“There’s really no knowing for sure.” Ginnie shrugged her massive shoulders.
“It’s as good a theory as any and better than some. I’m going scouting tonight,” Lise said as she began to take off her clothes. It still startled Deyvid, how casual these shifters were with their own nudity. “I’ll see if I can verify their location. If so, we can move on them as early as tomorrow.”
“Excellent.” Petur smiled viciously. “I’m more than ready to wrap this adventure up, I think. Lise, come back as soon as you have something solid.”
“Yes, sire,” she said, then transformed into an owl and soared into the twilight sky without her talons ever touching the ground. Deyvid heard Herow murmur, “Show-off.”
“Herow and Ginnie,” Petur said, not taking his eyes off Deyvid. “Head back to camp and prep things there. I’ll be along directly.”
“Aye, sire.” They both bowed, then began the several-miles-long trek back to where their own campsite was set up, Ginnie collecting Lise’s belongings along the way.
“Brannan and Rhys?” Petur’s voice became harder as he turned to the other two members of his squad. “You’re tasked with watching these bodies burn. Make sure they’re fullyconsumed. I don’t want an ambush brought down upon our heads due to a lack of thoroughness from either of you.”
It was clear this was a punishment detail. Deyvid just wasn’t entirely sure what they were being punished for.
“Understood?” Petur continued.
“Yes, sire.”
“Aye, sire.”
Rhys looked thoroughly abashed, and Brannan still wasn’t meeting his prince’s eyes. But he did glance at Deyvid this time, and his eyes were full of hatred. Deyvid would have to be careful to watch his back until he was able to bid these shifters goodbye. In the meantime—
“And Deyvid?”
Damn it.“Yes?” Deyvid said, not insolently but not obediently either. Petur nodded toward the woods to the west.
“We need to talk.”
That didn’t sound pleasant. “There are plenty of useful things I could be doing that—
“Please.” Both of the prince’s men went still, apparently astonished to hear such a nicety come out of the mouth of a man who had no reason to use it.
Deyvid froze as well. As much as he wanted any excuse to make his own company, he knew he couldn’t ignore such a moment of outreach from the prince.
“Very well,” he said. “One moment.” He picked up all three rucksacks, still full of their goods, and threw them onto the pyre. The fire turned blue for a moment, hot and flaring, before receding back to what it had been before.
“Well, that ate up a spell,” Petur said brightly. “Well done. Now come with me.” He reached out before Deyvid could evade and grabbed him by the arm. “This way.”
Deyvid was startled by how deep into the woods they went. He tried to pull free several times, but Petur massively outmatchedhim when it came to strength, and he didn’t let go. Eventually, Deyvid gave it up for a lost cause and focused more on trying to control his reaction at being so close to the other man.
It wasn’t easy. It had been a long time since anyone had touched him, much less touched him with any sort of intent, but … Almost from the moment he’d met Petur, he’d seen intent in the man’s eyes, and it wasn’t completely unwelcome.
Deyvid was very confident in his abilities. He felt he knew himself inside and out, but that meant he also had to be honest with himself about his weaknesses. And being around Petur, who was so irritating but so damnably lovely—his body reacted sometimes in ways he couldn’t quite control. And Petur, damn it all, clearly knew that. When they finally stopped in a shadowy copse of trees that was rapidly becoming darker than Deyvid was able to see within, he could still make out the sensual smirk on the other man’s face.
“Is this far enough?” Petur asked politely.
Deyvid looked at him warily. “Far enough for what?” he asked.
“Far enough to keep your sensibilities about being overheard from being offended,” Petur said. “I can’t absolutely guarantee that none of my people are listening in, but seeing as how we’re going in a direction that none of them should be, I think we’re safe. I can’t hear or smell anyone else around, and even the animals seem a bit shy. So, does this suffice?”
“What are you asking me for?” Deyvid demanded. He then groaned as he saw Petur’s smirk become a full-on grin.
“Oh, I think you know,” Petur said, delight clear in his voice. “I think you know all too well. You just don’t want to admit it.”
“Admit that you’re irritating me?” Deyvid asked.
“Admit that you want me,” Petur replied.
