For now, my body was nearly aching with the need. Having nearly been killed had only worsened my situation.
“Do it now. Not out of my sight.” His voice was dark and cold.
I didn’t argue. I shuffled to the edge of the cave, making sure he didn’t watch me directly. He didn’t, keeping his gaze over the ravine.
Once I’d taken care of myself, I stood and hurried past him to my pallet of furs. When I’d curled up under the safety and warmth of my makeshift bed, I turned my face to the opening of the cave.
Redvyr settled with his back to the cave wall, his body blocking the entrance.
“Do you need a fur to keep warm?” I asked.
“Go to sleep, witch,” he told me, the coldness still in his voice.
“There was something wrong with that dryad,” I told him. “Dryads don’t attack and eat other fae. Or is that something they do here in Northgall?”
He didn’t answer my question but he did turn his face to me. In the dying embers, I saw that the rage was truly gone, though his eyes still shined with an unnatural luster.
“Go to sleep,” he said more gently than before, then turned his head back to keep watch.
I wasn’t quite sure why he was so angry. Perhaps it was normal for beast fae to launch into a savage madness in battle. My body still trembled from the entire encounter, though by some innate knowing, I wasn’t afraid of him.
My eyes blinking heavily, I fell asleep watching my guardian, his gaze on the dangers in the darkness that I couldn’t see.
Chapter 6
JESSAMINE
As we walked side by side into his village, Wolf behind us, I realized I’d pictured it completely wrong. When he said there were no taverns or inns, I believed that meant they were simply a private community made of residential houses only. There were no houses at all. At least, not ones like in my home Morodon, where white stone buildings covered the seaside city. Or even the Borderlands, where Haldek’s tavern was made of wood and stone.
This village was lined with tents, similar to the one Redvyr camped in, though many were bigger and certainly well-made. The beast fae gathered along the path that we followed through the village, greeting Redvyr while staring at me. Their expressions ranged from curious to unwelcoming.
One rather fierce-looking beast fae walked directly up the path toward us, his hard expression cracking as he smiled at Redvyr. He stopped us in the path and held out an arm to Redvyr who then clasped his, their forearms aligned.
“Good to have you back, Lord Redvyr,” said the newcomer.
I started and looked up at Redvyr. I knew beast fae used the title of lord for their kings. He was the king of this clan?
“Good to be back, Bezaliel.”
Three other warriors stalked up the path directly toward Redvyr, gathering around and greeting him. They all wore similar clothes—hide vests and trousers or skirts. One of them wore his hair in a long braid down his back. Their casual manner told me they were close to the beast lord.
“It seems your hunt was fruitful.” Bezaliel glanced at me with a sly grin.
Bezaliel was almost equal in size to Redvyr, though not quite. His bare chest was exposed beneath a vest of red-brown hide. Runes swirled over his muscles, and his four black horns curled out of his head in a magnificent sweep. He was an impressive beast fae.
“Wolf dragged her into my camp half frozen two nights ago.”
“Did he?” Bezaliel actually grinned at the giant wolf standing behind us.
“She has a request that we need to put forth to the council.”
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” asked one of the leaner beast fae with a handsome face.
“Leifkyn,” Redvyr addressed him then pointed to the other two, “Dayn and Brohm, this is Jessamine.”
The three newcomers gave me a slight bow of the head in greeting.
“Pleasure to meet you.”
