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Some things weren’t easily read, even with powers like mine.
She inhaled shakily and then stared at the ground. “I just feel like it’s all my fault. Baneridge is looking for me.”
“What they’ve done to you is not your fault.”
“No, but they’re after me. I should have gone away or something. Just like Izdor suggested.”
Blood pooled in my chest, warming me instantly. “I’m sorry you heard that.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m glad you didn’t send me away. But…”
“But?”
She embraced herself. “I’m so tired.”
Heavy droplets plopped on my head. “I know, little wolf. I’m sorry. I would have solved the issue myself if I had the money.”
Her eyes met mine. “What?”
“I thought about approaching Percy with real money. I thought maybe I could buy him off or something.”
“You’re serious.” Water trickled down her forehead. “That’s such a stupid idea, Juriah. Is that why you went into town?”
I growled. “It wasn’t my original intention, no.”
“But it was something you wanted to do.”
What started as a steady patter became a loud rush of static as the sky opened up. Macy rushed to the porch for shelter with me hot on her heels. She spun around to face me, splashing me with rain that flung from her clothes.
“I can’t believe you,” she said over the noise. “Why didn’t you tell me anything? Why didn’t you justaskme how I wanted it to be handled?”
“Because I have to protect you!”
Ancient choirs amplified my passion, increasing the volume to a supersonic level that caused Macy to cover her ears. Space—we needed to put space between us. This stress was taking me over, turning me into a monstrous soldier with a one-track mind. That wasn’t me. That wasn’tus.
I knew better than to raise my voice to her.
“My little wolf, I’m sorry,” I apologized. “Forgive me. I should never take such a tone with you.”
“Why?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Pain sat in that one syllable.Dear goddess, forgive me for being selfish. “I don’t know why I raised my voice, little wolf.”
“No,” she whimpered while grabbing my shirt. “Why do you want to protect me?”
“Because your life is bonded with mine.”
Logic didn’t exist in the spaces between us. Space didn’t seem to exist either. I was bound to her in ways that weren’t reasonable yet were entirely tangible. Hadn’t she picked up on that in the truck when I told her I wouldn’t leave her? My goal was to make sure her life was treasured and valued, beyond protected. And now that I recognized that, I understood the fierceness of my tone.
I took her hands and massaged her knuckles with my thumbs. “I don’t know why. I don’t knowhow, Macy. I just know that from the moment I met you, I knew I was meant to protect you.”
“This isn’t a fairy tale.”
“I’m not a prince.”
She laughed once, the sound so disjointed from reality that it could have very well been a hallucination. Duress could cause such things. And we were under plenty of it.
“No, you’re not,” she whispered in agreement. “But sometimes, you look like one.”
