CHAPTER 25
A SLEEPY YAWN ESCAPED LENORE. Eyes half-closed, her head nodded along to words that went in and out of her ears.
“Lenore?” The call of her name stirred her from her dozing.
She blinked slowly, then looked up. Edmund stared back at her, fully awake despite the cold darkness of the forest that surrounded them—the sun had yet to rise, and Lenore was still caught in the murky fog of sleep.
Pip had been left home, the light sprite refusing to budge when she had tried to wake it after Edmund showed up at her door.
She didn’t expect to see him so soon after they parted the night before.
Edmund frowned. “You’re doing the complete opposite of surveillance right now.”
“Mmm… it’s so early,” she mumbled. Her head lolled to the side, resting against the bunched fabric of her cloak’s hood. “I said I thought I might be the one to surprise you last night, but I didn’t expect you to show up at my door before the sun rose,” Lenore added.
“I’m supposed to be training you still, and since you’re going to be busy later, this was the best time to start.”
“Really?” She rubbed her eyes. Another yawn slipped out. “I thought it was only until you helped me get the rabbit for the Caernith.”
“I didn’t—it isn’t over yet,” Edmund said, his eyes darting away. He crossed his arms. “Anyway, I don’t think there’s anyone else out there who could drag you out this early to teach you how tracks read differently at this hour.”
“It’s definitely something that only you would do,” Lenore sighed.
She forced herself to stand, getting off the rock that tempted her to shift into a wolf and curl up to sleep.
“But if you’re awake this early, I thought you’d rather go and…
” she paused, her voice quieting to a whisper.
“Check back on where Charie was.” Even with her mind still foggy, a sharp chill ran through her.
She wondered where Charie had gone after.
“That area’s outside our territory,” he answered. “Wyverns start roaming around this time. If I go, I’ll end up drenched in blood that didn’t need to be spilled. I’ll deal with it later.”
Lenore shivered, reminded that their home sat deep in the wilderness, teeming with creatures whose first instinct was to attack. “Right… well, good news for you, because with how I’m feeling, I don’t think you’ll be seeing any blood anytime soon. I can barely move.”
“Is that good news?” Edmund asked dryly. His lips curved faintly. “Are you going to remember anything I teach you today?”
“I’m so sleeeepy,” Lenore whined softly. “With more sleep I might’ve.” She heard him chuckle as her eyes drifted shut. Another tired whine hummed in her throat.
“One early morning won’t kill you,” Edmund teased. “You’ll feel more awake by the end.”
“But why did you have to choose it on the morning of the Upper Moon Feast?” Lenore opened her eyes, trying to muster up a glare. Edmund only laughed—the sound touched with fondness.
“I suppose it’s a bit unfair,” he said, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “You can’t even glare properly.”
“Uuugh.” Lenore shook her head, then rubbed at her eyes again. A heavy sigh left her. “I’ll save whatever energy I have left for your teaching.” She gave him a smile of defeat. “Can’t have these lessons go to waste.”
But to Lenore’s confusion, the light in Edmund’s eyes dimmed, his smile disappearing. Worry wove itself into her expression as she watched him nod stiffly.
Edmund looked out into the forest where he had taken them. Mist clung to every surface, shrouding the darkness with a hazy layer. His voice turned curt. “It’s the perfect environment for you to learn right now. If we want to catch a decent breakfast, just follow my lead.”
Lenore pursed her lips. She knew something had troubled him—but she wasn’t going to let this be. She wasn’t going to accept this anymore.
“Before we go chasing anything, what's wrong?” she asked.
“What?” Edmund raised an eyebrow at her.
Lenore’s stomach twisted with the rise of her nerves, but she let the words spill out. “You’re being all… all Vesren on me!”
A light crease formed between Edmund’s brows next. “That’s because I am.”
“No, this is different. When something’s bothering you, you get all closed up and—and cold.” Lenore pouted. “And I… I don’t like that.”
Edmund’s eyes widened, taken aback from her straightforwardness. Lenore stepped into his space, looking up at him with earnest pleading.
“Tell me, please?” she asked softly. “But even if you don’t… at least tell me how to make you feel better. I want you to feel better.” Her cheeks flushed. Why did I say it like that? But it was her honest desire and she wasn’t going to backtrack now.
Heat crept up into Edmund’s cheeks. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
“... Yesterday,” he started slowly, “when we were at the healer’s…
” he trailed off, the creases under his eyes tightening in embarrassment.
“When you responded to Nox—saying that I was only a teacher to you—I thought that you… found this unpleasant.”
“Unpleasant?” Lenore’s expression turned puzzled. “What do you mean?”
The redness darkened in Edmund’s face. “You and I… being around each other.”
“But… I asked you to go with me to pick tea ingredients.”
“I know that,” he said quickly. He groaned, raising a hand to his face. “But that was still around the idea of helping you.”
“But I also called you a friend!”
“You did…” That didn’t seem to help Edmund. He looked even more embarrassed, more unsettled than before. A tight breath escaped him. “I… was questioning to myself if you disliked me… outside of being your guide.”
The words he confessed lingered in the air between them—a brief silence following as Lenore processed his unexpected words through her surprise.
Edmund shifted uncomfortably, about to look away before she spoke.
“That’s not true. I didn’t mean what I said.
” Her words warmed with gentle reassurance.
“I… definitely don’t dislike you. I—” she hesitated, then shyly added, “I enjoy being with you.”
Edmund’s breath stalled, his expression softening in a way he didn’t seem to know how to hide. “… I see,” he mumbled.
Lenore smiled through her quickening heartbeat. She glanced around, an idea forming in her head. “How about we go for a walk first?” At her words, Edmund frowned in confusion.
“A walk?” he repeated. “Why?”
She gave a soft, quiet laugh. “Because I think that’s the best way to show you that I like being around you. You don’t need to help or teach me anything. Let’s just stroll around and… talk!”
“Do you really want to do that?” The light in his eyes betrayed his feigned nonchalance.
Lenore couldn’t help but smile brighter. “I do,” she said. “It was really nice talking to you last night, and…” Her boot scraped at the ground. “I wish we had more time to talk.”
The smile returned on Edmund’s face. “Me too.”
Lenore nudged him playfully, trying hard to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. “And after all the walking, I’ll probably be more willing to go chase something to eat after.”
“I’ll take you to where we can see the sunrise then.” Excitement rose in his voice and he shifted into a wolf, leading the way with a wagging tail.
Golden light broke through the horizon, swallowing up the fading mist as dawn announced its arrival. The sun slowly peeked between the mountains, held in the curve of their slopes.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sunrise when the stars are still out.
” Lenore stared up in awe, watching the brightest stars linger, twinkling their farewells to the pair below.
Both she and Edmund sat on a hilly slope in their human forms, surrounded by tall grass and wildflowers.
The air was perfumed with gentle florals and the crisp smell of the early morning.
“I’ve gotten so used to it that it’s… a little refreshing seeing you so amazed,” Edmund said. He was watching her from the side, smiling to himself as her expressions continuously changed—shifting between delight and wonder.
“It’s a bit more impressive than you naming all the constellations on the way here,” Lenore said.
Edmund chuckled lightly. “And you surprised me when you knew the stories of most of them.”
“I had a bit of a phase,” Lenore replied with a shy smile. “But I actually never got to stargaze more than a few times in my life. Maybe that’ll change in the future.”
“... I’m sure it will,” Edmund murmured, too quiet for Lenore to hear. She turned to look at him, tilting her head as she leaned in closer.
“Hm? What was that?” she asked.
“Nothing.” He ducked his head to the side. His hand dug into the ground, crumpling a few blades of grass in his grasp. “But… I hope that seeing these things will help you adjust into your life as a werewolf.”
Lenore said nothing at first—realizing he was trying to comfort her from what she shared last night before they were interrupted. Her cheeks warmed. “I think it will,” she said. A soft laugh escaped her. “Didn’t I say we’d put aside the whole ‘you helping me’ thing for now? This counts, you know.”
A brush of sunlight softened Edmund’s face, his smile capturing its golden warmth as he turned to face her. “This didn’t just help you,” he said quietly.
Stars, he’s handsome. Lenore couldn’t help but stare, her eyes lit with sweet adoration.
The light danced off his sharp jawline, highlighting his rugged features in a way that made her breathless.
When she saw his smile twitch at the corners and his jaw tighten in a nervous fashion, she realized she was admiring him for far too long.
Lenore quickly looked up at the sky. “Um. Remind me who I’m going to be making food for again tonight?” Edmund shifted around next to her, unable to sit still. “The Caernith—if he’s well enough, the Duskryns, the Astras…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “… and me.”
“Of course, can’t forget my Vesren—” Lenore stopped, a short gasp leaving her.
Her blunder had her tug at her hair as she hurriedly added, “S-sorry, I meant our Vesren. The pack’s Vesren.
The Vesren. Vesren.” The repeated use of his title made her want to run away.
She peeked a glance at him, biting her lip as she caught the deep red blooming in his cheeks.
“... We should actually go eat something,” Edmund said finally. “You’ll have to go prepare for the feast soon.”
“R-right. Yes. So… about that. Could you get us something?” Lenore gave a sheepish, almost playful grin. “Since I’ll be working away in the kitchen for the rest of the day?”
An amused snort left Edmund as he stood up. “I’ll get you a fresh, beating heart. It’ll strengthen you more than any other organ.” He stole a glance at her, as if hoping she’d be impressed.
Lenore only looked at him in horror.