Page 65 of Trials of Dusk and Dreams
My heart clenches. “He did?”
Bodin’s fingers linger on Fox’s embroidered shirt beneath the pin. His brows furrow, and his eyes close with a sharp breath. Worried he’s having another dizzy spell, I reach for him, but he steps back. “Let’s go.”
The gate’s vines crack open. As the others start walking, I hesitate. Bodin turns, his frown deepening.
“Must you cause trouble so early?” he growls.
“We should talk about last night,” I murmur, scowling as I pass him. “And this isn’t trouble. It’s toeing the line.”
I want to win as badly as he does. I want Fox back, and I’m not sure I trust Cait and her Rogues to find the mirror in time—or deliver it to us if they do. This means the only other options are convincing the Radiant bonded to the Baleful Hunt to release him from the stone or winning the trial and wishing for it. The thought twists my gut with anxiety.
Max and Geraldine wait ahead at the rope bridge spanning the moat. My heart leaps when I realize my ears are right—the moat isn’t completely frozen. Water flows between chunks of broken ice.
Bodin stops beside me. “Interesting.”
“Shouldn’t it be solid?” I ask, my voice trembling.
“Yes.” He scans the skeletal trees, whistling sharply, as he spots a raven. It caws and lands on his outstretched hand. After a moment of eye contact, the bird caws again and flies over the keep’s walls.
“Keep walking,” he instructs.
Geraldine and Max cross the bridge, but fear locks my limbs.
“Everything okay?” I ask, glancing after the raven.
“I’ve alerted the Commander about the moat.”
He tries to hurry me along, but I resist with a nervous laugh. “I didn’t know the birds worked for you. Peablossom said they belonged to the queen.”
He frowns. “A misperception we encourage. Ravens have always belonged to the Morrigan.”
“Right. And she’s your mother. Right.”
He blinks. “You’re stalling.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.” Concern fills his eyes. “Fox’s letter mentioned you might still have a phobia.”
“He did?” I frown. “How long was that letter?”
His hands slide around my waist, lips dipping to my ear. “Long enough to detail how he tried to help you overcome this fear.”
I squeak as he hoists me over his shoulder, crossing the swaying bridge with a warrior’s easy grace. I glimpse Geraldine and Max on the other side as his stride swings me. First, they’re giggling, then walking ahead. I tell myself the heat in my cheeks is from hanging upside down. It has nothing to do with Fox’s letter or with wondering what else he thought was important enough to write.
On solid ground, Bodin slides me down his body. His hands stay on my hips as he searches my eyes.
“Do you truly regret last night?” he asks.
It takes a moment to gather my thoughts. We’re so close. His heady scent fills my senses. His warmth, his hard body, muscles flexing beneath his coat. Damn, he’s strong.
“Yes,” I admit. “I shouldn’t have hurt those women.”
“Those women?” He blinks, confused. “I meant what I did with you. What I tasted.”
“My only regret with you was that it didn’t last longer.” I trace his bottom lip.
A low growl rumbles in his throat. His nostrils flare, and he curses softly. “How can I focus enough to protect you? It’s impossible.”
