Page 19

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This was the last place Farah wanted to be. Well . Maybe not the last . But it was close. She pulled her gaze away from the dwelling and looked at Rohan . He studied the building as if it might attack.

“ Stay here,” she told him. “ I’m going to have a look around.”

He tensed at her suggestion. “ Is it a good idea for you to go alone?”

“ Absolutely .”

His celadon eyes narrowed as his gaze moved to her. “ You’re not telling me everything again.”

It was true. She had been doing that a lot, but she didn’t want to tell him certain things. Like exactly where they were. She was second-guessing her decision to come as it was. The farther away she kept him, the better.

“ I move quicker than you do. Stay here and keep a lookout while I scout around,” she said.

He held her gaze for a long minute before finally tipping his head in acceptance.

She slipped away and waited until she was out of earshot before releasing a sigh. To get a better look at the building, she climbed a tree. The elongated, rectangular structure sat in a natural glade. She moved over a few trees to view the back and spotted some individuals outside the dwelling.

A smile curved her lips when she saw clothes hanging to dry. Exactly what she had hoped for. As she turned to leave, something she saw out of the corner of her eye made her stop. She found a Moon Elf attempting to climb a tree. He wasn’t doing a very good job of it either.

Farah moved closer to the wash. The line had been strung between two twisting evergreens, making it perfect for her to reach. She descended several branches while keeping an eye out for anyone coming out of the house. Then she cautiously walked onto the lowest limb and lay on her stomach, stretching her hand down and wiggling her fingers to inch closer to the clothes.

The moment she touched a garment, she pulled it up. After doing that several more times, she got to her feet and hurried to the trunk with the items in hand. Then , it was a matter of making her way back to Rohan . He was just where she’d left him.

She dropped to the ground beside him, startling him. “ Sorry ,” she said as she sorted through the clothes. She handed him a deep green tunic. “ This should fit you.”

He held up the item and looked at it while she set aside a top and some bottoms for herself. The last two pieces she had were a pair of trousers and another tunic. The pants were far too large for her but too small for Rohan .

“ Is this the best you could find?” he asked.

She motioned to the shirt. “ At least you have one piece.”

He muttered something under his breath before jerking off his shirt. She found herself staring appreciatively at his bare chest as it tapered to a trim waist. She shook herself out of the trance before he noticed and went around the tree to change.

She donned her new attire before digging a hole and stuffing her gray clothes into it. Then she held out her hand to Rohan . “ Hand me your old tunic.”

He leaned around the tree and tossed it to her. It went in with hers before she covered the items with the soil. She dusted off her hands and straightened, only to turn around and freeze at the sight of Rohan . The deep green shirt looked good on him. Really good. It contoured to his powerful frame and made his eyes stand out even more. She managed to get herself under control as he ran his hands down his chest, looking at the tunic.

“ I need pants,” he said.

“ It’ll be fine.”

His eyes lifted to her. “ If it were fine, we wouldn’t be changing clothes, would we?”

“ I can’t go back. We’ll make do. Put some dirt on your trousers.”

His lips parted to speak when his face suddenly went blank. Farah looked over her shoulder in time to see a Sun Elf headed toward them, wearing a bright smile.

The female was tall, her golden blond hair cut to her jaw in a riot of curls. Amber eyes crinkled at the corners as she looked from Farah to Rohan . “ I thought I heard voices. Why are you two out here? You should come in. We welcome all.”

“ We were just heading out,” Farah said.

The elf tsked and waved a bejeweled hand. “ No one here judges. That is our way. It’s a safe space for those such as you.”

Farah barely held back her groan. This was exactly why she hadn’t wanted to bring Rohan this close. “ We’re not here for that.”

The woman pretended not to hear and guided her and Rohan toward the dwelling. “ Come now. There’s no need to put up such a fuss. You aren’t in the city, my dear. You’re with friends now.”

“ What kind of friends?” Rohan asked.

Farah dug in her heels, but the woman released her and focused on Rohan .

“ Oh , I see she didn’t tell you.” The Sun Elf brought her shoulders up to her ears and practically squealed in delight. “ I love this part. I’m Rashmi . One of the four founders of Amberstar . It’s a sanctuary for those like us.”

“ Like us?” Rohan repeated.

Farah never should’ve brought him here.

“ Elf and human couples.” Rashmi halted and looked from Rohan to Farah . “ We’ve all been where you are. With families who don’t understand love that brings two people together. Friends who can’t accept facts. Villages and cities that outright cast out elves who dare to love humans. We are left alone here. Not bothered by whatever is going on outside of this glade.”

Rohan caught Rashmi’s eye. “ Nothing ?”

“ Nothing and no one matters but those who choose to dwell within our walls,” she explained.

Rohan turned his gaze to Farah . She knew what he was thinking. It was the same thing that had been running through her mind for the past few seconds. She would be safe here. But not forever. It would only be a brief reprieve. And he was leaving the decision up to her. That was a surprise.

“ Why not come and meet the others?” Rashmi offered. “ I don’t like to stay out here too long. There are all sorts of unsavory individuals roaming the rainwood.”

Farah pulled her gaze from Rohan to look at Rashmi . The Sun Elf’s smile suddenly vanished as her eyes narrowed to a point over Farah’s shoulder.

“ Remain here, please. And be quiet. I’ll return shortly,” Rashmi said in a low voice.

Farah turned as Rashmi walked past her and was immediately swallowed by the dense flora. Unease slid through Farah as she listened for any sounds. There was nothing out of the ordinary. That could mean it was nothing. Or , it could mean Wood Elves were nearby.

“ What is it?” Rohan whispered as he came up behind her.

She shook her head, fighting the urge to follow Rashmi and see for herself.

“ Halt ,” Rashmi’s firm voice suddenly sliced through the rainwood.

Farah’s gaze moved to the right, where the Sun Elf’s voice had come from.

“ Must we do this every time?” a female asked, the inflection in her words tinged with boredom and irritation.

“ You aren’t welcome here,” Rashmi stated.

The female laughed. “ How long do you think your little party will continue?”

“ We have a right to live wherever we wish.”

“ Let me take a look around, and you just might be able to.”

Farah didn’t like the turn of the conversation. She looked at the tree beside her. As she was getting ready to climb it, Rohan touched her arm. She turned her head as he slipped between the huge, round, dark yellow leaves of a cladrastis bush and the few large, blue-black flowers from the late summer bloom that remained.

He motioned for her to follow. Farah glanced in Rashmi’s direction again before ducking between the leaves. Her foot tangled in her hurry to get there, and she somehow found herself plastered against Rohan’s chest. She quickly jerked away without looking at him. Her hands tingled from the contact. She curled her fingers into fists and tried to forget the hard feel of him.

“ The answer is nay. It has always been nay, and it will remain that way,” Rashmi declared.

The female tsked loudly. “ Your little sanctuary is just the sort of place those we’re looking for might turn to.”

Farah closed her eyes. Fear curdled in her stomach.

“ Those four aren’t here,” Rashmi declared. “ Just as they weren’t two days ago.”

There was a tense silence. “ Good thing I’m looking for someone new. How about her?”

Farah didn’t need to see the picture to know it was of her. She turned to leave, but Rohan grabbed her, holding her still. She looked up at him in disbelief.

“ Wait ,” he mouthed.

Surely , even he had to understand that the quicker she put distance between herself and Amberstar , the better. His face remained in shadow, revealing nothing. She tried again to leave, and he once more held her.

“ Only couples are allowed here. You know this,” Rashmi stated. “ No one you’re hunting is within Amberstar’s walls.”

There was another long stretch of silence, then, “ If I find out you’ve lied, I’ll personally see to it that the Masters know exactly where to find your little hideaway.”

A short time later, Rashmi returned. “ You can come out now. She’s gone.”

Farah hesitated. It could be a trap. Rohan dropped his hands from her and emerged from behind the leaves. She waited to see if he shouted a warning, but there was none. Finally , Farah stepped out.

Rashmi flashed her a smile. “ I apologize for that. Threats are something I deal with all the time. I promise it won’t be something either of you has to hear as long as you remain at Amberstar .”

“ Who was that?” Rohan asked.

Rashmi’s attention flicked behind her. “ An annoyance. The group has grown in size and power and likes to exert its dominance. One such way is hunting individuals they believe have wronged them. It’s absurd. And our governing body does nothing. It’s another reason we moved out here, away from such violence.”

“ It doesn’t sound like you’ve escaped things completely,” Farah said.

The Sun Elf’s lips twisted. “ Unfortunately , we haven’t. I fear the only way we might be free is if we go into the mountains, but we’re already on the edge of the rainwood. Any farther, and those seeking shelter here, like you, might not be able to find us.”

No matter how hard Farah searched Rashmi’s face, she couldn’t determine if the Sun Elf had seen her picture. It was doubtful the threat and sizable payday would keep anyone from handing her over to the Masters —no matter how far removed from civilization they were.

“ Our doors are open to you,” Rashmi said. “ Follow if you wish.”

Farah watched as Rashmi turned on her heel and walked down a path toward the building.

“ Why do you hesitate?” Rohan asked.

She shrugged, shaking her head as her gaze slid to him. “ We should keep moving.”

“ She’s given you sanctuary. And those searching for you are close.”

“ Maybe . But it’ll grow too difficult, and they’ll eventually turn me over.”

He frowned. “ You don’t know that.”

“ And you don’t know she won’t.”

“ You would give up a day of rest for a lifetime at Mortham ?”

Farah blew out a breath. “ Why do you want to stay? You want to find your sister, don’t you?”

“ Why do you really want to go back?” he pressed.

The sound of a twig snapping silenced them. The hairs on the back of Farah’s neck stood on end. It was likely the female returning to have that look she wanted.

“ Time to go,” Rohan whispered, running down the path to the dwelling.

Farah hesitated for only a heartbeat before falling into step behind him.