And damn near losing my mind at the thought of you not waking up again…
“I… healed myself? That’s a thing now?”
“Dark-fae magic. Comes with the territory. Being in your ancestral homeland is clearly amplifying your innate fae powers.”
She glances down at her hands as if she no longer recognizes them. “Great. I’ll be sure to thank Verrick for the awesome genetics. Right after I stab him in the nuts with his own sword.Hard. With a little twisty motion just toreallymake it hurt.” She mimics the move with her hands, wrenching her invisible sword sideways, then chopping the air. “Or maybe a slicing motion? Which one do you think would inflict the most pain?”
I laugh. “Not my area of expertise, I’m afraid. That’s more a question for J—” His name dies on my lips, sadness and fear wrapping around my heart before I can even say it.
“Jude,” Westlyn finishes for me, no more than a whisper.
“I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned him. I didn’t mean to upset you. I wasn’t thinking. I just—”
“No. Don’t apologize for this, Draegan. Don’t talk about Jude like he’s… like he’s already gone, because he isn’t. Neither is Rook.”
“Of course they’re not bloody gone. But…” I get to my feet, shoving a hand through my hair. “I’m scared, Westlyn. Okay? I’m scared. Terrified, if you want to know the truth, because I just don’t know how we’re going to get them back.”
“I’m terrified for them too,” she says softly. “But some part of me just… I don’t know. I trust that we’re going to figure this out. And before you say anything, yes, I do realize how naïve that sounds, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
I don’t know how she manages to get another smile out of me, but she does.
I sit beside her on the bed, sliding an arm around her shoulders. “Not naïve, love. Hopeful. And right now, I’ll take all the hope I can get.”
She gives me a playful nudge in the ribs. “You have to take mine because you don’t have any for yourself.”
“Hope, as you know, isalsonot my area of expertise.” I lean in and press a chaste kiss to her temple, lingering just a moment. “But itisyours, so perhaps you’ll lend me a bit. Just until we get through this fresh hell.”
We sit in silence for a few moments, but all too soon, she’s on her feet again, searching the small space for her clothes.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I ask.
“Getting dressed? We need to go after Verrick. He’s weak, Draegan. I can feel it. I know he bested us both in that cave, but I honestly think it was because he siphoned off some of my magic. I didn’t have my amulet with me—it must’ve fallen out of my pocket back at the tavern.”
“Be that as it may, we can’t go after him tonight. It’s too dangerous. He nearly killed you in that cave, and I—”
“But he didn’t, though. He knew I’d heal.” She finally finds the clothes and starts to untie the robe, but I grab her wrists, stopping her. “Drae, seriously. He’s not going to kill me. I’m basically the anchor for his curse—he’s not going to risk it.”
She may be right, but there’s no comfort to be found there. Not for me. “That doesn’t mean he won’t hurt you. Verrick is a master of inflicting pains worse than death.”
She narrows her eyes, that brief silver glint flashing in them once more. In a dark, deadly voice I barely recognize, she says, “So. Am. I.”
A shiver rolls down my spine, and I take a step back, looking at her with newfound appreciation.
Free of my grasp, she unties the robe. “Are you with me, or are you staying here, warming—what was it? Idle hands by the fire?”
At this, she smirks at me and lets her robe drop to the floor, revealing her bare, beautiful body.
I shake my head, unable to stop the laugh that bubbles out. “You would’ve made one hell of an army commander, Miss Avery.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” She laughs too, but it sputters out quickly. “Seriously, though. We should get going before—”
“No.” I retrieve the robe and drape it back over her shoulders. “We’re not goinganywherein this storm.”
As if to bolster my argument, the wind howls against the walls, rattling the windows. Even if it were light outside, we wouldn’t be able to see beyond the cabin’s front steps.
Westlyn huffs. “Well, we can’t just… just sit here and do nothing!”
“We can, and we will. I’m not risking your life again tonight. Understand?”
