Ere and Sorin exchanged a look that she couldn’t interpret. Sorin nodded once, and some tension seemed to leave Ere’s shoulders.
“That’s good,” he said. “A man like Wolfe wouldn’t say or do things lightly. I don’t know him well, but I’m quite certain of this. I’m an accurate judge of character, and Sorin is even better.”
“I can’t fight him,” Rui repeated. “I want to help him. He needs the jewel.”
“We need it more,” Ere said. “The Universal Balance—”
“I don’t care!” she cried, wadding the rest of the cloth strips and hurling it in a fit of anger.
Then, she immediately pressed her lips together, eyes rounded with shock.
Never could she have imagined that such blasphemy would leave her mouth. All her existence she’d been trained to defend mankind and the Universal Balance. This was the veryreasonfor her existence in the first place.
“Rui…”
She couldn’t take it any more. The turmoil inside, the pressure outside.
She hastily pulled on her tunic, belted it, strapped on her sword, and strode out of the tent.
“Rui!” Ere called after her, “The swimming contest is about to begin. Where are you going? We must get ready!”
“I was born ready,” she muttered low.
She could win any swim challenge with her arms tied behind her back.
What she wasn’t ready for was being in love. Especially with a man like Wolfe.
Her dragon-hunter nemesis.
The one and only male she would ever love.
The most precious treasure she would give everything for, that she had no choice but to leave behind.
~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~
“You received another missive,” Tristan said as he caught up alongside Wolfe, matching his long-legged, ground-eating strides.
“Report in brief,” Wolfe barked distractedly.
He didn’t care to hear the whole letter. Guinevere’s words, even written, not spoken, had a way of digging into his skin like scorpions. That female was full of venom and ill intent, and the less he had to do with her, the better.
Unfortunately, he had to keep a close watch on her and play her games in this instance. He needed the Dragon’s Eye.
“Your lady dove says she missed your company last night,” Tristan said thoughtfully.
Wolfe could feel the young man’s eyes boring a hole through his profile.
“Where were you?”
“Not your business, boy,” Wolfe replied brusquely, throwing him a glare.
Tristan took it in stride and continued, “She suggests that you start on the east side of the lake in the race this morn. Says the sun’s rays will help chase away the water’s cold. She worries for your wellbeing.”
“Bitch,” Wolfe cursed.
Tristan blinked, disoriented by this startling reaction.
“Uh…”