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Cassius holds his hands up. “I understand,” he says slowly. “But will you humor me and rest while we feed?”
Demon shit.
I hadn’t thought about them needing blood before we reached the horses… selfishly, I hadn’t thought of them at all.
The pressure of time presses down on my shoulders. There’s only one thing to do. Compared to what I went through to get the potion from the oracle, this is a small price to pay.
Extending my arm, I say, “Then feed.”
Lawrence’s mouth drops open before he snaps it shut. His lips curl into an amused smile. Cassius grabs my arms and forces it back down with a glare.
Della snorts. “You were unconscious for six days. Do you think we went without food that whole time?”
“Thank you for the offer, but you need to keep your strength up,” Cassius says, removing a flint from his jacket pocket.
They each pull a waterskin from their packs and sip, while I chew on a stale piece of teek. It takes several large gulps of water to combat the effects of a few small bites. I can’t afford to drink too much, so I stuff the remaining cake back into my pocket.
While I wait for my companions I dig through my bag and pull out the vial, holding it up between my thumb and forefinger. Waning light pierces the deep blue liquid. It sparkles as it swishes back and forth—the same shade as Alaric’s eyes. I scoff at the sentimental thought. It’s so unlike me… or it was until I met him.
Clutching the vial, I shove it into my pocket, wanting to keep it close. There is so much left unsaid between us. Regret swells in my chest for the simple words I should have said when I had the chance, even if it was a death dream—I should have forced him to listen.
Leaning back against the tree, I stretch my legs out, crossing them at the ankles. Listening to the soft murmur of their conversation, my eyes grow heavier and heavier.
No, I can’t stop to sleep yet.
I get up and move to stand in front of the fire and hold my hands over the flames to warm my chilled fingers. If I sit again, I’m afraid we’ll end up staying here for the night, and we still have hours before the sun sets.
The moment Lawrence puts his waterskin into his pack, I kick dirt onto the fire, extinguishing it. No one says a word, but their expressions make their multitude of thoughts clear.
It’s another two hours of walking before we reach the edge of the forest. As promised, three horses wait with full saddlebags. Della and Lawrence mount up and ride to the start of the trail that will take us through the mountains.
Cassius settles into the saddle on ours, then extends a hand to pull me up behind him. Taking up the reins in one hand, he rests the other on my knee.
I stiffen. We rode together on the way here. But being pressed up against him like this, now that we’re tied, feels too intimate.
Cassius frowns over his shoulder. “Do not act so glum, little bird. It is not about your lack of skill,” he says, misinterpreting my demeanor. “Despite what you wish to believe, you are not back to your full strength yet. I would feel better having you ride with me, than risk having you fall and hit your head.”
He reaches back for my hands and brings them around his waist. Reluctantly, I cling to him.
“Then let’s go,” I say.
There will be time later to talk about the magic that ties us together, and how to break it.
He urges the horse into a trot, past the others, and leads the way up the narrow mountain pass. I rest my head against his back and close my eyes.
While the path is etched into the side of one mountain peak, never taking us too high, itisnarrow and steep enough to kill a falling human with the sharp rocks protruding from the slope.
The valley yawns out in front of us as we crest the final stretch. From here, we will descend from the mountains, then ride straight across the plains to Nightwich.
My fingers ache from my death grip on Cassius. I squint, trying to make out the details of the castle in the distance, but my human eyes are not good enough as the sun dips below the horizon bathing the world in shadow.
“Ease up, little bird, or I fear you will squeeze the life out of me yet,” Cassius murmurs with a laugh.
I startle and release him, sliding my hands to rest on my knees just as he pulls the horse to a stop at an outcropping.
“We need to give the horses rest,” he says, dismounting with far too much grace. He turns to offer me a hand, but I’m already sliding inelegantly down. “And you, Clara.”
Stopping for even a moment makes my chest tighten. But after the initial stop we made in the forest, he hasn’t pressed the subject again.
