Page 68 of The Fox Heir

If only it was that easy. I don’t know how I was able to call my power back from burnout, but I’m not sorry about it. With its warmth safely in my core, I’m finally starting to feel more like myself again.

“Let me ask you something.” Tristan studies me, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “What you did to Hunter on the beach, how is that any different from reanimation?”

“What?” This change in direction has me slightly stunned. “That was healing, not reanimating a corpse.”

“From where I stood, it looked a lot like bringing someone back from the dead.”

“It wasn’t.” I hiss. “It isn’t the same.”

He raises an eyebrow, watching me.

“He wasn’t dead!”

“So, the difference between your light power and my shadows is just perspective? A slight change in the subject’s circumstance?”

I glare at him through the dark. “I’m not going to dignify that with an answer. You’re just trying to bait me.”

I’m done with this conversation. I turn to walk toward the exit, back toward the light. Back toward Hunter.

The Wolf’s voice follows me. “And why would I do that?”

I whirl back toward him. “Because you’re jealous!” The second the words leave my mouth, I regret them deeply.

His face grows still, and I swear I see the smallest flicker of hurt cross his gray eyes.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t⁠—”

“Do you love him?” he interrupts.

“What?” My face freezes.

“You heard me, Red. Do you still love him?”

“I …” My brain is whirring, trying to come up with a simple answer to that question. “It’s complicated.”

Tristan shakes his head. “No, Red. It really isn’t.”

“And what would you know about love?”

Tristan swallows hard. “I may not be Hunter with his flowery words and his grand gestures, but do not mistake me for being any less of a man.” He takes three steady steps toward me and pauses, just out of reach. “And I do know the sting of love. For me, it isn’t that complicated.”

He stares at me for a long moment as my pulse quickens and my heart races in my chest. His voice drops to nearly a whisper in the darkness. “And I think you already know that.”

Tristan passes me and doesn’t look back.

Chapter 23

When I return to the room, Hunter is sitting up in his bed, awake.

The second I step through the door, I hear his voice. “Well, I have to admit. I’m a little confused.”

In an instant, all my tension dissolves into a puddle of relief. I rush to his side and throw my arms around his shoulders, like old times. I am so blissfully happy to see the glow in his cheeks, I could cry. In fact, I do cry. It’s messy and gross, and I don’t care.

“I’m fine.” He tries to pry my arms from around his neck, but he’s weak and I’m holding on so tightly, I may not ever let go.

He coughs. “You’re suffocating me.”

I pull away slightly and give him a giant kiss on the cheek. He stiffens, but, given his brush with death, I’ll forgive him that.