Fur lined the collar and cuffs, helping to add insulation and protect her wrists and neck.
The jacket was a gift from Caden. It had only taken the man one ride on a Kyren's back to understand what was truly necessary to keep a rider comfortable.
Considering he hadn't been on a Kyren since, Eva couldn't help but feel touched at the thought and care he'd put into commissioning the jacket from the Trateri artisans.
In addition to the jacket, he'd also created a set of gloves for her. Thin so as not to hinder her grip on what she had dubbed the ‘oh shit’ strap, a small interlocking rope at the front of her saddle that she could grab when Sebastian executed his more death-defying stunts.
Finally warm again and able to appreciate the view without her teeth threatening to chatter themselves out of her head, Eva settled on Sebastian's back, the journey passing quickly.
Half an hour of silence slid by before Eva could finally bring herself to ask the question that was sitting like a red back between them. Fierce with teeth and claws that could shred if you didn't approach carefully.
"Do you really have nothing to say?"
Eva studied the breathtaking vista. The sharp cliffs and deep ravines that made her wonder at what was hidden there. The mysteries that awaited the brave or the brash.
An echoing silence was Eva's only answer.
A wry smile pulled at her lips. She should have expected this.
The Kyren, and Sebastian in particular, had never been forthcoming. Sebastian had a tendency to cling to his defenses even when it became obvious it was in his best interests to do otherwise.
It was what he'd done when she'd first met him, hiding the hold the rebels had over him. The fact they held his mates along with their unborn children.
In the past, she'd let him get away with it. Forgiven him for the secrets he kept. Secrets that had cost people their lives.
She'd thought they were on the road to developing a partnership similar to the one she had with Caia. Where neither was dominant over the other.
Now she was thinking that maybe that assumption was a misjudgment on her part. That maybe he never had any intention of accepting a human as his friend.
I don't know what you mean.
Liar. Eva didn't say the word aloud. She didn't have to, the thought was as loud as a shout.
Sebastian flinched, the movement nearly imperceptible. Not just physically but mentally as well.
Served him right. She hoped he felt bad. Hoped he realized how much he'd hurt her.
She let herself linger on the feelings she'd had when she'd first discovered his absence. The abandonment she felt when she realized he wasn't coming back.
The hurt and the anger. And under it all the sadness.
He was her friend—and then he was gone without a word.
I'm sorry, Eva. It was never my intention to hurt you.
Sebastian's sorrow filtered into her mind. The regret he felt at his actions.
Eva held her silence, not quite ready to forgive him. Even if she could sense his sincerity.
I didn't have a choice. There are things happening I can't tell you about.
Eva snorted. "Obviously."
She'd got that from the abrupt manner of his departure.
"Maybe you couldn't have told me why you were going, but you could have let me know you were leaving. I deserved that much."
Sebastian banked, zooming past jagged peaks and catching an updraft. He spread his wings, taking advantage of the wind to settle into a gentle glide.
