Page 53 of Veil of Shadows

Even Merida grimaced a bit when I finally swallowed. “Lavender and honey doesn’t work, got it.”

I capped the vial and handed it back to her. My voice was hoarse. “I don’t think anything will work for that shit.”

She giggled as she took it from me. “Yeah, maybe not.”

But, as the pain in my shoulder almost immediately dissipated, I sighed with relief. “Thank you.”

She linked her arm with mine once more. “Like I said, you don’t have to be in pain while you’re around here. Even if I can’t heal you, that doesn’t mean I can’t keep you comfortable.”

“Hey,” I said as we started walking again, “as long as it doesn’t affect my ability to operate at the drop of a hat, I’m good.”

We walked toward the darker edge of the woods. The pack danced off in the distance as a massive bonfire roared to life. I saw Dom walking with some of Ronyn’s lieutenants, all of them carrying this massive buck on a spit to put over the fire.

It wasn’t until we stopped walking to watch that Merida spoke once more. “What else did you have to do on your job?”

Her voice was so soft that I almost didn’t want to answer. But I found a sort of comfort in talking with Merida. It had been a very long time since I’d connected with any kind of a woman outside of my workplace.

I enjoyed having her as a friend.

“You know, I’ve always seen my survival tactics as nothing more than that,” I said as I watched the children of the pack run around the fire and sing songs at the top of their lungs. “I saw them as a way to get by. As a means of…”

“Dealing?” Merida asked.

I nodded softly as I squeezed the arm she had mine threaded through. “And then I get out here, and I get around you guys, and I see the way you live and how you treat one another and how close you guys are and how big the family is and I just?—”

She nudged me softly. “You just… what?”

I shrugged. “I just… didn’t know this kind of life was possible. I didn’t—didn’t know it was a thing. And now that I know it’s athing… I’m not sure I want to go back. I’m not sure I’ll be able to live without all this.”

“Why would you have to?”

“Everything all right?” a rumbling voice asked.

I gasped softly, flinching at the sound of Ronyn’s voice as a curious smirk grew on Merida’s face. I peered over my shoulder at Ronyn and the grin on his face seemed boastful. As if he was proud of himself for being able to sneak up on me.

My stare volleyed between the two of them. “What? A girl can’t have a moment where she lets her guard down? Damn.”

Merida giggled. “It’s not that. It’s just…”

“You haven’t let it down yet since you’ve been here,” Ronyn said.

Merida pointed up at him. “That.”

I rolled my eyes and unlinked my arm from Merida before I turned to Ronyn. “How’s Troop C?”

He blinked. “How did you know it was?—”

Merida giggled. “Why do you guys still question her like you’re shocked when she does something even remotely capable?”

I tilted my head and folded my arms over my chest playfully. “Yeah, Ronyn. Why is that?”

He grumbled as he turned back toward the woods. “Patrol time.”

I giggled as my arms unfurled. “I bet it is. But, Ronyn?”

“Yes, Bumblebee?”

Merida paused. “Bumblebee?”

---