“What if I accidentally hurt her?”he stammers, only confirming my opinion that this is a great idea.
I snort with real amusement and clap him on the shoulder.“Don’t worry, you won’t.”
I have a harder time convincing Aurelia than Gunnar. She crosses her arms over her chest, lips pressed into a thin line. She eyes Gunnar’s lanky frame skeptically. “He’s just a kid.”
“He needs practice,” I tell her, keeping my voice low.
“What if I hurt him?”
“Don’t worry, you won’t,” I repeat the exact same thing I said to the kid five minutes ago. Only this time, I’m relying on Aurelia’s bleeding heart rather than her skill level to keep her from hurting Gunnar.
Reluctantly, Aurelia walks over to Gunnar and faces off against him. I watch her let him land a couple of light blows—probably just to make sure he knows what he’s doing—then make a half-hearted attempt to hit him back.
Gunnar hits Aurelia a few more times, until finally she gets tired of being batted around, and her stance shifts. Her eyes narrow, and suddenly her practice sword becomes a blur. Gunnar’s expression morphs from concentration to surprise as he stumbles backward, barely managing to parry her lightning-quick advances. She beats him three times in quick succession, but he’s good-natured about it.
My face stretches into a smile. Perfect. I’m not trying to crawl out of my skin anymore, and everyone is happy—mostly.
As I’m watching Aurelia beat Gunnar for a fourth time, I feel someone approach from behind. I glance back to find Runa standing there, her eyes flicking between me and the sparring match. The smile slides off my face.
“Morning. Want to go a round?”she asks, gesturing to an empty patch of dirt nearby.
“No,”I say, turning back to watch Aurelia.
“I really wish you’d just talk to me.”
My eye twitches. I don’t want to fucking talk to her. What would I even say?
Yes, I defended her years ago, but I’m also the reason she needed defending in the first place, which isn’t something I like to think about. I don’t regret stepping in—even though it led to Dyaspora—but that’s the extent of my feelings about the whole ordeal, so talking about it now feels pointless. More importantly, if this mating bond with Aurelia were real, speaking privately with Runa would be a direct insult to my mate.
Thinking along those lines, I call Aurelia over to us. I have to do it out loud, but decide that’s the lesser problem than speaking to Runa alone.
Aurelia flashes a grin at Gunnar, then jogs over to me and Runa, her eyes flicking back and forth between us. She stops next to me, and my hand finds her waist before I can think, drawing her against my side. My thumb traces the fading mark on her throat, and her pulse jumps and she leans into my grip.
Aurelia tilts her head in Runa’s direction. “Hello. We met the other night, right?”
“Right.” Her jaw tightens as she adds, “You’re good with a blade. Better than most here.”
“Thanks,” Aurelia says airily.
There isn’t a hint of possessiveness or irritation in either her tone or her expression. She didn’t pull away when I reached for her, but aside from that she’s not giving any indication that she cares about Runa at all. I don’t know why that pisses me off, but it does.
“Are you finished?” I ask pointedly, giving a quick glance over my shoulder to where Gunnar is sitting on the ground. He’s obviously had enough of being knocked around by a tiny Fae woman, but seems in a better mood than he was when they started.
“I guess,” Aurelia scrunches up her face in a scowl. “I could probably go for another hour, but if you want to head back to the camp…”
“I was just looking for a partner,” Runa says imperiously. “If you’re not tired, I’d go a few rounds with you.”
My stomach drops and I stiffen against Aurelia’s side. Fuck, I hadn’t expected that. My mind races, trying to figure out what to do.
If I answer for Aurelia, it’ll look like I think Runa is stronger—like I’m protecting my mate from someone I believe could hurt her. But I’m not even sure what Runa’s trying to do here. Is this a threat? A challenge? Is it possible she really just needs a sparring partner now that I’ve said no?
I hold my breath, hoping Aurelia will decline, but of course she doesn’t. Her eyes light up at the challenge, completely unconcerned for her own safety, and before I can intervene, she’s already nodding her agreement.
I run both hands through my hair as Aurelia and Runa walk to an empty space on the edge of the field. Runa is a head taller than Aurelia and wearing leather practice armor, which leaves only her head, neck, and hands exposed. Aurelia looks absurdly outmatched in her short purple skirt and messy pigtail braids.
My jaw clenches so hard my teeth might crack. I dig my fingernails into my palms, leaving crescent moons in the flesh, while forcing my face to remain still even as a cold sweat breaks out along my spine.
“What’s going on?”Kai’s voice asks in my head. I glance up and find him jogging over to me, his brow furrowed. He stops beside me, and his eyes dart back and forth between me and the two women.
