Page 38 of Of Wind and Terror

I offer her a tentative smile and sign, “I’m sure you can kick their asses if you wanted to.”

“Damn right I could. Just be careful, okay? I know you may trust Blaze and Aleksander, but I don’t.” She nibbles on her lower lip before adding, “I don’t like the way they look at you.”

“How do they look at me?” My brows furrow in confusion.

“Like…” She struggles to find the right words. “Like you’re the only thing keeping them sane.” A frown touches the corners of her lips before she sighs and shoves a hand through her wispy blonde hair. “But what do I know?” Abruptly, she jabs a finger into my chest and pushes up onto her tiptoes, so she’s now towering over me. “You’re not allowed to die, you hear me? The Death Whisperer is a symbol of hope, and without it…”

I pat her raised finger sympathetically. “And here I thought you cared about me.”

“Drama queen.” She rolls her eyes again, but a smile plays at the edges of her mouth.

Yeah. I definitely think I like Faye.

I follow the other female out of the hut and back into the blistering heat common in the Summer Court. My skin has taken on a red tint from the constant exposure, and sweat plasters my blonde curls to the nape of my neck, even with the strands piled up into a ponytail.

Blaze and Aleksander both turn in tandem when I step forward, and I can’t help but think how different they look from each other. Blaze is large and abnormally muscular in a way that makes me feel petite and vulnerable in comparison. His garnet-colored hair, highlighted here and there with gold streaks, is tousled and slightly spiked. It contrasts beautifully with his tan skin and striking hazel eyes.

Aleksander, on the other hand, is taller than even Blaze though not as muscular. His pale skin glistens in the midday sun. Long, black hair frames a face that’s as sinful as it is angelic—perfectly portioned features, a soft yet arrogant mouth, and wicked eyes.

Both of them home in on me as if I’m the only one they see.

Without a word, Blaze reaches for the bag I hold and swings it over his shoulder. His eyes sweep over me with careful consideration.

“You okay?” His voice is gruff. Husky.

A throb reverberates through me at the sound of it.

“Honestly?” I sign. “Not really. I don’t know what to expect next.”

“Nobody knows what will happen next,” Blaze reasons, and he flicks his gaze to Aleksander, almost like he’s self-conscious of speaking so freely in front of the other male. “But I’ll protect you every step of the way.”

“We’ll protect you,” Aleksander corrects with a tsk of his tongue. “It’s rude to exclude someone.”

Blaze scowls but ignores Aleksander. I can’t help but think that’s progress.

“So how are we getting to Amorite?” I fiddle with the skirt of my long, yellow dress—borrowed from Faye. It’s impractical to wear a dress on our journey, but it’ll also attract the least amount of attention. Females don’t often wear trousers unless they’re members of the military.

And with all of the people currently after us…

A tremor works its way through me.

No, it’s better to be uncomfortable and fit in than stand out.

Blaze exchanges an unreadable glance with Aleksander, and both males scowl, puffing out their chests as if they're attempting to posture and preen.

Blaze turns back to me, and his expression softens marginally, his eyes warming. “We debated back and forth the best way to get to Amorite, and we agreed that it’ll be easiest—and safest—to pass through my kingdom.” Pride saturates his voice, and I swear he swells in size.

Then Aleksander speaks. “But we can’t decide the easiest way to get to the Fall Court.”

He lazily unsheathes a sword—one he found underneath a carriage—and uses it to clean out his nails. All of his movements are indolent and arrogant. If I didn’t notice the keenness of his eyes, I would’ve said that he didn’t give a damn about what happens next.

“On one hand, the quickest way is to cross straight from the Summer Court into the Fall Court.”

I furrow my brows. “So why don’t we?”

“Because to do so, we’ll have to cross through the Forest of the Damned.” A thunderous expression crosses Blaze’s face. “But on the other hand, if we choose to travel around the forest, it’ll take us an additional two weeks to arrive at my kingdom. And a few days more to reach Amorite.”

“We don’t have that time,” Aleksander interjects.

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