Page 43 of Luca

In his own time.

“Fuck,” he cursed, snatching up the sock he’d dropped on the floor before shoving his foot into the hole. He caught me glancing over, and he smiled, but the sweat beading at his brow and his slightly elevated heart rate belied the gesture.

“Are you?—”

“I’m fine,” he chirped, cutting me off as he whirled around to grab his shirt. He fumbled with the hem, jaw clenching in frustration when it wouldn’t part on the first try. He firmly shook out the fabric, his breath releasing sharply from his nose, and that was when I noticed his balance was off.

He was falling.

I was already advancing toward him with my arm outstretched when he stumbled forward with a gasp, his shirt dropping to the floor. He managed to right himself before toppling completely, though I still reached out instinctively to offer support. “Luc?—”

He swerved violently away from my touch.

“I said I’m fine!” he snapped, batting at the empty space between my hand and his shoulder, irritation rolling off him in waves. It lasted barely a second before he flinched, blinking as if recovering from a trance. His eyes darted to mine, glazed with regret. “Cair, I-I’m so sorry. I… I don’t know where that came from.” He placed a hand against the side of his head, rubbing lightly. “I’m just tired, but I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” I shushed him gently, gravitating closer but staying aware of his personal space. If he felt overwhelmed or cornered, the last thing I wanted was to make it worse. “Tell me what’s going on in your head, sweetheart.”

“I don’t know,” he murmured, his bottom lip wobbling. “Everything and nothing. My skin just felt too tight and it was like I was lost in a crowd, so I panicked. I didn’t mean to.” He closed the gap between us, plastering himself to my chest, his arms circling my waist. I hugged him immediately. “Please don’t stop fussing over me,” he mumbled. “I don’t know why that happened, but it really wasn’t me. I love that you fuss.”

I stroked the back of his head, awed that instead of caring for his own feelings, he was worried that he’d offended me. It was far from the case. I was concerned. Perhaps it was too early to resume our journey, or to keep going at all. I should have recognized sooner that he needed more rest. His sleep had been broken by whatever thoughts plagued him, and he’d barely eaten enough to build up the energy he’d lost in the ambush. The poor creature was running on empty, and I hadn’t done a damn thing about it.

How could he be blamed for his outburst?

“We can stay another night, if you wish? Or return to the palace?” I offered, smoothing a hand over his back. “There are no obligations. Whatever you like.”

He shook his head against me. “No, I’m okay. I think I need some fresh air, and to not be sitting around. My nerves were already frayed about potentially meeting my dad, but now that we’re actually on the road, everything just feels too real, and those reaper things fucked with my head and kinda sent me into overdrive. The thoughts have been whirling round and round like a goddamn washing machine—what if you’d been hurt and I could’ve stopped it by telling you what I’d seen at the market? What if my dad turns me away and all this is for nothing?What if this happens again and we’re not so lucky?I think it all just got too heavy, and being cooped up in here isn’t doing me any favors.”

Though I had known he was suffering, it still pained me to hear him admit it out loud. I’d been selfish. The ambush, what the reaper did to him, had rattled him, and instead of asking what he needed, I’d locked him inside, thinking it was best for his healing when it was really for my own sake. This entire time, he’d donned a brave face, pretending he was alright as his anxiety had trickled through our bond and he’d shifted restlessly through the nights, and I’dlet him. I’d been loath to pry out his confession, to prod him until he admitted his distress when he wasn’t ready or willing, but maybe I should have. Maybe then he would not have been forced to reach a boiling point.

Or feel guilty for it.

“I apologize that I didn’t help relieve those burdens sooner, and that you felt you had to hide them from me.” I kissed the top of his head before encouraging him to meet my eyes. “What can I do to bring you comfort? Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

“You always bring me comfort.” He smiled, though it was a weak little thing. “I’m sorry I didn’t just talk to you. I felt useless after the attack, and I wanted to try and regulate myself, to prove I could dosomething, but I shouldn’t have. None of it was my fault, any more than it was yours.”

“I understand, but never let me hear you call yourself useless again.” I brushed a thumb across his cheek. “I won’t stand for such slander against my mate. Not ever.”

He huffed a short laugh and nodded. “So, will you carry on the journey with me?” he asked hopefully.

I’d learned early on in our relationship that it was pointless arguing with the little creature or presuming to know what was best, so instead, I presented a compromise.

“Of course I will, but only on the condition that we take a quick detour,” I said. “It won’t delay us by much, perhaps a day or so, but it is something I believe you’ll enjoy. It will offer some relaxation before we reach your father’s settlement.”

He perked up at that, as I knew he would. “What is it?”

I kissed him again, basking in the faint stream of pleasure and curiosity gradually shrouding the discomfort through our bond. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

LUCA

“Mermaids!” I whisper-shrieked, endeavoring not to cause a scene, but also…

Fucking mermaids.

Cair smiled proudly. “I thought this may interest you.”

“Uh, hell yeah, it does!” I’d pestered him for the past two days, trying to pry out where he was taking me. He hadn’t relented, and I knew now that none of my guesses had been right. When we’d ventured into another forest, less creepy and dark than yesterday’s, I’d expected a remote cottage for us to spend the night in, maybe a picnic, or another primal chase like at our mating. Not a lagoon with freaking mermaids.

Boy did good.

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