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Scarlet said nothing, but this time, her silence was anything but quiet to me. It was subtle, but I could feel her challenge, her stubbornness, as if it was verbal.

Whatever you say, old man.

Chapter 4

Ash

A high-pitched squeal pierced the air, and my body jerked awake, my eyes cracking open with a jolt.

“Final stop,” a conductor yelled, rolling open the steerage door. Dull morning light streamed through, my eyes flinching at the onslaught of cold air. Winter stole the warmth from the bodies curled up in the hay. “Everyone off.”

Groaning, I rubbed my eyes, brushing my hair off my face and sitting up. My muscles locked up when I noticed the weight on my leg. Scarlet was curled up in a tiny ball, my jacket draped over her like a blanket, using my thigh as a pillow.

Nature fairies werehighlysexual. Something as simple as touch usually didn’t faze us at all. Touch was the way we communicated, and it could be as uncomplicated and complicated as we wanted, depending on the intention.

This was different.

Any interaction I had experienced lately was under my control, by my preference and request. It was notintimate, no matter if we were fucking or sleeping. It was more of a business transaction. A way for me to disappear so I could breathe.

She stirred in her sleep, awareness hinting on her brow, her lips bunching. She looked so small. Peaceful. Innocent. Even covered in blood and wounds, it was as if no horrors haunted her when she closed her eyes. I stared at her, my fingers a breath away from her skin, consumed with an overwhelming need to touch her, brush the hair off her face, expose her freckles, and feel her serenity. Like I could absorb it, live in her peace for a moment. To not feel any more pain.

“Everyone out now!” The conductor rapped his hand on the wood, the sound thundering through the carriage.

Startled, Scarlet lurched up from my lap with a gasp. I tugged my hand away quickly; my embarrassment at almost getting caught turned to anger and disgust. I was as vile as those men last night. So desperate to feel anything but pain, I almost crossed a line, touching her while she slumbered. And what hurt more was thinking I was doing it so I could forget. Forgetthem. Push away the anguish Ideservedto feel every moment of every day. Kek and Lucas were worth that. They were worth revenge. Worth mourning for the rest of my days.

“Oh.” She wiped at the creases on her face, realizing where she had fallen asleep. “I’m so sorry.” She yanked her hand from my thigh.

“No big deal,” I grumbled, getting up to my feet, my mood already plummeting. The withdrawal from fairy dust and the little sleep I got had my head pounding again. I really needed another hit. Just a little to take the edge off. “Let’s get some coffee.” I brushed straw from my clothes and headed for the exit.

Jumping down from the step, I turned and helped Scarlet to the ground, letting go the instant I could, keeping my attention off her. I needed to find her the first train back to Vienna.

The hazy winter sun could barely be felt along the street of the small village. Places like this twenty-two years ago, before the fae war, would have been normal, little hamlets full of families and retirees. If anyone still lived here now, they had opened shops, inns, and eateries for the weary travelers transferring trains. Besides a menial living at farming in these parts, profit from passengers would be their main source of income.

“You want this back?” Scarlet jogged to catch up with me, holding out my jacket. Her skin was pebbled with goosebumps, her thin lacy bra unable to hide how cold she was, letting nipples peek through.

“Fuck, no,” I hissed at her, pulling it back over her shoulders and closing it, peering around to see if anyone caught the view. “Put it on and keep it on until we can find some new clothes.”

“Wow.” One eyebrow rose. “Didn’t take you for a prude.”

I exhaled heavily through my nose, my jaw cracking with aggravation. “Don’t test me today.” I circled around, heading for the ticket booth. I knew the train we were on was only getting us to Békés County, still a few hours away from the Romanian border check. And I wanted her nowhere near that.

Finding the ticket booth, I grabbed for my wallet. “When’s the next train to Vienna?”

“Don’t have any trains going to Vienna,” the older man replied.

“Budapest?” I searched the board above his head for times.

“Not until eighteen hundred.”

My shoulders clenched. That wasn’t until later this evening.

“When’s the next one to Bucharest?” Scarlet scooted up next to me.

“Bucharest?” His eyes widened. “Why would you want to go there?”

“She doesn’t,” I clipped. “I’ll get one ticket for Budapest.”

“Two tickets for Bucharest, please,” she directed him.