Another branch cracked, but this one sounded different. I went still, clearing my thoughts until I was only focused on my surroundings.
The scent came a moment later. I relaxed as Ethan came up beside me, holding out the exact thing I wished I had. Beggars could not be choosers, so I took the gloves and tugged them on.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Beautiful night for a stroll.”
“It is. The full moon is only a couple of days away. Figured I’d get my fill of it before Rowan’s shifters took over.”
A flash of white teeth in the night was the only sign of his amusement. “You’d have to be brave to wander outside during a full moon inside a Keep.”
“I won’t do it again, I assure you,” I grumbled.
His chuckle warmed me from the inside. He held out his arm. I stilled in surprise before wrapping my fingers around the crook of his elbow.
We started walking, navigating the smaller worn paths. I let go of my sense of direction and trusted Ethan. He would know the woods far better than I ever could. Even though these were Rowan’s, Ethan had spent enough time here to do a few runs.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked after a few minutes of companionable silence.
I should have known he’d sensed my distress. While I wouldn’t vent over my relationship status with him, I felt like I needed to tell Ethan about what was going on with me. Cernunnos would approach him soon and might not be nice about it.
When the god wanted something, he tended to get his way.
“Your concerns about my weight were valid, you know that.”
Ethan nodded. “And Cernunnos has been offering his blood.”
“He has.”
“Things worked better than you expected.”
“They have,” I agreed. “I feel better than I have in years.”
To my surprise, Ethan merely nodded. “I can tell. But that doesn’t explain why I smell your sorrow.”
“I won’t get into that,” I murmured. Ethan and I had an odd relationship, but this was between me and the god. I wouldn’t talk about certain things with Ethan because they were not his concern, and I wouldn’t sully what I had with Cernunnos by venting to someone who wasn’t happy about us being together.
“Cernunnos has suggested I experiment with other food sources.”
Ethan stiffened just slightly. I wouldn’t have noticed had I not been touching him. “Oh? What sort of food sources?”
I tugged on his arm to get him to stop. Ethan stepped in front of me. He wasn’t massive like the other Lords, but he was taller than me. I tilted my face up to him. “Other blood sources. He suggested someone.”
At my long pause, one of Ethan’s eyebrows went up. “Do I know this person?”
I opened my mouth to tell him and snapped it shut just as fast. This was weird. I’d just ask Caelan.
“Yes, but I’m going to ask someone else,” I blurted.
Ethan frowned. “Who?”
“Umm. Caelan might be able to help me. I know Soren would, but we didn’t part on the best terms, so he might?—”
“A Lord?” Ethan said softly. “Cernunnos wants you to take blood from one of my kind.”
I swallowed. “Not exactly,” I offered.
His eyes flared gold the second he understood. “Oh. He wants you to sample from me.”
