Page 58 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

Before I can respond, he spins around and swims the short distance to the edge. He leaps out of the water and lifts the stick holding the meat from the now much higher flame than before.

It takes me a moment to pull my attention from the blaze and realize I have a full view of his backside. His underpants cling to him like a second skin. I stare a moment longer than I should before spinning around to give him privacy.

I struggle to breathe normally, unsure if it’s from the shock of the fire or from the kiss—or both.

His voice sounds behind me after what feels like forever. “I managed to save most of it. You ready to eat? I won’t look.”

“Are you dressed?”

“Yeah.”

I turn hesitantly. Thankfully he’s fully dressed. I’m not sure what I’d do if he wasn’t. But why wouldn’t he be? He said he was. His outfit is fresh, making me wonder if it was in his bag or stuffed away in the woods like the last one. But this seems pretty far from Skoro to be a regular spot for hunting with his father. On the other hand, running as wolves might allow them to travel longer distances.

Once I reach the edge of the spring, Harek turns to the fire and keeps his back to me.

“I’m getting out,” I say.

“I won’t move until you give the word.”

Relief washes through me, and it strikes me that I trust him so easily when I’ve been so mad about him lying about being a werewolf. Not that it was really lying—more of an omission of facts that his parents undoubtedly insisted on. Maybe he always planned on telling me once I found out about my own true nature. That was likely his line of thinking all along.

I get out of the spring and shiver in the cold, drying off quickly then changing next to a tree on the off chance someone is spying from the cover of the woods. I make my way to the fire once I have my coat on.

Harek is not only roasting the jackrabbit meat, but he has a small pot and is making stew from it.

“Stew?” I ask.

“It isn’t that hard, and it’s going to be delicious. Did you see the size of that thing?”

“Nearly as big as you.”

He chuckles. “I wouldn’t go that far, but it was easily the largest I’ve seen.” He pulls a log over and motions for me to sit.

After I do, he scoots next to me. We’ve sat this close a million times before, but it’s different now.

That kiss changed everything, and yet I can’t bring myself to talk about it. I can still feel his lips on mine. The thought of it sends every inch of me on fire.

He takes my hand and traces shapes on my palm. My breath catches in my throat, but I don’t need words. The silence between us, the closeness, is enough. The fact that he’s doing this to my hand and that I’m letting him speaks more than I could say with words.

The moment barely starts before he leaps up and checks the stew. “It’s ready. Let’s eat and then head out.”

I want to suggest making camp here for a few days, but it really isn’t an option. Gunnar is bound to be out looking for us again, as are the friends and family of the three fae I killed if anyone figures out what I’ve done.

A shudder runs through me. I might be able to defend us against them, but do I want to? The crazy magic isn’t something I want to mess with again. Though if our lives are in danger, what other choice do I have?

Harek takes two bowls his pack. After filling them, he hands me one, reaches into his bag again, then hands me a spoon.

My mouth waters at the aroma. I should be able to keep this down, given that the magic inside me has finally settled. It isn’t unnoticeable, but I can live with it like this.

At least until I’m forced to kill again.

Chapter

Twenty-One

The next fewdays go by in a blur of boredom as we hike through the forest, but the threat of fae never really leaves. Other species will claim we’re in their territory as the werewolves did, but thankfully so far all have run after seeing my glowing palm.

That’s another thing—my weird glow always lets us know when someone dangerous is nearby. It hasn’t let us down.

---