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Before I had a chance to ask where Weylyn went, the gargoyle walked into the tent, took one look at us, and huffed. Of course he’d be annoyed that we were all cuddled together. Or maybe he was jealous he wasn’t over here with us. I didn’t think I’d ever truly understand the gargoyle.
Nica immediately said, “Get your ass over here, baby.”
Weylyn growled, but he took his weapons off and climbed onto the edge of the bed beside Nica. Nica wrapped himself around both Theon and Weylyn, and he started up his constant chatter, speaking against the gargoyle’s neck.
The smile that spread on Theon’s face once all of us were settled together in a pile of bodies was so big and so filled with happiness, I decided that being a little squished was well worth it.
Nica’s voice drifted off as he fell asleep, and I couldn’t help but smile at him before turning my attention to the book in Florin’s hands. He’d gone slack against me when he’d fallen asleep as well. Theon sighed and closed his eyes, and I met Weylyn’s gaze over the others’ heads. He gave me a single nod that I returned before I leaned back and closed my eyes.
This. This was exactly what I wished our future was filled with. Quiet moments filled with the peace that came with our freedom.
I knew there was still a lot to be done like Florin had talked about earlier. But I was going to cling to these moments and enjoy them more than I could have before because we were free. We were truly free.
Freewasn’t something I thought would ever be possible. It was still hard to believe, but it was something I would never take for granted again.
We were free. And it was because of Theon.
I would protect all four of these men to ensure we stayed that way.
4
Florin
The night was different here. Unlike the cool stillness of marble, the forest was alive even in the pitchest black—insects buzzing, the scrape of wind through branches, and the collective breath of an army of Resistance shifters. The Natas House had been my own personal hell, but its cold, sentinel walls and shadowed corners had also been my domain once darkness had fallen. My ability to creep about was what had allowed me to go to Theon when he’d first arrived at House Natas and how I’d often spent part of the house’s slumbering hours curled up with him and Braz.
When the guards had come for us on that last night, my immediate response had been regret. Regret for putting the boy I loved in danger and for all the pain that would surely follow because of my selfish, reckless desires.
I wouldn’t be making the same mistakes again.
Keeping Theon safe was my priority, even if it meant using my stealth for less-than-honorable purposes. Cloaked as I was in darkness now, huddling between stacks of firewood outside the Resistance leader’s tent, I listened closely for any snatches of conversation between Kasper and his captains.
It was no secret that most of the shifters here didn’t trust Theon. He was a mage, despite having only just come into his magic, and mages were the enemy. Kasper had so far proven our ally, but more and more, shifters were coming to their leader’s tent and asking him to reconsider letting us stay. Well, lettingTheonstay. The rest of us had been welcomed with open arms, especially the Pelas champions. They didn’t know the champions well if they thought for a moment they’d be willing to send Theon away and not go with him.
I heard Weylyn’s steps a moment before he crouched down behind me so I didn’t flinch when his hot breath ghosted across my ear.
“I thought we talked about your spying?”
Turning my face enough that he could see one glaring eye, I whispered back, “No. You told me to stop spying, and I ignored you.”
Weylyn huffed. We both stayed quiet as Kasper’s voice rose on the other side of the canvas. ”They’re an asset, and the boy was as much a slave as any of us. He’s as welcome as any former slave would be. Period.”
“At least your brethren seems to be keeping his word,” I mused, keeping my voice low.
“Kasper’s a good man as far as I can tell.” Wey’s voice was low and gruff with the same anger I’d been fighting every time someone came and tried to convince Kasper to send Theon away. “Come on,” he said eventually, slipping one of his big, rough hands around my elbow. “Let’s get back to the tent.”
We rose together, slipping through the shadows before emerging on the main path through camp where campfires and torches spread halos of light between the tents.
“Were you out for a late-night stroll, or just that worried about defenseless little me?” I asked casually. Weylyn snorted. After a few more steps, I added, “Or is this one of the patrols you’ve elected not to mention to the rest of us.”
Weylyn frowned and met my eyes for a moment before facing forward again. When he spoke, he pitched his voice low. An effort meant to keep his words from being overheard, I was sure. “Seems we’re both unable to accept the safety being offered without a little reconnaissance of our own.”
I nodded. “Even if Theon—”
Shouts up ahead, in the direction of our tent, stilled the words in my throat. I was running before my mind fully processed what the commotion could be. Weylyn overtook me quickly, his long strides eating up the distance between us and our companions.
Between us and Theon.
I burst through the tent flaps right on his heels. Nica had the water pitcher in his hands, slinging its contents onto the bed he shared with Theon and Wey. He followed the motion quickly with a heavy blanket, smothering the lingering flames. Frantic, I darted my gaze around the tent until it landed on Theon, hunched in on himself and looking tiny in Braz’s arms.
