Page 10 of Their Fated Magic

“It feels like my ass has been pounded all day.”

He’s silent.

Rinan clears his throat loudly.

Finally, Garrick says, “Yes, I imagine that could make a person… sore.”

Arlys glances back at me with an amused look I don’t understand. Did I say something wrong?

“I’m going to have to rub all these knots out when I get to camp. Otherwise, I’ll never sleep.”

Garrick flashes me a grin. “I’d be grateful to help you with any knots you need… rubbed out.”

Drogo snorts.

Rinan gives me a funny look. “I could also be of service.”

Arlys shoots him a look, but Rinan just smiles right back. These men are weird.

As we round a turn of the road, Garrick pulls his horse to a stop and surveys a clearing just off the road, near the flowing river. “We’ll stop here and make camp for the night.” Then he climbs down from his horse and leads his horse off to the clearing.

Rest! At last!

Everyone follows suit except Drogo. He stays on his horse, circling the area we intend to camp at. “This is too close to bear territory. We should go back further.”

Go back? Hell no. I’m not going to be tortured by this horse any longer than I have to be.

I laugh, looking up at him. “Uh, aren’t we heading to bear territory…with the bear prince in our group? Of course we’re going to be near bear territory.”

Drogo isn’t the type to joke around, but he has to be joking now.

His expression hardens. “Going to their territory versus camping in their territory is totally different, Princess. You probably remember our hesitation to rest in witch lands, and we had a large party with us then. So maybe think a little before you speak next time.” His words come out measured, but tinged with annoyance.

Garrick steps toward Drogo’s horse. “That’s no way to talk to your wife. It’s a valid question to your illogical problem. We’re as safe here as we will be on this whole trip. Only, we were in your lands before, and now we’re in my lands. This trip requires trust from all of us alike.”

Drogo slides down from the saddle in seconds and gets in Garrick’s face. “I don’t trust bears. We’re only here because you left us no other choice but to ride with you into these cursed lands instead of sneaking onto them in a safer way.”

“You had a choice. You chose this,” Garrick tells him, seeming to choose each word with care.

“The hell we did,” Drogo growls.

To my surprise, Garrick just smirks. “You’re such a hotheaded pup. Why don’t you lay out your pallet and take a nap? Let the adults handle business.”

“With how stupid bears are, I can’t let you be the one to make any decisions.” Drogo shoves Garrick in the chest, but the bear doesn’t move an inch.

This is bad. Another fight. I glance at Arlys and Rinan, hoping they’ll step in, but the other wolves are just watching calmly, choosing to let these two fight it out if it comes to it.

I’m not letting that happen. All this fighting is getting old.

“Enough.” I start struggling to get off the horse when Garrick’s big hands are suddenly pulling me down with ease.

“I can help her,” Drogo says, shoving Garrick again, even though I’m already on the ground.

Pushing my way between them, I eye Drogo. “Just stop. This is getting fucking old. We have a mission. We’re supposed to be a team.”

Drogo huffs, his dark eyes blazing. “We’re no team.”

It’s weird. I understand that we’ve now got a bunch of enemies all thrown together, but we’re married. We’ve sworn to love and be there for each other forever. Yes, I realize that my marriage also hinges on finding a cure to the illness, but we’re on the path to do just that. Everyone needs to start thinking about how we’re going to spend the next one hundred plus years of our lives together.

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