Page 20

Chapter

Twenty

The water is surprisingly warm, even for a spring. It’s tempting to take a dip and get cleaned up. Since Harek is going to cook our breakfast over a fire, I can dry my hair next to that. I have an extra tunic, which can double as a towel when I get out.

It could work. My pulse drums in my ears as I glance around. Unless someone is hiding among the trees, I’m all alone. The only sounds are the occasional bubbling of the spring.

I look around again before taking off my coat and resting it on the large rock my bag is slung against. Then I slide out of my tunic but leave on my underwear before looking around and dipping into the spring at record speed.

Harek better have been telling the truth about not peeking, but worse was not knowing who—or what—could be lurking around, watching? I’m not giving anyone a show, even for a split second.

I slide down, taking in the warmth of the dark water. This isn’t like the spring kids play in during the short summer back in Skoro. That water is so light and clear the pebbles at the bottom are visible. Not here. I can’t even see my own hands underneath. But when I bring my fingers out of the water, they’re clean. Somehow the deep blue water isn’t murky because of dirt. Good. If anyone does come by, they won’t see anything.

The warmth relaxes me enough that I close my eyes and simply enjoy the moment. Some of the magic inside me moves around, but it isn’t aggressive like before. After a little time passes, I dip down fully and massage my scalp. If I’m going to bathe, I may as well do so properly.

When I emerge, a branch snaps nearby.

Instinctively, I cover myself even though the color of the water hides me and my underclothes completely.

“Is it safe?” Harek’s voice comes from the woods.

“What?” I call, horrified.

“I caught the granddaddy of all jackrabbits. We’re going to eat like the fae kings in the stories we heard as kids!”

“Great. Go away!”

“I’m going to build a fire.”

“Have fun!”

“Are you covered?” he calls.

I hurry to the middle of the spring where the water is the darkest. “I’m in the water!”

Harek emerges from the trees, carrying a rabbit about a quarter his size. For a moment I don’t care that I’m undressed. “What kind of monstrosity is that?”

“Like I said.” He grins. “We’ll have enough food for days.”

My stomach growls at the thought.

He dumps everything on the ground and quickly starts a fire. Next he arranges parts of the animal over it, attaching the pieces to sticks above the flames. His speed at the task makes me think he’s done this plenty of times before.

“Did you do this on purpose?” I ask.

“What?” He adds another log to the fire, and flames burst out, nearly doubling in size. “Perfect. The meat should cook quickly at this rate.”

I glance down at myself, making sure the water still covers me. It does. “Did you tell me to take a dip here, knowing you’d return to see me?”

“No.” He turns to me. “I told you I wasn’t going to peek.”

“But you’re here now.”

“And I can’t see a thing. But I am going to join you.”

A shriek escapes me. “What?”

He removes his coat. “Why not? What’s the difference between this and swimming at the lake?”

“Um, clothes. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t pack swimwear.”

“Me neither.” He pulls off his shirt, showing a muscular physique.

My mouth falls open. The last time we swam together—a few years ago at this point—he wasn’t nearly as defined as now.

When he pulls his shirt from his face, he catches me staring.

I could die right here, right now. But I don’t turn away. He’s magnificent.

“You gonna keep watching?” A smirk plays at his lips.

“No!” I whip around and duck under the water for good measure. I swear I hear him chuckle before I submerge myself.

After a few moments the water ripples with strong waves, jostling me. He must’ve jumped in, given the force.

It’s just as well, since I can’t hold my breath any longer. Just before my lungs explode, I burst to the surface, careful not to leap too high and risk him seeing my underwear. I wipe the water from my eyes.

Harek is close enough I could reach out and touch him. His muscles gleam in the light, and I can’t get over how big they’ve gotten. He’s all man now—no denying it.

I can’t think like that. But the more I try to shove the thoughts aside, the more they scream at me.

He must’ve set this up on purpose. At least I’m not stressing about my heartache or the magic.

“The water’s perfect.” He closes his eyes for a moment.

I’m not sure I can even blink. When he opens his eyes, I nod, not trusting my voice.

He closes the distance between us. I don’t dare think about how near he is under the water. His expression softens. “Are you okay with this?”

“Yeah.” My voice is about ten octaves higher than normal.

“I love having all this time with you. We’ve barely gotten any alone time together in ages.”

“It’s… it’s nice.” I swallow. “I’ve missed you.”

Harek brushes some hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear, his gaze not leaving mine.

Despite being immersed in water, my mouth goes dry like the ground in the summer heat.

His fingertips don’t leave my ear, nor his eyes from mine.

My skin practically burns at his touch. I don’t want him to let go. Ever. The air between us feels electric, which is dangerous around all this water.

He trails his fingers down to my jawline, tracing it. My skin tingles everywhere he touches. He stops, his hand near my lips.

I lean closer toward him, barely aware of my own movement. His thumb brushes my mouth.

My eyes widen, but his soften. He tilts his head, and flecks of silver appear in his irises. Then he brushes a fingertip along my lower lip. It’s like a trail of sparks.

A gasp escapes me. I want him to kiss me—more than I’ve ever wanted anything.

Some of his hair falls across his eye, and a drop of water trails down his face, landing on his mouth. I can’t take it another second. This moment has been building for our entire lives, the intensity growing exponentially since we stepped out from the town wall. It was easier for me to be angry with him for being a werewolf than to admit how much I need him.

I close the gap between us and press my lips against his. He cups my chin and returns the kiss. Behind my closed eyelids, a fireworks show puts any real life display to shame. My heart soars as I taste him, pressing my palms against his arms. He flexes and deepens the kiss. I can barely breathe. I’m desperate to take it all in, hold onto this moment forever.

Smoke fills the air. Something’s burning.

Harek pulls away. “The food!”

Before I can respond, he spins around and swims the short distance to the edge. He leaps out of the water and lifts the stick holding the meat from the now much higher flame than before.

It takes me a moment to pull my attention from the blaze and realize I have a full view of his backside. His underpants cling to him like a second skin. I stare a moment longer than I should before spinning around to give him privacy.

I struggle to breathe normally, unsure if it’s from the shock of the fire or from the kiss—or both.

His voice sounds behind me after what feels like forever. “I managed to save most of it. You ready to eat? I won’t look.”

“Are you dressed?”

“Yeah.”

I turn hesitantly. Thankfully he’s fully dressed. I’m not sure what I’d do if he wasn’t. But why wouldn’t he be? He said he was. His outfit is fresh, making me wonder if it was in his bag or stuffed away in the woods like the last one. But this seems pretty far from Skoro to be a regular spot for hunting with his father. On the other hand, running as wolves might allow them to travel longer distances.

Once I reach the edge of the spring, Harek turns to the fire and keeps his back to me.

“I’m getting out,” I say.

“I won’t move until you give the word.”

Relief washes through me, and it strikes me that I trust him so easily when I’ve been so mad about him lying about being a werewolf. Not that it was really lying—more of an omission of facts that his parents undoubtedly insisted on. Maybe he always planned on telling me once I found out about my own true nature. That was likely his line of thinking all along.

I get out of the spring and shiver in the cold, drying off quickly then changing next to a tree on the off chance someone is spying from the cover of the woods. I make my way to the fire once I have my coat on.

Harek is not only roasting the jackrabbit meat, but he has a small pot and is making stew from it.

“Stew?” I ask.

“It isn’t that hard, and it’s going to be delicious. Did you see the size of that thing?”

“Nearly as big as you.”

He chuckles. “I wouldn’t go that far, but it was easily the largest I’ve seen.” He pulls a log over and motions for me to sit.

After I do, he scoots next to me. We’ve sat this close a million times before, but it’s different now.

That kiss changed everything, and yet I can’t bring myself to talk about it. I can still feel his lips on mine. The thought of it sends every inch of me on fire.

He takes my hand and traces shapes on my palm. My breath catches in my throat, but I don’t need words. The silence between us, the closeness, is enough. The fact that he’s doing this to my hand and that I’m letting him speaks more than I could say with words.

The moment barely starts before he leaps up and checks the stew. “It’s ready. Let’s eat and then head out.”

I want to suggest making camp here for a few days, but it really isn’t an option. Gunnar is bound to be out looking for us again, as are the friends and family of the three fae I killed if anyone figures out what I’ve done.

A shudder runs through me. I might be able to defend us against them, but do I want to? The crazy magic isn’t something I want to mess with again. Though if our lives are in danger, what other choice do I have?

Harek takes two bowls his pack. After filling them, he hands me one, reaches into his bag again, then hands me a spoon.

My mouth waters at the aroma. I should be able to keep this down, given that the magic inside me has finally settled. It isn’t unnoticeable, but I can live with it like this.

At least until I’m forced to kill again.