Page 46 of Facade

Great. Things were already a little confusing, and it was about to get worse. “Unless you’d rather ride with Malachai.” Amusement flashed across his face as a taunting grin spread.

My gaze shifted toward the large, brooding male, golden eyes bright and measured.

“Uh, no. That’s fine.” I cleared my throat as I awkwardly approached Aiden.

“I’ll need you to ride in front.” His expression turned serious as he extended his arm.

“What? Why?” I demanded, gaping at him. “Lyra’s on the back of Brax’s horse!”

Lyra squeezed onto Brax’s waist as his pony pranced excitedly.

“I don’t want to have to worry about you flying off should someone or something be pursuing us.” He raised his brows innocently. I scowled at him, throwing my arm up. The surprise at the ease in which he lifted me must have shown on my face from the sinister chuckle behind me. Heat burned across my skin as I wiggled into a comfortable position.

“I’m a little offended that I wasn’t your first choice.” Hot breath tickled my ear, sending blood rushing to my cheeks—and much lower. “I thought we were getting a little more comfortable with one another after Thaddeus’s.”

My breath hitched. “Maybe if you didn’t go through so many mood swings with me, I’d be a little more inclined to choose you.”

“And maybe I didn’t like the way you were smiling and laughing with the wolf. You have yet to do those things for me,” he snapped. His words were a slap.

“I’m sorry—are you jealous?” I asked, the tension between us humming against my skin.

“No,” he growled the word as he pulled the reins, one arm wrapping around my midsection, sending dizzying waves through me.

“Because I’m just a human?” I whispered, my heart beating out of my chest with the proximity of our bodies and the dangerous line I walked in provoking him. What is wrong with me? Why would I care if he was jealous?

“Because I don’t get jealous—” he murmured near my ear, a low warning threaded through his words.

Everything around us became nonexistent as I held my breath, highly focused on every inch of his hard body that touched mine. Chills spread as his mouth hovered a hair’s breadth from my ear.

“I get territorial.”

Had he not been holding onto me, I might have fallen.

“Move out!” he yelled, leaning back slightly. It took effort to keep from pressing back into him.

I forced a steady breath past the surge of heat his words sent through me.

A male hadn’t had this kind of effect on me in the last three years. Yet Aiden awakened a part of me I didn’t even know existed.

Aiden kicked, and the stallion took off. The wind loosened my hair, the blonde strands whipping wildly, making me feel as if I were flying.

As Aiden’s arm held me tight, I may have nestled back a little further, the corners of my mouth twitching despite myself.

13

Evanee

We slowed, and my tired eyes blinked open.

The stubble on Aiden’s cheek grated against mine, the smell of pine and smoke surrounding me as I inhaled deeply. Heat stirred low in my belly—I shot up.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, as I subtly wiped drool on my sleeve. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s been a rough few days,” he grunted.

The weather had turned downright cold. Icy winds bit at our faces, even when the sun was bright above on a cloudless day. Rain came without warning, leaving us drenched and shivering on more than one occasion. Aiden deemed the towns too unsafe to stop, so we spent our nights on the hard, frozen mud. The fire didn’t help much—we had to keep it small to avoid drawing attention. Lyra and I would cuddle, seeking warmth, but it wasn’t enough to keep either of our teeth from chattering as the chill crept through every layer. Pretty sure I cracked a tooth.

Our group would split at the junction, just past the border. Brax, Lyra, Slade, and Alaric would travel east toward Lamora, while Aiden, Dimitri, Malachai, and I would go west toward Brixton. If nothing delayed either group, we'd meet back up just before Castle Lawryn.