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Bellamy had been wholly innocent about Gladstone and his operation directly after he’d lost his whole world, but not any in the elements had hardened him, at least a little Perhaps not as solidly as the stone he leaned against He still had plenty of soft spots, after all Like the boy he’d grown enamored with over the past ly out of the blue Though it was always like that—new faces came and went, some more troubled than others

Soht, Ashwood confessed he was not proud of his stealthy skill Nor did he turn over everything he’d stolen to Gladstone He was brave—or possibly stupid—to double-cross their keeper, but Bellamy wished he could be that way too, that he wasn’t so afraid all the time

“For the future, our future,” Ashwood had told hi Bellamy shiver But for a different reason as well—he was afraid Ashould get caught by Gladstone or one of his henchmen, and Gladstone wouldpurposely blinding the youngest girl in their care to getby Bellamy didn’t knohat happened to her because she’d disappeared after that, and he’d been too frightened to ask If they could do that, what s for himself?

Their eyes met across the cobblestone street, and Ashwood’s cheeks heated like they always did when he realized Bella him

He’d felt inexplicably drawn to Ashwood froilant at first, and it h, they had struck up a kinship of sorts, seeking each other out rew quiet

Ashwood had shared that he’d been raised in an orphanage, where they were treated poorly, even beaten He’d h he didn’t discuss his tiuessed it’d been unsavory In fact, so he feared evenover his shoulder on ed to another keeper na and that he hoped to never return to him That’d ht They were only kids who belonged nowhere and had no place to call their own

Bellaht, he startled when so before hi wasn’t made of expensive fabrics like that of other society ladies, which htly curious As she bent to place a coin in his pan, she said in a lower register, “I am the madam at the Moon Flower Apothecary in Lunar’s Reach If you ever need any assistance, come see me”

“Thank you, Mada he was only saying the words in case he was overheard by Gladstone or his lackeys, who patrolled the corners regularly

“That’s what they all say,” sheher words had In fact, he thought about her all afternoon, curious whether she approached homeless lads like him on the street often

That night, by the ti where they all slept, Bellary, but everyone kept quiet, waiting Thankfully, one of Gladstone’s henchmen passed around bread, cheese, and dried meats

Afterward, they washed up in the basin The water in the eas stale, but after being in the hot sun since before dawn, it felt refreshing, nonetheless He found his pallet right beside Ashwood’s, beneath the , and lay down to sleep At least, that was his intention, but being beside Ashwood et settled hts Sometimes if Ashwood fell asleep first, Bella some of his happier memories with his mother

“I coe a led in side by side

They’d so or snide re so close, but Bellaer nor fear retribution They were all outcasts and vulnerable in one way or another Of course, he would mind his manners in society, but here in this rooe of the closeness whenever he could

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” Bellamy whispered back

“No, I’ether”