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Aldronn

When I return to the waterfall, I expect to see May in my shirt.

I do not, however, expect it to look like that .

“What did you do?” I demand.

She stands before me, the light-purple fabric hugging her curves, the hem hitting mid-thigh and showing off a delightful amount of leg.

The pleased look falls from her face. “I thought you said the shirt was mine.”

“It was. I mean, it is.” I set the food beside the fire pit and scrub a hand over my hair. “I’m just surprised to see it so altered.”

And altered in such a way that makes it impossible to ignore how damned attractive she is. My cock stirs, and I grit my teeth. How the hell am I supposed to share a tent with my bride when she looks like that? It’s hard enough knowing she wears my clothes next to her naked skin.

“I thought you’d be happy I know how to sew.” She puts her hands on her hips, her flared elbows showing off that exact skill—she even made the sleeves fit. “Isn’t sewing supposed to be all wifely?”

“It’s not that.”

“Look, I’ll buy you a new shirt just as soon as possible.”

“No.” I stride forward and grip her shoulders, meeting her eyes when she glares up at me. “I didn’t say any of this right. I don’t care about the shirt.”

“Then what do you care about? Because something sure as shit put you in a bad mood.”

“Yes, Aldronn.” Starfall lifts her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. She knows me far too well. “Please tell us what’s wrong.”

I turn my glare on her until she whinnies with laughter.

“Nothing’s wrong,” I lie and go to make the fire, losing myself in the routine of cooking.

How can I explain what I barely understand? After years of meaningless encounters, sex should be easy. Yet I don’t want easy with May. I don’t want her to be another quick roll in the furs.

I’ve talked to her more in these past two days than I have to another woman in years. If we fall into bed now, will we lose this connection growing between us? Will we become nothing but sex? I don’t want that.

And my bride deserves better.

“Look at that!” The excitement in May’s voice jerks my gaze to where she points.

With the darkening of evening, spots of pink begin to glow all around the waterfall. The brighter they gleam, the more they light the area, limning the falling water until tiny sparkles glitter across the surface like pink stars brought down from the heavens.

“It’s so beautiful.” She stares rapt, her face achingly lovely when filled with joy.

“Indeed, it is,” I say, staring at her, equally enthralled.

The sizzle of fat dropping into flames pulls me back to what I was doing, and I finish cooking dinner. The pheasant is rich, the fried potatoes crispy and salty. May compliments everything and eats well. Yet her little sounds of delight don’t help my situation any, and I fight the need to adjust my erection as it chafes against my pants.

When full night falls, I use the excuse that Starfall got no true sleep the night before to remain outside and take watch, ignoring the slightly wounded look May shoots me before she crawls into the tent, the skirt of her shirt riding up to show her lovely thighs.

I press against my unruly cock, willing it down. The sound of the waterfall might be relaxing, but it will also hide the approach of any potential foe until they get quite close.

Starfall laughs at me again as she settles on the ground, only stopping once she’s fully on her side.

I grip my sword and set my back to the fire as May sighs behind me, followed by the soft rustle of furs.

Fuck.

It’s going to be a long night.

Dawn barely lights the sky when I wake everyone in the morning. I already ate my own breakfast, and I fill a mug with porridge so my moon bound can eat while we ride. Impatience gnaws at me with a need to get her to safety.

May pulls on her human pants, which have dried in the night, but continues to wear my shirt. When I lift her into the saddle and settle behind her, her scent fills my nose, mixed with mine.

Something primal swells in my chest as our combined scents overwhelm this most basic sense. I growl and pull her closer as Starfall takes off at a light trot, keeping her pace slow so May can eat.

Her spoon scrapes against the bottom of the mug, and I’m about to reach out and take the empty container from her when a blinding light swoops down from overhead.

“The Moon Goddess,” Starfall chokes out.

The cup tumbles from May’s hands as she gasps and clutches her head. “Why should I help you after the way you lied to me?”

Celestial music rises to a din, the tone far more strident than what I heard when the goddess summoned me.

My arms tighten around May as her entire body begins to shake.

“Stop it,” I roar at the moon, my only answer extra flickers of blue lightning racing across its surface. “Stop hurting my bride!” I don’t care that this is my goddess. No one hurts May!

The orb flies closer, the lightning crisscrossing its surface flashing in larger bursts.

May whines in pain, an animal noise that chills my blood.

“Starfall,” I yell over the noise, “can you get us out of here?”

My friend races forward. Instead of leaving the moon behind, it bolts overhead and dives in front of us, jerking the unicorn to a halt.

May screams, her body wracked with sobs.

The goddess pulses and shoots off lightning, plunging closer in quick darts of movement that drive Starfall backward.

May’s screams slowly quiet to whimpers the farther we go.

“Turn around,” I order. “Take us back to the falls.”

Starfall wheels about and runs, and this time, the goddess lets us go.

An angry chorus of celestial music chases us into the trees, the brightness throwing our shadows before us in stark lines.

We race into the clearing, and Starfall slows. When the Moon Goddess does not burst from the trees behind us, the unicorn comes to a stop at the edge of the pond.

Cradling May to my chest, I slide from my friend’s back. I sink down onto the moss-covered ground, holding my moon bound on my lap.

Her face twists with pain, her hands still fisted in the hair at her temples, her entire body locked tight with tension.

I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life, and I hate it.

Starfall meets my desperate gaze and shakes her head, not knowing what to do either.

“Have you ever heard of the Moon Goddess appearing during the day?” I whisper.

“Never.” Starfall’s tone turns hard. “I’ve also never heard of her attacking anyone before.”

“Why my bride?” I scowl. “Why May?”

Starfall shakes her head again.

I turn my attention back to my bride, whose muscles remain coiled and hard. The only idea I can think of is a callback to the last time anyone ever comforted me. I rock May gently back and forth, humming the tune my mother always sang when I was young. Continuing to hold my moon bound with one arm, I use the other hand to gently unclench her fingers. Then I smooth her hair, running my fingers through it, slow and steady.

Bit by bit, her muscles relax until she melts against me, her face smoothing to sadness.

I press a kiss to the top of her head and continue to hold her until she stirs.

“The goddess attacked to keep me from going south.” May draws in a shaky inhale. “I can’t go in that direction. She won’t let me. She says it’s the wrong way.”

“The wrong way to what?” I ask softly.

“The wrong way to find her.”