Free The Rogue Knight by Brandon Mull

with no family. And I’m far from grown up. But that doesn’t mean my feelings aren’t real. What I can do is watch out for her. And be her friend. Spend a little time with her. Is that too much to ask?”
    â€œI get it,” Cole said. “I won’t tease you. I used to be terrified of people teasing me about Jenna.”
    â€œThink about everything we need to do,” Jace said. “If Mira catches on to how much I like her, it could really mess things up.”
    â€œI’m pretty sure she suspects,” Cole said.
    â€œSuspecting is okay,” Jace said. “I just can’t make it clear. Do you think about Jenna a lot?”
    â€œAll the time,” Cole said. “Not in romantic ways,” he rushed to clarify. “I worry about her. I think about my friend Dalton, too. And the other kids.”
    â€œI’ll help you find them,” Jace said.
    â€œThanks.”
    Jace handed Cole a key and indicated a door. “I left some food in there that I brought from the autocoach. I’ll go out and buy more later. You shouldn’t go outside more than necessary.”
    â€œGot it,” Cole said, wondering if he would have to spend the rest of his time in Elloweer indoors. “Thanks for finding us a place to crash.”
    Jace nodded and took off down the hall. Cole watched him go, suspecting he may have spoken to the real Jace for the first time. Cole sometimes doubted whether Jace even had feelings. They were usually hidden behind serious defenses.
    Cole used the key to enter his room. Four narrow beds took up much of the space. At least everything was tidy. Twitch sat on the edge of one of the beds, antennae and wings visible. Gazing at his friend, something occurred to Cole. “You’ll be like that all the time now.”
    Twitch gave a nervous smile. “Yeah, outside the borders of Elloweer I looked like a regular human unless I used my ring. I’ve been gone long enough that it’s weird to think I can no longer camouflage myself that way. It sometimes made life easier. Outside of our few villages, the grinaldi aren’t commonly seen. When I went abroad in Elloweer, I always stood out.”
    Cole crossed the room and sat on a bed. “Jace said you followed me after I ran into Ansel.”
    Twitch stared at the floor. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
    â€œThanks for having my back,” Cole said. “Watch out, though. You don’t want to get mixed up with those slavers.”
    â€œI believe you,” Twitch said. “What did he say to you? I couldn’t get close enough to hear.”
    â€œHe promised to hunt me down and chop off my hand with the freemark,” Cole said.
    Twitch winced. “He didn’t seem like the sort of guy you’d want as an enemy.”
    â€œNo,” Cole agreed.
    â€œI bet you’re tired,” Twitch said.
    â€œKind of,” Cole said. “I dozed off a little, and it helped. How about you?”
    â€œI’m exhausted,” Twitch said. “But being back in Elloweer is strange. I feel extra alert.”
    â€œNice to be home?” Cole asked.
    â€œThis isn’t home,” Twitch said, blinking rapidly. “Kasori is home. My village. The rest of Elloweer is mostly foreign to me. But being back here reminds me what I left behind.”
    â€œYou left to help your village,” Cole recalled.
    Twitch bowed his head, antennae quivering. “And I failed miserably.”
    â€œWhat were you trying to do?” Cole asked.
    Twitch gave a heavy sigh and shook his head. “It’s my burden, not yours.”
    â€œI’ll help if I can,” Cole said. “We all will.”
    Twitch looked up at him, tears shimmering in his eyes, his expression miserable. “You know how you wouldn’t want me getting mixed up with those slavers?”
    Cole nodded.
    â€œI wouldn’t want you guys to get tangled up in my trouble.