Dae and I stopped, foraging from the supplies we’d packed before leaving Devera. I’d made a mental note of all the items I’d stolen from the abandoned homes, hoping that one day I’d be able to repay them.
I snacked on nuts and dreamed of returning to Highcrest so I could eat a full meal. I’d even take Tio’s cooking, with his half cooked potatoes and version of soup that was mostly water with some soggy carrots and bloated celery.
The mid-morning sun hinted that the rest of the day would be brutalized by summer heat. Dense trees along the rocky mountainside provided scattered shade, but soon we’d break above the treeline and be at the full mercy of the blistering rays. We didn’t risk breaking for long each time we needed to, even though we’d been traveling all night, working to gain distance from The Order member who was set to depart this morning.
“We’ve gotta be at least six hours ahead of him, don’t you think?” I asked, completely slumped against a tree under a sliver of shadow, wondering if I could maybe buy myself a nap.
Dae nodded, tossing back his head to let a few dried berries drop into his mouth from where he sat at the base of a tree trunk. I watched the ridges of his neck work, truly wondering how much time we could afford to waste.
“He doesn’t shift, so at least that. He’s the last shielder The Order has.”
I peered through the trees, the peak of the mountain in the sprawling view above, the only marker to indicate our path. “What if we don’t find them?” I asked quietly. That question had been brewing under my skin, but I’d refused to give it life. Now, with a mix of exhaustion setting in from no sleep and a tired body from hiking the incline, I had no strength left to keep it at bay.
“We will,” Dae said.
“At least Braxius will warn the others. If I’m burnt to a crisp today, then at least I know they’ll be safe. Amir Taja can rot in hell.”
“You won’t be dying today, Ro,” he said with such assurance I almost believed him. “I have too many plans for us,” he said casually, crossing his ankles and letting out a deep sigh.
I jerked to look at him, unable to stop the smile from spreading on my face. “Oh, yeah? What kind of plans?”
“Mostly the kind that involve your body and my lips.”
I laughed, letting the stress wash away. “Those sound like good plans. I have some plans of my own, you know.”
He raised a brow, letting his voice drop low. “Yeah? What do they involve?” His fiery glare could have razed this entire forest. Heating up was the opposite of what I needed right now.
I stretched, tilting my head back against the tree, and closed my eyes. “Mostly they involve stuffing my face and hot baths in the castle.”
Dae laughed. “In a castle? You have one that I don’t know about?”
“No, but I keep high ranking company, don’t you know,” I teased. “Maybe if you follow through on those plans of yours, I’ll put in a good word for you and they’ll let you in.”
Our laughter mingled together, twining like vines on a lattice. The promise of regular life, of simply existing instead of scheming. Thriving instead of surviving. My smile faded. Perhapsthatwas laughable.
“Tell me about your family,” he said softly.
My thoughts turned to my mother and father laughing by the fireplace, my sister sewing a shotty dress for her doll in the corner. I told Dae about them, the fond memories and the ones I wished I could take back. How my magic had seemed like something to hide and be ashamed of, how even if I didn’t, it was lackluster at best.
“I love your magic,” he said, sincere honesty in his deep brown eyes. “There’s nothing lackluster about you, Ro. I’ve never met anyone with more heart and determination. You have one of the purest souls I’ve ever seen. Your aura shines bright, it doesn’t take an animal form to see it. You’re a beacon in this world, a light that shines against the darkness. The world needs more people like you in it.”
The sentiment behind his words made a knot appear in my throat. He tore his gaze away, as if reconsidering sharing anything more.
“You’re a light, too, you know,” I said past the bundle of emotions building inside. From the moment I met him, we had connected in a way I hadn’t experienced before. Against all logic, he became someone I could fully trust, someone I could depend on. With Tio and Rav, I knew they had my back. That in any scuffle, I wouldn’t be left alone. But with Dae, I could trust him with more than just my back. I could trust him to handle the fractured bits of myself. Trust him with my heart. Like he hadtaken on the role of its caretaker, tending to it when it needed, bringing it to life when it wanted to stop beating.
He shook his head like it wasn’t true, and something about that set a fire in me.
“Hey,” I snapped. His eyes connected with me then. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”
He chuckled. “I doubt that.”
With pursed lips, I shrugged. “Okay, maybe you’re right.”
A small glimmer of amusement beamed in his eyes and we both smiled at each other. “But I really do mean it, Dae. Not just where I’ve gotten physically, either. When I came close to breaking, you were there to steady me, to hold me together. You’ll never know what that means to me.”
A beat of silence passed before he said, “Maybe when we get to that castle, you can show me.”
I scooped up a handful of loose pebbles and tossed them at his legs, smiling all the while.
