The coat sleeve had slid down her arm, revealing a part of the welt. Before she could reply, Cassiel yanked down her sleeve and exposed her swollen wrist to the light.
“Ah, there was a bit of trouble—”
His expression darkened with a fury that stalled the words on her tongue. Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by a rustling in the foliage. Cassiel leaped to his feet, simultaneously tearing his weapon from the ground.
“It’s me,” Zev said as he entered the pool of white firelight. “Though you were easy to find. I could see you from the road. Put that thing away. I’m here now.” He said the last bit while looking at Dyna.
She nodded to assure him she was all right. Her conversation with the Prince had done well to distract her.
Cassiel sheathed his sword. The darkness engulfed them again and banished all remnants of heat. “What had been so important to return to town for?”
“I had to see an old friend,” Zev said, coming quickly to her side but his answer momentarily diverted her fear of the dark.
What friend? He didn’t have any friends in town that she knew of, other than … oh.
The rattling coming from his pack as he guided her further into the woods was answer enough. Zev had gone to see Ragan.
“What is this about trouble?” he asked, expertly removing the attention off of him.
Cassiel looked at her expectantly. Zev waited for the answer as well. Dyna tried to hide her hand, but he noticed too and yanked down her sleeve. He growled, his eyes flashing.
“Who did this?” his gravelly voice was so wild she knew his wolf was completely awake.
She didn’t want to explain her encounter with Dalton. Cassiel was not aware of the customs of the Magos Empire, but Zev was, and he would hunt down the young mage to protect her. That was not something she would add to his conscience.
“It’s nothing,” she tugged her arm back. “Two young men wished to make my acquaintance.”
That was the wrong thing to say. A snarl tore out of Zev’s throat and Cassiel’s expression grew murderous. The statement was far more suggestive than she intended.
“When did this happen?” the Prince demanded. “Outside the pub?”
Zev lifted her wrist to his nose and inhaled deeply, capturing Dalton’s scent off her skin. He marched for the town.
“Zev.” Dyna grabbed his arm. She didn’t have the strength to stop him, but he immediately halted, his first instinct to always prevent her from any harm. His eyes, pinned on Landcaster in the distance, glowed in the night. His wolf had returned in full force and itched to eliminate any threat. She felt it in the way his limbs vibrated with the need to shift. “They were only boys.”
“Age does not excuse it,” Cassiel said as if he too wanted to search for them.
“We must go,” she reminded them. “It’s not safe here, as you said.”
Zev rubbed his face, forcing himself to turn away. “Aye, that’s best,” he said in a guttural growl.
“Can you shift?” the Prince asked him.
Zev flexed his hands and claws grew from his fingers, fur sprouting along his arms. He nodded.
“Good. I suggest you take to your wolf and we travel all night. We need to put as much distance between us and this town as possible.”
“But you could not keep up on foot.”
Cassiel looked up at the sky where a strong gust was dragging in a veil of clouds. His large wings unfurled behind him, feathers fluttering in the breeze. “It is a good night to fly.” His gaze fell on Dyna, and he eyed her from head to toe, calculating. “You hardly weigh much. I can bear the weight.”
Bear the weight? Did he mean tocarryher?
Reading the shock on her face, he arched a brow. “Is it the height you fear?”
Her stomach dropped at the reminder. Both times Cassiel had flown with her were out of necessity. He had deliberately avoided her whenever possible, but now he offered of his own will to carry her? The thought of being that close to him, of embracing him all night, sent an unexplainable feeling through her.
“It’s quite high,” she squeaked.
