“What is it? Your wound?”
His gaze shifted from the trees to her. “I’m fine. Let’s go. We’re still too close to Na’Tol.”
Right. So much for worrying about the intractable man.
Leya pushed forward. Sweat dripped off her, and breathing in the humid air seriously hindered her progress. With no idea how much time had passed, they finally stepped out of the Rean Forest into a more normal-looking thicket sporting wilted, pale red, green, and blue leaves.
Aerén didn’t stop.
But Leya slowed, shutting off a weary groan. Strands of her hair stuck to her neck and face, and her damp top was plastered to her body. She was hot and damn uncomfortable. As she lifted a hand to fan herself, he turned. His brow lowered.
With a low growl, he grasped her hand, and the impossible heat and discomfort subsided.
“You could have just held my hand, but you had to make a point.”
At his sharpness, she retorted, “And you could have opened a portal or something to where we need to go!”
“I cannot. Not now. Dematerializing us from the dead forest was pushing it. My powers are unstable. I could hurt you and cause untold destruction to all the vegetation for miles around us if my power slips.”
Well, that certainly eclipsed any tart comeback she might have had.
So, she remained silent as they continued, her mind burning with a thousand questions—about the Stone of Light and the magic he thoughtshe’dhoused, abouthim…
“What are you?” she blurted. Ugh, she’d planned to ask that last. Oh, well. “I mean, I know you’re immortal and hunting for this Stone of Light’s magic. Are you some sort of wizard who can sense your world’s magic?”
He didn’t respond, pushing branches out of their way as the forest grew denser.
Her irritation resurged. “I guess since I’m not one of your precious Chosen, I don’t get an explanation—”
“Don’t!”
He pivoted so fast that she jerked back, breaking their hold, clutching the parka and sweater to her chest as the horrible heat engulfed her again.
But meeting his flat stare, she straightened her spine and glared right back. “I’m in your world for God knows how long. Don’t you think I should know a little about its history so I’m not walking in blind? I mean, you brought me through your deadly haunted forest.”
He shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. It took a minute before he looked up. “The forest is dead. No magic there except pain and sorrow. Empyreans can feel the pull of the Stone’s magic. Several warriors and I have been on this quest for over a year.”
Boy, CliffsNotes could take a page from him.
“Is this why the rebels are after you? They want the magic?”
“Thosecaeniwould kill every one of us if they could.” He grasped her hand and started off again. “And take over Empyrea.”
“I get that,” she said, forcing her feet to move, trying to ignore her exhaustion. “On Earth, there are those unscrupulous enough to take over a country, not caring who gets caught in the crossfire.” She sidestepped a tall fern-like shrub, and its wet fronds brushed against her face, leaving a damp trail.
“Indeed. No, I’m not a wizard,” he finally answered her. “As to what I am, and just so you don’t accuse me of leaving things out, because it’s not something I think about daily—doyouconstantly think that you’re human?”
“There’s no need to be a dick,” she muttered beneath her breath, getting his point like a punch to the head.
He halted and held back a low-hanging branch, revealing a looming rockface a short distance from them. Then said, “We were created in the likeness of the divine angels but don’t live such pious lives. We are quite lecherous, in fact. Here we are.” He waved to a half-meter crack in the granite surface. “Our resting place for the evening.”
“Lecherous?”She scowled at his broad back, then snorted. “Probably more like a monk—”
What he said walloped her upside her head. Her jaw nearly hit the ground.
An angel!
He was a freakin’angel?
