“Kailorien!” she shouted. Stumbled. Lost a sandal. Kept running.
By the time he caught her in his arms, she was completely out of breath, and Resh thought he might be experiencing what it was like to have one’s heart explode in one’s chest.
“Auryn,” he chided. “Be careful.”
She wasn’t listening. As soon as she caught her breath, she pointed to the haystack where her arrow protruded from the center of a makeshift target.
“Look! Did you see? I hit it!”
She was the one in danger. So why did it feel like he was the one being saved?
Thessia strolled over to catch up with her, picking up her lost sandal. Her expression was amused—resigned. When she reached them, Resh pressed Auryn tighter against him before he realized what he was doing.
His eyes clashed with her violet ones.
Held.
“Did you see, Kailorien?” Auryn asked, pulling on his collar.
He exhaled. Helpless.
“I saw. You did well.” He cupped her cheek, and she leaned into his touch.
And then his vision tunneled, narrowing on a trail of silver dripping from her nose. He tore off his glove and wiped the drop away with his thumb.
“Auryn, are you all right?”
She blinked. Glanced at his thumb.
Swayed.
“Oh,” she breathed, suddenly leaning against him.
His jaw tensed.
“I think you’ve done enough for one day. Have you eaten?”
She nodded, though she didn’t pull away from him. “Thessia made sure.”
Said warrior stepped closer, placing a hand on Auryn’s shoulder.
“Should we retire for the night, moonbeam?” she asked.
Auryn’s grip tightened, instinctive. Needing him.
But he…couldn’t.
Not like this. Not now. Not when his palm still stung with the truth.
He pulled back. Looked away.
I can’t let her see my anger now. I don’t want to frighten her.
“Yes,” Auryn said. “Thank you.”
Thessia took one of her hands and supported Auryn as they walked away.
Something tingled on Resh’s palm. He looked at it, his eyes widening, as the stinging callous just below the meat of his thumb hissed and stitchedback together into healthy new skin beneath the silver blood he’d just wiped from Auryn’s face.
