Chapter 6
The night sky sparkled like diamonds upon velvet, the full moon lighting the clearing where Raine and the rest of the crew camped. Raine had taken first watch—too restless to sleep as he worried about Casimir’s condition—and was currently attempting to calm Aro.
The giant bear paced among the trees, the boughs trembling each time he bumped into a trunk. Raine approached slowly, holding his arms up in surrender. “Calm down,” he soothed.
Aro growled, ignoring him, as he continued to pace.
“How do I help him?” he asked Sabriel. “I hate seeing him so upset.”
There isn’t much you can do. He won’t listen to me either.
Raine took another step forward, reaching out one hand in hopes to pet him, but Aro snarled louder and snapped his jaws. He yanked his hand back.
“Fine, you big hairy oaf. I’m just trying to help.”
Aro growled again.
“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do. We should be there tomorrow. Why don’t you go to sleep? You’ll wake the whole forest with your stomping and snarling.”
Aro continued his grumbling.
Raine rolled his eyes, leaning against a tree near their camp, and slid to the ground in defeat.
Sabriel padded up and plopped beside him, laying her big head in his lap.
He closed his eyes, finding comfort in her soft fur, unable to keep himself from replaying what had happened back at the daemon’s main camp.
Seeing his best friend in such a state…it was worse than he could have imagined.
Casimir had never been that gravely injured in all the years of their friendship, in all the years they had served in their kingdom’s army.
But the way he had moaned in pain before losing consciousness, his clammy, feverish skin, the life-threatening injuries that hadn’t healed…
Please be okay, he urged.
And then there was Ava, sobbing over the tiny hobgoblin’s body. His heart had broken as she clutched Remy. The sounds that came out of her would forever be imprinted in Raine’s memories and haunt his nightmares.
“Were you just arguing with a bear?” Maeryn’s voice startled him.
He straightened, opening his eyes. “Unfortunately.”
“Does Aro not like you?”
“It’s not about who he likes. He doesn’t let anyone touch him aside from Casimir and Ava.”
Maeryn took a seat on a log, her back to the fire as she faced him.
“Why are you up?” Raine asked.
“It seems I am unable to sleep.”
“Worried?”
“I suppose I am. I like your general. I do not want to see anyone harmed by our enemies.”
“You’re welcome to stay out here. As long as you don’t mind the angry bear.” Aro chuffed, but settled and laid his head atop his paws. “Finally. I swear he and Cas were made for each other.”
Maeryn was quiet for a long while, studying Sabriel resting in Raine’s lap. “Can you explain how your animal companions work?”
Raine tilted his head. “Do you not know?”
She shook her head. “I was born when we were already in hiding and raised in isolation. We were too focused on survival to spend time learning about the details of the other kingdoms.” A haunted look passed over her face before disappearing, so brief it was as if Raine had imagined it.
“That must have been difficult. So…you were born after the first war then? How old are you?”
“Seventy-four.”
“Ah. Just a baby.”
She raised a brow. “And how old are you?”
“About thirty years older.”
“Thirty years older than I, yet you are the silly one, no?”
Raine let out a loud laugh. “That’s a fair assessment. I apologize if my wit offends you.”
“I never said that.”
Raine watched her closely, unable to tear his eyes away.
“Anyway.” She cleared her throat. “Tell me about your animals.”
“What would you like to know?”
“How do you get paired with one?” Her eyes drifted to Sabriel.
“They choose us. Usually when we’re fairly young. As children or teenagers. They’re a gift from the Earth Mother. Helpers for the most powerful high fae of our kingdom.”
“Not everyone has one?”
“No.”
“I’d like to hear the story of how your wolf chose you.”
Sabriel perked up, opening an eye as if she wanted to listen.
Raine continued to stroke her head. “Well, I was five years old. My father is a farmer, and one evening he was inside cooking dinner. I’d been playing in the yard near our pond, catching frogs.
It was one of my favorite things to do as a child.
My sister, Fanya—who was ten at the time—was supposed to be watching me, but you know how siblings are.
” He waved a hand. “There was a bright pink frog I was determined to catch. I’d never seen anything like it.
It was beautiful…and I chased it for a while, but every time I got close, it hopped out of my grasp.
Before I knew it, I was lost in the woods.
I couldn’t find my way back, and had no idea where the house was. ”
“You were so young. That must have been terrifying.”
“It was. I crawled beneath the roots of a tree and cried. I was afraid some creature would eat me, or I’d be lost forever.
” Sabriel raised her head and licked Raine’s face.
He scratched behind her ears as he continued.
“After a while, I felt something tugging on my pants. It pulled me from my hiding spot and when I opened my eyes, there she was. She was just a puppy.”
“How did you know she was your companion?”
“She told me. Her childlike voice spoke in my head. It startled me at first, but when I realized she was mine, I was elated.”
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘Come, little boy. I know the way back to your house.’ I asked how she knew, and she told me she’d been watching me. She knew my name and said she was choosing to bond with me. And that was that.” Sabriel gave a small yip.
“Do they live immortal lifespans like the fae?”
“Yes. But only the bonded animals.”
Maeryn leaned forward, her chin in her hand as her elbow rested on her knee, her eyes twinkling with fascination. “So Aro won’t let anyone else touch him besides the general and the princess. What about Sabriel?”
“She lets Ava pet her. And me. That’s about it.”
Maeryn may touch me.
“Really?”
Yes. I like her.
Raine smirked, his gaze lifting to Maeryn. “Apparently, you can touch her. She said she likes you.”
Maeryn beamed. He’d never seen her smile like that. The way her eyes crinkled at the corners, the small dimples appearing in her cheeks. Absolutely gorgeous.
“Really? I may pet her?”
“Go ahead.” Raine gestured to the wolf.
Maeryn rose and approached, kneeling before Sabriel, and nervously reached out to touch her head. When Sabriel allowed it, she threaded her fingers deeper into her silver fur. “Oh my. What soft fur you have,” she hummed.
Sabriel wagged her tail, pleased.
Raine could not stop studying Maeryn’s face as she beheld Sabriel with fascination.
Her bright yellow eyes contrasting her crimson complexion, the flame tattoos on her neck, her full pouty lips with that shiny gold lip ring.
Her pert nose. Her short, curly hair he suddenly had the urge to run his fingers through.
They hadn’t spent much time together since their initial introduction—when he had tried to flirt and failed miserably—until this mission. He didn’t know what came over him that day, but every time she was around, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her. Couldn’t help but desire to be in her presence.
He hadn’t been this intrigued by someone since he lost Finnick.
And if he was being honest with himself…it scared him.
“What does Sabriel’s voice sound like now?”
“What?”
“You said she had a childlike voice when she found you. Is that how it is now?”
“No. Now she sounds like a cruel old woman.”
Sabriel’s lip curled, a low rumble in the back of her throat. Maeryn jerked her hand back as if she was afraid Sabriel would bite.
“Sorry,” Raine said. “She was growling at me, not you. She didn’t appreciate my teasing. Her voice has a beautiful deeper feminine tone.”
Not an old lady.
“No. Not an old lady.”
Maeryn’s lips quirked in amusement. “She does not like it when you tease her?”
Raine shrugged. “I tease everyone. She’s used to it now. Besides, she teases me back.”
How dare you. I am the model of sophistication.
Moments later, Luna appeared, walked right up to Maeryn, and flopped in her lap. Maeryn froze. “Oh! What should I do? Is she…will she bite me…”
Raine couldn’t help but laugh at Maeryn’s sudden panic.
“Do not laugh at me, captain…”
“My apologies,” he said with a smirk. “Luna likes almost everyone. She won’t hurt you. She only lets Casimir pick her up, but she’ll let anyone snuggle with her.”
Maeryn’s shoulders relaxed as she stroked Luna’s white fur. The cat immediately began to purr and knead her paws in satisfaction. “She is quite beautiful.”
Luna gave a friendly chirp.
“So, you grew up in hiding…does that mean you’ve never been to Igneothenia?”
Maeryn shook her head, expression solemn. “I have not. I am eager to lead our forces to take back my home. Though I guess I never really had a true home…”
Raine met her eyes. “Home is wherever your friends are. Your family…and family doesn’t always have to be blood.”
She seemed to ponder on that. “I’ve seen how you are with the others. You all love each other like family…even if you are not all related…”
“We do.”
The two of them sat together for another hour, talking about everything and nothing.
Raine knew Maeryn was different. There was something special drawing him to her.
Like a tug on his soul, an ache in his chest, and a strange need to protect.
Not in the way he was protective of his friends, but different; deeper.
Like he could take on every hurt or burden she might feel and carry them for her.
Keep them away so she would never have that haunted look on her face again.
And in that moment, he wondered is she my soulbond?