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“Will!” I was closer to hysterics than I had ever been in my life. In the space of an hour, I went from feeling relief at seeing my cousin alive, to fury at his captors, to the sweet sense of escape, to the trauma of seeing him be almost killed before my eyes, again. “Will, how badly are you hurt?”
He gave me a small but shattered smile. “Just some scrapes and bruises, Row.” I scanned my eyes over his chest, making sure he wasn’t lying, and whirled on Einri.
“I’m fine too, thanks for asking.” Einri assured pulling on pants that Tuck tossed to him.
“You bastard!” I launched myself at Einri, but Will caught my arm before I could move more than an inch.
“Arrow, don’t.”
I stared at him in shock. “I just watched him attack and try to kill you!” I spat. “How da- “
“He stopped me from attacking you.”
I gaped at him, and the scratches on my arm chose that moment to remind me of their existence.Moon Maiden’s left tit, it stung.
Einri snorted behind me, and Will’s eyes turned to sorrow. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to, the beast took over and...”
I rubbed his cheek. “Shh. I’m okay. Don’t blame yourself.” My arm was on fire, but the scratches didn’t seem to be too deep.
Before I could further reassure him, Tuck was suddenly there gripping my injured arm and pulling it away from my body. I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing, but the words turned into a scream when he poured something from a flask. The liquid hit the scratches on my arm and the fiery pain turned into an inferno.
Einri covered my mouth with his hand doing his best to block the sound. My eyes sought out and latched onto his gray ones and I noticed that there were emerald, green veins of color interspersed throughout his irises. It was a beautiful mixture, and I found myself entranced by them.
Something passed between us, an understanding of some sort that eased a part of me that had been tense since I met him in wolf form the night Will was taken. His eyes blocked carefully concealed emotions but what they spoke was louder than what they hid. They urged me to trust him and believe that he meant me no harm. He wanted to help me but being forced to choose between me and the people who relied on him for protection was a line he wouldn’t easily cross, but he had, for me.
“I couldn’t control it, ‘Row. I would never try to hurt you.” Will apologized again, missing what passed between Einri and me.
“I know, Will, it’s okay.” I interrupted hoarsely when Einri’s hand fell away.
Tuck grabbed a cloth and began dabbing at my wounds, their sting worsening with every press. I gritted my teeth against the pain, determined to endure it to halt infection.
“Sometimes it’s like the beast takes over, and I don’t know how to control it. It’s like I’m aware of what’s going on around me, but I’m locked away in a back room and don’t have control over my own body.” Will struggled to explain. “I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“Now that you are linked to me, that should ease. Eventually, you and the beast will be able to merge, becoming one.” Einri interjected.
Will nodded slowly and interrupted my still confused thoughts when it came to Einri. “I think I can feel that he’s already calmer.”
I looked at Will, really looked at him for the first time since the tent. The crazed, haunted look in his eye was still there, but not as prominent as it was before. Pulling him into a hug, we held on to each other for a few moments, soaking up the time that we had.
“Enough. We’ve stayed here too long already; we need to get to Greenwood,” Einri growled, then turned to me. “I think I more than held up my end of the bargain. It’s time you kept your oath.”
I bit my tongue, determined not to comment on his veiled accusation. The moment from before was gone, and I was beginning to regret the hasty promise.
Tuck spoke up before I could say anything. “There’s a good camping spot a little over an hour from here, we can sleep there for tonight and continue on in the morning. We probably shouldn’t travel too far until we’ve had a night to recover.” He added, eyes looking pointedly at Will.
Einri shared a glance with Tuck, then agreed, motioning for him to lead the way. I stayed by Will’s side as we walked. I wasn’t about to let him leave my sight again.
Sleeping in the woods with wolf-men companions while a whole enemy pack of them camped a short distance away sounded as fun as transplanting a hornet’s nest.
The night was dark and restless. We didn’t light a fire for fear of being seen, so we slept close together for warmth. The fact that I migrated in my sleep to stay warm was natural. What wasn’t was waking practically snuggled against Einri’s chest. My ear was pressed against his skin, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulling me into drowsiness. His earthy scent tickled my nose, inviting me closer. I scrambled off him hastily, but he grunted and rolled over, the predawn light glinting off his golden skin. Laying down I scooched closer to Will, tucking myself closer to his back and closed my eyes doing my best to pretend to sleep while everyone else stirred.
Tuck shook my shoulder until I awoke. Sitting up with an exaggerated yawn and stretching, doing my best not to look in Einri’s direction, I convinced myself no one knew about my embarrassing sleeping situation.
We packed up and walked before the sun had fully risen traveling all day and into the evening. Einri set a grueling pace that was hard for Tuck and Will to keep up with, let alone me and my shorter legs.
As the trees grew thicker, I knew we were getting closer to the heart of the forest. The temperature took an unnatural dive, rolling in a fog that settled heavily on the area. Everyone grew tense and our footsteps took on a slower, more measured pace.
“Is this normal?” I whispered the question to Tuck who traveled behind me.
