Chapter 14
The autumn air was chilling as a wind whispered along the trees, foretelling of evening snuggled together in front of the fire.
With it, however, brought old longings to the surface of the little seasonal things she missed from her old world.
Apple cider and pumpkin pie being the two most noticeable but even a nice cup of hot cocoa would be nice when the weather turned chilly after the sun went down.
The fact that she was now having the opportunity to perhaps taste a hint of her fond childhood memories was what had her enthusiastically rushing around the cabin to pack whatever they might need for the next few days while Barbasa watched with fond amusement safely outside of her little personal hurricane zone.
But her excitement was for good reason.
After what felt like a dreary lifetime stuck in the hell of a world post-Ravening, she was finally going to see some magic and enjoy herself a little.
Because they were going to the fae market! Not only did she look forward to all the sights of what Barbasa assured her was a bustling marketplace, but she was sure that someone there had to know some tasty things to do with a pumpkin or apple.
It was like going to an autumn faire—and everyone knew that the best part of that was eating until your stomach hurt.
Which was exactly what she was planning on doing.
It wasn’t like she needed to worry about calorie counting when she hadn’t had any extra weight to worry about for years.
It was hard to be plump when every day was about survival.
In fact, the few pounds she had put on since living with Barbasa had filled her out enough to give her an appearance of health after so long living on the brink of starvation.
“Slow down, little one. The market is not going anywhere,”
Barbasa teased as his eyes followed her path across the room. “I am not entirely sure what all you think you need.”
She rolled her eyes as she picked up her backpack and set it on the table beside the small pile of necessities.
That was the voice of a man with little heavy duty shopping experience who seldom accompanied a human woman on vacation—and this was as close to a vacation as she was ever going to get.
“I have to be prepared,”
she explained as she began to carefully pack everything. “You said it will take a few days for us to get to the town, which means packing some food for the trip as well as a clean change of clothing for when we get there.”
She lifted her head from her backpack and squinted at him. “Do the fae have any concept of lodgings... like a hotel, or are we just making camp outside of town?”
Barbasa chuckled. “There are rooms available about the tavern. We will sleep in comfort once we arrive.”
She nodded thoughtfully as she rolled up a blanket and shoved it into the bag. “All right. I can make do with the blanket while we are on the road until then.”
“You don’t trust me to keep your warm?”
he teased.
Tiffany gave him a pointed look. “Not all of us have your thick hide. The ground is hard and uncomfortable.”
“You are always welcome to lie on me,”
he purred in response, and she gave him an amused look.
“Oh, I plan on doing that as well, but I’m still going for optimal comfort here.”
“So long as you have your priorities straight,”
he agreed casually, his lips stretching in a leering grin. “I would hate to be deprived of every pleasure.”
Snorting with amusement, she zipped the bag up and tossed it to him. “Me too,”
she quipped. “That’s why you are carrying the bag.”
Barbasa snatched it out of the air and laughed as he looped it over his shoulders. “Are we ready then, my pet?”
She nodded as she gave the cabin one last look.
The herbs were drying from where they hung on pegs around the fireplace and there was a fresh scent from the lavender water that she used to scrub down the place along with the scent of warm spices.
As excited as she was to see the fae town, she almost hated to leave when she finally got the cabin to a comfortable place.
“How long do you think we will be gone?”
The male shrugged. It is three or four days walk each way. We should not be gone longer than a week at my guess.”
She nodded again and grimaced. They would get back just in time for everything to be covered in dust again. “Okay, let’s get going.”
Barbasa inclined his head and lowered it in a bow, his arm sweeping out gallantly as he opened the door for her.
Tiffany stifled a laugh as she slipped by him and out the door.
The crisp, musky scent of autumn immediately met her nose, and she drew in a deep breath of the cool, refreshing air as she waited for the satyr to join her.
Turning around, she peered over at him and watched patiently as he moved his fingers in a complicated pattern over the closed door.
“What are you doing?”
she called over to him.
He brushed his fingers down in a final, sweeping motion before turning toward her with a smirk. “Just setting the protection and a few traps for anyone who fails to get the hint not to enter. Just in case,”
he added. “There is always a chance of someone stumbling across this place when I’m away from my woods and not present to keep it guarded.”
Tiffany shook her head in disbelief. Traps of all things. She felt sorry for any goldilocks who happened to come across the place. She said as much but Barbasa gave her such a confused look that she sighed.
“Never mind,”
she chuckled. “Let’s just say that it is a tale of lost, golden-haired little girl who seeks refuge in a strange home where she stood a good chance of being eaten by those dwelling there.”
“Ah,”
he murmured and then broadly grinned as he made his way to her side. “I have one of those. And it is my pleasure to eat her every day until she screams and begs me to stop.”
Wrapping one arm around her shoulders, he leaned down to nuzzle her. “But I require no more than my own goldilocks that I already possess. Any other lost, fair-haired females will have to find another dwelling.”
Snorting with laughter, she slapped his chest with her hand and grinned. “Damn straight. Just make sure you remember that I’m the only blonde you are allowed to eat.”
“The only one I will ever eat,”
he replied with a deep purr. “Since having a taste, I will hunger for no other.”
“Flatterer,”
she murmured, and she stretched up to peck a kiss to his mouth.
His lips curled beneath hers and in the next moment she was scooped off her feet and carried off the porch.
Tiffany giggled as she dangled from his arms and snuggled her cheek into the crook of his neck.
His skin was so incredibly warm that he was like her own little personal heater.
Looping her legs around his waist, she allowed herself to be carried.
It was ridiculous and not too long ago she would have been embarrassed and offended if anyone had suggested that she be carried like a helpless baby—but with Barbasa it was different.
Eventually he did put her down once she began to get antsy enough that she struggled to hold still within his arms.
Considering that the sun was high in the sky by that time, she had nothing to complain about.
It was actually a relief to be able to stretch her legs even if it slowed their pace down a bit.
In any case, the crunch of leaves under her feet as they made their way to the edge of the forest was a pleasant accompaniment.
Tiffany kicked at the leaves and grinned.
She had spent so many years tired, cold, and hungry that being relieved from those pains was allowing her to truly enjoy the season to the fullest.
Even Eesha and Ashel seemed to scatter leaves jubilantly with their pack as they followed them in the shadows to the edge of the woods.
Rather than daunting as it had seemed upon her first arrival, the forest felt warm and welcoming in its autumn foliage.
Barbasa, in contrast, was a silent shadow moving along the leaves, his hooves stepping so lightly that they barely made a sound.
His eyes, however, glowed as they shifted continuously upon their surroundings.
She would have thought he was indifferent entirely to the atmosphere if not for the warm smile he frequently directed her way and the gentle way he plucked a fallen leaf from her hair.
To her surprise, she felt a sudden reluctance to cross over the edge of the woods when they arrived at it.
The grassy expanse beyond it now seemed hostile and exposed compared to the cozy comfort of their woods.
She paused for a long moment, staring out at it as she nibbled at her bottom lip with uncertainty.
Barbasa peered down at her with concern and his hands stroked over her hair to comfort her.
“We do not have to go if you do not wish to,”
he murmured.
She blinked, thrown out of her contemplation and peered over at him with a faint blush warming her cheeks. “No. I want to go. I want to see this market. Just leaving the forest is... scary,”
she admitted with a self-deprecating laugh.
To her surprise, Barbasa didn’t laugh. Instead, he nodded quietly, his gaze thoughtful. “The woods are our home. They protect and care for us even as we protect and care for them. It is natural to be uneasy when leaving them.”
Tiffany slanted him a wry smile. “I hate to be the one to tell you this but at first glance your woods are anything but comforting.”
She sighed and looked back out over the grass. “Somehow that changed without me even realizing it.”
His warm hand slid over hers, his fingers entwining with her own.
He lifted their joined hands between them and brushed a kiss over the back of her knuckles.
“It is because you belong to it now as much as you belong to me, and I belong to you.
So let us hurry to this market and enjoy the merriment so we may hurry back to our home.”
Tension bled out of her as she gave him a quick, happy nod.
He was right.
She was overthinking things.
There was no danger lurking out there.
If there was any sign of her pursuers at all, she knew that Barbasa wouldn’t even allow her to leave the forest where they might be lurking.
She would enjoy the autumn market and experiencing all the sights, sounds, and flavors of it, but then she would make certain to hurry back home where they belonged.
Turning to face the woods, she smiled back at the tall trees that seemed to almost bend toward them in a silent farewell.
Even the pack had stopped at its edge, their ears pricking curiously as they watched.
Eesha and Ashel truly had a big family.
Tiffany saw no fewer than a dozen dire wolves slipping among the trees and brush, among whom Dinix stood out as the lankiest as he bounded excitedly among the fallen leaves.
Just the sight of them brought her a greater sense of relief.
It comforted her knowing that they would be there guarding their home and waiting for them.
With a smile tugging at her lips, she turned to Barbasa and squeezed his hand. “Let’s go,”
she murmured and took a breath as they stepped out of the shelter of their forest and back into the world beyond its borders.