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He took a deep slow breath, shaking off the cloak of grief and conveniently leaving out one major part of the story.
"I was sitting there, willing myself out of existence when out of nowhere came this girl. Young and determined and looking half feral,” he chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
“On her way home, she'd said. I was too deep in my own grief to truly contemplate the situation of someone her age traveling alone. When I’d asked if she needed help, she looked me in the eye and said, ‘No, but you surely do.’ Though she looked like she'd been caught in a tornado, she made sure I was healthy enough to continue on. She even showed me a shortcut to Eastbourne."
Casimir looked down at me. “How young?”
"Before my teen years. I was walking from the Borderlands back to my family. The trek was tiring and I thought to rest a bit under the canopy of a large tree. Someone was already there.
My mate's lips thinned, knowing full well why I'd been anywhere near those wretched lands and how young I'd been.
Vera's hand touched the base of her throat. "Traveling alone? My dear, I'm going to have a stern talk with whomever was in charge of raising you."
Casimir coughed behind his fist. I was sure he was imagining the same thing I was: Vera trying to lecture Brokk Ulrik. Or even Circe, the latter of which I would pay to watch.
“It looks like we both got to where we needed to go in the end,” Henderson stated. “I’m glad to see you again, Raven.”
“And I you, Na–Henderson.”
He huffed congenially. “I’ll answer to anything other than Milton. Now,” he rubbed his palms together, “what has you staring into the water like you’ve already been pulled under?”
Swallowing, I told him, “Nothing I’m at liberty to share, I’m afraid. But thank you for your concern.”
“Anytime.”
I looked around the area, noticing a healer’s satchel and several small canisters sitting near it. “What areyoudoing out here?”
“Oh, a little of this and a lot of that.”
“Cute,” Vera shook her head teasingly. “We’re setting up some extra wards and collecting supplies for medicines. Draven made a deal allowing us to hunt for some small plants that grow well here and are hard for us to come by in Eastbourne.”
I thought Henderson was a tracker and his job was jumping Vera to wherever she wanted to go. “Medicines?” I asked.
“Hen’s a master at them,” Vera praised. “His brews are some of our most popular.”
I nearly laughed whenHenwrinkled his nose at the nickname.
“So humble, too,” she continued. “He’d never tell you his talent is so great that we have him teaching others how to not only make new medicines, but to improve on the ones they already create. Very useful for the coven and very lucrative to sell.”
I nodded, understanding how much Vera would value his talent. “I think it’s wonderful you found your way to Eastbourne. I hope you think so, as well,” I told him, hoping he could read my meaning.
Henderson inclined his head. He looked like he wanted to say more but I bid the pair farewell and headed away from the stream. I could have a private conversation with him another time.
Too much of my past was hitting me in the face today. Not paying attention to where I was going, Casimir gently steered me by the elbow in the right direction.
I thought walking would settle my mind. I thought wrong. I’d been in constant flux both physically and emotionally for so long I was forgetting what normal felt like.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Casimir asked.
I was surprised he hadn’t asked sooner. He probably should have. Ten minutes was ample time to take the clutter clanking around inside my skull and forge it into something sharp.
“It?” I sniffed. “Are you referring to Kol running off and my father giving chase so my brother doesn’t get himself killed? Or do you mean Nik showing up here claiming to be my betrothed? Or perhaps running into someone I’d thought had lost the will to live and would be miserable the rest of his days? Or maybe you’re alluding to the group of fae that showed up yesterday that I completely forgot all about until this very second?”
Though my voice remained steady, I was rambling. Clamping my mouth shut, I took in a deep breath through my nose.
Someday I’d get around to asking Hugo about the possibility of healing magics altering a personality … or causing brain damage.
Casimir was quiet, keeping his strides short to match my own as we ambled closer to Embour. His silence was unnerving.
