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First, she’d give herself the evening, the festival, and time spent with the handsome huntsman she was falling for.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Kade

Evelyn had left to shower and dress for the festival and promised to meet Kade within the hour at the Runaway Radish. He led Bleu to the town’s stables but sensed someone following close behind.

He turned, finding Aster, her narrowed eyes and pinched brow catching him off guard.

“Aster—”

“You have to tell her,” she demanded. Her head of ringlet curls barely reached his waist, short yet so fierce.

Kade stilled, searching her face. She couldn’t know. “What are you talking about?”

Aster crowded his space, taking step after step, peering up at him with rage in her russet-brown eyes.

“I know who you are, Kade Drengr.”

Cold fear ran through him, his heart racing in his chest. “You’re—”

“Wrong? Mistaken? I’ve known you were a werewolf since the first night I met you. Necklaces like the one you’re wearing don’t work around us witches tied to the earth.”

“And you said nothing until now?”

“It wasn’t my business. But now it is.” She shoved the crown in front of him. “Only a witch destined to defeat the darkness would have the ability to save the Gray Wood. I’ve known Saige was a witch with a secret, and today I learned she is Daughter of the Goddess.”

Kade shook his head, dread creeping over his shoulder. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Why else would a werewolf be in Callum?”

Bleu neighed as if agreeing with her, and Kade pinched the bridge of his nose and struggled to find the words. He’d fought at the Void. Battled vampyrs. Slew demons. Yet, Aster’s opinion and demeanor frightened him. She clearly cared for Evelyn, but so did he.

“You think I haven’t tried or wanted to?” he hissed, but luckily, they were in the stables with only the horses to hear them, and he could speak openly.

She pointed at him, and he took a step back. “If you truly wanted her to know, you would’ve done it by now!”

Kade shook his head, releasing Bleu’s reins. The horse seemed happy to walk off and munch on the available hay in the corner.

“It is not that simple,” he said to Aster.

Aster shook her head. “Of course it is—”

“What do you think she’ll do once she learns who I am? Run like she has been for the last two years.”

“You’re right,” Aster said. “She is falling for you, Kade Drengr. And running is exactly what she’ll do if you don’t come clean before it’s too late. This time, she may run, and you’ll never see her again.”

Kade balked, the thought sending cold chills through him. He feared losing Evelyn more than anything else. He didn’t think of the prophecy. Of her agreeing to go back with him. He thought only that he wanted to be with her, for her to stay with him.

“I don’t know how,” he breathed, running his hands through his hair.

Aster’s russet eyes softened. “You really do care for her.”

“Yes,” he whispered. He shook his head. “I didn’t know this would happen. I thought . . . Moons, I don’t know what I thought. That I would find her and convince her to come back. I didn’t know I’d fall—”

Kade stopped himself, but Aster’s small smile and wide eyes showed she knew what he’d been about to say. She took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“I will not tell her, but I can’t lie to her forever,” she said. “You must tell her soon.”