66. The Suspicion

From the bantaba, Tatum could see quite a lot. While it was obscured by trees, nothing obscured the rest of the world from it.

He had seen Eugene and Baka fetching water from the well in a manner that can only be described as too friendly. Jealousy had crawled up his gut and now resided in his chest in a simmering anger.

There was nothing to be angry at, he knew. Yet Baka had never been so friendly with him. In fact, she had been rather cold the past couple of days.

Why was it Eugene who got her to giggle and laugh like a lovestruck school girl?

She had never once laughed in front of him, he realized. She wasn’t comfortable around him enough to let all her defenses fall. Her hackles shot up around him as tall as the sky. She may have let them down a little, but never all the way.

Why was it Eugene she got to do that for? Did she like him? He knew he liked her, anyone with half a brain could see that. But was it reciprocal?

He needed to know.

“You look a world away, Brother,” came Tak