Page 48 of Lore of the Wilds

He eventually continued, voice hoarse and thick with emotion. “I hate what’s been done to your people and to you. I’ve just been pissed at the situation—I had another three months of required service to the crown, and then I would’ve been done. Finally, I would be able to walk my own path. I could put this shit behind me and stop bowing to my betters.” He said “betters” like it put a bad taste in his mouth. “I’ve acted like an ass to you.”

She blinked in surprise. His mouth quirked.

“But the truth is, I’m still here because Iwantto help you. To be honest, the thought of leaving you on your own never once crossed my mind.”

Lore’s cheeks heated. Gods, if she were honest with herself, she had been scared shitless that he would’ve taken her up on the words she’d said in anger and bailed on her.

He only had three months left, and he threw it all away for her.

She thought back to when she first saw him in the sentry uniform, thinking he was one of them. But really, he had been forced to join and, just three months shy of gaining his freedom, he’d chosen to help a human girl, all because he believed in her.

Suddenly, Lore felt sick. She wriggled free of his grip and slipped into the washroom, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it and bit her finger, stifling a sob.

She would figure out a way to repay him. She would find a wayto relieve him of the burden she had become. She didn’t know how. In truth, she wasn’t sure of anything at all.

***

After Lore bathed and had a chance to properly brush her hair—there had been a truly alarming number of twigs and leaves in it—she washed her clothes, hung them up to dry, and changed into clean trousers and a loose tunic.

The routine motions served to calm her, and she finally had a clearer head.

Asher emerged from the bathing room wearing nothing but the black pants of his uniform. Her gaze lingered on the low-slung pants, and the V of muscles there. Her core clenched, and she thought of the feel of his mouth on hers and of his grip on her thighs.

But she looked away. She would find a way to fix what she’d broken in his life.

She didn’t deserve his kindness, nor his touch.

The first step to fixing anything would be to determine their next steps. Asher had removed his uniform jacket as soon as they left the cave, which solved the problem of him being easily identified, though not much else. Most importantly, they were going to have to figure out this coin situation. They only had a small amount of it and had spent a good chunk of it on this inn.

They had a lot to figure out.

Lore handed him a bowl of lamb stew and a chunk of bread she’d gotten from the pixie at the bar while Asher had bathed. The bread may have been a little stale and the stew a little greasy, but at least it was hot, and the bowls were large enough to fill their bellies.

Outside the small window in their room, a storm raged, and Lore was just happy that they weren’t sleeping outside. She probably wouldn’t have survived, as the temperature had dropped significantly since that morning in the cave.

“Asher, I think I’ve got an idea on how we can make enough coin and travel south without being detained.”

“Yeah? How?” he asked through a mouthful of potatoes. He was inhaling his stew, his usual ferocious appetite intact, and Lore felt a stirring of hope that, though everything had changed between them, at least this one thing was the same.

Lore set her empty bowl on the floor, suddenly nervous about telling him her plan. But maybe, just maybe, it could work.

***

That night, Asher disappeared after dinner to sell his two army-issued swords. Lore had scooted as far to one side of the lumpy bed as possible, planning to wait up for his return, but she’d fallen asleep the moment her head had hit the pillow, only to wake up to the sound of birdsong out the window that morning.

Asher was asleep next to her on top of the blanket, his pillow stuffed in between them.

He slept with his brow unfurrowed and the wrinkles she’d grown used to seeing on his forehead had smoothed. She hadn’t seen him like this since the autumn equinox—before she had gotten them into this mess. She thought of him pushing her on the swing. He had grown at ease with her and had even seemed to enjoy being around her over the weeks.

Her eyes trailed to his lips. She wanted to taste them again. Devour him and never come up for air. But they had bigger problems to worry about—Lore being sidetracked by kisses was the last thing she needed right now.

Still, it was nice to see that relaxation in him again, even if only while he was sleeping.

He lay on his back, broad chest rising and falling. His brown cheeks were slightly flushed, and a thick curl fell across his forehead. Lore couldn’t help inhaling his scent of blackberries and night-blooming jasmine before quickly hopping up.

She didn’t need him waking up to her smelling him.

Eventually, he woke up, and they hurried to get dressed and leave the room.

---