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M y soulmate arched a brow at me suspiciously. “Your words make you sound desperate and I want to know why.” She held up her hand. “It’s not that this world is dying. It’s something else.”

I leaned back on my arms and sighed. “I wish it was desperation, little umbra. This isn’t desperation. This is confidence. You’re just going to have to learn to trust me.”

Her lips pulled back in a sneer. “Trust? I trust no one…you should never trust the fae—even if you are one.”

I tilted back my head and laughed deeply. “I’d almost forgotten you were Bane’s protege. If you’re living your life by that swordmaster’s code then you’re not fucking living at all.”

“You know Bane?” Her eyes flared with interest.

“Of course I know him.” I said through gritted teeth, hating the admiration for the bastard in her eyes.

“He was the one that insisted I should find you. He never once believed the lies your queen spread about you. Said that your loyalty and heart would never allow it.” I leaned in, softening my tone.

“That's the only thing we have ever agreed upon.”

Remnant pursed her lips and started to stroke the shadows still slumbering in her lap. “Where is he?”

“The West Isles.”

“Where is the Sanguine?”

“The West Isles.” I growled low, my senses picking up her growing agitation.

“And this information you know…that you carry?” Her eyes glanced down at my bag again.

“I will tell you everything once we are in The West Isles.” I tapped the bag. “If you attempt to steal it from me, what I carry is enchanted to self-destruct if it is not given freely. I'd recommend against it.”

“Why hide it then?”

“Because I made a vow to deliver it personally and if ever lost,” I shrugged and looked away, “then I may as well kill its owner myself. They would have nothing to live for anymore and we all need some sort of hope in our lives…no matter how brief.”

Remnant laughed, her head was thrown back to the night sky and I couldn’t stop myself from hungrily raking over the perfect pale column of her neck. My desire to lick and bite that skin had quickly dissolved any melancholy I was feeling.

Her eyes glittered dangerously at me. “This is just all wrapped up in a nice little package for you, isn’t it shifter?

Say we get to The West Isles without being killed crossing the seas.

I’m still a shadow fae, prohibited to walk your shores…

I’m still the one who slaughtered many of your kind on the queen’s bidding.

Your king will never allow me to take a second breath let alone a second step within his lands. ”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “You don’t know shifters well do you?

We are people who value strength, power, and loyalty—but most importantly we love to gossip.

Did you really think it went unnoticed that you spared more of our blood than you ever took?

Defying your very queen to do so.” I gave her a sad smile.

“You are not hated where I come from, little umbra. It is quite the opposite really and I can assure you, our king feels the same.”

She flinched and her lips pressed into a thin line. “Then they are fools, including your king. ”

I snarled and leaned in close to her. “You do not wish to trust me, so trust in this. I, Emon, vow to you, Remnant, on our very goddess and all of Faerie, that no harm will befall you from the fae of The West Isles nor from its king.”

Her eyes widened. “You know the king personally then, to give such a vow.”

I pulled away. “I do.”

The cat snorted. “Digging another grave, fairy boy?”

“My grave is your grave, cat.” I purred back.

We both sat straighter when the soft song of a chickadee called out into the night, neither one of us daring to interrupt its warning call.

She sighed when its song ended and all that could be heard were the soft fluttering of wings flying far away from this place.

“Alright. I’ll go with you to The West Isles but,” she turned towards me, “ but I want to speak with Bane when we get there. Vow or not, I do not trust you but I do trust Bane.”

I couldn’t hold back my growl of annoyance. “Fair enough. Get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

She rolled her beautiful green eyes. “Faerie may have healed you, shifter but you still spent two days chained to a tree for gutting practice. You need rest and I need to be alone.”

I winked at her. “It almost sounds like you care.”

“What I care about is traveling with someone who is competent, not live bait.”

I chuckled. “Being live bait is worth it if it means I catch you every time.”

She stared while I watched the blush steal across her pale porcelain skin. “There is something wrong with you.”

Contentedly, I stretched out on my bed roll, feeling her eyes rake over my heated skin. “How do I know you won’t just leave the moment I close my eyes or worse take advantage of me.”

She laughed softly. “You’re just going to have to learn to trust me, shifter.”

Basking in the three moons glow, I huffed. “Using my own words against me, little umbra.”

“If need be.”

I inhaled deeply, her scent of lilies getting stronger. “Are you sure that’s all you need from me then, my trust?”

She shifted uncomfortably. “You’ll never be able to give me all that I need , shifter. No one can. So stop trying. ”

I lifted my head up and our eyes locked in the darkness. “Never.” All flirtation gone. “You are worth it. You are worth every single obstacle, scar, and heartache I may incur so that you have more than just what you need.”

Sadness bled through the green in her eyes. “You will fail.” She whispered.

I chuckled low and lowered my head back down gazing at the shimmering stars. “Failing is nothing more than trying multiple times until you get it right and one day—I will get it right and you’ll have nowhere to hide.”

Silence befell us, drawing my focus back to her delicious scent, so strong that it teased me with its seductive undertones. There was no way I was going to fucking sleep tonight.