Page 104

“He’s a stubborn man.” She shook her head with a smile.

“Is that what you call it?” I grumbled, climbing up on Tootsie.

“He does it because he loves too much.”

“Too much?”

“Croygen is all-or-nothing. But once he lets you in, he will die for you.” Annabeth adjusted the bag on her shoulder, the outline telling me Sprig was probably sleeping inside. “And when he loses one of those he loves? He never forgives himself for being the one who lived.” She tapped at Churro, galloping after the guys.

Pain settled in my chest. The version of Croygen Annabeth spoke of was the one I had once known as a child. Or thought I had. But it had been several hundred years since my view of him changed. I remembered the cruel, narcissistic pirate who had destroyed my family and taken everything from me.

Yet, some moments I fell right back into believing in this man again. Trusting the pirate who used to hold me so tight in his arms as waves splashed down on the deck, my giggles singing over the ocean, my arms open and wide, wanting life to be like that forever.

Feeling so safe and free at the same time.

But even if a world full of magic and fae, there was no such thing as fairy tales.

Chapter 24

Croygen

It was well past 1 a.m. by the time we rode into Enshi City, though people still strolled around the city, the pubs exploiting all the travelers. It was the last town before we went up into the mountains. A mix of modern and ancient, parts of the city dated back to around 750 BC, showcasing traditional style temples, dramatic curved roofs, and wooden tiered structures of the Tujia culture.

The town was set between dramatic mountainscapes, nestled by the Qing River, not too far from the deep fissures, waterfalls, skyscraping pillars, and the breathtaking Enshi Grand Canyon. The Tenglong Caves were only half a day’s ride away.

If it were me, I might have pushed on, but the guilt of even driving AB this much twisted my gut. Cooper had put her on his horse, holding her up when she could no longer stay awake, tying Churro’s halter to Chocolate.

Fuck, I’m actually referring to the damn horses by name now.

I scrubbed my head, fatigue giving me a slight headache. It had been a long day, but my thoughts wouldn’t shut down, cranking my brain into knots.

The groups following us weren’t what bothered me. Katrina was right. We could take them on. Cooper alone could wipe them out in seconds. Though, leaving them behind in the middle of the night gave us a slight edge on them. I’d love to see them wake up and realize we are long gone and that we tricked them, not the other way around.

It was more than that. Something kept nipping at me, though I couldn’t put a finger on what. A nagging feeling in my gut, like something was right in my face and I wasn’t seeing it.

The incident with Katrina unsettled me more than anything. When Cooper came back after finding Kaptain’s group, I went to locate Kat, retrieving her clothes by the river.

I sent Cooper to get our gear together and meet me a mile down the trail while I headed out to find Kat. I couldn’t even tell you how I found her. I just did. My feet moved to her, something pulling me to the exact place she was.

It reminded me of something both Ryker and Eli had said to me about Zoey and Ember—their connection to their mates. They could track them down wherever they were in the world without even thinking. Like an internal GPS set directly to them. Instinctual.

The thought terrified me. Nope, there was no fucking way. Just a coincidence.

First, I never wanted a mate. I enjoyed all women too much to haveonefor the rest of my life. That sounded horribly boring.

But does it? You haven’t had sex because you’re bored now. I shook my head, rejecting the thought.

All the mated pairs I knew seemed to feel the exact opposite of bored. Theyonlywanted one. And shit, they were all horny as hell, fucking nonstop, and desiring that person even more after years together, the bond between them only strengthening.

Second, it seemed impossible for me to want only one forever. I was usually over someone after the first or second time we had sex. Amara was the one exception because I knew deep down she didn’t want me. She was a challenge. And at the time, I loved how fucked up she was, allowing me to be the worst of myself too. Wallowing in the ugliness of my life.

I stopped my horse in front of an old inn, the firebulb outside still lit, suggesting they still had room.

“I’ll go check.” I got off my horse, my attention falling on AB as even more tension built along my shoulders. Her lids barely parted, Cooper kept her tight in his arms, and she used his bicep as a pillow. Her body and mind had given up hours before, unable to keep up with our stamina.

No human could, but I knew this was more than that. The disease was sucking the life out of her more and more every day.

Cooper nodded, cradling her in his arms, unable to hide the adoration, love, and pain in his expression.