Page 42 of Magic & Secrets
Inside the pub, the air smelled faintly of ale, spoiled meat, and the faintest whiff of pipe smoke. The bar was a solid, well-worn structure. Behind it, shelves were lined with dusty bottles of wine and rum.
The tables were small and mismatched, surrounded by spindle-backed chairs and leather benches. A large ingleside dominated one wall.
I ran my fingers over a chalkboard listing the day’s specials in a now-dead person’s handwriting. These humans had likely hoped for a better life in this new place, yet they disturbed Pandorium Forest and the ancient one living underneath. Their large machinery tore free primeval trees to build this very pub. The cost of their arrogance was the unleashing of monsters from the darkness.
In the pub’s pantry, I located canned foods. The humans were skilled at creating travel meals. I also found a pot and cooking oil. With a little effort, I started a fire in the stove and began working on a stew.
As the food warmed, I checked upstairs to find two bedrooms like Roque assumed. The windows were covered by removable barricades. I peered through a spyhole facing the woods.
The sun would set soon. I noticed the Varema Ghouls creeping closer to the clearing. Their kind preferred to hunt in the dark when their eyesight was sharpest. Once the sun fell below the horizon, they would attack.
Downstairs, Roque entered the pub. His big feet made a racket on the squeaky wooden floors. I found him skinning a small animal and dumping the flesh into a pan.
“How soon can you turn this into something good?” Roque asked me. “I’m long past hungry.”
Roque’s enthusiasm for a large meal inspired me to butcher the meat with more finesse than he had shown. A pot of stew soon simmered with canned vegetables, many spices, and his meat.
While I worked on the meal, Roque disappeared back outside. I sensed he wished to create space between us. I didn’t understand why our reactions to the mate bond were sodifferent. I craved his presence. Just having him outside left me with a painful longing. However, Roque seemed happier with us apart.
Roque surprised me by returning with his chestnut hair and beard brushed. His skin smelled clean. A blanket was wrapped around his wide, powerful waist.
My heart raced in reaction to his attempt to clean up. His blue eyes seemed especially bright against his rugged, tanned face. I gripped the pub’s countertop as his scent left me dizzy and weak-kneed.
Roque walked over to the pot and sniffed the meal. His presence intoxicated me. I wanted to touch his hot skin. I drank in his presence until I could do nothing more than stare stunned.
“Where do you live when not on a mission?” Roque asked, watching me with a curious gaze.
My heart rebelled against the necessary deceits. Lying to Roque felt like a betrayal against our mate bond. His presence claimed a forbidden part of me.Roque deserved to know my every secret.
My training struggled to overcome my mate bond. I recalled how the Citadel instructors insisted the inhabitants of Lavinia hated the Armgard.
“They believe your kind was a scourge,” Witch Vica had insisted. “They will never view you as worthy of their respect or trust.”
Studying Roque, I wished he could see past my lineage and view me with affection. Another male of a different species might value me as a mate. The Bane Shifters had too much history with my kind. The only members of their pack ever lost in battle were to the Armgard. Roque’s current mood would turn sour if he knew what I was.
“We live in Arbdorre Territory.”
A sign of recognition flooded Roque’s gaze. “Is that where you received the warrants?”
“Yes.”
“How many bounties have you claimed?”
“Only a few.”
“Will you be paid for the Lion Shifters?” he prodded. “What about the Wolf Shifters and the Sorcerer? You hunted them. You should claim them as bounties.”
“I’m unsure how it’ll work.”
“I could put in a good word for you.”
His tone was friendly, yet his comment felt condescending. How could I complain about his disdain for my talents? He hadn’t seen me do anything particularly inspiring. In fact, I was downright embarrassing in the field against the Wolf Shifters and the Sorcerer.
“Your support is noted and appreciated,” I mumbled rather than throwing my arms around him and refusing to let go. “I don’t care about the bounty. I only want to be reunited with my sisters.”
“If they are with my packmates, they’ll be safe,” Roque insisted as he sat on a chair unprepared for his size.
The seat cracked under his weight. Roque grunted and threw the chair across the room in frustration. He frowned at me, seeming bothered by losing his temper.
