Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📕

braiding them into their hair by the young teller.

He drew in an unsteady breath, though he was distracted by Juni: just around the fire she was out of her gourd and regaling the other Amazons with her mental ordeal, with surprisingly little embellishments.

Escrya followed his gaze and smiled slightly.

“Your legend grows, Valkyrja-datta.”

“Yeah, she’s probably going to tell some people huh?” He shrugged.

“This bothers you?”

“Never been very keen on being the center of attention.”

She laughed, somewhat at his expense.

“Then you have chosen the wrong path in life!”

He snorted humorously.

“Wasn’t much ‘choice’ in the matter.”

“Perhaps, but we all must live the life that we are given, to dwell upon it would be folly. Besides, is your life really so terrible?”

“No! Of course not!” He whirled to face her, then turned pink as the intensity of her ice blue eyes forced him to look away again; “Sorry, but no, I may not like the attention, but before was so much worse.”

“Before?”

“Yeah, before I knew what I was, before Milly and Erica and everybody. I didn’t even realize how unhappy I was until I think back on it.”

She shifted in place beside him, her arm brushing against his shoulder and sending a tiny thrill through him.

“Why were you so unhappy?”

Arching his back and raising his arms over his head he had a good stretch before answering.

“Because I was alone. Always alone. I had Ophelia, in small doses here and there, and there were a few people in town that looked out for me and gave me work. But at the end of the day I would go home to an empty apartment.”

Pinpricks of tears started in the corners of his eyes, surprising him as he swallowed around a sudden lump in his throat.

He really had been miserable.

Shaking his head to free himself of the sudden funk, he adopted a smile.

“But those days are done now. I have a future, a career I never expected. Prospects. And most of all I have my bond-mates, though I don’t believe that I will ever be truly worthy of their love, or the admiration of your people.” He finished wryly.

“You are more worthy than anyone I have ever heard of.” She said simply.

“Yeah, that. Never going to get used to that.”

They watched Juni for a time as another uncomfortable silence settled between them again.

“I owe you an apology.” Escrya finally said quietly.

“You don’t.” He shook his head vehemently; “It’s the other way around. You, all of you, offered me your hearts ages ago and I never so much as thanked you for it. I am so sorry for that.”

She surprised him by wiping away sudden tears, having to clear her throat before she could respond.

“I don’t wish to- Volka had said that-”

Escrya stopped and started a few times, until finally she took a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking.

“Volka told me that you and the others were... considering me.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t mean to push.” She said weakly.

“It’s okay, and like I said it’s me who should be sorry for what happened before. I shouldn’t have read you like that.”

“Don’t say that.” Her hand reached out and settled on his; “I offered you my heartstone, if that is not an invitation for an Empath than I will fall on my spear.”

Not sure how to respond to that, he settled his hand on hers, his eyes encouraging her to continue.

“Truth be told, I am not... experienced in these matters.” She admitted with great reluctance.

“That’s okay, neither am I.”

She looked at him as if he had grown a shark for a head.

“I’m not!” He said defensively; “Every one of the girls... jeeze, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“What?”

“I didn’t, this is going to sound bad, but I didn’t choose any of them. They all chose me, except Ophelia, that was an accident. And Nina actually, but that was... all caught up in the moment like I was, I really didn’t see any way of refusing her.”

“I doubt either of them regrets it.”

He shook his head as he agreed with her.

“No, and neither do I. I would have chosen all them, given the chance. I couldn’t imagine my life without them now.”

Her eyes widened as she clued in to what he was saying.

“I chose you just as they did. But in my case... for the first time you must also choose me, or choose to refuse me.”

“We’re saying choose a lot.” He chuckled with nerves.

She smiled but continued with her reasoning, unwilling to be distracted.

“It is something you haven’t really had to do before, and at the same time you must weigh how your other bond-mates feel about it.” She shook her head with a wistful look; “Whenever I imagined an Empath I thought only of their ability to bond with anyone. I never considered how they might struggle with such things.”

“It is a pretty unique problem to have.”

Again they shared in some tension easing laughter.

But the mood turned somber when she spoke again.

“You can refuse me.”

His mouth fell open at the direct statement, her hand took his and interlaced their fingers.

“You can. I was selfish to throw my stone at you like that. I was... I am, lonely so far from home. But that is no excuse to display such weakness, especially to you, of all people.”

His grip tightened as he squeezed her palm, feeling the juxtaposition of rough calluses and soft skin.

Strong yet sensative.

He definitely had a type.

“Escrya, if you can’t be vulnerable with me than I’ll turn in my man card. And my Empath card actually.”

Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head.

“Men are given... cards?”

“Just an expression. With everything that you have done for me, for us,