I hear a moan that I think comes from me, and a chuff in the distance answers back, followed by the soft thump of paws hitting the damn ground. I turn my head with a gasp to see a fucking bear about a hundred feet away approaching the stream.
It’s probably just thirsty and not hunting for food, but I’m not willing to take that chance.
I twist in Bane’s hold and say to him, “We’ve got to go.”
We quickly grab our clothes but don’t bother putting them on as we leave the stream before the bear notices us. Another squall arrives, and the rain begins again before we make it back to the cave. Bane and I are trapped under the storms for two more days.
As soon as the rain stops on the third day, I make my second attempt to escape the cave while Bane is away relieving himself. And for the second time, Bane finds and drags me back to thecave. He actually has my hair in a vise grip as he drags me screaming back inside, and the idea of what this must look like is almost as upsetting as the fact that it’s actually happening.
He’s gone full fucking caveman.
The only thing missing is his club and a loincloth.
As soon as he releases me, I jump to my feet with an agility that would make Khalil beat his chest with pride, and then I jump on Bane, digging my claws into his face as I try my best to gouge out his eyes. “Don’t youdaredo that to me again!” I screech. “I’m going back!”
The initial shock of my weight throws off his balance, and his back collides with the cave wall, but he quickly recovers and plucks me from the front of his body by my nape before dropping me to the ground.
I’m breathing hard, and he’s barely winded.
“Told you. Cabin not safe. Mine stay.”
“And I toldyouthat if Thorin and Khalil are in danger, Ihaveto go back. I have to warn them. It’s bad enough you won’t tell me why.”
“Trust.”
“Trust isearned.” Bane makes a sound of frustration and tries to walk away, but I catch his arm and he lets me stop him. “Please,” I say in a softer tone. “At least let me talk to Zeke. I need to know he’s okay.” I place a palm on his cheek when he still doesn’t respond. “It doesn’t have to be forever. We’ll see each other again.”
If Bane is right about the cabin being unsafe, it’s more than just a promise. It’s inevitable.
“Stay,” he finally says, “and I’ll go…Au-re-li-a.”
“Okay,” I agree, even though I want to ask him why he believes the cabin is unsafe. Bane didn’t say Khalil or Thorin. He said the cabin. What does he know? What doesZekeknow? “I’ll stay in the cave.”
Bane lowers himself until he’s sitting on his heels with his knees digging into the ground. I lower myself too until I’m kneeling in front of him. I don’t know if I’m supposed to do something, but it feels important that I be as close as possible. His palms are resting on his strong thighs, and he’s staring at me like he knows I’m lying but is choosing to trust me anyway.
And that makes me feel guilty as shit.
“Bane, wait,” I say, intending to come clean and tell him that I have no intention of staying in this cave, but it’s too late.
Bane doesn’t react to my request. His head drops, and then he doesn’t move at all for several seconds. And then… He twitches. When his head rises, his eyes open slowly and then he blinks.
Slow.
Catlike.
I watch as his green eyes look around, taking in the cave and then down at his hand. Somehow, instinctively, I know he’s checking for blood. There’s some caked in his nails along with dirt, but they are otherwise clean.
“Zeke?”
His eyes snap to me, and he actually looks shocked to see me. And then worried. He looks back down at his hands, turning them this way and that to recheck them, and then his gaze returns to me as he frantically looks me over for wounds.
“I’m okay,” I assure him. Grabbing his hand, I place it over my heart to show that it’s still beating fiercely. For him. For all of them. “I’m okay. Please talk to me, Zeke.”
He makes a pained sound, and then finally, he speaks. “Sunshine.”
“Oh my God!Seth?” I grab at his shoulder, his face, and his hair. Anywhere I can get my hands on him.
“Hey.”
