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Louder rustling sounds head my way.
I take off at a run. Whatever it is, I don’t want to find out. Sigurd said the games could be dangerous. Wild animals? Enemies?
Shi-oot. I’m in a forest. War might be brewing with the Court of the Forest. Is this place theirs? Are they so close? Surely, they wouldn’t hold their competition in enemy territory, but—
“Wren?” someone says.
I skid to a stop and nearly fall.
“Galen?” I twist around.
He stands a few feet away and has the decency to at least look winded.
“Have you—” But the words die as he notices what I hold. His eyes widen before narrowing. His jaw stiffens.
My feet flex in my boots, ready to run.
He shakes his head, and the look vanishes. “Anyone else, and I’d try to steal that from you.”
“That’s not against the rules?”
Galen shakes his head.
No, the announcer didn’t say anything about that, did he?
I glance this way and that on high alert. I’m a sitting duck. If anyone finds me before I get back, I’m done for. My odds are terrible. It’s amazing no one else has come across me, especially with all the noise I make.
Unless they’re all back already and I’ve lost. It’s not even close to dark, but that doesn’t mean a darn thing with as fast as some of these fae can move.
An idea strikes me like lightning. “Can you carry me back?”
“What?” he scoffs.
“You’re fast. You look strong. Could you run while carrying me?”
“Of course.” He crosses his arms. “But why would I?”
Stubborn. I cross mine in return. “Promise to carry me back, and I’ll get you a flower.”
His lips thin, but he doesn’t say no.
There were plenty of others where I got this one. He can be my transportation and protection. Other fae wouldn’t come after us together, right?
“Fine, I promise.” He spits out the word as if he tasted something foul. “Flower first.”
I nod and jog toward him. “This way.”
Thank goodness for my sense of direction. It only takes a few minutes to follow the stream back and find the cluster of flowers.
Galen snaps off a stem and sticks the stalky thing through his belt. He holds his hands wide. “Well?”
I stare at him. Right. He agreed to carry me back. Though until now, I didn’t think about how he’d do that. Heat builds over my breastbone as I approach him. “How do you—”
“I’ll just—” He breaks off and rubs the back of his neck. A hint of color touches his cheeks.
At least I’m not the only one suddenly feeling weird about this. I stare at the ground, unable to look at him. “However is fine.”
He steps closer until we’re almost touching. My boots shift on the dirt, and I don’t miss the way he can’t stand still either.
