Road To Winter (Fae's Captive #2)(8)

I stare at the sword, a legend. It is said that a weapon forged from the flesh of an Obsidian witch can slay any creature—no small feat—and the obsidian blade will feast on the souls of its kills.

“Never have I seen such a blade.” Gareth peers at it with the same reverence I feel. “They say the last one ever made was lost in the Battle of the Spires eons ago.”

“She gave it to me.” Taylor’s sleepy eyes are open just enough for me to get a glimpse of their blue depths. “Not to fulfill her promise—that was a spell to dim my shine—but because she liked me. And maybe because I almost choked on her pea.” She rolls to her side and rests her face on her folded hands. “Selene’s not so bad. You should give her a chance.” With a light sigh, she goes back to sleep.

I don’t know what to make of any of it—neither the aura spell nor the blade. But one thing is certain, my mate is formidable enough to gain an ally from the darkest corner of our world. I stroke her hair.

“I’ll just—” Gareth hitches a thumb over his shoulder and returns to the fire.

I lie down next to Taylor and tenderly pull her into my arms. She doesn’t stir, simply melds into me, her body relaxed as her breath tickles along my throat. Again, my body reacts, demanding I claim her. But I tamp it down and simply enjoy holding her. Even with her safe in my arms, an oily feeling still slinks around inside me.

I sense Gareth prowling through the woods, making one final check of our perimeter. The threat of the witch is gone, her ominous presence lifted. Fairies flit here and there, and an owl hoots its approval high above us.

The unsettled feeling remains.

What will happen when the next threat arises? I must protect Taylor at all costs. I should never have left her with the witch—promise or no promise. I can’t put her in harm’s way again. For her sake … and for mine. It hits me then, what the feeling is. Fear. I didn’t recognize it. The wars I’ve been through, the things I’ve done for my realm—I stopped feeling fear centuries ago. It was a waste. No point fearing death, not when it was around every corner, waiting with a dagger between its teeth. But now, I have a real reason to worry. I kiss Taylor’s hair, and she snuggles closer.

There’s only one solution. I need to keep her so close that nothing can touch her without going through me first. I close my eyes and let myself go, my mind quieting with nothing left but thoughts of her.





4





Taylor





“Psst.”

I open my bleary eyes to find Beth close by and waving me toward her.

“What?”

“Shh!” She presses a finger to her lips.

Leander slumbers beside me, one arm draped across my waist, his body tight against mine.

Beth beckons again.

“Fine,” I mouth and gently scoot away from Leander.

He pulls me back to him but doesn’t wake. Beth rolls her eyes.

I go slower this time, lifting his arm and easing away from him. Once I’m at the edge of the furs, I lay his arm down and roll away.

Beth helps me to my feet, and, with one finger still pressed to her lips, tiptoes past Gareth who is sitting against a nearby tree, his eyes closed. I follow, taking care not to make any wrong steps. They must have been exhausted from their duel with the witch, because neither of them wake as we creep from camp.

“Where are we going?” I whisper.

She just waves me onward. The sun slants through the trees, the warm air caressing us as we cross the flower-strewn forest floor.

The sound of water draws my attention, and Beth stops and points.

Through the trees, I see a shimmering pool that reflects the bright day. I’m suddenly parched. Taking a sniff of my underarm, I wrinkle my nose.

Beth takes off at a faster clip, shedding clothes as she goes. After a quick glance around to make sure we’re alone, I follow. The fragrant flowers grow denser, deep purple blooms dusted with morning dew. I kick off my shoes, then pull my dress over my head. It comes away easily, partly because one seam is loose from the stable fae’s attack and partly because I’ve lost a little weight since I’ve been here.

Beth sheds her last garment, some sort of an undershirt, and I gasp. Fang marks cover her entire body, not just her arms.

She looks over her thin shoulder and shrugs. “I told you I’d rather die than go back to being a chew toy for my master’s vampire hounds. Now you see why.”

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

She shrugs. “What’s done is done.” With a leap, she splashes into the clear water, cool droplets spraying my bare skin.

I shed my panties and follow her, though not quite so jubilantly. I’ve always been modest, verging on painfully shy, so skinny dipping in the woods with a new friend—I pause at the thought. Beth is my friend. I’ve managed to do something in this new world that always evaded me back in my old one. I had study partners, sure. But an actual friend? No. Not like this.

“Don’t just stand there, jump in!” She swipes her arm across the surface and splashes me.

I squeak and ease into the pool, my feet tentative as I step along the sandy bottom. She submerges completely as I get to the center, the water up to my neck. It’s chilly, but I know once I get used to it, I’ll never want to leave. I’d kill for a bar of soap, but the water is enough.