“We have time.”
Morgen’s mouth twitched, and his eyes were still wary, but he joined her on the forest floor, facing her cross-legged. She didn’t say anything, giving him space to figure out how he was going to begin.
Finally, he said, “I lived in my father’s house as a child, but I never had parents. My mother died in childbirth, and the wet nurse was gone by the time I was four. Mostly, I was shut in my room, and I preferred it that way. It was safer.”
She furrowed her brow. “Safer?”
“My father…he was not fond of me.”
Her stomach dipped. His body was covered in scars. Could someone really do that to their own child?
“Whatever you are imagining,” Morgen said quietly, “it was much, much worse.”
“Butwhy?”
It was perhaps a silly question to ask. Why did anyone hurt an innocent? But she chased a selfish need to understand, because she was reeling with such an overwhelming wave of confusion and anger.
Morgen sighed and lifted a long-fingered hand, brushing calloused fingers against her cheekbone. She stared at him, her lips parting to say what she did not know, but then, he murmured, “I don’t see ether in your eyes often.”
She blinked a few times. He was close to her now and still hadn’t moved his hand from her face when she realized…
Oh gods.
He was beautiful. There was something raw and wild about his features that made her both sure he was not merely mortal but also not just a god. The more time they’d spent together, the more she had come to like being around him. He was closed off, so their friendship had been slow blooming, but now, she found herself terrified. Quite suddenly, shewanted,and she did not know what to do with it.
He started to move away, almost as if he sensed it, but on instinct, she grabbed his hand, holding it to her face. His expression shuttered, but not before she saw the flash of heat in his eyes.
“Nya.” He was shaking his head. “We cannot go there.”
Her cheeks warmed, and she let go of his hand. He didn’t move it again right away, even as she asked, “Will you tell me why?”
His throat bobbed, his eyes lingering somewhere near her shoulder. “If I say it’s because I don’t want to, will you stop asking?”
“Of course,” she whispered. “I would never force you to do something. I just thought… Well, it doesn’t matter now.”
Now, his hands dropped, and he shut his eyes, jaw tight as he sat back. He almost looked like he was in pain.
“Morgen?”
He took an abrupt, sharp breath then got to his feet, speaking with his back to her.
“I should probably go.”
She stood, chewing anxiously on her lip. “Alright. Will you come back?”
His shoulders rose and fell a few times, and then he turned. She couldn’t quite read his expression as he said, “Of course. Before the moon cycle ends. Varax will check in with you as well.”
She nodded, unsure what to say. Finally, she settled on, “Okay. Be safe.”
“Mm.”
“And Morgen?”
He turned from where he’d been about to climb onto Varax’s back.
“I want you to come back, alright? I’m not upset… A little embarrassed, but I’m not angry with you.” She grimaced. “I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable at all.”
He froze, eyes widening. For the first time since he had rescued her from the undertow, she swore, she saw the amber in his eyes flare almost to gold.
