“No matter what, I won’t make you go, mate. We will find another way if we have to.”
He wouldn't. Even barely knowing each other, I knew that about Ward. My village had been wrong about one shifter, at least. He would save me from this if he could. Maybe that’s what gave me the courage to do the right thing and say, “Okay.”
It might have been that, or the way he looked at me—hope, admiration, warmth melting together. Like he actually believed I could do this. I needed him to prove he was real when everything told me he was too good to be true.
“Okay,” he echoed. He was going to get up and then this thing would have to start. I needed a second. A safe harbor for a moment. I kissed him like it was the most natural thing in the world. He returned it with hunger. Not a pity kiss or a ‘thank you’, just an expression of comfort that heated my body to volcanic. I forgot everything about this disaster for the wonderful moments his mouth slowly explored mine. I asked, and he provided.
It came to me with crystal clarity that I wouldn’t miss this quest for the world, even if I didn’t know what I was doing. But I had to breathe through my stuffed nose and as we parted, the responsibility crashed back on my shoulders. Like being a snake wasn’t bad enough. Now I had to figure out how to be a magical relic detector.
Chapter6
Evie
What in the seven hells had I done? Thirty minutes into our quest and all the feels that made kissing Ward seem like a good idea now turned into an impulsive move on my part. I wasn't one of those girls who got their head turned by one crumb of kindness. I batted away villagers for years before choosing anyone. Did Ward have his own gravitational pull? Did Fate make me lock lips with a complete stranger? Sure, he had stacks of muscles and an easy smile—a noble sense of duty and a protective streak, but that somehow got me on a quest? I needed to get it together and give the girly bits a rough talking to. We didn't kiss strangers.
Our route skirted Clarus, the next territory over, which meant we were walking through a bog. Not directly in the bog, but a narrow road wound through the clumps of grass and pools of water. The path was within touching distance of swamp gunk and mysterious, luminous eyes.
I wouldn’t admit I was out of breath, so I took a deep one to say, “Hey, long legs. You want to cut back the pace?”
Ward glanced back at me and smiled. He looked bright and shiny on the road in his travel outfit, with too many straps and too many weapons. He listed them before we left and apparently there was a weapon for everything. Daggers for stabbing, magic sticks for magic—I guess, curved axes for chopping, short swords for more stabbing. He carried enough of them to lose. He wouldn’t lose them, would he?
There had to be an easier way to save the realm and become human again than entrusting my life, limb and honor to a giant bear—even one that called me his mate. I swished my skirt back and forth, hoping it would revive my enthusiasm and stop my legs from shaking underneath. When we geared up, I chose the long linen skirt because it had pockets—deep, wonderful pockets. Pockets were the Godds’ gift to clothing.
I even had various things in my pockets. Ward made me carry a fire starter kit I didn’t know how to use. Mags gave me a crystal. The woman never failed to find crystals, even in a shifter’s keep. Fallon gave me some spices she found in the kitchen, not that I knew what to do with them, but she was insistent that travel food would be terrible. At the very bottom, I tucked a little hope that I wouldn't completely fuck up my one job of finding the next relic. That meant I hurried to his pace instead of slowing him down. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t exercised for most of my adult life. I could do this.
“How much longer do we have to go? Another ten minutes?”
Ward laughed, then saw my serious face, and apology entered his eyes. He glanced down the road. “At least another two hours until there’s a decent resting place out of the bog. We can't camp in the water and we don't want to be here when night falls. I can carry something for you if you want.”
I eyed the road ahead. Ward was right. The trees trying to grow on either side of the bog did not look like shelter. I couldn't give up so soon. The road was fairly flat. The wind was at our back. Thankfully, Ward hadn't yet asked anything of me that smelled like adventure.
I stiffened my resolve. “I want to walk.”
Ward eyed me heavily, with a bit of admiration shining through, and my girly bits sparkled. He continued walking. “You should really save your energy. You wouldn’t want to end up so depleted you can’t run.”
I whipped around as if something rose out of the bog at his words. “Run?! Is something going to eat me?”
His somber face made my blood go cold. “You never know, those flowers might come back and try to bloom you to death.”
My blood pressure beat against my ears. “What do you mean? You said the Angel’s Bells weren't dangerous.”
He shrugged. “They might kick up some allergies.” He couldn’t contain his smirk.
My mouth fell open. Oh-ho! He thought he was cute. He really was kinda cute. Not that I would admit that about a huge, fearsome bear shifter. Usually I would be tongue-tied if a man tried a joke like that—well, not exactly like that. I never believed I would joke about flowers with legs. Humor in our village tended to run toward local gossip. Instead, I dredged up a little sass.
“This is going to be a long trip if you think you’re that funny.”
His smile only grew. “I am wise and smart and funny, mate.”
“Says you,” I returned.
It wasn’t the most brilliant comeback, but Ward laughed anyway, like I was the wise, smart, funny mate. His humor crumbled a bit of my resolve to deny the bond, allowing my mind to wander to places I rarely trusted myself to go. I didn’t know getting dressed would be anything sexy, but it was hard to watch him get ready earlier that morning. Ward adorned himself with so many straps, buckles, pouches and leather over his clothes, that my brain wandered into devious places which included that kiss in front of the Grove. It couldn’t happen again. We were complete strangers—strangers who had kissed and seen each other naked in the dirt. It wouldn’t happen again. No matter how big I remembered his dick being, or how many straps he adorned himself with for hanging onto. Maybe I should have brought that Terminator dildo Mags gave me for my birthday. I startled, convinced he heard my dirty thoughts about him.
“Dare I ask what induced this quiet?” he asked.
I could not, would not, tell him of his starring role in my wandering thoughts. That was just too embarrassing. We were supposed to be questing, or something. Walking at the very least.
I groped for something responsible to talk about. If the Goddess was going to use me as a sock puppet, I should learn more about her. “I was just wondering about the Goddess. Veretis, right? I thought all the old Godds were long dead.”
