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“I've only become jumpy sinceyouprowled into my life.”
“Is that so?” He came closer, and the firelight highlighted his strong features, the scars on his neck, and the thunderclouds in his eyes. There was an actual storm in them, and I didn’t know how to help him.
What he had to do for the queen would constantly torture him. I didn’t know if that anguish would ever truly subside, no matter what the outcome of this foolhardy quest was.
“Yes, that is so, Huntsman. You've thrown my life on its end.”
“At least you still have a life to be thrown, Autumn.”
A slip of anger went through me. I should be grateful Sahlyn saved me in the first place, but he wouldn’t have if I’d not saved him first. “Same goes for you if I recall.” I didn’t hide my snark.
He eyed me wearily. “I have much to answer for, Autumn. Far more than I'll admit. Saving you was the only good thing I've done since stepping foot into the palace of Savine five years ago. It's probably the best thing I'll have done, however long my life is.”
I sucked in a breath at his admission, and any anger I felt dissipated instantly. The sincerity in his words and the brokenness in his eyes made me step closer. I knew something had happened in the months since I’d seen him last, something aside from Bereille’s horrible death. Something catastrophic.
I stepped again until I had to look up into his eyes, and the heat from his muscular body pressed against me enticingly. “Sahlyn, she can't touch you now. You're not in that place. We will figure this out.”
His eyes closed. “I can never be free of her. Not really. She’s grown so much in power. What if she can magically force me back to her? What if she has the power tomakeme kill you?”
“She doesn't, Sahlyn.” I confidently put my hand on his chest, over his heart. It thudded wildly against my palm. Something deep and bright shimmered briefly in his eyes when he opened them, blotting the sorrow. “She can't hurt us anymore. If this works, she’ll never hurt another.”
“I wish I shared your confidence.”
“What is your heart telling you, Sahlyn?”
Sahlyn held my gaze as his hand came up and covered mine. “That no matter the outcome, I am right where I need to be.”
I smiled, and his lips kicked up in response. My eyes remained on his mouth, and the burning desire to kiss him flooded me. Books and stories always spoke of the man initiating kissing the woman, but I was a strong, confident female. If I wanted to kiss him, I could. But would he return it? Even if he did, it would add so much expectation and confusion to this journey. Could we afford that?
We were so close. We'd made it to the dwarves, half of what Sahlyn said we needed to do. Could we afford a break to just… be?
I realized I desperately wanted just to be a young woman who liked a beautiful man. I cherished his scars, his incredible mind, and those muscles… My gaze raked over his powerful shoulders and chest in appreciation before returning to his gleaming blue-gray eyes. Then, my attention dipped again to his lips.
My entire body vibrated with the need to be closer to him, to pull his head down to mine and taste that roguish smirk.
His eyes held so many questions when I lifted mine from his lips. His hand tightened on mine, and his other hand settled on my waist. I sucked in a breath, and his eyes went to my lips, and, for the first time, I felt like he wanted the same thing as me. I leaned closer, and the hand at my waist tightened, pulling me closer, and—
“What in the Underworld are ye two still doin’ up?”
We sprang apart at Argen’s holler and gave each other a sheepish smile.
“Uh. Yes. Right. Big day tomorrow.” Sahlyn stuttered through a response.
I grinned at his flustered words and ran a hand down his arm just to see what he’d do. His eyes shuttered and met mine, and I felt the heat from them through my core as we parted.
A hush seemed to fall over the forest as we stepped inside. The path was barely discernible, but Sahlyn and I marched across it. We wanted to run. Panic seized my chest. Everything in me screamed to flee this place and never return, but I firmly planted my feet, one in front of the other.
We had left Argen that morning at the entrance with his warning of sticking together, staying on the path, and being quick.
We’d made it so far when a flutter of a dark lament shuddered through my mind. A whisper of a voice that I quickly realized was my mother’s.
Daughter, you are a disgrace. Running around with a huntsman bent on murdering you instead of being here as a dutiful daughter. You are a disappointment. You have one mission in life: settling down in marriage, and you can’t even accomplish that.
I swallowed and shook my head. I ignored the words as best as I could and glanced at Sahlyn over my shoulder. He was panting, his face white as death. I flung my hand back and gripped his until his eyes refocused on me. Whatever the wood had whispered to him ceased as his eyes flickered back to the present.
“Ignore it, Sahlyn. It is just you and me.”
His throat bobbed in a deep swallow, but he nodded. “Just you and me.”
