Page 20 of Hunted
I scowled.
Robin grinned.Then she grew serious again.“He loves you, you know.I mightloathethe slippery serpent and all the upheaval he’s caused in my court dynamic.But even I can see how deeply he cares for you.And I know how terrifyingly helpless love can make you feel, no matter how powerful you are.”
“Hethinkshe loves me.”I murmured.“Hedidlove me, once.Before all of...this.”I gestured at myself helplessly.“Back when I was stillme.”
“Bullshit,” Robin said, her fiery aura surging then retreating.“He loves you like I love caffeine and shiny things.Like Queen Cat loves murdering butterflies.Like Cicely loves drama and butting his cute little horned head into other people’s business.Endlessly.”
I snorted at her attempt at humor.“He shouldn’t.”
“Maybe not,” Robin said, “but he does.And he’s not going to stop loving you just because you keep pushing him away like a tragic ghost bride in a low-budget opera.”
I stared at her.
She studied her long, shiny nails.“What?I’ve watched a lot of bad opera over the decades.I’m just saying, maybe let yourself believe it, sweetheart.Even if it’s just pretend.If nothing else, it will calm him down so I don’t have to deal with all his emopoutingandpining.I have far more important things to do with my time.”
“That’s dangerous,” I said flatly.I clearly couldn’t be trusted to love someone anymore.To encourage them to love me.
“So’s breathing some days,” she said flippantly.But her golden gaze was intense.“Maybe it’s more dangerous to push people away?”
She would certainly know all about that.But I didn’t say that out loud.Apparently, I still hadsomesense of self-preservation left after all.I looked away.
Robin stood and stretched, all long, lean grace and power.“I’m going to go to lunch.Would you like to come with me before I lock you away again?I heard it through the grapevine that Sanka got Yukio a new teapot.And that he has enchanted it to scream every time Yukio picks it up.Though Yukio doesn’t know that yet.Sanka’s giving this lovely gift to him at lunch.”
I almost smiled.Almost.
As she turned to leave, she glanced back over her shoulder at me.“Don’t let her take the last good pieces of you, Josh.Remember who you are and hold onto that, even if it has changed a bit.If you give up on yourself, she wins.”
The fierceness in her gaze reminded me that Robin had probably felt like things were hopeless a time or two in her life, to say the least.But she had never given up.She had grown stronger, fiercer.She was a force to be reckoned with, even now, with a portion of her magic locked away from her.
What was left of the beta instincts inside me told me the alpha before me wasn’t as calm and put-together as she looked.But even so, she was here, attending tomewhen she had a whole court to worry about and an oppressive governing system to wipe out.
She and Sadavir might not see eye to eye, but I wasn’t an alpha, worried about her snatching up my omega mate.He saw a competitor.But when I looked at Robin, I saw a truly amazing woman carrying so many burdens.And I wished I could be even half as strong as she was.
*****
Iwas allowed to notonly attend lunch—and witness Yukio’s cold fury over Sanka’s prank first-hand—but was also allowed to spend the afternoon with the court, and attend dinner as well.It was nice to be able to spend time with others again.It made me feel more...human and alive.But after so much time spent alone, I felt a little overwhelmed as the day ended.
After dinner, I slipped outside to the courtyard.The night was cool.Sharp around the edges with the promise of a biting winter to come.I tucked my hands into my coat sleeves and wandered deeper into the walled courtyard, where the court grew flowers and herbs.
The plants were all silver and shadow under moonlight.None ofthemcared who I was or what sort of threat I posed.The court had been polite about it.But I’d felt their guarded attention on me all day.
Odin circled overhead once, then dropped onto the wall beside me.He cocked his head, eyes gleaming.One more being with eyes on me at all times.And yet, I didn’t mind the crow.His presence felt more...comforting than judging.I reached into my pocket and pulled out a protein bar I’d stolen for just this purpose, then broke it into pieces.
I held out my offering for him.He looked offended.
“Sorry, it’s all I’ve got,” I said.“I’ll start carrying some peanuts or something, if you’re going to follow me around all the time.”
He didn’t answer, sadly.I envied Ruya’s ability to speak to animals.It might be comforting to have a non-human companion to vent to at the moment.
I sat down on a low stone ledge, staring out at the rows of winter roses and magically enhanced thyme, and something Ruya calledmoonshadethat I was ninety percent sure had justmovedslightly to better orient itself to the moon’s light when I blocked it.
Odin hopped down and landed beside my foot.
“Do you think I’m still worth saving?Am I really worth Robin’s time and resources?”I asked quietly.“Or am I just destroying the court’s chances of success by draining those resources when they might need them at some crucial moment?”
The crow said nothing.
“Alright, bud,” Sanka said as he stepped out into the courtyard with me.“Sorry to interrupt your moonbathing or whatever.But I’ve got a few things to take care of before I turn in, and I need to get you tucked in.”
