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‘Beware the fury of a patient Delmirian.’Malik’s words came back to Thea once more in a whispered rush.
The Delmirian in question was patient no longer. And Thea couldn’t say that she blamed her.
She met Anya’s gaze, a storm of desperation, sorrow and regret. It was like looking into a mirror.
‘At last.’ Anya exhaled. ‘We are seeing eye to eye.’ And with that final word, she walked off, her people parting for her as she made her way through the camp.
Thea watched her go, wondering if she should follow, unsure of what she could possibly say if she did.
‘Could have been worse,’ an unfamiliar voice drawled. ‘Could have been better, too.’
Feeling sick, Thea looked to her right to find a winged man observing Anya, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his striking features lined with apprehension. Delicate shadows danced around him, as though moving with his thoughts. He looked to be around Wilder’s age and was handsome in his own rugged way. At Thea’s scrutiny, his bottle-green eyes slid to her.
‘We haven’t officially met,’ he said in that same almost lazy drawl, as he offered her a wide hand. ‘Dratos Castemont. Dratos the Dawnless, if you like.’
Thea reached for his hand, quietly stunned. She’d never seen one of his kind up close before. Whenever she’d been near Anya, she’d been too focused on everything else to even register her sister’s wings. But Dratos… He looked like some sort of terrifying aerial warrior, ready to cleave through the skies.
‘No one fucking calls you that,’ Wilder interjected, rolling his eyes at the general.
Dratos shrugged and stuck a small pipe between his teeth, his shadows coiling around him. ‘They will, my friend.’
‘I’ll believe it when I hear it,’ Wilder said gruffly before looking at Thea and surveying the torn ballgown that left much of her exposed. ‘We should get you something to wear.’
Dratos’ eyes lit up. ‘But she looksravishing.’
Wilder was already pulling her away from the shadow-touched general. ‘That wasn’t in question,’ he muttered.
Thea’s stomach fluttered at that, and at the warmth of his hand as it grasped hers to lead her through the camp. The hour was late. Long gone were the laughing children and constant movement between the canvas structures, but the quiet that had settled over the cavern was comforting, nothing like the eeriness Thea had experienced on the road for the past year. Here there was warmth and life… and her actions had jeopardised that. How many times had she saved Artos’ life now? Twice? Dread lurched low in her gut as she thought of poor Jasira. Did she know what her father was? What would this mean for her when it all came to light?
Wilder took her to a tent on the far side and opened the flap for her. Inside, it was large enough for even Wilder to stand upright, and from the weaponry and maps on the table, she guessed the tent was his and his alone.
He pointed to a rucksack on the floor. ‘There’s a spare shirt and pants in there. I’ll find you something more suitable in the morning.’ He turned to leave.
‘You’re going?’ Thea said without thinking.
He tensed, his silver gaze like liquid heat as it met hers. Thea felt him in her blood, under her skin.
His muscular chest heaved, as though it was taking every ounce of his willpower to stay rooted to the spot. ‘Whatever you’re thinking… I don’t think it’s a good idea.’
Thea took matters into her own hands, closing the distance between them, resting her palms on his chest, feeling his heart hammer beneath her touch.
‘Wilder…’ She relished the heat of him against her, savouring his scent.
His hands cupped hers and drew them away. ‘I… I don’t think we’re there.’
Thea’s throat grew painfully tight and her lungs constricted as her arms dropped to her stomach, clutching the pressure there. ‘But you said…’
She was mortified to hear her voice crack. She was not that girl. She had been that girl once before and vowed never to be so again.
‘You didn’t trust me with the truth,’ she said instead, peering up at his face, willing the tears not to fall.
‘You didn’t trust me, full stop,’ he countered, nostrils flaring.
‘I could have, had you just told me.’
Wilder stared at her, his expression pained. ‘I didn’t know the truth myself. I wanted to make sure before I threw you into all this chaos.’
Thea raised her voice in desperation. ‘Then that’s what you should have told me. You should have told me that you didn’t know.’
