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So, we’ll discuss this all later. When she’s ready.
“So, I’m the key to saving the world?” When I nod, she scoffs, rolls her eyes, and shakes her head. There’s nothing soft or sweet about her voice now. “But no pressure, right?” She runs her hands through her hair and flips it to one side so the loose long blond strands brush against her shoulder and the lighter curls at the ends fall forward shielding the side of her face closest to me.
I wish she could be happy. She’s going to be a queen. Revered. Maybe even loved.
You know, if we can take down a mad king, his army, and return peace to both worlds.
I’m sure that if we could do that first, before the mate bound, she’d come around, but we don’t have that luxury. She’ll have to decide if she can accept us, if she can be with us, without the crowns. Without the luxury. She’ll have to see within three exhausted men the possibility of a good life.
Maybe I don’t blame her that it’s hard.
“It’s getting too late,” Dusk murmurs.
I look up, frowning at the sky. He’s right. The sun is setting. Normally, we can get back from the main cave to ours in no time at all. But with Ann being so much slower, we should have timed things better. If we didn’t hurry, we’d be caught out in the open when darkness hit.
And that would be stupid.
I realize that the forest is quiet. Maybetooquiet. Not like when the king’s creatures came, but still more quiet than I liked.The Shadow King knows she’s here. Wants her for himself because he can use her to make the prophecy come true. Or just to hurt us. And he isn’t above it. He’s a prick who cares about his power, his minions, and having a world under his complete control.I thought we knew the extent of his powers, that we were safe until every last ray was gone from the sky, but what if I’m wrong?
I turn to Ann. “When we get to the cave, you must stay inside. We can protect you anywhere, but it’d be better to have a defensible location.” My thoughts are spinning. “And he’ll strike when he thinks we are at our weakest, our most vulnerable.” That’s anytime she’s with us, for now anyway. While she has the power to make us strong, until she agrees to bond, we’re weak. Until then, she’s the chink in our armor that can be pierced.
I shift my pack to the opposite side because without holding it, our arms brush when we walk, and even that small touch is electric to me.
Because she hasn’t answered my request, and only because, I slide the back of my hand against hers and when she looks at me, we’re still touching, my finger now curled around one of hers. “I need you to be safe.”
“Because you want this bond so you can be king?” It isn’t an accusation in tone, but the implication is there.
I draw my hand away. “No, because I want you.” The words are out, honest, truer than any I’ve spoken. “King or not.”
She nods and we walk on. But I’m pretty sure she doesn’t believe me.
