I’d kept Rowan’s accidental revelation about our final destination a secret. The other culled still despised me, and I was not looking forward to sharing a tent with them once more. We had slept in the open while journeying throughout the underpass, so there were no opportunities for the culled to harm me without being caught. Now there would be.
I spent the first night in the tent rubbing the hilt of my knife repeatedly and keeping my eyes open, watching the others warily as they slept. I hadn’t dared to close my eyes for longer than a second.
Lily had given me a knowing smirk. The others huddled close together for warmth, but since I didn’t have that option, I silently shook and gripped my blankets tight the entire night.
The next morning, I kept nodding off while riding. I was just as terrified to sleep while riding with Rowan as I was in the communal tent. Both fears had their reasons, of course.
“Are you going to tell me why you are swaying with such force that my arms can barely keep you upright?” His voice brought me back to reality, and I blinked twice to clear my vision.
“I didn’t sleep well,” I murmured, barely avoiding slurring my speech. I was beyond exhausted.
“And why is that?” Rowan pressed.
I shrugged.
Rowan grunted—apparently, he didn’t appreciate having the gesture turned on him.
“Answer the question, Mavis,” he demanded.
“There may have been some miscommunication between me and the other culled, and now they hate me.”
“What kind of miscommunication?”
“The kind where they think I betrayed them.”
Tense silence followed—but only for a few moments.
“What?” Rowan snapped, but I didn’t reply. A few more seconds passed, long enough for Rowan to understand what had occurred. “They heard about what happened with the Rebels, didn’t they?Fuck.” He took one hand off the reins and ran it through his hair. Then, instead of taking the reins again, he gripped my hip. “Have they threatened you?”
“It’s not important.”
“It damn well is important if you aren’t getting any sleep because you are too busy staying alert to protect yourself. You should have told me this as soon as the issue arose. How long have they been threatening you?”
“Since Summit’s Ridge,” I whispered, and felt his grip on my hip tighten. I didn’t think he was conscious of the action. “I don’t need you to step in. That will only confirm their suspicions. I can handle this on my own.”
Rowan forced out a humorless chuckle.
“Like you’ve been handling it over the past week? No, this has gone too far.”
“You can’t tell them to stand down, or it will confirm that I’ve sided with the Veilers.”
“I won’t. However, you will sleep in my tent until we reach our destination.It’s where you will be safest.”
“That’s evenworse!They already think I’m bedding you. Sleeping in your tent all but confirms it!”
“There is nowhere else for you to sleep, not one that I trust. I cannot vouch for every Veiled One here. I cannot trust that they will not…take advantageof the temporary sleeping arrangements.” The insinuation made my stomach roll. “Besides, you just have to make it to the end of our journey. After that, anyone who attacks you will forfeit their life.”
The only reason I held back from complaining more about the situation was what I heard reflected in his voice—fear. There was a lot of anger, so the fear was almost undetectable. Except I had heard it, and I knew it was on my behalf that he was afraid.
Later, when I entered Rowan’s tent, my eyes immediately found him lounging shirtless atop his bedroll. He was mask-less again, and I still wasn’t used to the sight of it. I thought the cold was brutal—until I felt the heat of Rowan’s gaze when it met mine.
Rowan gestured with his head to the blankets in the corner, already laid out.
I lay down, but my eyes refused to shut. My interactions with some of the culled from dinner played in my head. Specifically, when Aevaaccidentallybumped into me and made me spill half my food. The others just laughed.
When I knelt to pick up what I could, someone muttered, “Veiler whore.” I stood and walked away, no longer having an appetite. I decided it was best I head off to bed early. Gods knew I needed the extra rest.
Rowan’s sleep-ridden voice broke through my train of thought.
