Page 27

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L ex, Teryn knew, would take some convincing.

“You can’t be serious,” Lex said, eyes bulging.

Teryn kept his voice far lower. “I am.” They stood near the stream, watering their horses. He glanced toward their secluded camp and the tendrils of smoke that wafted above it. Cora had already been awake by the time Teryn had opened his eyes. He was almost surprised to see her there, tending the fire and boiling something fragrant in a cook pot. As much as he’d itched to ask if she’d made her decision, he dared not say anything more than a cordial greeting. The fact that she hadn’t snuck away when she had the chance told him she was at least considering his offer. For now, that was enough.

He’d woken Lex after that, inquired about his arm. Trying not to be too obvious, he’d then pulled Lex away and had him bring his horse. Once they’d reached the stream, Teryn let him in on his idea. He hadn’t told Lex everything. Only what he’d told Cora. Not because he didn’t trust Lex to keep a secret. They’d successfully hidden their original alliance from Helios, after all. It was more that this situation felt particularly tenuous. The way Cora’s dark eyes always held far too much intensity, how she always seemed to be watching, studying, reading between his words…he knew he needed to tread carefully. Letting Lex in on his secret would be a last resort.

“We only have to accompany her to the next group of hunters,” Teryn said. “That’s all.”

Lex gave him a pointed look. “Oh, that’s all ? We nearly got ourselves killed by the last company.”

“Yes, but that was when we knew nothing. Helios kept us in the dark. Cora was working against us. Now, we’ll be working together.”

“I don’t see how this helps you get your princess.”

“It doesn’t,” Teryn said. “If you want to return home now, I won’t stop you, but I’d rather have your help. Should you come with me, I promise as soon as we return to Dermaine Palace, you can have anything you want. You want in on our trade agreement with Brushwold? You got it.”

Lex made a bewildered face, but it was quickly replaced with a look of surprise. “Oh.” A pause. Then another, more drawn out, “ Oooh . I see what this is.”

Teryn lifted a brow. Could he have guessed Teryn’s true motive? “What?”

“You like her. Cora.”

Teryn’s heart did a strange thing in his chest. He opened his mouth to deny it but thought better of it. Perhaps he could use Lex’s assumption—as incorrect as it was—against him. He decided to let Lex interpret his silence however he wanted.

Lex nodded, a crooked grin lifting his cheeks. “You no longer care about the Heart’s Hunt because you’ve got a new hunt in mind.” He waggled his brows. “A hunt up a certain pair of petticoats.”

A flush of heat climbed up his neck, and his pulse quickened at the sudden visuals Lex’s crass comment provided. It was far from the worst thing he could imagine. Cora was stunning. Terrifying, yes, but…

He recalled the feel of her skin beneath his palm when he’d unwittingly touched her bare shoulder last night, remembered the sharp heat that ignited his hand, warmed his chest?—

No . He shook the outrageous musings from his mind. She’s a murderer. There’s nothing enticing about that . His blood quickly cooled, but he forced his momentary lack of composure to creep into his voice, letting his words tremble a little as he said, “Maybe it’s more than that.” It was almost too much for him to keep a straight face. Thankfully, Lex didn’t know him well or else he would have called his bluff. Teryn was not the kind of man to do ridiculous things for love. To him, love was fiction. Folly. The breaker of peace and the bringer of wars. But Lex didn’t have to know that.

Lex grimaced. “You can’t want to…marry her. You’re a prince, Teryn. Princes don’t marry wood witches. Besides, isn’t your kingdom—dare I say—broke?”

Teryn stiffened at that. They hadn’t discussed Menah’s financial state, which meant rumors must have spread as far as Tomas. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. “Lex, I need you to trust me,” he said, stripping all pretense from his tone. “Come with me or go home, the choice is yours. But there’s only one option that’s going to get you a contract for Aromir wool. What’s it going to be?”

Lex puffed his cheeks as he considered. After a grumbling exhale, he said, “Fine. I’ll do it for the damn goats.”

Teryn’s lips spread into a grin as he slapped his friend on the arm—the uninjured one, of course. “Thanks, Lex. One more thing. Please don’t tell Cora about…you know. My feelings.”

“All right,” he said, “but if I see the two of you kissing or canoodling, the deal’s off.”

Teryn snorted a laugh. He took Quinne’s reins as well as Hara’s and began to walk them back toward camp. “Trust me, that’s not going to happen.”

“Clearly, you’ve never been in love,” Lex muttered.

Teryn had been suspiciously quiet all morning. Cora had expected him to bring up his proposition a hundred times already. Instead, he’d said nothing about it. Had he changed his mind? An unexpected disappointment sank her gut but she ignored it. Swallowed it down. Finished making breakfast.

Teryn and Lex returned from the stream and accepted bowls of root vegetable stew. They didn’t even ask if the meal was poisoned. It wasn’t, of course, and perhaps the fact that Cora was eating too eased any suspicions they might have. She watched them throughout the meal and found that Lex kept shooting strange looks at Teryn—ones she couldn’t quite read. Whatever it was about, it had Teryn blushing furiously and wolfing down his stew as fast as he could.

After they’d all finished eating, a heavy silence fell. Cora could feel the weight of her decision resting on her shoulders, but she still didn’t know what to say. Did she want them coming with her? She could admit she’d felt slightly safer last night knowing it hadn’t just been her and Valorre at camp. Not to mention they had supplies, horses, cookware, weapons. Blankets and bedrolls. Meanwhile, Cora had only what she’d been able to steal and carry on foot.

She’d never been one to allow strangers to get close to her, and these two already knew far too much. They knew she was a witch and the one who’d poisoned the hunters. Facts that hadn’t seemed quite so grim last night when their lives were at stake, but now the realization sent waves of anxiety through her. They could turn her in for what she’d done. And what if they found out who she really was? Teryn and Lex may have had no allegiance to the Kingdom of Khero, but after everything Teryn had said about duty and doing the right thing…

Cora picked up their bowls and wordlessly went to the stream to wash them. After a while, Valorre came up beside her. It was the first time she’d seen him all morning. She’d felt his presence close by, but she knew he wasn’t content to stay in one place. He was a restless, wild spirit. Undoubtedly fae.

I’m certain those are clean by now , Valorre said.

She glanced down at her hands, realizing she must have been lost in thought. With a sigh, she stood and began walking down the bank, her steps slow. She knew it was time to make a choice. It was already well past dawn and if she wanted to reach the Cambron Pass quickly, she’d need all the time she could get. A sudden thought occurred to her. Teryn and Lex had an extra horse. If she accepted their company, she was sure she could use the mare for herself. She could travel faster than she ever could on foot.

Valorre rippled with indignation. I am much faster than a horse. I could carry you .

“Yes,” she said with a grin, “but riding bareback isn’t the most comfortable thing, and I’d never dare saddle you.”

That seemed to satisfy him. I would never stoop so low as to wear a saddle. What a silly contraption. I’d look very foolish indeed. Very well. Does that mean they’re coming with us to help save my brethren?

She nibbled her lip. Then the sound of clashing steel drew her attention. She paused, glancing back toward camp. Teryn and Lex were sparring just ahead. It seemed Lex’s injured arm was his non-dominant hand, for he parried Teryn’s attacks with ease. Teryn, she was irked to note, was once again without a shirt. She rolled her eyes as she approached them.

Teryn nodded at her with a grin, one that made her stomach tighten. Or perhaps it was the indecency of him being shirtless. She kept her eyes anywhere but his broad chest, his arms roped with muscle, his pants that seemed ridiculously low on his hips?—

Crossing her arms, she returned his grin with a glare. “Do you ever wear a shirt?”

He shrugged and parried a halfhearted thrust from Lex. “Thanks to Lex and his refusal to let me turn his shirts into bandages, I only have one left. I’m not going to sweat in it.”

“It’s hardly safe to spar without one.”

“Oh really?” he said as his shortsword clashed with Lex’s. “I hadn’t noticed because Lex isn’t trying hard enough.”

“My arm hurts,” Lex said, then muttered something about Teryn showing off. That was when Cora realized what this little performance was all about. Teryn was trying to prove that they were useful. Skilled. That their aid would serve her.

Oh, the tall one is very strong, isn’t he?

Cora cut a glare at Valorre. Do you have a crush on Teryn?

What is crush?

Never mind . She returned her gaze to the boys, watching as they set down their swords and drank from skins of water. Teryn shrugged on his hunting vest just as a familiar shape veered down from the sky. Berol landed on his padded shoulder, a scroll tucked in her talon.

He sent her away in the middle of the night , Valorre said. He didn’t seem concerned, but she narrowed her eyes with suspicion.

“What’s that?” she asked.

He met her eyes over the paper he was reading. “A letter from my father. I sent Berol with a note telling him I wouldn't be coming home for a while.”

She clenched her jaw. That meant he’d already assumed she’d say yes to his proposition. It made her want to deny him outright.

He walked toward her, a questioning look in his eyes. “Have you decided?”

She found her words trapped in her throat as he held her gaze. He held it too long. Too unflinchingly. Blinking, she averted her eyes and pondered his question. Her time was up. She needed to choose.

Her gaze returned to his and she found that his eyes were in the process of sweeping over her form. His assessment made her breath catch. She dared not open her senses to him. Dared not read too much into his gaze. For surely he couldn’t find much to be desired when he looked at her. She was a mess of tangles. Of soil and stone. Of petticoats tucked around her legs like pants. He was a prince, a man used to soft women with even softer demeanors.

She lifted her chin, reminding herself she didn’t care what he thought of her. Not her appearance, not her personality, and certainly not her romantic appeal. He was a prince determined to make amends where his honor had failed. She was a witch with vengeance in her heart and violence in her soul.

“Put a shirt on,” she said, sneering at his bare chest as if it were repulsive to her. It wasn’t, but that was one of many secrets she was determined to keep. “It’s time for us to go.”

“Us,” he echoed. “As in…the three of us.”

Valorre sidled closer to her, making his approval clear.

“Yes,” she finally said through her teeth. “Now, hurry up or I’m leaving without you.”