Chapter 23 #2
“Wolves?” he repeated, his voice rough with sleep and something deeper—grief and a bone-aching tiredness.
“So many wolves. Massive wolves.”
“Were they attacking?” His hand found mine, steadying me, but I felt the tension racing through him.
I shook my head to clear it. Parts of the images were still crystal clear, but others were becoming hazy. “Yes? But not me. At least I don’t think they were. I think they were fighting something else. Something dark.” I gripped his hand tightly. “You were there. But I couldn’t reach you.”
“Wolves,” he said again, wondering. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “That’s… unusual.” His voice dropped as he said, “Lie back down. I’ve got you.”
I did as he said and curled on my side. He slid into his usual position behind me, his chest pressed to my back.
I had missed this, this past week, feeling him nestled up against me.
Being able to relax against him. Although, his heart was beating faster than usual and his breathing wasn’t quite steady.
“Are you alright?” I murmured sleepily, sensing the tension still coiled through his body.
He let out a rough exhale against my neck. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Sometimes I have nightmares, too, Princess. About losing people. Not being fast enough, strong enough, good enough.”
His arm snaked around me, higher than it usually rested around my waist. Tonight, it was threaded between my breasts.
My hand found his, our fingers interlaced together.
I could feel the calluses on his palm, the slight tremors in his chest that showed he was barely controlling his emotions.
He held me tighter to him than usual, as if I might disappear into the darkness of my dream, but I offered no protest. If anything, I shifted back against him, offering what comfort I could, should he decide to take it.
Pressed against each other, finding solace in shared warmth, the distance between us evaporated, and we fell back asleep.
“Ready for our next adventure, Lexie?” Finn, as always, was chipper when he met me the next morning. I had no idea how he did it.
“Lots and lots of coffee,” he said with a wink, when I asked him. “Shall we?”
I stalled for a moment, before saying, “Griff said he’d take me.” At least I assumed that was still the plan. He had been gone when I woke up.
An expression crossed Finn’s face that I couldn’t decipher.
“Take us,” I amended.
His face back to his usual grin, he said, “Well, at least you won’t be sick if he teleports us.”
“Ready?” Griff appeared out of nowhere, standing behind me, having perfect timing as always.
His hand brushed my back. I was so used to it by this point that the jolt of power didn’t even register anymore.
I searched his face for any clue as to his emotional state, but whatever cracks had let me in last night had disappeared with the morning sun.
“So, brother mine,” Finn started as we walked through the castle gates, “remind me again why you decided to join us on this training expedition?”
“Can’t I just want to visit an old friend?” Griff replied. His innocent tone convinced no one, the words coming out forced.
“Because you and Fiadh were such good friends?” Finn countered.
“Perhaps not as good of friends as you and Fiadh,” Griff needled him.
I glanced between them. Clearly there was something here that I wasn’t privy to. “Is there something I need to know?”
“Not at all,” Griff assured me smoothly. “I’m just looking forward to catching up with an old friend and observing her training methods. Maybe I’ll learn something.” I had to hand it to him—he was trying to appear normal.
“Observing?” Finn raised a brow. “Observing how closely exactly? Fiadh being especially fond of people hovering.”
“I don’t hover.”
Both Finn and I stopped, staring at him in disbelief.
“Pretty sure we’ve had this fight,” I said eventually. “A couple times now.”
“I maintain a protective but respectful perimeter.”
Finn burst out laughing, but there was an edge to it I didn’t understand. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Griff gave him a flat look, done with this line of questioning. “Call it what you want. The princess is not leaving here without me. Deal with it. We’re past the wards.” He reached out to me, and I stepped into his arms, Finn holding on to his shoulder as we whirled into the afternoon sun.
We landed in the lightly falling snow. I tilted my head up to the bright sky, my hood falling down as I did so.
We had nothing like this at home, and the light, fluffy flakes fell gently, dusting us like powdered sugar.
This mountain, Kaelthorne, was one of the largest peaks, different from the one Azar had taken me to.
It was brighter here, sharper. Pine trees dotted the landscape, their branches frosted in white.
The scent of pine, so unlike anything I had smelled at home, mixed with the freshness of the snow, creating a rather magical and peaceful setting.
I understood why this Fiadh had made her home up here, especially if she preferred solitude.
The twins appreciated the setting as well.
At least Finn did, scooping up a snowball and tossing it at Griff, hitting him square in the back.
Griff just gave him an arched look, which Finn returned with a grin.
There was no discernable path that I could tell, but the twins walked confidently forward through the drifts.
I assumed they knew where they were going and lagged behind.
For once, I could enjoy the snow without dodging fireballs.
It didn’t last long, however. The snow picked up, the light, fluffy flakes falling heavier and wetter. The magical setting disappeared, fading into a cold, dreary wetness that soaked us even through our fleece-lined clothes.
“Is everything out here so remote?” I asked, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
“Not everything. There are small towns. Still remote, but with more life around them. Only Fiadh would make her home out here in the middle of this cursed mountain, reclusive thing that she is,” Finn grumbled, shaking snow off his head as the sky darkened.
“It’s not her fault she’s so reclusive. You remember what her father was like,” Griff countered.
“If we die out here from frostbite,” Finn continued as if Griff hadn’t spoken, “I want it to be known that it was your idea to not teleport directly into her clearing.”
“It’s not polite,” Griff replied, as though they’d had this conversation several times in the past. “Besides, you’re so full of hot air this morning, there’s no chance of frostbite setting in.”
“Just try not to frighten her off before she teaches Lexie,” Finn grumbled.
“When have I ever frightened someone off?” Griff asked mildly.
“Are you asking for the full list?” I asked him.
“In alphabetical or chronological order?” Finn added.
Griff’s mouth twitched. “Fine, fine. I’ll be mellow. Friendly even.”
“And don’t be hovery,” I added.
Griff opened his mouth, but I was saved from his reply by our arrival.
Nestled in between the massive pines, a small cabin made of logs stood outlined against the gray sky.
As we approached the house, I paused. The scent of pine and snow had changed with the air drifting toward us, bringing the reek of stench and decay.
It permeated my senses, causing me to gag as it seared my nose.
I turned to ask if they smelled it, but didn’t have to.
It was clear from their expressions they did.
Their demeanors changed, stiffening, putting weight on the balls of their feet as if they were readying to be attacked at any moment.
“Don’t touch anything,” Griff cautioned me, as he drew his swords. Gone was the man attempting to joke around. His face went expressionless, more so than his usual mask. This was the Champion incarnate.
“Yeah, no shit.”
Finn sent a look in my direction before addressing his brother. “I feel like I need to at least raise the possibility of taking her back before investigating.”
“I’m staying.” I was adamant. I knew either one of them could probably overpower me—Griff certainly could—but I figured it was worth a shot. Surprisingly, they listened, although Griff gave me a long, hard look, clearly conflicted.
“Let’s see if we can help your friend,” I added.
As we neared the house, Finn slowly opened the door with his mind.
As it inched open, shadows spilled out, tainting the pure-white snow and instantly spreading like tar.
Griff reached for me, but the shadows leapt higher, forming a wall, keeping us apart.
He hurriedly withdrew his hands, coming within millimeters of touching it.
His wrath at being parted from me radiated from him.
I didn’t like it much either, especially as the shadows circled around us, herding us forward.
If we didn’t want to touch them, and we certainly didn’t, there was only one way to go—into the house.
Shoving the fear down, I pulled quietly at my channels, setting what I could in place, as we were driven onward.
“If it isn’t my lords Narvene.” That must have been Fiadh, her voice crawling over my skin.
I couldn’t see much of her, dark as the house was, but a slight figure, draped in many shawls, raised her head from the corner where she sat.
She stood up, hunched under the weight of the shawls, and drifted closer.
She glided, rather than walked, her feet making no sound against the rotting floorboards.
The shadows followed her as if they were another shawl, trailing on the ground.
As she passed a window and light hit her face, I swallowed heavily.