I hesitated at that. It was easy to call Amara my family—why was it harder to say with the others?
“They have the best interest of the Corridors in mind. I am their ally in that,” I said.
He seemed to grow very still. I had an odd impulse to reach out and touch his face, to redirect his gaze back to mine. We were close enough that it would only take leaning over to brush my lips against that scar on his cheek. The impulse was jarring.
Vangard, luckily, interrupted me from acting on any odd impulses by padding back into the cave.
“Van, keep the lady warm.” Fenris leaned back on his elbows, putting distance between us again.
Vangard skulked over to me and rested his massive head on my knee as though asking for my permission. His eyes were soft and wide. Despite my pulse growing quicker in his presence, that look was hard to resist. When he let out a low whine, I could almost feel my heart soften—the pitiful creature seemed nothing like the beast that almost ate Emmerick back at the cabin.
Was he begging for affection?
“Okay, fine. But only because the ground is freezing and the fire is dwindling.”
A slight wag of his tail preceded Van circling me to curl up against my back. His body created the perfect nook to lean into and rest my head on.
“You two don’t share…physical feelings, do you?” I asked.
Fenris let out a low, deep-bellied laugh as he collapsed onto his back with his arms above his head. “Not exactly. I can feel through our bond what he needs—when he’s hungry or hurt. Occasionally, I can see through his eyes if he chooses to let me. He has some of his own free will. He just chooses to listen to me…most of the time.”
I let my body slacken.Was the thought of cuddling up to Fenris worse?I hated my mind for taking me to a place of wanting. Loneliness wasn’t an uncommon feeling—that’sallit was.
“How did he become bound to you?”
“Centuries ago, I was a bounty hunter for a powerful man. He set his sights on Van, so I retrieved him from a ruin in the East Corridor jungles. Afterward, my allegiances shifted…”
“Hm…” I wanted to ask more, but the steady rhythm of the beast’s breathing was lulling my tired mind and body to sleep. “He does make a nice pillow.” It was all I could manage.
“Sleep tight, Lady Asterie, High Enchantress of the Central Corridor. Friend of Beasts.” Fenris’ voice held a note of amusement.
“JustAsterie. Goodnight, Fenris.”
“I prefer just Fen.”
“Then goodnight, just Fen.”
I fell asleep to the sound of the crackling fire and the slow, steady breathing of the warlock and the beast.
Chapter13
Fenris
“Leave her be!”
The boy Commander pointed a sword at Van, who was still happily curled around the enchantress.
Asterie’s eyes shot open.
I’d been watching her all morning as the young Commander slept like a rock until sunrise. She’d been peacefully nestled into Van’s black fur—like a dark angel, fallen from the heavens just for my eyes to behold.
Now, with Emmerick waking up on the offensive, I watched with amusement from the corner of the cave.
It took her only a moment to assess the situation—she grimaced at the sun.
“Enough, Emmerick. Emmerick—I’m fine.” Asterie held a hand out, signaling the boy to stop.
The Commander didn’t put down his sword. Van’s posture and position changed. His upper lip curled as he raised his head around Asterie. His hackles rose. He was protectingher.His eyes turned to me with the same look of defiance.Shit.A knot wrenched in my stomach.
