Page 45 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

“So our time together hasn’t meant anything to you?” He sounds angry, but I know him well enough to realize he’s just hurt; a rare moment of vulnerability on his part.

“Of course it has.” I’m getting emotional now.“I didn’t know if you wanted to be with me, or if you just…” I trail off, hating the idea that he might not feel as strongly for me as I do him.

“If I just what? Would use you to get a quick fix and then leave you in the dust?” His neck flushes in anger.

“Finn, stop! I don’t know how to do this, okay?” I hold back a sob that’s fighting its way to the surface.

He lowers his head, exhaling loudly. He stays that way, looking down at the floor, for a long while, before finally speaking again.“I’m sorry.” He pulls me into a hug and I relax into him, relieved that he’s not leaving. Not yet anyway.

I pull away slightly and look up into his face.“Aren’t you going back to the Northlands?”

“Yes.”

“We could travel together for a few more days, then, right? Until we’re out of the Eastlands?” I’m trying not to seem desperate, but I can feel him receding into himself.

Finn searches my eyes, his brows pulled together as he considers my proposal.“Okay.” I can see a war waging behind his eyes, and I wonder if he feels the same unexplained magnetic pull towards me that I do him. He’s been alive significantly longer than I have; maybe I’m stupid to believe that there’s something special between us, but I’ve never felt anything like this.

There’s a lot going unsaid between us, and traveling together for the next couple of days is only delaying the inevitable. But I push that thought out of my mind, thankful for any time that I get with him. And even if it makes me a fool to admit it, I know I’m falling for the beautiful male standing in front of me.

Chapter Twenty-two

The next morning, after Finn wraps up his official business with the royal family, we meet in front of the inn and head out of town together, Shadow in tow. We plan to make it to the next town, Dornwich, by nightfall, which will require a faster pace. After we stop briefly for lunch, I mount Shadow as Finn takes to the skies, flying above us as we canter down the main road. After about an hour of him flying above us, Finn comes back down, landing neatly next to us on the road, and tells me he has to pee. I laugh, undeterred by his bluntness, and follow him into the forest as we both find separate spots to relieve ourselves. As I’m finishing up, I hear a snap of a twig several yards away from me among the trees.

“Finn?” I call out, but there’s no response. I draw my dagger warily and head back to the clearing where I left Shadow grazing, surprised to find Finn already standing next to her. He tells me we’re roughly ten miles outside of Dornwich, and that we should be able to make it there by sundown when I hear another snap of a twig, closer this time. Finn hears it too, instantly tucking his wings in tight and drawing the short sword at his side. I sheathe my dagger and draw my bow instead, nocking an arrow. We stand back to back, turning in a slow circle, Finn’s quick reaction confirming my suspicions that something is definitely near, watching us.

Out of the trees, a four-legged creature with huge black eyes and several rows of long, jagged teeth stalks towards us, snarling as bloody saliva hangs from its massive mouth. It’s about the size of a large wolf, but it has no hair, only scarred, armored skin that looks extremely tough. I’ve never seen anything like it, but it’s obviously not something that anyone would keep as a pet. Another one emerges from across the clearing, and then a third, until we’re surrounded.

I turn to Shadow, my eyes wide with urgency.“Go.” She instantly takes off at a full gallop before launching into the skies, giving me peace of mind that she won’t be hurt in the fight that is bound to unfurl in the next few moments.

The creatures close in, snapping and growling at us.“What are they?” I ask Finn, my eyes darting between the two I can see as I keep my bow pulled taut.

“Rovern,” Finn tells me.“Summoned from the Faide for one purpose.”

Deathhounds. I’ve heard legends, seen drawings. Seeing them in person is a whole other beast.“I’m guessing that purpose doesn’t involve curling up at your feet as you read a good book by the fire,” I say dryly, trying to maintain some positivity in the face of such hideous creatures.

“No, it does not,” he answers, watching as the Rovern close in on us.

“Great. Any particular place I should aim?” I ask, my shoulder burning.

Two more deathhounds emerge from the trees for a total of five, at least that we can see.“The heart is good. The head is best,” Finn says, meeting my eyes briefly before giving me a quick nod. I realize in this moment that we’ve never fought side by side before, but our movements are smooth and coordinated, as if we’ve faced countless enemies together before.

I take a moment to appreciate the fact that he’s not trying to be the hero, that he has faith in me to hold my own. His treating me like his equal is extremely attractive.

I nod before turning my attention back to the creature closest to me, its pitch-black eyes an empty, soulless void that sends a shiver down my spine. The question of who and why someone would summon these creatures from the Faide remains to be seen, but that’s a problem for another time.

Providing we survive this attack.

I take aim right between one of the creature's eyes and waste no time loosing my arrow. It strikes true, killing the ugly beast instantly. The Rovern falls to the ground with a heavy thump, as the other deathhounds launch into action. I nock another arrow and take aim again as Finn fights off two of them at once, swinging his sword gracefully through the air as the creatures snap at him with their massive jaws. One launches at him and he dodges it skillfully, swiping at its neck and taking its head clean off as it flies past him. The second one launches at Finn’s back, and I shoot my arrow there; it lodges itself in the beast’s side as the creature lets out a bloodcurdling roar of pain, falling to the ground. Finn thrusts his sword straight down into its skull, silencing its cries.

The remaining two Rovern circle us, more wary than before but still intent on their goal. Finn jerks his head to the right, signaling to me that I should focus on that one while he takes on the other. The beast I’m currently aiming at snarls at me viciously, baring its countless teeth. I watch it closely, aiming again for the head. A noise of rustling in the trees breaks my focus, and my head snaps to the left where the sound came from, which proves to be a costly mistake. The Rovern seizes its opportunity to strike, and I snap my attention back a little too late. I loose my arrow but it misses its mark, grazing the beast’s side instead of lodging in its skull.

It slams into me, taking me down to the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of my lungs. It’s snapping at my face with its bloody teeth as I hold it back with my bare hands. I’m losing the battle of brute strength, and in a last-ditch effort, I reach for my dagger at my thigh, unsheathing it and jamming it up into the beast’s throat, twisting once for good measure. It roars in pain as hot, thick blood spills over my face and chest, the stench of rotting flesh making me gag. I shove the creature off of me and sit up, just in time to see Finn slay the last beast, stabbing it in the heart and then chopping its nasty head off.

I look to the woods where the noise distracted me to find Shadow peeking through the trees, checking to see if the coast is clear, ears turned back as she listens to the forest around us. Having deemed it safe, she trots over to me before promptly stomping several times on the head of the beast whose throat I cut. I stand up on shaky legs as she nudges me and I pet her nose, grateful that she listened to me in leaving, knowing that she would’ve only hindered my focus had she remained.

Finn walks over to us swiftly, sheathing his bloodied sword. The whole attack only lasted a few minutes, but my body feels like it just sparred for hours. He palms my face in his hands and searches my eyes before looking me over for any injuries.“Are you alright?” he asks, his eyes wide with panic.

“I’m fine,” I tell him, despite the exhaustion settling in.“You?”

---