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Looking up at him she narrowed her eyes and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I don’t know what it is,” she said, gesturing to his chest. “But something seems off. You seem tense.”
“It…” he swallowed around a lump in his throat. “I don’t spend much time in this garden anymore.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Why not?”
“Um.” He cleared his throat. “It was planted for someone I cared about, someone who is unfortunately no longer with us.”
She paled and turned back to the balcony ledges, her cheeks turning pink again. “I am so sorry. Losing someone isn’t easy for a human. I can’t imagine what it’s like when you’re immortal.”
“I’m not sure it’s any different. We simply have more time to grieve.” He sighed.
“We can leave if you want, we don’t have to stay in the gardens,” she said, swallowing audibly.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “There is actually something I’d like to show you.”
Her face lit from within, and she smiled. “Wha—"
A loud howl broke the quiet of the night and screams echoed in the distance. Beside him Mina went stiff as a rod, and her breath caught. “What’s that? What’s wrong?”
Erik sniffed the air and caught the faint scent of blood and fire. He held out his hand to her. “Come with me. I have to get you inside.”
“No,” she said. “I’m coming with you.”
He looked at her ready to protest, and then another howl sounded in the distance. “Alright. Just stay close to me and do exactly what I say. Okay? I don’t need you getting hurt.”
Mina grumbled unintelligibly under her breath and exhaled a heavy breath. “Lead the way.”
Erik swept his arm around behind her and lifted her off the ground and into his arms. Mina let out a yelp and clung to his neck as he raced in the direction of the trouble. Every one of his instincts told him bringing her with him was a bad idea, but he couldn’t just abandon her. If he wanted her to trust him, he had to trust her.
Moving as fast as his legs would carry him, he darted through the gardens, around the side of the palace, and out the front gate. He sniffed the air, forcing himself to set aside the delectable scent of her skin, and caught the trail of the smoke in the air. He turned down one of the streets populated by his nobles and then cut down an alley that led him right to the street where the fire raged. He set Mina down and saw three werewolves mid-combat with a pack of bone hounds and Skinwalkers. His mind reeled. How had they gotten so far into the city?
“I shouldn’t have brought you here,” he said, desperately trying to figure out how to help, and how to protect her at the same time.
“Help them,” she snapped, pointing at the wolves who were struggling to beat back their enemies. “I’ll get the people away.”
Erik blinked at her in surprise. She seemed so calm, and before he had a second to gather his wits again, she took off racing to the first of the houses, ushering the residents away from the fire. His people listened to her and moved without question. She was a born princess, a born leader, and it was getting harder and harder not to fall in love with her.
