Page 27 of Revealing Fate

Besides, you made your decision. He didn’t say it out loud, but he didn’t have to. It was written in his expression. Kal was right. She had. And he was trying to honor it. She needed to let him.

“How long will you be?”

“A day. Two, at most. It depends how far the hunt has taken him. I’ll have Penn stop by to restock the kitchen before it gets dark. There’s fresh water from the tap by the sink. You’re free to make yourself comfortable. Use whatever you like. You’ll be safe here, just don’t wander into the wood.”

Felíne recalled the glowing eyes of the grimalkin and suppressed a shudder.

Kal moved toward the door, and Felíne trailed after him. For some odd reason, panic welled in her chest at the thought of him leaving her, and not because of who he was going to collect. “Kal,” she called.

He paused on the bottom step of the porch and turned back to her. She traced his features. The hard line of his brow. Those bottomless, mercurial eyes. His proud, angular jaw dusted with dark stubble. The thick column of his neck, broad shoulders, and expansive chest. Why she was suddenly desperate to commit every detail to memory, she wasn’t sure. But it seemed imperative.

He was still waiting.

Felíne swallowed thickly. “Thank you. For everything.”

Kal dipped his chin, keen eyes never leaving her face. Then he turned away from her and was swallowed by the forest.

Chapter 10

PROVE IT

AFTER KAL LEFT, FELÍNE DID what he’d invited: made herself comfortable. The more she poked about, the more she realized how uncomplicated a life this complex man craved. He had few possessions—certainly not prone to excess the way her own family was. His collection of books—the history of Ilistaar, a copy of the godscripts, a complicated alchemical dissertation, and a map catalog among them—was impressive. But aside from an assortment of weapons, tools she couldn’t name, and his wardrobe, Felíne found nothing particularly intriguing. Eventually, she settled into the deep cushions of the leather sofa and buried herself under a plush blanket.

The initial refreshing simplicity of Kal’s home had provided a tantalizing peek into his life. But now, without him there, it felt hollow. He hadn’t even been gone a full hour, and Felíne missed him. She shouldn’t.

“Miss Kitty?”

Felíne sat up and twisted toward the voice.

“Miss Kitty? Hello?”

Felíne threw off the blanket and strode to the front window. She could see Penn’s white-blond head bobbing as he walked toward the cabin, a heavy pack over his shoulder. She smiled at seeing his boyish face.

Just before she turned for the door, Felíne caught sight of something else. Something that gave her pause. Not far from Penn, crouched low along the inner border of the hedge wall, a large creature tracked the young shurii with glowing eyes.

“Penn!”

Felíne bolted to the door and wrenched it open. Just as she ripped her hatchet from its sheath, a shaggy form launched at the boy. Felíne scrambled toward the porch stairs. “Penn!” she shrieked again. “Look out!”

Penn whirled at her warning, and the monstrous creature collided with him from the side, taking him to the ground. Felíne saw the tangle of limbs under a thick, shady pelt as Penn tried to shove off the animal’s bulk. She ran for him, Daybreak raised over her head.

Oh gods, if a grimalkin killed the boy on her watch, she’d never forgive herself.

Penn managed to right himself, wrestling the beast back. He laughed.

Her steps faltered. He laughed.

Felíne skidded to a halt. The creature launched at Penn again, but not in attack, she realized. A long pink tongue lolled out of an elongated black snout, smearing the side of Penn’s face with saliva. It wasn’t a grimalkin at all. It was a wolf.

“Get off, you hellhound,” Penn grunted, shoving at the shaggy black and gray mass.

“Are you alright?” Felíne asked.

At her voice, the wolf swung its masked face around and trained luminous yellow eyes on her.

“Fine, miss. Just caught me off guard,” he said, pushing to his feet.

Felíne didn’t dare move. The wolf’s gaze was locked on her. “Is this a friend of yours?”