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“I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to. But we’re in this, together, you and me. Forever.”
I can just see the smile pulling at his lips. “Forever."
Tor
Last night, after wehad cleaned up and returned from our, uh,walkin the Woods, to a round of catcalls and whistles, things had been different between Caelan and me. That wall that he had begun to build between us crumpled like soggy paper, and in doing so, had set Theo more at ease with him.
Caelan even chose to share the tent with us, despite it being a bit squashed and awkward when we both wake up with raging boners, completely wrapped up in each other. Thankfully, Theo is already up and out by the fire with Seff and Roan by the time we begin to rouse. I think it was a deliberate move on his part. He always has been the smart one.
Edith doesn’t return from wherever it is she likes to scamper off to until late in the morning, but she makes up for it by returning with a large flask of fresh coffee she nabbed from nearby Minotaur folk she knew. The coffee, and the sugar she managed to pinch as well, thank the Gods, manages to take the edge off my irritation at Roan still being super weird around Theo.
The behemoth flips between ignoring my brother, staring at him whenever he thinks Theo isn’t looking and treating him as if he is made of glass. I can tell it’s getting on Theo’s nerves, but I can’t seem to catch Roan on his own to tell him to knock it off before Theo loses it at him. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Theo’s temper but Roan is pushing his luck.
Spring is well and truly here, which helps our depleted rations, with the Woods blooming with wild foods to choose from. Before we leave our camp, we forage for something fresh to eat. Seff offers to go hunting again, his eyes getting a littletoofocused when we’d spotted a fox and then a deer sunning itself, but we all insist that we just want to get home as quick as we can.
As we hike, Theo tries opening up more to everyone. It is obviously early days, and he has been through something insane and terrifying, but it is like he wants to talk about it but just can’t. Every time he tries, with everyone’s eyes on him, he shuts back down and goes back into himself.
It’s hard to see, but over the course of the day, Caelan ends up being there for him the most, offering him that same quiet, non-judgemental support he’s always shown me. He doesn’t push or prod, just keeps quiet through the day, silently letting Theo know he’s there.
It makes my heart do a little flip every time I see him bump Theo’s shoulder or distract him from his memories by pointing out one of the Woods’ hidden treasures.
As evening approaches, Theo is saved from questions around the campfire when we run into a centaur herd the others are apparently familiar with. Naturally, Caelan teases me about finally getting to see them up close. After my awkward blush alerts everyone to my excitement, they get their digs and taunts in until I flip them all off. Seff makes gross kissy faces with loud-lipsmacking sounds until Theo is doubled over with laughter. I forgive him, andonlyhim obviously, for that alone, even if Roan looks like he wants to throttle his friend. The spoil sport puts an end to the fun, growling at us all to knock it off. There is a flash of fire in Theo’s eyes as he glares up at Roan, completely unintimidated by the man.
When the centaurs invite us to join them for dinner we readily accept, despite being exhausted and disgusting. It’s not like we’re going to pass up the opportunity to take a break from the stress we’re all carrying. Greetings and introductions fly fast, and I catch exactly none of it, too busy trying to memorise every moment.
We set up near the fire, a hunk of some nondescript but delicious-smelling meat roasting above the open flames. Dinner is being tended to by an older centaur with long steel-grey hair and a full beard that was braided intricately down his bare chest. The other centaurs, only about twenty of them in total, make us welcome, offering fruits and bread from their packs, which we all accepted eagerly while we settle in.
Most of them know Roan by name and ask after the Tavern and Mauvy, and he is eventually pulled away from the group to go catch up with old friends. His eyes rarely leave Theo, who is huddled next to me and Seff on one of the handwoven blankets the centaurs had thrown around the area, just opposite the fire to where Caelan and Edith are standing with a couple of centaurs they had met while I was being held captive.
Theo seems wildly overwhelmed by our dinner companions, insisting repeatedly he is happy to just watch while we keep him company. My excitement over finally meeting the centaurs of the Woods is finally simmering down to a much more manageable level, so I am more than happy to sit with him and bask in the beautiful men surrounding us.
But the longer I watch Caelan, the more I see how uncomfortable he is with the beautiful blonde being who is gettingfartoo friendly with him. I am pretty sure his name was Eusis, the leader of the herd.
“I think it’s time to step in,” I murmur to Seff, nodding across the fire to Caelan, who is once again taking a step back from Eusis. The centaur takes no notice except to take a step himself so he is once again crowding Caelans space, leaning close.
Seff chuckles and winks, throwing a hunk of bread into the air and catching it in his mouth. “Absolutely. You go save your man.” He wraps his arm around Theo, who is sitting cross-legged between us, his arm firmly around his knees, hugging them to his chest. His eyes were wide and stressed. I don’t really blame him. Centaurs are rare, really, really rare. And it is unheard of for them to venture out of the Woods, so it is all rather new on top of everything else he was going through.
I gave his bicep a little squeeze, and his bright green eyes swung to me. “You gonna be ok?”
The little shit just rolls his eyes and wrinkles his nose. “Gonna get real sick of that real soon. You’re worse than him.” He cocks his head over at Roan, who is watching us with a scowl on his face, nostrils flared. His normally grey eyes black as they fixed on Seff’s arm around Theo.
I cluck my tongue at Theo and pull a face. “Yeah, poor baby. Must be so rough having everyone worried about you after you almost died and we risked our lives trying to save you.”
Theo’s eyes narrow, his retort flaming bright there. But Seff cuts him off before he could fire back.
“For the love of the Gods, you two are worse than me and my sister. I don’t like having to be the mature one around here. Tor, go rescue Caelan before he starts using Edith as a human shield.” Finally, he notices Roan watching him. He removes his arm from Theo with a disgusted sigh, lifting his cap from his head, running a hand through his hair before resettling it backwards.
He’s right, though. Caelan is about two steps from picking Edith up and throwing her at the being as a diversion tactic. Time for another rescue mission.
I saunter around the fire, a little extra sway to my hips as I approach Caelan from behind. He goes rigid as a board when my hands slide around his waist, but he relaxes instantly, melting into me when I press my chest to his back, running my hands under his plaid and undershirt, stroking the hair on his belly.
“Hey baby.” I kiss the place under his ear where his heartbeat throbs and I feel his sharp inhale of breath.
“Hey yourself. Everything ok?” His hands trace over mine through his layers. He tries to turn to face me, but I dig my face into his neck, enjoying the woody citrus scent clinging to his skin. I can hear Edith’s snort next to me and my hand itches to flip her off. She’s done nothing to stop Eusis’ outrageous flirting.
“I am now.” I let my lips brush against his neck, delighting in the tickle of his beard and the way he shivers against me.
Caelan turns in my arms, cupping my jaw to kiss me fiercely, his tongue dipping into my mouth to mate with mine until the hollers and foot stamps of the centaur herd around us are deafening and Caelan is dangerously hard against my thigh. To make sure that there are no more misunderstandings, I settle in nice and tight against him, this time my back nestled against his front to hide the erection threatening to break his zipper. Caelan rests his chin on my shoulder and tucks me in even tighter against him.
