A big hand wraps around mine, and I’m once again being rescued by the scowling face of a sexy giant.
Torben pulls me away from Aric and nods for me to walk forward.
“Come on,” he tells me. “I’ll protect you from the scary sounds of nature from here on out.”
A smile tilts my lips, and I walk away in sync with Torben’s quick, enormous steps.
“The damn thing was going to peck our eyes out!” Aric hollers after his friend, but Torben just rolls his eyes as he keeps going. “Would have vomited them back up and fed them to her demon bird babies too,” Aric adds, and at that, the smallest smirk pulls at the corner of Torben’s full lips.
My heart startles awake at the hint of amusement that’s shining in the serious man’s mossy green eyes. His personality mirrors his eyes so well—he’s jaded.
And I bet he’ll never tell a living soul why. Or maybe he’s just like me and he doesn’t understand why himself.
Sometimes our life isn’t what we make it, but what others choose to make it.
Like my mother.
And like the gods who cast this beautiful warrior of a man into the bowels of Hell.
Perhaps we’re the same.
Hours fall away like that without a hint at the time. No sun dares to cross the bleeding red sky. It never fades lighter or darker. It simply burns us harder with each passing second that fades away into the nothingness of the desert.
“The bridge will be just up the bend here,” Torben says suddenly.
I glance up at the unending sloshing of the river. It’s straight as a beam. The length of it carries out into the distance like an artist’s study on perspective.
My nose scrunches with a painful reminder of the burn against my flesh as I look from the unbending river to the man at my side.
“Bend?” I ask, and my throat stings from the hoarseness of my voice.
He glances down at me. His attention alone reminds me of the press of his lips against mine.
Heat rushes to my already warm face as I look away.
“The bend.” He waves a big hand in front of him as if it’s obvious.
I look up at the fiery stream once more.
It’s literally as straight as Mary’s not-so-secret dating profile on wolves seeking wolves dot com. Not even a hint of a curious drifting slant, I’m telling you.
“Squint your eyes,” Torben commands.
Painful lines crinkle around my eyes as I search out this nonexistent bend in the riverside.
Nothing. Not even a rock along the bank can be seen to curve the trail of flaming water.
“Use your other sight,” Torben encourages, and it slowly sinks in.
“You mean my wolf’s?” My eyebrows lift as I meet his gaze.
He nods.
My eyes narrow.
“How would you know how to use myothersight?” My head tilts and he swiftly looks away into the vast nothingness. “What are you, Torben?” I ask quietly.
“A warrior. Powerful enough to lead many ventures into many realms, and most importantly, powerful enough see the bend up ahead. And to tell you to mind your pretty fucking business.” His jaw clenches, and he doesn’t even look my way as he strides ahead with even faster steps.
