Page 23 of Hunting for her Heart
We continue on in silence as more questions start to form in my head, but self-preservation has me keeping my mouth shut. Not only because we’re being hunted by others, but because I know it’s not my place to question a man, even if I am desperate for answers. I’ve asked too much already and am lucky I haven’t angered them yet.
It’s a while before Bo finds a rocky wall that we follow until he finally stops and motions for the others to wait while he advances toward it.
It takes me a few seconds to figure out what he’s doing, but finally I realize there’s a cave hidden behind one of the larger rocks. He disappears around one, and I wait with bated breath until he returns, two minutes later, stating, “All clear.”
Hawk carries me inside as we look around the small space. The entrance is narrow, but the ceiling is surprisinglyhigh with a small hole at the very top, allowing sunlight to brighten the cave. “We need to find something for her to sit on,” Hawk says as he gazes around the space.
“Oh, I don’t need anything special,” I tell him, not wanting to be a burden.
He frowns at me as he heads toward the back of the cave. “The ground is too hard for your soft skin.” He sits down and leans against the back wall, pulling me into his lap. “You will sit on us until we find something more suitable.”
Okay then.
He moves me into a more comfortable position, resting my back against his chest as Ronan explores the cave. Bo stares out the narrow entrance as I wait to find out what happens next. Nerves have me holding my tongue even though I’m dying to find out more about what’s going on here.
When Ronan finishes inspecting the cave, he moves to the entrance with Bo, and they exchange a few quiet words before he comes over to us. “I’m going to get us some food. Bo and Hawk will stay with you while I’m gone.” He presses his lips together as if stopping himself from saying more, then, with a nod, he turns and leaves.
“Shouldn’t someone go with him?” I ask Hawk quietly.
“No, he can take care of himself. And we won’t leave you with any less than two of us for protection.”
“From the other men?” I ask for clarification.
“Yes. But there are many dangers in these woods.” There are? I hadn’t considered that. If this were my world, there could be bears or maybe even some sort of large cat, depending on our region.
“What’s the place called?” I ask, wanting to put a name to this world.
“The cave?”
“No, the country.”
“Country? I don’t know that word,” Hawk tells me.
“It’s like a region or a kingdom.”
“Ah, I see. Well, our kingdom is called Dyconia. There are towns and villages scattered throughout the land. Currently, we are high on the cliffs on the Southern end of the continent.”
“And where is your village?” I ask, trying to picture what he’s saying.
“We come from an island off the Southeast called Redmere.”
“Oh, right. The woman had said something about that, and that you’re—” I cut myself off, my eyes widening as I realize what I almost said.
Unfortunately, I seem to have piqued his interest. “That we’re what?” he prods.
“Nothing, never mind,” I say quickly as my hands start to shake with worry.
He leans over my right shoulder and uses his large hand to gently turn my head to face him. “Tell me. What did they say about us?” he presses, his deep hazel eyes boring into me.
“That you are cannibals,” I whisper, praying he won’t be upset.
A loud laugh comes from Bo, making me jump in surprise, but Hawk wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. Bo glances back at me from the entrance, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“People like to make up stories about things they don’t understand.”
“So you don’t eat people?” I ask, wanting a direct answer.
“No,” Hawk says. “We have never eaten a human, and we never will.”
