Page 46

Nadia

“What the fuck ,” I whisper, putting my empty bowl down on the ground and leaning back against my palm as I stare at Cole. “That’s…that’s insane . They’re using little kids to spy on us?”

“That’s so scary,” Shayne whispers, shaking her head. “And at the same time…adorable.”

“Shayne!” Grace gasps, spinning to her.

“Lil baby spies!” Shay says, pressing a hand to her heart. “Up in the cliffs ? And they’re hungry and they get food if they do a good job?” She gapes at Grace like she can’t believe anyone would be heartless enough to resist that mental image.

Tommy grins at Shayne as Grace rolls her eyes. “They’re being mistreated , Shayne. It’s not cute .”

“I’m going to adopt them all,” Shayne says, leaning back to fall dramatically against Tommy, who takes the opportunity to wrap an arm around her under the guise of ensuring that she doesn’t fall off the log. “Can you build me a big house, Tommy-Tom? So I can keep them all?”

“I’ll build you whatever you want, Shay-bee.”

“You sound like mom,” Cole says, smirking at Shayne.

Shayne grins and winks at him. “Anytime you want to suggest I’m Queen material, Coley-boy, I’m here for it.”

A playful snarl sounds, and we all turn to see Greg sauntering over, his hands in his pockets, his eyes on Shay. “You telling me I’ve got to take down the Prince now, too?”

Shay laughs, delighted, sitting up and beaming at Greg. Tommy sighs and drops his arm from his best girl, looking down at his bowl of stew.

“Are you going to build me my orphan house?” Shayne asks, batting her lashes. I glance at Grace and she sticks out her tongue to express her distaste, making me grin.

“They like it up there, apparently,” Greg says, glancing up at the ridge that rises on both sides of our camp. “I’ll just build a series of cave forts in the cliffside and we’ll live there together with our thirty-seven adopted feral children.”

Shayne laughs and pats the log next to her. Greg sits down, Grace squeezing closer to me and sighing as she does.

I turn back to Cole, a little concerned with how quiet he’s being. He’s not the most talkative guy, but he’s very social and usually in the middle of something like this. But tonight, he’s quite withdrawn.

“You okay?” I softly ask, watching as his knife moves smoothly over his block of wood, carving out a little figure. I study it, seeing an animal take shape, curious what it will be.

Cole shrugs, glancing at me. “Sorry, I’m not trying to be moody. Just…feeling quiet.”

“You don’t have to be sorry for that,” I say, leaning a little closer. But then I catch myself and sit straight again.

Cole nods, continuing his work. “How are you? Anxious about tonight?”

I look towards my nursing tent, which is well-stocked and ordered for tonight. Still, I only have a few more minutes before I have to get back into it, wanting to triple-check everything. “A little freaked out about taking command,” I say quietly. “I’ve never done something like that before.”

“You’ll be magnificent,” Cole murmurs, smirking.

I smile at him, thinking that he probably honestly thinks that. He has a great deal of faith in my skills which I have not earned.

And I am anxious – but not for me. Instead, my mind turns to all the people I know are going to get hurt tonight. And the poor civilians that the Children of Solace are holding…god, they’re going to be terrified. I feel a physical tension in my chest at the thought.

I distract myself from it by looking again at Cole, taking in the steady, calm lines of him. He’s a very peaceful presence, isn’t he?

“What about you?” I ask softly. “Do you wish you were fighting tonight instead of guarding?”

He keeps his eyes on his work, though I can tell by his frown that he’s truly considering my question.

“Part of me does,” he says, his words hardly above a whisper, certainly not audible to the rest of our group as they continue to chat behind me.

“I’m aware that I could help, do more if I were on the front lines.

But…this is the job I took. I’m glad to be here. ”

My mouth twists to the side. I know he took this job just to protect me…

Maybe he should be at the front.

Cole lifts his gaze, looking to me like he’s heard or intuited my thoughts. “This job is important too, Nadia. I’m not sad that I’m here.”

I give him a tiny smile, happiness blooming in me at his presence.

Because if he was at the front…

God, I’d be terrified.

“Here,” Cole says, holding out the little carving. My eyes go wide as I see what he got done in the past like… two minutes.

I gasp, cupping my hands to accept the little tiny wooden wolf that Cole places there. It’s so small – a quarter of the size of my palm, really – and yet so detailed. The little wolf has fur, and deep rounded eyes, and even a little tongue poking out between its fangs!

“Cole!” I whisper, delighted, looking between it and him. “How did you do this?”

He shrugs, bashful but pleased at the praise. “It’s just a hobby.”

“It’s so detailed!” I say, laughing, turning it over in my hand.

“Let me see!” Shayne says, reaching for it.

I gasp and snatch it away. “My tiny wolf!”

“No, I want to seeeee!”

“You want to grab .”

“Here, I’ll hold her back,” Greg says, taking the opportunity to wrap his arms tight around Shayne so she can’t lift her hands. She bursts out laughing, and he grins, taking the opportunity to press a kiss to her shoulder.

I smirk, thinking that they are very cute, even if I’m still rooting for Tommy. I hold the little wolf out for them all to see. Grace and Shayne gasp as Greg and Tommy admire in a more masculine fashion, murmuring their appreciation.

“Cole, make me one too!” Shayne says, beaming at him. “But I want a pony! Or a chipmunk! Or a tiny child spy!”

“ I’m getting you the pony,” Greg growls.

Shay grins and turns her head to him. “I can have two .”

He snarls and snaps his teeth at her, making her laugh again.

“Hey Tommy,” Grace says, standing and reaching her hand for him. “Can you help me? I have to move a bed in the medical tent.”

“Absolutely,” Tommy says, jumping to his feet, looking quite pleased to have an excuse to get out of here.

Cole and I watch them go, waving a little as Greg and Shayne turn their attention to each other.

“Seriously, Cole,” I say, turning back to him, holding the little wolf flat on my palm again. “This is really cool. How long have you been doing this?”

“Since I was a kid,” he says, tucking his knife back into the sheath at his side. “Mom and dad insisted we all take an interest in some art or another. Iris is a very talented singer. I did physical art – painting, sculpture. That sort of thing.”

“What does Jude do?”

Cole smirks, shrugging and looking down.

“Jude is…Jude. He has a distinct amount of disdain for something that takes time and practice. But he’s secretly good at a lot of things, even though he refuses to master any of them.

He’s one hell of a dancer, and a damned good writer too. Though he’d deny it all if pressed.”

The Prince grins at me, clearly proud of his brother. I laugh a little, tilting my head to look down at the wolf carving. “So, why does nobody know about this? The public would love an artistic royal.”

He smirks. “Precisely why I don’t tell them. It’s just for me.”

“Well, I think you have a gift,” I murmur, holding the little wolf up and smiling as I peer at its little face. Then I sigh and hold it out to him, sad to let him have it back.

Cole lifts a hand, folding my fingers over it. “You take it. He’ll keep you safe.”

I stare at Cole for a second and then grin, quite pleased with my little gift. Deep down, I was hoping he’d let me keep it. I quickly unzip my hoodie and drop the little wolf into the breast pocket of my scrubs. “There. Now he’ll be close.”

Cole nods, smiling softly at me. Then he sits straighter, clearing his throat and holding out his hand. “Here, give me your wrist.”

“Why?” I narrow my eyes.

Cole grins, laughing at me. “Just do it.”

I maintain my suspicion even as I hold out my arm.

Cole takes my hand and turns it over, baring my wrist. Faster than I can protest, he raises his own wrist, brushing it soft and firm over mine.

He reaches towards my face next, and even though I flinch back, his wrist passes quickly over both sides of my neck and then my hair before I can move away.

“What the hell are you doing ?”

“I’m scent-marking you,” he murmurs, reaching for my other hand.

I squawk, clutching it to my chest. “I’m going to smell like you?”

“Yes, you lucky girl,” he says, grinning, hand out, insistent. I scowl, not liking this. “Look,” he says, leaning forward, “if you smell like a wolf, the Children of Solace wolves will be less inclined to mess with you. It’ll wash off in the shower.”

I scowl but hold out my other wrist, letting him mark that as well. Because as much as I am disinclined to this…it makes sense.

“Hey, Shay,” Cole calls, dropping my wrist and waving her over.

Shay jumps to her feet, Greg turning with a frown as she steps in front of the Prince.

Lightning fast, Cole quickly brushes his wrist over Shayne as well. I sniff the air, trying to figure out the difference but…I don’t notice anything.

“Did – did you just scent mark my girl? ” Greg gasps, jumping to his feet.

I turn to stare at Greg and then whip my head back to Cole.

“My girl now,” Cole murmurs, winking at Shay, who bursts out laughing.

I gasp, horrified. “You said this is just about making us smell wolfy!”

Cole smirks at me. “It has many purposes.”

“Cole!”

“Oh, it’s not a big deal, Nadia,” he says, getting to his feet and offering a hand to help me up.

I turn to Greg. “ Is it a big deal?”

Greg just scowls, crossing his arms and glaring at his Prince.

“Don’t worry about it, Na-na,” Cole says, slinging an arm around my shoulder and grinning at me. “You smell fantastic now . ”

Shayne laughs, sniffing at her wrists but shrugging when she doesn’t notice a difference. “I think he’s just messing with us,” she says, looking at me.

“Trust me, he’s not,” Greg says, glaring at Cole as he moves to Shayne’s side, slipping an arm around her waist and tugging her close. “You’re all…Kincaid-ed up now.”

“Yessss,” Shay says, throwing her hands up in victory even as she leans against Greg, letting him support her weight. He grins down at her, laughing. “My dream has come true!”

I laugh, shrugging Cole’s arm from my shoulder as the four of us start towards the nursing tents. After all, I already smell like him – no need to have his arm around me as well. Besides, we’ve got a big night ahead of us.

It’s time to concentrate.