Page 42 of The Highseer's Mate

Kylor looks to the ground. “I will let the council know. You two seem to be off in a hurry somewhere.”

His slanted eyes slide to mine and I’m frozen. Varek is lying to Kylor because I asked him too and I can’t escape the weight of that lie anymore. Not when I realize the cost for his people.

“Paige needs some fresh air.”

“Ah,” Kylor nods, his eyes narrowing. “Enjoy.”

Varek doesn’t waste time. He drags me along behind him, but an eerie feeling seeps through me. I twist and look back at Kylor who watches us closely and just as we head to the nearest crack in the rock, he begins to follow.

We jog through the tight path until the mountain spits us out into the misty air and then Varek drops my hand.

I squint as movement catches my eye and Draxel is waiting for us on the other side of the small clearing. Just his head is visible as he waits in the valley like he was ordered to.

“Let’s go,” Varek grits.

“I think Kylor–”

He whirls around so fast that I nearly slam into his wall of chest. His eyes blaze as he steadies me. “You demanded to come along and I will not fight you, Mate. Keep up.”

He breaks into a slow jog but with his long legs, I fall behind quickly.

We meet Draxel in the valley and the two males speed up, too fast for me to keep pace.

“Wait!” I call out, but Varek doesn’t even flinch. The muscles in his back bunch and ripple with each long stride, putting more and more distance between us.

I run a little faster, but no matter how much I push myself, they pull ahead. It’s as if he’s trying to leave me behind.

Jerk.

I keep running, just fast enough that they are never out of my view. It gives me time to think.

He’s punishing me, maybe. Angry with me.

Maybe I am a troublemaker.

He doesn’t want me out here, but he gave in. He lied to the council about my friends—to his entire clan—to make me happy. As a leader, it must go against everything he believes to put me first, and yet he’s done it every time.

My lungs are burning as I speed up. There’s no way I can catch them, but we’re in the marshes now and I know the ship is only a little ways ahead. I need to talk to Varek before we approach the women. I should apologize.

Perhaps he’s sacrificed more than I thought to make me happy.

And I’m so selfish that I’m only going to demand more.

Chapter 16

Varek

Draxel and I keep moving forward even as Paige falls behind. I’m sure she is angry with me—she is always angry with me, it seems—but I do not care. I don’t want her out here at all, but the troublemaker won’t give me a single moment of peace.

But there is something about Paige that stops me from telling her no.

The ship is in view, already becoming part of the harsh landscape as tanglethorns have started growing up the sides. It will only be a few weeks until the shiny, tough material of the ship that brought my mate is covered completely and crushed under the might of those nasty vines.

The harvesters burn them away every year to keep the glowhollows safe, but they have never stopped trying to get to us.

I slow to a walk and Draxel follows suit, a leather pack slung across his back. Paige gains on us quickly and before I know it, the female is at my side, doubling over and huffing.

She calls me something I don’t recognize. Ass. But I don’t mind.

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