Page 53 of Raven in Midwinter

“You’re afraid I’m gonna get pushed down and trampled,” I suggested.

“No. I’m afraid I’m gonna get pushed down and trampled saving you or the cat,” he replied, scooping up Argos and tucking him against his chest. “I see the cottage changed your clothes too.”

I was dressed much like Lorne, but in my favorite duck boots, jeans, a heavy cable-knit sweater, barn coat, and when I felt for it, my sherpa beanie that Amanda had brought me from Nepal. “You were right about the cottage. She is very motherly.”

He sighed. “I’ve been saying that since I moved in.”

I glanced around. “I don’t see Giles or Ilara.”

“Well, it’s not like they’re gonna leave without a fight, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Don’t you get excited either,” I apprised him. “Corvus is broken, and I have no idea how to undo what he’s done. The cottage being whole when this is over will be a blessing, but if the land dies, we’ll lose our home as well.”

“The land and the cottage are both our home,” he reminded me, “and you’ll figure it out. You always do.”

I could barely breathe, his faith in me overwhelming.

“Okay, now, love, shake it off. We’ve gotta move because this ceiling is coming down.”

He was always so calm in terrifying, life-and-death situations. It really was one of his greatest qualities and one of the many reasons the universe chose him for me. I was a bird; he was a rock.

When he yanked me after him, I concentrated on keeping up with him, all my focus on his back, not the chaos around me, the fear I could smell, or the terror churning in my gut. I needed to stay with Lorne; there was nothing more important.

I lost track of time. It wasn’t a surprise.

The mansion crumbled, and once Lorne and I were outside, on the road, after a few moments, he passed me Argos and ran back inside. Of course he did. No one who knew him would be remotely surprised. I followed, but he rounded on me, took my chin in his hand and made me swear on his life and Amanda’s children that I would stay right there and wait for him so he’d know exactly where I would be when he came back.

“Please come back,” I rasped.

“I’m basically going into my home,” he reminded me. “Me being there is the only thing that will keep anyone left inside safe. The sole purpose of me going, specifically, is for that person who fell, twisted an ankle, or is wondering how long they’ll survive under tons of rubble.”

I grabbed his parka tight. “Come back to me. I can’t have you leave me.”

“Never leaving you,” he grumbled like that was stupid, then bolted away like the hero he was.

“He’ll be crushed,” someone yelled, which was completely unhelpful.

“Where is he going?” another asked.

I closed my eyes and asked my grandparents to watch over him, realizing that just as I had given Constance an amulet for protection, it was time to find one for my husband. I was thinking about that, a rune for Lorne, perhaps a bind rune, two pieces working together, when Argos squirmed in my arms and bolted after Lorne, toward the mansion that was a pile of stone now.

The blade at my back was not a surprise.

“Ilara,” I said, deducing it was her because Giles would have shoved the knife in, ending my life because I was nothing to him. She, I was certain, wanted something from me.

“Walk with me,” she ordered.

When I turned, I saw she was dressed head to toe in fur. My bet would be fox and mink. I never understood people who chose fur now, when there were so many better alternatives to keep you warm.

Moving me away from the crowd, we left the road and began down a small muddy path toward the woods. Her suede snow boots with fur around the tops were going to get trashed.

“Why don’t you let me go,” I suggested, hoping to get her talking.

“You ruined everything, Xander. Why would I do that?”

“Ruined what?”

“Giles and I, we could have been happy here. He told me the land was strong enough to sustain him, and because of that, he could train me and give me some of his power.”