Page 40 of In Violent Waves

Otto tapped the side of his head.

“I know what you are capable of, and with the right encouragement, love, and acceptance, it will be many great things.”

Her eyes stung, and she had to grit her teeth to keep from sobbing. This stranger, this understanding stranger, had told her everything she had ever wanted to hear but would never admit. She didn’t know how to react or even what to say.

This was the second time that she had felt seen today.

The elves differed greatly from all the stories she had been told. Stories about merciless monsters who leave their babies in the woods or swap them with human children, who fought in countless battles against creatures of pure nightmare and won, and their overall ruthless barbarism.

While some stories had been told as truth, she didn’t see an ounce of that looking at Otto now.

“Stopping to smell the flowers?” Wilder barked.

Ridge and Maelys stood beside him like sentinels. His face was pinched with a snarl, and Lyra felt for all the world that he wanted to strike her.

“She had a cramp. Her legs are unaccustomed to the strain,” Otto replied, unfazed by the fury wafting off Wilder.

“And what do you see needing to happen so that we can get there on time?”

Maelys bumped her shoulder against his. His eyes slid to hers, and she shook her head once. Lyra was stunned.

Otto looked from Lyra, who stood grimacing, squeezing her thigh, to Wilder with his rigid shoulders and hands squeezed into fists.

“You can slow your pace, and we’ll be late. Or we can take turns carrying her. But we’ll only make it on time when you carry her.”

The color drained from Lyra’s face. She thought she had made another ally, and then he goes off and does a thing like that.

Wilder didn’t reply. He stalked to Lyra and pulled one of her arms over his shoulders before crouching down. In one swift movement, he had slung her onto his back as if she weighed no more than a cloak. Lyra clung to his neck.

“Don’t choke me,” he grumbled and started walking.

She loosened her grip and leaned away from him. His hands tightened around her thighs.

“If you lean too far back, I will drop you on your ass,” he bit out.

He squeezed her legs for emphasis, and she sighed before leaning forward.

“I didn’t think you would want me pressed against you.” Lyra could have sworn his face shook slightly.

“We don’t have the time for me to be dropping you and picking you up every few miles. So just hold on and stay quiet.”

Lyra nodded and pursed her lips, looking out at the forest around them.

Now that she didn’t have to watch where she was walking, she could enjoy the view.

Colossal trees with trunks the size of buildings in the villages, bushy ferns with fronds larger than her torso, and a variety of animals. Birds, chipmunks, and deer.

It was magical. And she loved it.

Her body jostled against Wilder's, and she bit her lip as her cheeks burned. With nothing else to do, she started talking again. Whether he listened or not, she didn’t care. She talked about the different birds, plants, and types of clouds she could see in the sky.

Wilder stayed quiet, but Otto, Maelys, and even Ridge joined in with her ramblings.

When Lyra asked about the land in the Wilds, both Otto and Maelys seemed thrilled.

“The forest there is crawling with an assortment of magical creatures, from unicorns to skin-walkers,” Maelys said, her eyes bright as she gestured to her forehead like she too had a horn.

“Skin-walkers?” Lyra questioned, her eyes growing wide with fear.