“Quiet.You’ll wake the others.”
“Why will we be getting a visit from King Goll?” she whisper-yelled.
“Because of the threat Gael has made public in Hellamir. He’s rallying men in his favor to start a rebellion. Or rather, he has already started one. King Goll is the king of Lumeria now as well as Northgall. He needs to know.”
“How soon will he come, do you think?”
“I sent Hallizel to his castle, Windolek, after supper. He could be here in a day or two. It depends if that sprite goes directly to Windolek or if she gets distracted along her way.”
“Goddess above, I’ll never get any sleep now.”
“Looking forward to meeting the wraith king, princess?”
“No.I’ve heard he’s terrible and violent. And he was the one I was supposed to…”
The mere thought of her approaching Goll with her syrenskyn glow, naked and luminescent, had a growl rumbling from my belly up my throat.
“Don’t worry. He’s no more terrible or violent than I am.”
She huffed a laugh and snuggled deeper in her furs, muffling, “Goodnight, Red.”
I smiled. She must’ve heard Bezaliel call me that earlier. “Sleep well, Jessa.”
She sighed contentedly and drifted off much sooner than I’d thought she would. As for me, I lay awake staring at the stars, wondering why the gods would bestow this challenge on me. Having her near me was torture, but the thought of her leaving me was a worse agony. One I already knew I couldn’t bear.
It must’ve been near dawn before I finally fell asleep.
Chapter 15
JESSAMINE
By the time I’d dragged myself out of a heavy sleep this morning, it was to find our entire party nearly packed and ready to leave. I’d been a little embarrassed that I’d slept so long, quickly dressing then rolling my bed fur into a bundle and tying it with the leather sashes the way Tessa had taught me.
When I’d carried the bundle to Wolf where Leifkyn was cinching the saddlebags, he said, “Good morning, princess. So glad you decided to wake and join us.”
At first, I’d thought he was digging into me for being a lazy good-for-nothing. When he laughed and nudged me in jest, I’d felt a weight drop off my chest. It was the first time that a man of the clan, besides Bezaliel, had spoken to me as a friend would.
Apparently, this had encouraged his friend Dayn to be more friendly as well. Since we’d set out this morning, all of us on foot except Tessa and Saralyn who rode upon Mishka, the two serious friends—or whom I’d thought were serious—had been regaling me with humorous tales of their clan, many of which featured their ornery king.
Redvyr hadn’t said anything to me at all. While Leifkyn and Dayn walked on either side of me, he kept toward the front, leading us, not even glancing back. Bezaliel walked alongside Mishka, talking quietly to Tessa. I couldn’t tell if Redvyr was grumpy about something in particular or if this was always his ‘on the trail’ demeanor. He watched the woods as we trekked across a wide, open field.
Snow drifted down lightly in small flakes, the temperature dropping as we moved out of the woods and the wind gusted more fiercely across the plain we crossed.
I’d pulled on my hood, tugging my cloak tightly around my shoulders and wrapping my hands in the folds as we walked. I’d noticed Tessa had bundled herself and the baby up warmly as well. But the males strode on without even a cloak or long-sleeves. It was maddening how well-adapted they were to this climate.
“That was when our lord there,” Dayn said drawing me back to the present while he gestured toward Redvyr, “told the wood fae trespasser that if he didn’t head south and head fast, that we were going to skin him and roast him for dinner.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “He didn’t!”
I stared at the broad back of Redvyr, seemingly unaffected like he didn’t even hear us. He must have heard, of course. He was only a few strides ahead of us, and that fae male had the most heightened senses of anyone I’d ever met.
“He did,” laughed Leifkyn. “The poor man believed him. He took off running back toward the Borderlands. Never saw him again.”
“I guess not,” I laughed. “I’ll bet he—”
“Quiet,” snapped Redvyr, coming to a halt, his gaze on the sky.
Dayn and Leifkyn instantly drew their swords, corralling me between them, their faces turned toward the sky as well. Iheard nothing, but apparently, they did. Bezaliel had drawn his blade too. Mishka had lowered to the ground, all of the wolves growling. Wolf stood at my back, his rumbling snarl fierce. But it was Redvyr now in front of me, tail lashing. His black claws extended, his muscles flexed and bulged, ready to fight, that had my attention.
