EMBER
“Where in the bloody hell have you been, woman?” Fin demands as soon as I step into the camp. He marches toward me, brows furrowed, lips flattened into a scowl. But I have literally no energy to deal with him.
Exhausted, dirty, and sore, I don’t even bother to respond as I pass him. The sun went down at least an hour ago—as if I actually could tell time without a watch—and all I want is to climb into bed.
Well, maybe bathe first. My legs are killing me, my hand sore from clinging to the walking stick as I made my way back here.
“Ember!”
Stopping, I take a deep breath before turning. Fin is not my enemy. And he’s not who I’m angry with. “I’m sorry, Fin. I went for a walk.”
“A bloody walk? Do you have any idea the ruckus your little jaunt caused?”
“I can’t imagine it was too much of one. Rafferty didn’t seem overly concerned with me when I left.”
He moves closer so I can make out bruising on his face.
What the hell happened while I was gone?
Before I can ask, he shakes his head. “Naïve to our world, yes, but I never thought you do be daft.”
“Excuse me? Daft?”
“Aye. To go walking in the forests of a land as brutal as this alone? And to stay out as long as ye’ did? Seems pretty damned daft to me.” With a gaze harder than I’d ever seen, he turns and walks in the opposite direction.
My stomach burns with a mixture of hunger and anger. I only ran off because Rafferty was being an insufferable ass! Was it smart? No. Of course not. But I hadn’t meant to get lost. Hadn’t planned on wandering so far into the fucking trees.
But I’m back now, and no harm was done, right?
Wrong.
I step into the tent, and my stomach drops. The bed has been destroyed, the frame broken in three places so the mattress is partially on the floor. The mirror above the chest of drawers is shattered, glass pieces all over the top of the dark wood. The desk where I’d left Rafferty staring at a map has been broken in the center so both sides collapse down to the floor in a jagged V.
And then my eyes land onhim. Seated in the large copper tub, his back to me, is Rafferty. He breathes deeply, inhaling the soft scent of what I recognize to be lavender—a calming herb I used to use whenever I was having an episode.
He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t turn toward me.
I move in closer, swallowing hard as I do. Raffertyhadpissed me off, yes. I needed space, also yes. But leaving for as long as I did when I know Rafferty already struggles when it comes to worrying about me—that was completely and utterly stupid.
“Rafferty?”
Still, he remains perfectly still.
The tension in the air grows, and I take a cautious step closer. I fucked up today; I see that now. Because even though he was being an asshole, I could have been smart. If Taranus had gotten to me, if he’d captured me—well—the fallout would have been immense.
“Rafferty?” Cautiously, prey trying not to taunt a predator, I move around to the side of the tub and get my first real look at Rafferty since walking in. “Oh my—” Gasping, I cover my mouth with both hands.
The black ring around his iris has expanded—substantially. His lip is split, his cheekbone red. “So nice of you to return,” he snarls.
“What the hell happened?”
Rafferty doesn’t respond, just shifts his gaze back to the water.
“Rafferty!” Exhausted, I kneel at the side of the tub, needing to give my hand a break from where it’s been rubbed raw, thanks to the walking stick.
“What?” he growls, turning his head to me. “Do you have more insults to sling my way?”
“What happened?” I ask, afraid to move closer and wanting to be so close I can breathe him in.