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My eyes dropped to my split knuckles. The pain of his crestfallen face stung worse than any wound. Is that what he thought? That I didn’t want to be his mate? But maybe that was the case after all. Maybe I didn’t...
Gods, I’d messed this all up. I didn’t know how much of me was running from him and how much was running toward Olmdere, but this was Grae,myGrae, and he was mine if only I’d let him be.
“No,” I whispered, though he was already gone. “It wouldn’t.”
Nineteen
We gathered around the open fire, skewering the savory breads Ora made onto sticks and cooking them over the flames. It was a lean meal but better than the dried meat and hard cheese that the Wolves had brought with them. I sat between Hector and Sadie, staring into the flickering orange flames and holding my aching fingers out to the fire. The cold crept deeper into me as the sun fell below the horizon, my joints stiffening and needle pricks covering my nose and fingertips.
Grae tapped Sadie’s shoulder and she shifted down the log. He squeezed in beside me, our arms and thighs brushing together. Sadie passed him a mug of ginger tea.
“Thank you,” he murmured, placing his elbows onto his knees and leaning toward the fire, his shoulders too broad to fit sitting up.
I pondered thatthank you—how easily it was uttered by him—and I wondered if those words weren’t actually for show. Maybe he really did speak to his soldiers this way. Perhaps even his kindness toward the humans wasn’t a ruse.
“To our saviors,” Ora said, lifting their mug in the air. “We are forever grateful you were there in Nesra’s Pass. May the Gods grant you all the blessings in this life that you so rightly deserve.”
“Hear, hear,” Malou said, lifting her mug.
I had always found that human prayer odd—that their Gods only granted the blessings that someone deserved. We had just killed seven people. We didn’t deserve any of the Gods’ blessings.
“We’ve been thinking,” Grae said, drawing the attention of those sitting across the fire. Their images warped from the twisting flames. Grae’s eyes shifted to me and then back to Ora. “The Rooks are rampant in Taigos and I’d imagine even worse in Olmdere. Maybe our crew could join you, seeing as we’re traveling the same way? We could offer you some manner of protection on your travels?”
My mouth dropped open as I blinked at him.
He’d listened to me.
“I was just about to suggest the same thing,” Ora replied, giving Mina a grin. “We’re a little on edge after what happened today. Having some people who are good with swords on our side would be most welcome.”
“Guards to the musicians,” Hector said, raising his mug again. A log cracked and embers danced into the darkening sky.
“I’m assuming it’s not just generosity that made you offer such things.” Ora pursed their lips, rotating their glofta around the licking flames. “You need to keep a low profile, too?”
The four of us froze. What did they know?
“Yes,” Grae finally answered for us. “In our line of work, it’s best to go unnoticed.”
“Until the sword’s in your belly,” Hector said with a laugh that he cut off as soon as Sadie elbowed him hard in the ribs.
“That must be very difficult,” Navin said, his eyes meeting Sadie’s.
Flirting aside, he had no idea. The people we were trying to avoid were our own pack. Now that Grae was gone, too, we were certainly being hunted even as we sat here. We needed to stick to the fringes of town, the human quarters, if we wanted to keep hidden. For all the pomp and circumstance, a musical group would actually draw the least suspicion. Wolves didn’t learn the faces and names of humans, they were window dressing, servants, entertainers, and nothing more. The Silver Wolves hunting us wouldn’t think we’d affiliate with lowly humans. That arrogance would be our greatest cover.
“What are we going to tell people when they ask about them?” Malou asked Ora.
“Hmm.” They considered each of us. “They could help with the setup, or maybe we could say they know how to repair instruments? They could broker performances for us or... Calla, you said you can sing?”
“Oh.” My eyes dropped. “Not really.”
“Will you sing for us?” Mina signed. She grabbed a piece of spiced bread her sister passed to her and popped it into her cheek.
“No, no, no, no.” The words came spilling out of my mouth. It would’ve been embarrassing before, but now that Grae and the others were here... my face heated, the icy sting of the evening air gone. Hector shook beside me with restrained laughter and I elbowed him.
“Will you both stop elbowing me!”
“Not anytime soon,” Sadie muttered.
“That is four nos.” Ora laughed, looking at me.
