“That won’t be necessary. Like I said, I’m fine.”
The vampire returned with two fresh, steaming mugs and placed them on the table next to our nearly empty plates. Kizzi grabbed her mug immediately, tossing the bit of bread she hadballed up in Hex’s direction and instead wrapping her delicate fingers around the drink.
Hex slithered out of the jar to snatch up the bit of bread and absorb it. It was slightly terrifying—I tried not to wonder what else they were capable of engulfing. I glanced around the room to see if anyone had witnessed the ordeal, but the room was too dim, and the nearest patrons were paces away. Just us, then.
We sipped our drinks in charged silence as the noise of the diner flowed around us. We pretended like we weren’t watching each other.
Our eyes played a game of cat and mouse, and I wasn’t sure if I was the predator or the prey.
Eventually, I forced myself to speak. I cleared my throat. “So, Kizzi. Do you think we’re going to find what you’re looking for tomorrow?”
She contemplated this as she ran her tongue slowly over her upper lip. I tracked the movement. A hunger bit at my insides.
“I hope so,” she said finally. “I have a good feeling.”
This intrigued me. “Oh? What do you mean?”
She shrugged noncommittally. “I’m not sure, really.” She glanced around the room as though looking for something. Eventually, her gaze settled onto Hex, where they sat on the edge of the table, resting contently in their jar. “It’s just this… feeling. A knowing, almost. A slight charge to the air, a bit of a pull. It’s on the wind, maybe.”
This made absolutely no sense to me, but I found it fascinating, nonetheless. I knew witches were more in tune with magic than other folk. Of course. Orcs were generally not very magically inclined at all—even less so than humans. I had heard magic described, I had read about it once or twice, but I would never actually get to know it. Tofeelit.
Back before the Old Gods abandoned the realm, they say magic was so prevalent that most folk could sense it. Use it, even.Access it and manipulate it. What a wondrous time that must have been.
“Well, I hope you’re right,” I mused. “Any other towns to try if you have no luck here?”
She shook her head. “Not anywhere we’ll reach before Hallow’s Eve, I don’t think. We’re going to be cutting it close as it is.”
I held out my mug. “Well, here’s to good feelings, then.”
She tapped her mug to mine with a small smile. “To good feelings.”
My hand crept to the small of Kizzi’s back as we wandered back to our tent for the night. She didn’t need me to guide her, but I couldn’t help myself. I simply wanted to touch her.
Surprisingly, she let me. I could almost feel the warmth of her through the fabric of her cloak. My fingertips pressed in just a bit harder.
The moons were high in the sky, shockingly bright from our valley in the mountains. Fireflies sparkled all around us. If I reached out, I could surely catch one, but I preferred to leave my hand right where it was.
We walked slowly in the direction of the tent. My breath fogged out in cloud-like puffs in front of me. If I was this cold, surely Kizzi would be freezing. I glanced at her with concern. She looked tense, but she didn’t speed up her pace.
“Sure you don’t need me to carry you?” I asked.
She shot me a glare. “Very funny. My feet work just fine, thank you.”
I slid my hand around to her hip and tugged her closer to me, ever so slightly. “I know they do.”
She simply rolled her eyes, but she let her body brush against mine for the rest of the chilly walk.
The tent was disappointingly warm when we tucked ourselves inside. I fastened the tarp closed with the provided straps.
I was hoping the cold would drive Kizzi into my arms again and force her to wrap her body around mine. To cuddle up against me, and to tuck herself perfectly under my chin.
I considered tugging the tarp open, just a crack, but dismissed the idea almost immediately. Her comfort was more important than my sordid fantasies.
I double knotted the straps.
A small fire crackled steadily in the fire pit. A metal grate covered the pit. The light was dim, but the warmth radiated well enough.
“Turn around,” Kizzi said quietly. “I need to change into my nightclothes.”
