The thing is, it’s easy to talk to her about anything. I can see myself talking to her over breakfast about wolf habits, over lunch about the history of the world, over dinner about the way rabbits dance in the starlight, or whatever other inane topic springs to my mind. I feel she’d listen and tell me her opinion. That she would maybe laugh and swat at me, but then she’d get involved, engrossed in the subject, and we’d have a good time.
I have a good time with most people, but not… not like this. With such ease. Such lightheartedness. Such enjoyment.
Damn.I’m doing it again. Imagining my life with her. A future with us together.
Jumping to my feet, I decide I need to cool my head off. “Wait here, I’m going to climb that hill.”
“Why?”
“I want to calculate how far we are from this Lord’s manor. Didn’t you want to know?”
“Yes, but…” She gets up, too. “Don’t you need to rest?”
“I’m a wolf, lady. I’m not like you.”
“Valen, don’t do that, don’t…”
I don’t want to hear it. “Stay put. I won’t be long. If you need me, yell.”
“That’s it?”
“Wolf hearing. Don’t worry. I’ll be right back.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
ROSAMUND
He jumps to his feet and takes off running as if wolves are nipping at his heels.
Human expressions. And this one doesn’t work because he is the wolf and isn’t afraid of anything. At least, he doesn’t seem to be.
And his lack of fear, his calm confidence, it seems to transfer itself to me. Otherwise, how to explain the reckless things I do when I’m with him? It’s as if he’s given me permission to fly, because he’s right there, waiting to catch me if I falter and fall.
As if he trusts me to spread my wings and ride the wind. In my life, everyone has been shielding me from my reality because of my past, and I’m grateful because I needed all that time to heal, but being trusted to live… is almost as necessary. I never realized how much I needed it. I need to prove to myself that I can take risks and face fear and pain, and this time… this time I’m an adult, and I’m stronger, and nothing terrible will happen to me.
At least, that’s how it feels when I’m with Valen. He makes me feel stronger, more… myself.
Yet, as he lopes away with that easy grace born of strength, I feel a shiver travel down my spine. He has run with me on hisback all morning and the day is bright, but I’m sitting alone in the middle of nowhere, nobody near me for miles.
Wild animals could be stalking me. Dark fae who aren’t kind like Valen could be watching me, waiting for him to move away so they can capture me.
That’s nonsense,I tell myself.He wouldn’t have left you here if he didn’t think you’d be okay. There to catch you if you fall, remember?
Yes, but he’s fallible. What if he’s so exhausted he didn’t think this through? I get up, casting uneasy looks around. I’m not running after him, screaming, so I can pat myself on the back for that, but should I hide?
The thicket is right there. I head toward it, trying to keep my steps short and steady, telling myself everything is fine. I’m only taking some precautions. I have some experience with the great outdoors now and I know I need to be careful.
That’s all.
Nothing more and nothing less.
Putting my experience into practice.
And everything goes well, until a loud screech comes from somewhere behind me and it has all the hairs on my body rising. I whirl about, scanning the meadows and fields we crossed to get here. What in all the Gods’ names was that? I don’t see anything, but something evidentlyisout there.
Silence follows. It’s somehow even worse because I haven’t been able to pin the direction from which the screech had come.
Before I work myself into a panic, Valen appears. He’s running toward me and he’s yelling something I can’t make out. He starts waving his arms about, and although I can’t make out the words he’s saying, I can tell one thing, which doesn’t really surprise me:
