Page 31 of Witchbane
“Yes,” I squeaked, the heat of embarrassment filling my cheeks. At least Liam hadn’t gotten far enough to be fucking me against the tree. We’d only done that a time or two.
“Found your mate,” that wind-like voice echoed around us.
“Um, yeah,” I said. “Thanks for the help.”
“Good little fox,” the forest god said like he was placating a dog. I narrowed my eyes on him. Liam’s grip on me tightened as a giant branch-like hand reached for us. One of the dozens of tiny finger-sized twigs brushed my face. It felt like a real tree, hard and unyielding, as if I’d gotten too close to a tree while the wind was blowing. But it didn’t hurt, and the touch was gentle, like a giant carefully petting a rabbit. I did sort of feel like a rabbit in that moment, rather than a fox.
“We’re thankful for your help in uniting us,” Liam said. “But we must seek your help again.”
The forest god turned fully, giant body facing us and rising to a height that towered over us, like some sort of enormous stag made from the forest. A sculpture of trees, leaves, and brush, he was breathtaking and terrifying all at once. I was glad Liam was there, because I’d sort of forgotten all common sense when faced with what was essentially an immortal being of elemental earth power. This thing would have made theHuntwolves look like puppies. He bent down, that sweeping stack of antlers on his head seeming to be an entire forest of branches, but he met my mate’s gaze.
I gave Liam bonus points for not stepping back in fear.
“Maybe this was a bad idea,” I whispered.
“Help?” the forest god inquired.
“Sebastian’s kitsune is locked inside. It’s making him sick. We were hoping you could help him release that energy,” Liam said.
“I keep accidentally opening portals to Underhill,” I added. “When I sleep.”
The forest god’s gaze shifted to me and wow did that feel uncomfortable. An intensity of power, and a gaze that seemed to see right through me. His spindly fingers moved around me, a dance of branches in the wind, close enough for the barest of touches, but nothing more.
“You’re about ready to pop.” The forest god seemed to laugh.
I glared at him, my exhaustion and irritation giving rise to rage. “Pop? Am I some kind of joke to you? A fucking game?”
“Seb,” Liam whispered wrapping his arms tight around me. Sure, pissing off a god of elemental power probably wasn’t a good idea, but I was tired of being everyone’s plaything.
“Help me release this power,” I demanded.
“You can’t do it here,” the forest god said. “Makes a mess.”
The idea of popping like a giant pimple exploding crossed my mind. Gross. “I need my mate to be safe then. While I go to Underhill.”
Liam protested. “I’m going with you.”
I ignored him, having no intention of letting him get hurt by my other half. “Can I release this in Underhill?”
“Most of your kind are born in Underhill. Odd that you were not,” the forest god said. “The end of Underhill is nigh. Perhaps not the end of your kind, but a new incarnation of them?”
“What?” I glanced at Liam. “Is he making sense to you?”
Liam’s grip on me tightened. “Can you open a portal to Underhill?”
“The fox opens them easily enough,” the forest god said.
“But I can’t control it.” I really began to feel like we were speaking two different languages, even though it all sounded like English to me. Maybe that was all in my head?
“Won’t. Not until you give rise to the new energy brewing inside of you. A gift of the fox, and a trick. Always tricky the little foxes are. Funny little laughs though, worth tickling to hear.”
“I’m completely lost,” I told Liam. “Is all that English? I only speak one language.”
“Sounds like old Welsh to me. Wondered how you understood him at all,” Liam whispered. “His words are sort of lyrical though, a puzzle, a lot like the way the fae sometimes speak.”
Riddles. Fucking riddles. I growled, still cold, exhausted, gut churning with energy like a month worth of bad fish tacos. That stupid darkness wouldn’t go away. It almost appeared to be growing over the distance, crawling up trees and swallowing up the reflection of moonlight on the snow. Did Liam see that? Was it just my eyes? I rubbed them, trying to clarify if it was the cold or something I was really seeing.
Liam didn’t react at all.