Free Division of the Marked (The Marked Series) by March McCarron Page B

join them. He had placed himself apart and leaned over a thick book in his lap. Bray felt an ache in her chest at the sight. He looked lonely. Spirits, how she missed him. As much as she adored all of her new friends, none of them could replace Yarrow.
    “Lamhart,” a blonde woman said, her face so covered in freckles that even her lips and eye lids were spotted.
    “Yes?” Yarrow looked up.
    “You need to practice. Books won’t get you to the Aeght a Seve .”
    Yarrow sighed but nodded. He set his tome aside and stood, then crossed to a circular clearing. His legs bent and he began to move with slow, fluid steps—the warrior dance Bray had seen many Cosanta do since coming to the Temple. Her breath caught as she watched him. He was so graceful, his face a smooth mask. He looked so unlike himself.  
    “Bray,” Roldon whispered, “we have to keep moving.”
    Bray recalled herself to the game and nodded. She spared one quick parting glance for her estranged friend before they crept beyond the Cosanta grounds, up to the gardens.
    The dark earth bore neat rows of vegetables: red peppers, squash, and zucchini. Roldon placed their treasure amidst the eggplants, keeping it partially visible as the rules stipulated. Adearre and Peer crouched behind the well, ready to dart out and run away with the diamond should the need arise—in opposing directions so as to split the opposition. Arlow and Roldon slunk away, in search of enemy treasure.
    “Ready?” Bray asked, when she and Ko-Jin had reached a promising tree, a tall evergreen.  
    “Maybe if you just give me a leg up I can manage…” Ko-Jin said. He frowned up at the lowest bough.  
    Bray contained a sigh. It was much easier when he let her help, but his pride seemed to demand he do everything with as little aid as possible—especially from a girl.  
    She cupped her hands and he placed his good foot in them. She lifted with all her strength, though he was quite light, and he grabbed the branch and slowly pulled himself up. Despite his crack earlier about the thinness of his arms, he really did have a fair amount of upper body strength. Bray stayed below and watched him as he climbed up, or rather pulled himself up, limb by limb.  
    “This is a great view,” he said, looking down at her. “Come on up.”  
    Bray backed up several paces and took a running start. She bounded and caught the lowest branch, wrapped her legs around it, and swung until she perched upon the bough—a move that would be impossible in a dress. Thank the Spirits for trousers. She then balanced on the branch and repeated the process until she had joined Ko-Jin high up on his roost.  
    “You look like a monkey,” Ko-Jin said, and slid over to make room for her.  
    She smiled. “My dad used to call me monkey.” She looked down at her hands and the sticky sap that coated her palms. “Blight it all, this stuff never comes off.”  
    “Let me see,” Ko-Jin said, and took her hand. He touched the sap and looked slyly up at her. “Yes, I think you’ll be sappy for life.”  
    He held eye contact and ran his fingers along her hand, and Bray’s face flushed. Not for the first time, she wondered at their frequent seclusion by his design. He had warm brown eyes lined in thick, dark lashes and a nice smile, but he looked so very young. And, more to the point, he wasn’t Yarrow.
    “Look.” Ko-Jin pointed.
    Bray could see a great portion of the grounds from their perch—all of the vegetable gardens spread out below her and, down the hill, she had a clear view of the testing arena, the lake, and the gazebo. Ko-Jin pointed to several moving shapes to the right of the dining hall.  
    “I see them,” Bray said.
    Ko-Jin hooted loudly, sounding just like an owl. At the signal, Peer and Adearre scurried from their hiding place and came to the foot of the tree.
    “Right of the dining hall,” Bray whispered. “Tell the scouts.”  
    Peer opened his mouth to say something in response. He