“What did you do?” said a harsh, accusing voice.
My head whipped up. Thorne filled the doorway, eyes burning with accusation.
“Wh–what do you mean?” I clutched Sebastian closer.
“I saw you. You healed that cat with only a touch. Your hand glowed, and then he was fine.”
I stiffened, my mind still reeling from the wild ride my emotions had taken. “You’re crazy.”
“Who are you?” He strode further into the room, his presence stifling in the small space.
The walls closed in around me, and I hugged Sebastian closer. “Nobody,” I said with a defiant thrust of my chin.
Thorne glanced about my chamber. From my threadbare blankets to the precarious stack of apple crates containing my meager belongings. At his sneer of disgust, I clamped my teeth together, waiting for his condemnation.
He didn’t disappoint. “Thisis where you live?”
I pushed to my feet, tucking Sebastian under my arm as I grabbed the satchel off my cot. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting company.”
“This is not the room of a respected healer. Nor even that of a maid. These are the quarters of a slave.” He captured my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “Tell me why you lied.”
“I didn’t lie.” I jerked my chin free. “And what do you care anyway?”
“I care a great deal about those the dragon brings into his inner circle.”
“If you don’t want me around, then order your beast to release me.” I shoved past him, pushing through the door.
Thorne stormed into my path. “Admit it. Not only were you a slave, you’re no Puritan.”
Sebastian twisted in my arms, and I set him on the floor.
“You’re mad. I’ve lived here my whole life.” More or less. Not counting the seven years after my birth that I couldn’t recall.
“You have magic.”
“Do not,” I said, a familiar sense of panic pinching my lungs. Puritans were burned for such accusations.
“Liar!” Low growl rumbling from his throat, Thorn grabbed me and shoved me into the wall.
Behind me, the stones shook, dust raining down from the ceiling. Despite Thorne’s obvious rage, he hadn’t pushed methathard. We both froze, eyes locked, our argument dissolving into shared alarm. The floor rumbled beneath our feet.
“It’s the wendigos. They’re coming.” Fear clawed down my spine, threatening to root me in place.
“We need to get out of here,” Thorne said. “Into the sun.”
“But the rest of the medicines are in the cellar, in Yaga’s workshop.”
“And that is the first place you will find one of these creatures. They’re tunneling up from the ground. Something must have alerted them to our presence.” He captured my hand, dragging me down the hallway. “Come.”
“But the herbs—”
“Forget them.” Thorne pulled me in his wake, his longer legs hard for my much shorter ones to keep up with.
“Why are you moving so slow?” he bellowed, his tone snapping with desperation. “Do you wish to die?”
“I’m going as fast as I can.”
“Infuriating female.” His growled curse heated my ears.
