“Me? If only there were a mirror around.” I shuffle through the first aid supplies we found.
“That bad, huh?”
“I’ve seen worse.” I place a bandage over the cut on her head. “That’s better.”
The small act of reaching up to her head makes my shoulder hurt more. With a moan, I lie down next to the fire and try to stretch out a little.
“What hurts?” Aerin asks as she sits down next to me.
“Everything.”
She runs her fingers over the side of my face, and I cringe. She pulls her hand back quickly and scowls at me.
“Where doesn’t it hurt?”
Recalling an old movie in the genre Aerin seems to like the best, I bend my arm up over my head and present my elbow to her. I point at it with my index finger.
“Here,” I say, trying to contain a smile.
Aerin’s eyes sparkle as she gives me a wide grin, clearly understanding the Raiders of the Lost Ark reference.
“All right, Dr. Jones.” Aerin grins down at me and then leans over to place her lips against my elbow. She quickly pulls back. “Ow.”
Aerin rubs her cut lip.
“Well, this scene isn’t working out for me as well as it did for Indiana.”
“Maybe you should have learned to use a whip instead of knives.”
She curls up next to me, gingerly wrapping her arm around my chest. She stays quiet and still, but I know she isn’t sleeping.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
Aerin just shrugs.
“What is it?” I turn toward her and place my hand on her unbruised cheek.
“Just thinking about my mom.”
“She made her choice.”
“I know, but I don’t have to like it.”
“I don’t know her like you do, obviously. I can only go by what I saw, which was yet another one of the Thaves who has been manipulated and brainwashed by my father. I can tell you from experience that they don’t tend to change once he has his claws into them.”
“My mother isn’t that naïve.” Aerin grits her teeth and looks away.
“You heard what she said. She could have come with us, but she chose to stay with them.”
“Yes, I saw that.” Aerin’s tone is biting. “I wish I had more time to talk to her, time without a mountain blowing up all around us.”
“Do you want to go after her?” I ask quietly.
Aerin looks down at her hands, contemplating. I know my question is a terrible idea, but if Aerin wants to pursue her mother, I’m going to help her. I watch her in silence until she looks up quickly.
“No.” Aerin squares her shoulders. “You’re right. She made her choice. I don’t know what happened to make her feel the way she does, but I have to move on.”