Page 17

“I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it, but it felt like you heard every word I⁠—”

“Odin, give me strength,” Revel said under his breath. My hand was nearly lost in his when he took hold of it. “Get on, Whisper. You two can twitter like birds later.”

“Uh, my name is Raphael. Why don’t you call me that?” I positioned myself behind him. He was so tall, I would need a stepstool just to reach his shoulders. “Could you, uh, you know.”

“Sure thing, Ra-fay-el.” He dropped down to a knee.

“Well, if you’re going to say it like a phonics teacher, forget it.” I grabbed his shoulders. They were even more muscular than I imagined, and I’d imagined plenty. “It sounds better when the syllables are smashed together,” I continued my lecture about my name as I positioned myself solidly on his back.

“Do you ever stop talking?” he asked.

“I chatter when I’m nervous, and seems like if there was ever a good time to be nervous …” I sucked in a gasp as his big hands circled beneath my bare legs. He pulled them around his waist. My body pressed against his strong, warm back, and his scent, an earthy, musky scent filled my senses. “It’s now,” I said breathlessly.

I settled closer to his body as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Lyric took off first in a wild leap that landed terrifyingly close to the riverbank. It was the metaphorical cold water I needed to forget the strong hands around my bare legs, not to mention the muscular man between my thighs. I was about to cross a dangerous stretch of water. A watery grave had always been on my “worst ways to die” list. I took a deep, steadying breath.

“Rider is ready,” I quipped.

Revel was suddenly silent. I felt his Adam’s apple travel up and down his throat as he swallowed deeply. I wiggled myself closer.

A low groan rolled up behind the swallow. “Fuuck,” he muttered seemingly to himself.

“What was that?” I asked. “I think someone’s cockiness just swirled up and away.”

His face turned slightly to look at me over his shoulder. “Just hold on, Whisper. Wouldn’t want to lose you in the rapids.”

I realized as we approached the riverbank that I felt amazingly calm considering I was about to cross a river that had always looked dangerous and wild to me. Cold water sprayed my legs, causing me to startle.

“It’d be better if you kept still,” he growled over his shoulder.

“Right. I’ll be still. Take your time, and at the same time, hurry up.” The quicker we were across the better. I chirped in alarm as my feet touched the river. My shoes filled instantly with the icy, frothy water. I flexed my feet to make sure the shoes stayed on. I was not dressed for this adventure, that was for darn sure. Briefly, I wished for one of my five-second time jumps to see what the ending to this river-crossing story was, but there were some rather frightening possibilities, so I was just as glad not to see the future. A nightmarish, icy ride down a treacherous river was better not witnessed beforehand.

I’d always assumed the river was deep enough to swallow a person whole, and it probably was for a normal-sized person. But the rippling, fast flowing water only reached Revel’s stomach. My bottom grew uncomfortably wet. The trio watched from the opposite side. Madigan looked indifferent and bored, as if she knew this was a breeze for Revel. Austri had stretched out under the shade of a tree, and he watched with what seemed like amusement. Lyric, my loyal pal, was biting her lip in worry. When she saw me look at her, she pulled in her teeth and forced an easy smile.

“Almost there,” she called, even though we were only just reaching the middle. “Look out, Rev!” she cried.

Revel’s gaze shot up the river, the direction Lyric was pointing. A large fallen tree branch was hurtling toward us like a torpedo. Revel hopped to the left to avoid it and temporarily lost his footing. He still had an iron grip on me as he tilted far to the side. I shrieked as half my body was submerged in the freezing water. I lost my grip and my arm swung free. The angry current swept my purse away. I had no time to fret about it. My arm swung back around his neck. Revel righted himself and found his footing. The torpedoing tree was already hundreds of feet down river.

“I’ve got ya, Raphael. I won’t let anything happen to you,” Revel muttered over his shoulder. And that was it. That was why I felt surprisingly calm. There was something so profoundly protective about the way he gripped me on his back, I felt assured I’d be safe with him.

Revel reached the opposite bank, and Lyric jumped and cheered. Austri groaned as he pushed himself up off the ground. “Think ya lost yer touch there, Greyhart. Thought you were about to canoe down the river on your ass.”

“Done it before. Not that fun.”

I tapped his shoulder. “I think I can get down now.”

“Told you, you’re just a whisper. Forgot you were back there.” Still, he reluctantly released my legs as if he still feared losing me in the current. Admittedly, I wasn’t so keen to unwrap my limbs from him either. I couldn’t remember ever feeling that secure or safe in my life.

Madigan joined us. “We should get a move on before Fenrick’s gang of growlers have time to regroup.”

Austri laughed. “Are you shittin’ me? Those beasts are at home in Regnamoor licking their wounds and drowning their humiliation in dark ale. And speaking of ale, my pint is waiting at the Black Dragon.”

I crossed my arms to keep the chill away. I was half-soaked and standing in the cool shade of the shale cliffs. My chin vibrated, and my teeth clattered together.

“You poor thing, you’re freezing,” Lyric said.

Revel reached into the pocket on his coat and pulled out a crumpled scarf. He walked over. His hazel eyes were misty brown in the shadows. His gaze caught and held mine. He didn’t say a word as he dropped the scarf around my shoulders. It was big enough to act like a shawl. And even though it was made of a scratchy material, it felt instantly warm.

Revel’s gaze still held mine. “If not for those violet eyes, I’d never have guessed you were Sassa’s kid.” He turned to walk away, but my feet wouldn’t move.