Evander whispers something else, but I don’t hear it. Sleep is already too heavy upon me. The edges of dreams of a dark wolf bounding gracefully through open fields, unbridled and free, begin to fill my mind. The vivid image stirs within me a vague sense of longing for something long, long gone. Despite myself, I can’t help but wonder what to make of the man who is both captor and, if he is to be believed, an unlikely ally.
CHAPTER 9
My stomach is tryingto eat itself. It growls louder than a lykin and I wake in a ball. As I open my eyes, I meet another set that I have only just begun to familiarize myself with.
Evander has a slight smirk on his face. His attention darts to my stomach. I sit quickly and narrow my eyes at him.
“Hungry?” He stretches languidly.
“Obviously.”
Evander sniffs. “It smells like Aurora or Bardulf has already begun taking care of the matter.”
I mirror his action. There’s a faint aroma of charred fish on the air.
“Let’s hope it’s Aurora.” I retrieve my satchels from the corner of the tent, glancing into the bags to make sure all my rations are there.
“I didn’t steal from you while you slept.” Evander props his head on his knuckles, lounging.
“For your sake I hope not.” I give him a sidelong glance.
“So feisty, even first thing in the morning. Where do you find the energy?” Evander snorts. “And you shouldn’t hope it’s Aurora. For being mortal—more or less—for thousands of years, you’d think she would’ve learned how to cook.”
I slowly slide one strap over my shoulder, then the other. The way Evander speaks about her is almost fond…friendly. It’s juxtaposed uncomfortably with the image I first had of him, jeering at a tied-up Aurora.
“What is your relationship with Aurora?” I dare to ask, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“She’s the moon spirit, I’m a knight of the wolf king, I keep her safe,” he says simply, placidly. The answer sounds practiced and void of sincerity. “I don’t covet her, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“No? You wouldn’t want to claim her and be king?” The words are as bitter as ash in my mouth.
“I assure you, I’ve little interest in being the wolf king. It’s not a role with longevity.”
I turn to study him. I can’t shake the feeling there’s more that he’s not saying. But I’m not going to pry.Yet.
Evander doesn’t stop me as I leave the tent. But his eyes do follow me as I maneuver around him. He lies back, allowing me to half crawl over him to depart.
The moment I’m free of him, I fill my lungs to the brim, exhale tension from my shoulders, and cross to the bonfire. It burns as brightly as it did last night, which is even more impressive when I realize that there is no fuel for the fire—no wood or coal. It blazes in a divot of sand. I must’ve been in quite the state, indeed, to have missed the impressive aura of magic that surrounds the flame. Spirit magic, no doubt.
“Good morning, Faelyn.” Aurora rounds the flame, handing me a fish on a skewer. “I asked Gruvun if he was willing to bring us some food and he obliged. If my stomach was growling, I knew yours would be, too.”
“Thank you.” I take the skewer. Evander was right, Aurora seems to use “burnt” as seasoning. But it’s sustenance and allows the rations in my bag to last a little longer untouched. Giving usmore supplies for when we do run. I tear into the crispy flesh of the fish to the white meat below, taking care to pick any larger bones out with my teeth, tongue, and fingers. “Bardulf?”
“Still sleeping, I believe.” Aurora takes a bite of her fish as well. “Evander?”
“Awake, but apparently he likes to lounge.” I glance over my shoulder and back at the tent. There’s no sign of the man. “I thought you weren’t an early riser?”
“I am when I want to have a word.” Aurora’s voice drops to a hush. “Was it all right last night?”
I’m returned to my exchange with Evander—the revelations of the first wolf king and Aurora. Her fate being intertwined in such a cruel way with the lykin originating from a good and pure emotion. The feeling of Evander pulling me to him whispers across my skin. His scorching heat. The overwhelming nature of his presence enveloping me, his rough hands cradling mine as he growled his words into my ear.
“He’s a brute,” I say quickly, before my face heats. “But he didn’t do anything untoward.” Not really? I’m still fighting shivers of the memory of him at my back. It’s been far too long since I was last touched. There’s no shame in admitting that it felt good, is there?
“Good.” Aurora breathes a sigh of relief.
“He did tell me some of the lykin’s history,” I admit. “And yours.”
She chews a moment, longer than necessary for fish. “Can’t really have their history without mine, can you?”
