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I did too.
Stepping out from the shelter of the hollow, I breathed in the night air, hoping that I could catch the scent of him on the mild breeze. Nothing, yet, but there was a tingle along my skin that hadn't been there before, a tension in my gut.
Just as I was about to retreat into the shadows of the hollow, I heard footsteps approach. Instantly, my heart leapt in my chest and hope surged within me. I held my breath in anticipation, hoping that it was Brody who had come for me.
As the figure drew closer, the light from the moon illuminated his features and revealed that it was indeed him. I let out a relieved sigh, feeling a wave of elation wash over me.
He slowed his pace as he approached and stopped just at the edge of where the shadows met with silver light from above. His eyes were bright with anticipation as he stared into mine, and for a moment, we were both lost in the intensity of that gaze.
"Selene," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You came," I said, voice trembling even with those two words.
"I spent all day pretending that this wasn't real—that you were a figment of my imagination. But I couldn't stop thinking about you."
He stepped forward, closing the distance between us until he was just a few feet away. I wanted to reach out and touch him, to pull him closer, but there was a tension in the air and I knew that he'd come here for a purpose. One that we had to deal with. He slid a bag from his back and withdrew a box. I could smell strange things, and my stomach twisted to think that it wasn't entirely pleasant.
"I brought something for you to taste." He passed the box to me, his hand shaking slightly. I reached for it, my hand brushing against his as I claimed the box and drew it toward me. "I don't know what you like, but…" He gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I had to start somewhere."
I smiled and tugged open the lid before lifting my gaze back to his. I wasn't sure what was in the box, but I didn't want him to feel bad. "It smells wonderful," I said, smiling at him softly. He smiled in response, his face brightening with it. He was such a handsome man. I wanted to reach out and touch his cheek, to kiss him.
But I knew that was what my mother wanted too. So, I couldn't.
"I hope you enjoy it as much as I did," he said, his gaze dipping to my lips, voice low and rough with emotion. The tension between us was too much, so I stepped back, breaking eye contact and settling into the nest of blankets in the hollow.
"We will find out soon enough," I replied, eager to sample the food he offered. To get this over with. I could taste the failure already, hoping that the side effect of that wouldn't be too bad.
I reached inside and lifted something from the box, sniffing at it. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, but it smelled like meat, only different. Not the way we normally ate it. Tarnished?
Brody looked so hopeful, like this was the answer to everything, but I could barely bring myself to taste it.
The scent was strange and metallic, like old coins or ashes. I bit into it hesitantly before quickly spitting out the foul-tasting morsel.
It was dry, tough and chewy in my mouth, with a flavor that seemed to linger for far too long on my tongue—bitter and acrid. My stomach heaved and there was a definite jolt of pain that came with the failure. Brody winced, one hand dropping to his stomach and clutching it tightly. His jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything about the pain I knew he was feeling.
I sighed heavily as I placed the box on the ground. "I'm sorry," I whispered.
"Don't be," he replied, taking my hand gently in his own.
His thumb stroked my skin in small circles, sending ripples of pleasure through me. I wanted him closer. Needed him further away. The sooner he left, the better.
He smiled at me reassuringly. "We'll find something that delights you," he said. "Maybe you could give me a hint? What do you love to eat?"
Brody winced, and I knew that his stomach was as pained as mine. Whatever I felt, he would feel it twofold; but there was no point telling him that now. Nothing about our situation could be changed.
I thought back to the sweet treats that I enjoyed on hot summer days. "Wild strawberries," I said, a smile playing at my lips.
"So, berries, sweet…" His eyes moved out into the forest as if he was scanning the woods for berries right now.
I tugged his hand, making him look back at me. "It can't be something from my world, Brody. It has to be something from yours." It was hard to get those words through my lips, as though Mother's geas didn't want me to speak them, but I had to help him. Help us both.
"Okay." He nodded, his gaze slipping back to the woods, his mind clearly thinking ahead. "I should have asked what you liked before I tried, I just… I didn't think of it." He looked sheepish at that admission, heat reddening his cheeks. "I wanted to begin. To win at this, at least."
Win? It was a strange concept to me, maybe one that humans used. It did not belong in my world, though.
"I can't tell you exactly what will fulfil the curse," I told him. "But we will both know when you do." I bit my lip and then cocked my head to listen. I could not catch a scent or sound of my mother, but I had a feeling that she wouldn't be far. I drew him closer, brushing my lips against his ear. "I want you to succeed, more than anything. Sweet, fresh, something that leaves a tang in my mouth afterwards."
The beat of wings in the night air rang like an alarm, and I shoved Brody away from me with more force than I'd intended. My eyes flared wide in warning as I flicked my gaze above, hoping that he would understand me with no words.
