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Her lips parted. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Did he want to spank her? Now? Oh, fuck. Was she into it?
She grabbed his arm and pulled him back toward the cabin. “Food can wait.”
“Did I catch you at the wrong time?”
Gavin cursed as they turned to see the alpha strutting down the wide set steps of the home next to theirs. He joined them on the street, casually fixing a leather strap that held back his long locs. He rolled his shoulders, and then straightened to his full, impressive height.
“I didn’t think you would still be in Tulahn this late in the morning.”
Late? The sun peeked out from over the tall pine trees, still painted with the orange shades of sunrise. The day had just begun. These shifters had some strange ways of looking at things. She was eager to leave them behind.
“We were going to go for some breakfast before leaving,” Gavin said. It wasn’t often that she saw a flare of annoyance flash through his features, but there it was. The thought alone made her smile.
“Where is Mios?” the alpha asked.
“He went ahead of us.” She pointed at their friend’s silhouette. He was a block away and easy to spot.
“We have a tavern that serves food. You may take some with you for your travels. It’s going to snow within a day.” While the alpha’s tone was far from friendly, his animosity seemed to have dulled somewhat. “I didn’t catch your names yesterday.”
“I’m Gavin.”
“Cora,” Violet said and hoped this wouldn’t lead to tedious small talk. She wasn’t interested in the weather—not unless it came attached to an emissary’s arrival.
“Lyall,” the alpha grunted.
They caught up with Mios in the center of town. The air was warmer this morning, and the devastation of whatever beast had raged through Tulahn was a lot more evident in the bright light of day.
A passing farmer led a cart pulled by oxen, and the crates of milk bottles clinked as it wobbled over the rough, uneven street. It had been a long time since Violet had been in such a rural place. The pungent smell of livestock reminded her of her childhood. Of home—minus the sea breeze.
Gavin’s brows lowered over his eyes as he, too, studied the damaged buildings around them. “What has been happening around here?”
“Those damn Sídhes,” Lyall said. “They set their evil minds on our village a few months ago. Not sure why, since this land has been ours for centuries… But their new queen claims this is their sacred dirt. Too bad for her. We won’t go without a fight.”
“So what’s their plan? Are they deliberately attacking Scoria so its citizens grow restless? Do you think they’re trying to get the humans to attack you? Do they think they can force you out of here if you’re targeted from two sides?” Gavin’s concern was thick in his voice and clear in the way his face twisted.
“You didn’t tell them what we discussed in our meeting last night?” Lyall turned to Mios, who shrugged noncommittally.
“They were quite busy. Besides, I doubt they care about the shifter’s troubles, much like you don’t want to know theirs.”
True—Violet had enough trouble on her shoulders without being roped into this mess. Gavin, however, seemed more inclined to help. Damn him and his wonderful nature. He was bound to get killed one day.
Lyall grunted, dragging a hand over his tired face. “I suppose you’re right. To answer your question, Gavin, the governor of Scoria refuses to work with me. He doesn’t believe it’s the fae. They aren’t great at using their brains in that city, and the fae are difficult to see—even for us.”
They walked past muddy fields that probably burst with tall grain crops during summer. The center of town was full of life today. The clanging of a hammer in the forge echoed in all directions as people sat on the rooftops, fixing the fallen shingles.
Violet studied the place. She couldn’t see children playing anywhere. That was probably to be expected this early in the day, but then again, she didn’t recall seeing many outside when they’d arrived here, either. Did shifters have the same problems reproducing as magic-wielders?
A woman on a rooftop was ordering about a few men working alongside her. She stood out, not because of her size, but because she was the only female around. Whatever she was screaming was in a language Violet didn’t know, but she didn’t sound happy. Her words were growing more clipped as a crack of mortar and stone echoed down the street. The woman stumbled, a scream torn from her lips as the roof gave way beneath her.
She fell from two floors above them, tumbling fast with the weight of her massive body. Gavin’s voice rang somewhere in the distance, but Violet was already running toward the building, her hands prickling as she called on her magic. She raised both arms and a wave of hot air bloomed from every finger. The spell softened the wolf’s fall. She rolled over it before landing on the ground with a grunt.
“Are you hurt?” Violet leaned against the column of the building and coughed loudly from the dust that rose around them. Whatever energy she’d replenished with a good night’s sleep and a decent meal the night before had vanished within an instant, leaving her exhausted.
The woman blinked, staring at the open gap where the roof had been a minute ago. She turned her stunned, dirty face to Violet and her shaky voice broke through the surrounding murmurs. “Yeah. Thanks to you.” She sat, dusting her pants off before getting to her feet. She extended her hand to Violet, who took it after a moment of hesitation.
“Violet,” she introduced herself.
“Was that an air spell? I’ve never seen anyone use it like that before. You never cease to amaze me, wife.”
