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He almost looked… impressed?

“The wards are subtle,” he said, glancing behind him as if he expected to see a visible barrier coming down. “If I hadn’t run into them, I never would have known they were there.”

I nodded, unsure whether I should thank him or not. It wasn’t exactly a compliment. His golden eyes roved over me slowly, and I resisted the urge to fidget under his scrutiny.

He frowned. “Did you sleep at all?”

“Not much.”

“What the hell are you wearing?”

It was my turn to scowl. “I don’t know who stayed here before me, but they must have had a waist the size of a twig. Nothing in the armoire fits me.” I dropped my gaze, my face flushing. Suddenly, I wished I’d said nothing at all. The last thing I wanted to do was draw attention to my plump figure. A hard lump formed in my throat, and I found it difficult to breathe.

Alaric was silent for a long moment, and I peered at him to ascertain his reaction. His brows were drawn together as he glared at the armoire with a scowl. Was he… angry?

“I’ll send someone to bring you proper attire before we leave,” he said, his voice unreadable.

“Leave where?”

“Leave for the fae lands.”

My stomach dropped. “Oh. Right.” I knew I should be eager; after all, I’d wanted to be a part of this investigation.

But the idea of going back to the cabin, of seeing Gran’s mangled body again… I didn’t know if I could handle it.

“Are you all right?”

I blinked, not realizing my brow was furrowed until I relaxed my expression. Alaric was watching me with mild concern in his eyes, which was unexpected. Why should he be concerned about me at all?

I cleared my throat and smoothed my hands along my skirts, keeping my gaze fixed on the floor. “Yes, I’m fine.”

I sensed him watching me closely. My gaze shifted to his, and warmth crept into my chest. My heart seemed to pulse with a singular, powerful word.

Mine.

The thought was so jarring, so alarming, that I almost gasped.

Mine, my heart said again. All other senses seemed to fade away as my focus homed in on him. My mind, normally filled with all manner of useless thoughts and questions, emptied save for one thing: Alaric.

My mouth opened slightly, my eyes still fixed on him. Could he feel this, too? He was standing there, completely stiff and rigid. His fingers curled into a tight fist before he loosened them again. A muscle worked in his jaw.

He certainly felt something.

I opened my mouth to ask about it, but he spoke first.

“I apologize.”

I blinked as reality slammed into me. I hadn’t realized how hazy everything had become until my senses returned. Suddenly, my ragged breaths seemed too loud, and the air in the room too cold. I took a moment to re-orient myself before I asked, “For what?”

Alaric closed his eyes briefly, then sighed and fixed his gaze on me once more. “For abandoning you. For the soldiers who threatened you. For not ensuring you were safe and comfortable before leaving you here.”

I gaped at him. He was… sorry?

“You are not a criminal,” he went on. “You don’t deserve to be treated as such.”

I frowned, a mixture of confusion and gratitude swirling within me. “But I’m not your friend, either. You shouldn’t have to treat me like one.”

He wrinkled his nose as if the word friend were highly offensive. “That is not what I’m referring to. You are still a guest, whether I like you or not. And I didn’t treat you like one. So, for that, I’m sorry.”