But I’m not about to let her take control. With a surge of adrenaline, I roll us over, reversing our positions. But before I can pin her down, she fades away again, her form dissipating into shadows, only to materialize once more behind me. She lands on my back, her arms caging me in.
Leaning down, her breath warm against my ear, she whispers, “Do you not believe in me? In my fight for survival? In my love for you?”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and something inside me snaps. With a growl, I knock her off me, and we roll across the dirt, our bodies locked in a battle of wills. The world narrows down to just the two of us, the intensity of our emotions swirling like a storm. I finally manage to pin her beneath me, her wrists trapped in my hands as I hoist them above her head. Our faces are inches apart, breaths mingling in the charged air between us.
“Of course I believe in you,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “I fucking love you.”
For a moment, we stay like that, locked in place, the tension between us thick enough to cut. She takes a breath, and the fire in her eyes softens just a fraction. “Then trust me, Kai. Trust that I can take care of myself. And trust that I’m not going anywhere without you.”
I release her wrists, my hands sliding down to cup her face, my thumbs brushing over her cheeks. “I do trust you, Ash. But that doesn’t stop me from worrying.”
I want nothing more than to make her mine, but that’s something that will have to wait until we are alone. I drop a quick kiss to her lips and rise to myfeet. With a grin, Ash reaches out her hand to me, and I help her stand up.
“What did you find?” Seraphina asks.
Ash takes a seat beside the fire, gracefully crossing her legs, her sharp eyes gazing off into the flames. “There’s a group of travelers with wagons about ten miles north,” she says, her voice calm but tinged with a hint of discomfort. “They’ve made camp for the night, and from what I could see, they’re currently engaged in some kind of fighting match. Barbarians.”
I raise an eyebrow, glancing down at her. “Travelers? Since we arrived, I haven’t come across anyone except the vampire, that Grindylow, and the two witches.” My words trail off as I settle in behind Ash, pulling her close to me. The warmth of her body is comforting, and I drop my head to nuzzle her neck, wrapping my arms around her to keep her snug against my chest.
She snuggles deeper into me, letting out a soft sigh as she draws my arm tighter around her. “Me neither,” she murmurs. “It was disturbing to see a group like that out here, but they’re far enough away. We won’t be running into them tonight.”
Her words soothe me, though a part of me remains on edge. Travelers, especially in groups, could mean many things—none of them particularly good.
“Why didn’t you tell me you could shift into an owl?” I ask, rubbing my cheek against hers.
Ash sighs. “I don’t know. I guess I was worried about what you’d think.”
“Well, that’s stupid.”
“Is it? You left me once before.”
“That was different,” I whisper, hating the guilt that floods my stomach.
“I know.”
“What about the voices you mentioned?”
This time Ash stiffens. “Oh, them. They are past worldwalkers, and I guess they come with the magic that gets passed along. I shut them out a long time ago, but I needed them when I was with Abchanchu.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Okay, beautiful.”
“We should get some rest,” Ash says, a yawn breaking free.
“Okay. I’ll stay up and keep watch,” I reply.
Ash’s hand grips mine, stopping me from getting up. “No, my shadows are watching. They will alert me if anyone draws near.”
I hesitate.
“Please lie down. Rest, Kai.”
My attention shifts to Seraphina, who simply shrugs. “If Ash says we are safe, I believe her.”
Relenting, I lie down and draw her close to me. Ash falls asleep almost immediately, her body curling into mine, her back pressed against my chest, and her steady breathing a comforting rhythm in the quiet night. I hold her close, my arm draped over her protectively, and bury my nose in her hair, taking in her familiar scent.
On the other side of Ash, Seraphina shuffles closer to the fire, her small form huddled against the cold that creeps in despite the flames. I notice her shiver, a slight tremor that the fire can’t fully chase away. Without hesitation, I get up and carefully scoop Ash into my arms and set her down gently beside Seraphina. Lying down behind Ash, I reach over, wrapping my arm around Seraphina’s tiny waist to drag her into us and create a protective cocoon against the cold.
The moment I pull her in, Seraphina tenses, her entire body going rigid. I can hear the sharp intake of breath as she freezes.
