“That’s not what I said.” Hale narrowed his eyes at her. He had the audacity to act offended after all he had insinuated.
“Is our pain exciting to you, prince?” Remy jibed. Heather leaned her shoulder into Remy’s, a silent request to cool down, but she could not. This attitude of fae superiority was everything that was wrong in the world. The High Mountain fae treated the red witches as their equals and the other fae didn’t like that . . . especially Hennen Vostemur.
“You’re twisting my words, witch,” Hale gritted out through a clenched jaw.
“You haven’t ever had a single struggle, have you? You need to employ others to share theirs with you.” Remy knew little about hand-to-hand combat, but she knew how to crush her enemies with her words.
“You’re being ridiculous.” Hale threw her words straight back.
“You really are a spoiled, rich bastard,” Remy snarled. Hale’s eyes widened, his eyebrows shooting up for a split second before he pulled his face back into a scowl.
There. She struck a bullseye.
“Better a bastard than a hiding coward,” Hale said. The unexpected blow hit her straight in the gut. That’s what she was: a hiding coward. Worse, they all could see it.
Remy eyed her glowing red hands. She had lost control again. She stood up and turned to the forest, throwing an excuse over her shoulder.
“Nice, Hale.” She heard Briata’s snarl as she stormed away.
Remy heard Fenrin standing up, and she grumbled without breaking her stride, “Don’t follow me, Fen.”
Fenrin listened this time.
It was a short walk to the stream. The glow of Remy’s hands was even clearer as she moved away from the fire. The soft red light let her see the forest floor beneath her, and she was careful to avoid the rocks poking above the fallen leaves. The dirt blackened her feet, but at least the pain of the day’s walk had subsided.
Remy neared the narrow stream where they had refilled their skins and gathered water for their stew. She stood, looking at the slow, rambling water and took a deep breath. Hiding coward, Hale had called her. The shame of those words hit her anew. Her hands flared. She was sure if she had a mirror she would see her eyes glowing too. She sensed it now without looking, feeling the trembling buzz behind her eyes.
Remy took another slow, steadying breath. The buzzing faded. Darkness pulled in as her red magic dulled.
She heard soft footsteps behind her and knew without turning it was Carys. Remy had walked enough with these fae warriors to know their unique gaits. Talhan walked like a rumbling bear. Briata had a heavy gait, too, but less harsh. Hale walked with a confident, quiet stride like a mountain lion. Carys was the lightest on her feet, elegant and balletic.
The female fae stopped beside Remy, unwinding her long blonde braid and combing her fingers through it. They watched the stream in silence for a while. Remy decided to braid her long curls for sleep after all as Carys brushed out her own braid beside her. Remy’s hands were clumsy. Heather had made it look easy. She couldn’t believe she let the brown witch do it for her for so long.
Carys swiped a few more fingers through her hair, shaking it out so it landed right above her hips.
“I have never seen anyone get under his skin like you do,” Carys said into the darkness. “It’s impressive.”
“Are you with him?” Remy bit out. She pinched her lips together after the words flew out of her mouth.
“I was wondering when you were going to ask me that.” Carys even made her chuckle sound delicate.
Remy didn’t respond, but simply kept braiding and waited for Carys to answer her question.
“No, I am not with him, nor do I want to be,” the fae said.
“Why not? He’s . . .” Remy didn’t know how to finish that thought. He was the most attractive person she had ever seen. Just looking at him made her feel unsteady.
“Handsome?” Carys laughed. “I mean, I have eyes, of course he is, and he’s a good person too . . . ,” Remy tutted, but Carys persisted. “He is. Truly. He’s just a bit rough around the edges.”
“So why don’t you want to be with him?” Remy had seen them together. The two of them always broke off into a duo. Hale listened to Carys more than anyone else.
Carys opened her mouth to say something twice before her shoulders drooped.
“There was someone . . .”
Remy bobbed her head. It was all she needed to say. Remy had heard that story so many times. It was the story of broken hearts being left in shredded pieces.
“Hale was once Fated too,” Carys added. Remy’s eyes darted to the female’s shadowed figure.