Chapter 16 #3
He took another swig. ‘Looks like you’re digging yourself a little hole to hide in.’
‘I’m burying the mole.’ Damn man laughed so hard he spat his blessed drink out. I sat back on my haunches, brushed the dirt from my dark leggings. ‘You have an issue with that?’
By Vyrus’s flames, I was about to bury him in a minute.
‘I have no issue with how you spend your evening, sweetheart, but he does.’ He swung his bottle into the gloom, and I peered in the direction he’d indicated.
‘Who?’ My gut twisted. I hated being at a disadvantage.
‘That wolf of yours,’ he said as I used the stick to tip the long-dead mole into the shallow hole.
I snorted. ‘He’s probably gone to get himself another meal.’
‘Nope,’ Hawk said, standing.
I patted the damp earth over the mole and hoped it finally had some peace.
‘He’s pissed. He gave you that as a gift and you just buried it.’
‘I think I know my wolf better than you,’ I said.
I stared into the gloom, brows furrowed. The wolf’s tail had been lowered, head down. My stomach twisted. How the hell did this man understand Pablo better than me?
Hawk lay back down, his notebook in one hand. I could barely see him in this light. Pablo would be back soon enough. I’d make it up to him. Somehow.
I crouched down. Pablo had never taken to a stranger as he had this man.
What if he had yet another gift? I shook my head.
It was impossible. Glesni had been blessed with three gifts, but if he had another one?
‘You communicate with animals, then?’ I asked, ignoring his exasperated huff. ‘That’s your gift?’
He groaned. ‘Right now, I’m regretting my ability to talk to humans.
’ He made a great show of turning over, and with his back to me, his book slipped to the ground.
‘I’ve told you, sweetheart. I’m not an Anomaly.
The only gift I possess would be of no interest to a happily married woman.
’ He chuckled, muttering something under his breath.
‘A Deviant then?’
For a few moments, the only sounds were the fading crackles from the fire.
‘You really test the patience of a God, you know that, sweetheart?’
‘You know, before she died, Glesni revealed she had a third power, apparently it’s unheard of.’
‘Not an Anomaly. Not a Deviant. Or whatever the fuck someone with a trio of gifts is called.’
‘Evella has blessed you, though.’
I cried as he flung himself up. In a heartbeat, I recoiled as he was in my face, his hot breath on my pale cheeks. He raised his fists, spittle flying from his twisted lips.
‘Do not mention being blessed by her in my presence ever again. And stop digging into my life. You won’t like what you find. I can promise you that, sweetheart.’
Fear sparked within before I smirked. His tanned complexion spoke of life at sea, but what if he was from Obaithe? What if his hatred of Evella was all he’d known? Secrets lurked under his skin. We both knew it.
‘Leave me be, woman, or I swear you’ll find out what happens when you anger the—’
We both sniffed as the bitter scent of burning blew across the cool of the night breeze. His eyes widened.
‘My book!’ He leapt away from me, pulling the now-blazing book from the flames and stamping on it. ‘My notes!’
For a moment, a sliver of pity thrummed through my veins as he lifted the smouldering remnants of his book, cursing.
‘I hope you don’t expect me to apologise.’ I settled down. If he hadn’t lost his temper in such a dramatic way, he’d still have something to write in. Hopefully, he’d learn a lesson from that.
‘Apologise for what, sweetheart?’
‘It was your fault your book burnt. If you hadn’t—’
‘Burnt? Why would my book be burnt?’
I sat up, stared across at him.
No…
I shuffled forward. Reached out, just to ensure my weak eyes weren’t lying.
‘What?’ I breathed the word under my breath.
The book was undamaged. Not a single blemish.
The scent of burning gone. Swallowing, I cast my gaze onto his shaky smirk.
His gifts, I didn’t care how he argued differently, these were gifts, were beyond the scope of any Anomaly I’d ever seen or heard of.
Up till now, Glesni Grace had been the most powerful Deviant I’d ever known, but even my mentor paled into insignificance next to whatever this man concealed within his soul.
Lying down, he drew his coat over him, heaving out a long sigh.
‘Night, sweetheart.’
Far too many questions and accusations burned inside me, climbing over each other and demanding I spit them at this…
man? Damn, if Matthias were here, he’d have a sword at his throat.
Force him to reveal his secrets before he spilt the man’s blood.
And without unearthing his skeletons, I may never see Matthias again.
But I still couldn’t ignore how my body recoiled when this man was near.
Still couldn’t fight the urge to go.
I pushed myself onto my trembling feet.
Pablo, I told myself. I had to find Pablo. I wouldn’t sleep without him.
So, with one last hazy glance over my shoulder, I padded out to the trees and away from whatever the hell I’d saddled myself with.