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five

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A Long Desired Feast

Tana

The forest spinsaround me and the only reason I don’t drop to my knees in the tremors of my pleasure is Fyrn. Her arms keep me upright. Her soft and murmuring words keep me from crumbling to dust on the spot.

I’ve loved Fyrn for so long—I’ve wanted to make this journey for so long—I almost blurt out the news.

I kiss her instead and draw her in front of me. She coils the length of her body around my waist and barrel and I feel her start to shrink.

Brushing my palm over her hard skin, I love the way she reacts, her hair rustling, her limbs creaking.

Dropping my forehead to hers, I find my breath again.

“I love you, Fyrn.” I take another deep breath and wrap my fingers around her limbs. “I’ve only ever loved you.”

“I have loved you from the day you thundered into my life and have never stopped. I would have kept you if I could.”

But runaway centaurs are found and dragged back. Family lines are curated and cannot be broken.

Or they were.

It has taken decades, but I’ve finally managed to drive my hoof through that archaic practice. No one would dare come after me this time.

I’m hers.

Finally and forever.

She’s curled back into herself, all of her bits and branches collected back into the smaller version of her body. I bundle her up, holding her close to my chest.

I leave the cloth insert for my harness and my saddlebags by the side of the path.

I’ll have time to come back for them later. No one will take them.

No one else will come this way.

The forest opens in front of me, trees and bushes easing out of my way.

Her glade felt like home the first time I set hoof in it, and it’s no different now.

It’s always spring here.

Her magic is beyond my understanding. I’ve asked before, but when she tried to explain, it set my head spinning.

“I’ve missed this place, too.”

Flowers and birds fill the branches. They all watch us—even those without eyes.

“It has felt like it was missing you, too,” she says.

She’s changed things since I was last here.

Little things.

Things I might not have noticed if I hadn’t spent the last few minutes of every visit trying to remember every tiny detail before I had to go again.