We marched toward the river. Dark was up front and I walked behind.

Dark kept checking on me.

“Is your leg okay?”

“Yes.” I replied.

“You sure?” he asked again.

“Yes, Dark.”

“I could carry you—”

I paused and turned to look at him. “No.”

My mind drifted back to the kiss. The heat of it, the feel of it. His voice, his breath, the fact that he did it so easily, like he didn’t even have to think twice.

I was skeptical at first but then I just asked.

“Why did you do ...