could comment, I slipped away and took the empty seat next to Rafe. Graff pulled out another chair, flipped it around, and then sat with his legs on either side, forearms leaning against its back. He stared at Rafe with a mischievous smile, almost daring him to say something. Even though I knew this was simply playful banter between friends, I didn’t w
ant it brought up again.

  “You were amazing up there tonight. I had no idea you even played the guitar,” I said to Rafe, hoping he took the bait, and he did.

  “Why, thank you.” He tipped his head in acknowledgement of the compliment. “It’s all in fun, really. But yeah, the band and I have been together for the last five or six years. We usually play at all the get-togethers and a few of the larger town parties. We even get some birthday gigs once in a while.”

  Miss Sophia set huge plates of meat and vegetables down in front of me and Graff. Mine was stacked so high it could very well be my dinner for the next week. I looked at Graff’s and his was even more packed, if that was possible.

  “Miss Sophia, thank you. It looks amazing,” I told her, eyes wide.

  She patted me on the shoulder, laughing as Rafe moved to the seat next to Graff so she could take his. “You’re welcome, honey. Let me explain some of what you’ve got here. This,” she pointed, “is barbecued elk. This you like, yes?” I nodded, remembering how I loved the elk dinner she’d made last week. “That right there is sautéed squirrel, and this over here on the stick is dried venison. You wrap as much of that up as you want and take it home with you.”

  “Thanks,” I said again, and took a bite of venison. It was as good as it looked. “Dera will love this,” I added, and glanced up to see Rafe staring back at me with an indiscernible expression.

  We all dug in—Miss Sophia included—engaging in easy conversation the entire time. It was nice and light and I could see how close these three were to each other. I found myself missing Keegan and my parents even more than usual tonight.

  When it was time to go, we said our goodbyes and Graff grabbed my hand to pull me from my seat. He didn’t let go once as he guided me out of the booth, onto the road, and the short stroll back to my cabin. We talked about everything from when we were kids to me unexpectedly showing up at Macon’s where he was doing some undercover work for the Council. The walk flew by and the next thing I knew we were standing on the bridge.

  “You know,” he said after we’d stopped at the end of the bridge closest to the stream, “when you first walked into that tavern without even turning around…” He turned his gaze from the water to meet my eyes. “I knew it was you. I felt drawn to you. I can’t really explain it, just that when I was about to let Rafe know we needed to get going, something made me tell him to take a look around the bar for whoever had just come in. Rafe said there were some men on the other side of the room at the bar, a few of the working girls who’d just come down from upstairs, and a girl in the booth by the wall. There were three of you I hadn’t seen before, but I still knew that that feeling was coming from you.” He shook his head as if to clear it. Then he stepped closer, within inches of touching me. “Did you feel it too, Henley? Tell me you feel whatever it is that’s happening between us—and I don’t mean just the physical part when we touch.” He reached out and slid a finger slowly down my cheek as if to emphasize his point. The sensations sparked to life and then faded before he reached my jawline. “Or am I going crazy here? Please tell me I’m not crazy.” His voice was low and slightly rough.

  “You’re not crazy,” I whispered. Without thinking, I stepped forward to close the small gap between us.

  He stared at me a long moment, expression unreadable, and then before I knew what he was doing, he had one hand behind my head and the other at the small of my back pulling me in. His lips grazed mine, and I felt the electricity zing between us seconds before he deepened the kiss. It was everything I thought it would be and more. As his hand slid from behind my head to cup my cheek, his lips traveled my jaw and over to my neck, where his head dipped. I wrapped my hands around him, but he stayed still. When I tightened my hold, he leaned back, eyes searching mine for a reaction. I smiled up at him, nervous and a little shaky in his arms, but he must have liked my answer because he instantly slammed his lips back to mine, kissing me with more passion than I thought possible. His hands circled my wrists then slowly crept up my arms, over my shoulders, down my back, and settled on my hips.

  He inched us back until we were against the railing at the river’s edge, where water splashed over the wood and my feet. I gasped at the sensation, and he laughed, pulling away to place his forehead against mine as we both took a moment to catch our breath.

  “Let’s get you home. Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day and you’ll need your rest,” he whispered, placing a kiss on my forehead before walking me to my front porch and saying goodnight.

  Leaning against the cabin door, I briefly closed my eyes and imprinted this moment forever into my memory. I let out a breath and looked around the cabin for Dera. It was quiet so I assumed she was already asleep. With Graff on my mind, I put the leftover food from Sofia away and got ready for bed.

  Dera was indeed asleep when I entered the bedroom, so I quietly changed into a nightshirt and slipped into bed. My last thoughts before drifting off were of how amazing Graff’s soft, full lips felt against mine.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The sun shining through the bedroom window woke me. As I made my way to the bathroom, I noticed Dera was not in her bed.

  “Dera,” I called out.

  There was no response, which meant I must’ve been late for practice. I dressed in a rush and grabbed an apple before running out the door. Practice was with Gunner today instead of Graff and I couldn’t decide if that was a good thing. Even though I already wanted to see him again, after our kiss, a little distance to mull over my feelings would probably be best.

  Reaching the HTH training site, I came to an abrupt halt. Gunner and Dera were sparring but it didn’t look pretty. Dera’s face was red and she charged Gunner with murder in her eyes.

  Deciding not to interrupt, I leaned my arms over the fence to watch. Gunner easily sidestepped her, which with the momentum Dera had going, forced her into the opposite fence. She screamed her frustration.

  Gunner just smiled and said, “I don’t know what’s got into you girl, but I told you there is no place for anger here. Have you had enough yet?”

  Dera was bent over, hands on her knees as she panted. Raising her head without meeting his eyes, she nodded once. Then she looked over in my direction and Gunner followed her gaze.

  He saw me against the fencepost and waved. “Henley, come on over here, love. Maybe if you spar with Dera she’ll calm down some and focus on her training.”

  Oh boy. I knew exactly what was wrong with Dera and sparring with her was the last thing I wanted to do, but I really didn’t have a choice. Besides, I knew she was hurting.

  Mentally preparing myself, I walked around the fence to my impending doom. A nice Dera could kick my butt any day of the week. An angry Dera was something I didn’t even want to think about.

  Facing her, I smiled. “Hey, I missed you this morn—”

  Dera plowed into me headfirst, knocking me to the ground. Before I could catch my breath, she grabbed my feet to flip me over. I kicked out, hitting her in the shoulder and knocking her to the ground, which gave me the few seconds I needed to get up. I was on my feet in a flash and she came at me again. This time I was ready and leaped out of the way just in time. She rallied fast and turned for her next attack.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” I yelled.

  That stopped her. Suddenly, tears flowed down her face. “Henley,” she rasped, “I’m so sorry. I-I don’t know what’s going on with me,” she sobbed before running over to hug me.

  “It’s okay,” I sighed, patting her back. “Look, I’m scheduled to practice with Gunner all day, but why don’t you take a walk and calm down? Maybe see if you can take a day off from training. We all need a break sometimes. I’ll meet you at the cabin for dinner, all right?”

  Dera looked up at me with a somber face as she nodded. “Okay. Yeah.” With her head bent downward, she added, “Sorry, Gunner,” before running off the field.

  Gunner stood beside me, watching Dera in the distance. “You know what
’s up with her? ‘Cause she has never been anything but focused and in good spirits during practice.”

  “I’m not sure but…could you do me a favor and keep this to yourself? I think Dera is embarrassed enough.”

  Gunner wasted no time answering. “Absolutely. Now let’s work on some defensive moves.”

  Five hours later, I was sweating but felt great about our session. Gunner seemed pleased, too. We had just finished our last set.

  “You did good today,” he told me. “I think you’re finally getting the hang of it. Now, go get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Pleased with his praise, I replied, “Thanks. It feels good to know I can defend myself. See you—wait. You’re working with me again tomorrow?” I asked, dumbfounded; Graff and Jonas were supposed to be training me in my ability.

  “Yeah, love. Graff had something come up and can’t make your training sessions for the next few days, so I’m stepping in. He didn’t tell you?”

  “No, he didn’t,” I whispered.

  Seeing my expression, he added, “Don’t read anything into it, Henley. Graff’s really busy these days. To be honest, this is probably the longest he’s been at the settlement in a single stint since the Council tapped him for their future leader. He’s always on the road dealing with something or someone.”