***
Even after he and Reef
showed up to relieve them, Twig and Gren remained at the watch post, huddled at
the edge of a rocky overlook. The four of them sat together in comfortable
silence as a fine mist began to fall.
Hyde and Hayden
arrived soon after, Straggler trailing behind them. They had the night off
watch, all three. Perry had seen Hyde yawn half a dozen times during supper.
They settled themselves along the lookout, watching as the mist thickened to
rain. Still no one spoke, or left.
“Quiet night,” Twig
said finally. “We’re quiet, I mean. Not the rain.” His voice sounded raspy and
hoarse, after the long stretch of silence.
“You eat a frog, Twig?”
Hayden asked.
“Maybe there were
frogs in the soup tonight,” said Gren.
Hyde grunted. “Frogs
taste better than that tripe.”
Twig cleared his
throat. “You know I almost did eat a live frog once,” he said.
“Twig, you look like a frog. You have froggy eyes.”
“Show us how high you
can jump, Twig.”
“Shut up and let him croak
the story.”
The story itself wasn’t
much. As a boy, Twig had been on the brink of kissing a frog, on a dare from
his brother, when it slipped through his fingers and jumped into his mouth. It
was the wrong story for Twig to tell. At twenty-three, he had yet to kiss a
girl, and the Six knew it, as they knew nearly everything about one another. A
massacre followed, as they took shots at Twig, saying things like maybe he was worried
that after the frog, a girl would be a letdown, and that they supported his
quest to find a prince.
Perry listened,
smiling at the better jabs, feeling more himself than he had in the past two
days. Eventually it grew quiet again, except for the rhythm of a few snores. He
looked around him. The rain had stopped. Some slept. Others breathed steadily,
focused on the night. No one spoke, but Perry heard them clearly. He understood
why they’d been shadowing him and why they sat with him now, staying when they
didn’t have to.
Given any choice, they wouldn’t leave. They’d stand by him.
***
To me this scene is so layered and perfect. On the surface, it's a light scene of male bonding. Yet, it is rich with character detail, and the last bit of inner monologue is so precise and emotionally resonant. Prior to this scene, Perry has been struggling with his role as Blood Lord. Not everyone in the Tides respects his leadership, and even Perry questions whether he is equipped to lead his people to safety. Perry needs allies so badly, and these men are there for him.
Sigh.
I love Perry, and I love these guys for being there. But more than anything, I am in awe of Veronica's ability to paint such a rich picture, to convey so much with so little. This scene is probably my favorite in the trilogy so far (I haven't seen the third book yet, so I'm reserving my rights).
I picked this quiet scene because it tugged at my heart, but I think the book triggered all my emotions at one point or another. I loved the way all of the characters developed and grew, even the minor ones. And then there was the swoon-worthy romance, thrilling action, and page-turning revelations.
Yep, this one's a keeper.
2 comments
I love this scene, too, for all the same reasons! So perfect, and so true.
Favorite of the trilogy so far? Aw, now it's taken on a whole new meaning for me too. Thank you, Talia. For everything.
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