6
The night sky sparkled like diamonds upon velvet, the full moon lighting the clearing where Raine and the rest of the crew camped. Raine had taken first watch—too restless to sleep as he worried about Casimir’s condition—and was currently attempting to calm Aro.
The giant bear paced among the trees, the boughs trembling each time he bumped into a trunk. Raine approached slowly, holding his arms up in surrender. “Calm down,” he soothed.
Aro growled, ignoring him, as he continued to pace.
“How do I help him?”he asked Sabriel.“I hate seeing him so upset.”
There isn’t much you can do. He won’t listen to me either.
Raine took another step forward, reaching out one hand in hopes to pet him, but Aro snarled louder and snapped his jaws. He yanked his hand back.
“Fine, you big hairy oaf. I’m just trying to help.”
Aro growled again.
“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do. We should bethere tomorrow. Why don’t you go to sleep? You’ll wake the whole forest with your stomping and snarling.”
Aro continued his grumbling.
Raine rolled his eyes, leaning against a tree near their camp, and slid to the ground in defeat. Sabriel padded up and plopped beside him, laying her big head in his lap. He closed his eyes, finding comfort in her soft fur, unable to keep himself from replaying what had happened back at the daemon’s main camp.
Seeing his best friend in such a state…it was worse than he could have imagined. Casimir had never been that gravely injured in all the years of their friendship, in all the years they had served in their kingdom’s army. But the way he had moaned in pain before losing consciousness, his clammy, feverish skin, the life-threatening injuries that hadn’t healed…
Please be okay,he urged.
And then there was Ava, sobbing over the tiny hobgoblin’s body. His heart had broken as she clutched Remy. The sounds that came out of her would forever be imprinted in Raine’s memories and haunt his nightmares.
“Were you just arguing with a bear?” Maeryn’s voice startled him.
He straightened, opening his eyes. “Unfortunately.”
“Does Aro not like you?”
“It’s not about who he likes. He doesn’t let anyone touch him aside from Casimir and Ava.”
Maeryn took a seat on a log, her back to the fire as she faced him.
“Why are you up?” Raine asked.
“It seems I am unable to sleep.”
“Worried?”
“I suppose I am. I like your general. I do not want to see anyone harmed by our enemies.”
“You’re welcome to stay out here. As long as you don’t mindthe angry bear.” Aro chuffed, but settled and laid his head atop his paws. “Finally. I swear he and Cas were made for each other.”
Maeryn was quiet for a long while, studying Sabriel resting in Raine’s lap. “Can you explain how your animal companions work?”
Raine tilted his head. “Do you not know?”
She shook her head. “I was born when we were already in hiding and raised in isolation. We were too focused on survival to spend time learning about the details of the other kingdoms.” A haunted look passed over her face before disappearing, so brief it was as if Raine had imagined it.
“That must have been difficult. So…you were born after the first war then? How old are you?”
“Seventy-four.”
