Something moved to our right, just at the edge of my vision. When I looked, though, nothing was there.
“Dryad,” Fenris said softly. “The woods are filled with them and centaurs.”
I didn’t know much about either creature, other than both kept to themselves and rarely sent their children to the Academy. They didn’t have to since most of them never wanted to leave the protection of their wooded homelands. Dryads could look relatively human but couldn’t survive without their trees, which is why they lived in Uttira. There was no tree cutting allowed in the Drys Woods. Centaurs had a much harder time blending than the dryads and needed more space to run free than the human world would allow them.
“Are they going to mind that we’re here?” I asked softly.
“You? Probably not. Me? Definitely.”
“Why?”
“There was a little incident a while back with a stag hunt. The pack got too close to the Drys border, and the centaurs didn’t like us chasing a stag that they considered under their protection.”
“Why did you offer to help me if it’s going to cause you trouble?”
He grinned.
“Trouble is just the unapproved version of having fun.”
I shook my head at him.
“That explains so much about you.”
Fenris laughed. “If you keep everyone on their toes, they’re more wary of what you’ll do next.”
The cold didn’t penetrate my borrowed coat, but it numbed my jean-clad calves and my feet after a few minutes. I began to shiver and glanced at Fenris. He’d buttoned the shirt when I’d turned my back to him but didn’t wear anything else. Despite the meager clothing and chilly temperature, he seemed completely fine. I couldn’t help but envy that. Mom’s comment about my coldness being due to my underfed state bounced around in my head.
“What?” he asked, catching my eye.
“Just thinking.”
“Oh, I love our conversations that start out with you thinking. Are you daydreaming about eating cake? Want to talk about last night’s flavor?”
I snorted.
“No. I was thinking that I’m a little jealous that this cold doesn’t even bother you.”
He reached out and brushed the back of his hand over the tip of my nose, startling me.
“You’re too cold. Time for a ride.” He didn’t wait for my permission but, instead, swooped me up into his arms.
I opened my mouth to protest as he continued to stride forward, however with the buffer of my jacket, my hunger didn’t stir like I thought it would. At least, it didn’t until I looked up and saw Fenris’s throat inches from my face. The lean cords and the ever so slight thump of his pulse heated my core, and I immediately closed my eyes.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Are you getting colder?”
I felt far from cold at the moment.
“You know it’s dangerous to touch me, Fenris. You’re going to end up in the snow on your back with me on top of you.”
I felt the shudder that ran through him and his misstep.
“I’m sorry, Fenris, but I know how uncomfortable it was for you to have to deal with me the last time I lost control. I don’t want to put you through that again.”
His silence had me opening one eye to peek at him. His straight-ahead stare and serious expression worried me enough that I could ignore the hunger.
“Fenris?”
