My eyes narrow. “No it’s not.”
A huge, dazzling grin spreads across Mabon’s face and lights up his eyes.
“Clever boy!”
Mister Dinky twitches. I groan. What the hell have I let myself in for?
Chapter twenty-six
This is a million times better than the bunker. It is such a relief to be out of there. I feel like I can breathe again.
The woods are beautiful. Walking through them is so soothing. It feels restorative. Aside from my recent stint underground, there is a lot I have missed out on by being a city boy. Maybe I should start getting out in nature more. It’s pretty, if nothing else. The sky is heavy with cloud, but the bare tree branches are making striking patterns against the grey. And the air is so fresh and clean that it even tastes good. I could get used to this.
Mabon definitely seems at home here. I guess being a prince doesn’t make him any less fey, and they were always creatures of the forest in the old tales.
He is walking along gracefully, seemingly unhampered by his bare feet. He nodded when I asked if he could sense where the nearest town was and has been silently leading the way ever since.
This is almost nice. Almost companionable. Almost like we are a couple going for a walk. We just need a big bouncy dog. ThoughI imagine Mabon is more of a cat person. Which is fine. I like cats too.
“Oh no!” exclaims Mabon as he stops suddenly.
My heart rate increases tenfold and my gaze darts everywhere. My ears are straining. But I can’t find any enemies about to attack.
Mabon steps daintily to the side and runs his finger over a small tree branch that has been snapped. The tree is small, and therefore young, I think. Possibly a sapling. But what the hell do I know?
“You poor thing,” whispers Mabon.
Then he starts rummaging on the forest floor.
“What are you doing?” I ask in complete and utter bewilderment.
Mabon ignores me and continues to collect small twigs and old leaves. I stare at him in exasperation. We are on the run. Time is of the essence. But he is not going to listen to me.
I watch in resignation as he tenderly straightens the branch and splints it with the twigs and debris he has found. He steps back to admire his handiwork. Then he brushes his hands off, wipes them on his hospital gown and continues walking as if nothing happened.
I shake my head and follow him.
“Humans really do no longer care for the wild,” he comments. “You were custodians of all living things once.”
A strange guilt swirls through me along with a prickle of unease. A vague feeling, like I’ve forgotten something extremely important.
I shake the feeling off with a frown. Then Mabon wraps his arms around himself and shivers slightly. It’s winter. He is practically naked. I really am an asshole.
I unzip my hoodie and hand it to him. He raises one delicate eyebrow.
“A gift?”
I shrug. “Your warming spell is still working.”
He stares at me for a moment. Then he puts the black hoodie on and zips it up. We continue walking. The sight of him in my top is doing strange things to me, which is absurd. It’s not really even mine. The Resistance gave it to me and I’ve had it barely more than a day. It won’t smell of me or anything. Though, considering how fast and far I ran. Maybe it does. Mabon could be drowning in my scent right now.
My cock starts to stir. I ignore it with a scowl. There really is something seriously wrong with me.
We walk along in silence some more. Then the faint hum of traffic reaches my ears. It’s oddly disappointing, even though we can’t hide out in the woods forever.
We crest a small hill and the trees end a few hundred yards ahead. There is a gently rolling field and then a hedge and a small road. It twists out of view, but in the distance I can see a town. It looks a couple of miles away.
I look over at Mabon. If he pulled the hood up and kept his head down, he’d appear human enough for a cursory glance. But the hospital gown, bare legs and feet are going to cause more than a glance. And questions of their own, without anyone noticing that Mabon is fey.
