The fire pit was a long oval encircled by stones, large enough for cooking on one side and to heat the cave entirely for communal gatherings. We draped hides along the cave entrance to keep the winds out and the cave warm.
Some of my warriors were unloading the saddlebags of grain from the wolves outside and bringing them inside to store. I’dtold them to gather all of the males except those currently on watch to meet me here when they were done.
“Thank the gods,” said Lorelyn, the first to greet us when we entered the cave. “I saw a dark omen this morning in the skies, and I feared the worst.”
“What did you see?” I asked, shaking the snow from my head and horns as we joined her and others around the fire.
“An injured raven,” said Lorelyn solemnly. “He’d broken a wing and fallen into the woods. When I looked, I couldn’t find him. I realized it must’ve been a vision. Sometimes I can’t tell which is real and which is from the gods.”
Lorelyn was a young seer, but she had always been right.
“Do not go into the woods alone anymore. For I can tell you what the bad omen was warning you about.”
I stared around the cave, noting that council members Wyzel, Melgar, and Bowden were present, currently sitting along the wooden benches we’d built for this space. Good.
Everyone had already gathered closer, greeting us after our travels, glad to see we’d accomplished our mission in getting provisions to last the winter. But the smiling faces dimmed in hearing my voice, everyone silent and waiting for me to speak. Jessamine had remained close to the flap at the entrance, which I didn’t like. I wanted her near me, but I’d have to remedy that later.
“On our journey, we met with Prince Torvyn of the shadow fae and two priests with him.” I didn’t want to upset them more by telling them Tylok had been killed, and his family was missing. Many of my men had met and admired Tylok. “There has been a sighting of dangerous creatures called grimlocks. They are killing our kind. They are abducting others.”
“Grimlocks?” Wyzel stood, using her cane, sidling toward the fire. “The evil monsters from fairy tales? The shadow fae prince must be mistaken.”
“He is not. We saw proof of their existence, I assure you. We will double our guards on watch. Though we are in a place more easily defended, we are still vulnerable to attack. Keep the children close to the center of camp at all times. All trips into the woods for kindling and other supplies must be with a minimum of four guards. I will speak to the warriors about watch detail.”
“Are we safe here?” asked Bowden, standing near his wife who was delicate and small for a beast fae female.
“We are just as safe here as we would be in Vanglosa. The creatures have come south out of the mountains. Perhaps this is even safer with mountains surrounding us.”
Bowden nodded, the others murmuring to one another as my warriors returned from storing the grain. I pointed to the benches lining the inner curve of the back wall. It was where we could have a bit of privacy to speak.
Leifkyn murmured something to them and they followed him to the back of the cave, while I walked to Jessamine still standing there looking exhausted, bewildered, and anxious.
“Dayn,” I called out—he had entered through the flap last. “Take Jessamine to my tent and start a fire for her.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“You’re sending me away?” Her cheeks flared pink with anger.
I slid my hands to cradle her face, pressing my body close to hers. “No. I’m sending you to my tent where you can rest and get warm and wait for me.” I pressed my forehead to hers for a brief moment. “You’re exhausted. Go with Dayn. Don’t argue.”
Her fingers curled around my wrists, squeezing gently, her anger fading. She pulled away, glancing over my shoulder. I didn’t have to look to know that we had an audience for that small embrace. There would be questions, and yes, likely some protests. I’d deal with that later. Right now, I simply wanted my woman safe and warm. And ready for me when I returned to her.
“Dayn,” I called. “Keep watch over her until I come.”
“Of course, my lord.”
Once they’d left, I turned toward the fire. Yes, there were many eyes on me now, most of them confused and some of them angry. Wyzel and Sorka were among the confused, Velga among the angry. I stared them all down until they lowered their gazes. There was only one lord here. And they must remember that. When I felt sufficiently satisfied that they’d keep their opinions to themselves, at least until I left the cave, I joined my warriors to prepare them for the defense of our camp so that I could quickly return to Jessamine.
Chapter 19
JESSAMINE
“Thank you, Dayn.”
The handsome beast fae male stood awkwardly after building a fire in a black disk set on a tripod at the center of Redvyr’s tent. The smoke swirled in a plume straight out of an opening at the top. There was a giant bed of furs to one side, baskets of what looked to be his clothes and other items, and an oval wooden tub to the other side currently full of cold water.
“Um, there is water there to wash.” He scratched the back of his neck nervously.
“Do you all bathe in freezing cold water?”
