Page 66 of A Touch of Poison
How wrong could I get?
“Get some sleep.” My voice came out husky—I hadn’t spoken in hours.
She flinched as though she expected one of the monsters. “Is your double back yet?”
“He’s dead.” I’d felt it, the Horror’s slice across his—ourbelly. They’d fed on our magic, adding to my exhaustion. I nodded towards the tent. “Go on. I’ll keep first watch.”
“But you need sleep. You go—”
“I’ll wake you when I’m ready to sleep.”
She sighed, shoulders sinking as she glanced at the tent. “I don’t want to go in there.” She shrank, breaking something in me—something that understood.
“You don’t want to be alone.” I passed her my blanket. “Sleep here, and I’ll keep watch over camp… and you.”
Her eyes gleamed in the firelight, and for a moment her chin tensed like she might cry. But she nodded and pulled the blanket around herself before curling into a ball on the ground beside me.
Somehow, my fingers found their way into her hair. There was a moment’s pain as our magic came together for the first time since sunset, neutralising the poison that would otherwise kill her. But I welcomed it tonight. Pain kept me here and out of memories that weren’t my own.
Then came the sweet pleasure of it, tight in my spine like a climax building. Eyes closed, Kat made a soft sound, eyebrows peaking. I pulled away, let our magic settle, then went back to stroking her hair until she fell asleep.
* * *
Nothing came in the night,but I’d never been so grateful to see the sun rise. Kat woke, bleary-eyed. She frowned from the sky to me. “You said you’d wake me.”
“When I was ready to sleep.” Not a lie. I didn’t want to sleep and get sucked into that place again. “Now, I’m ready to ride.”
She tried to insist I at least nap while she broke camp, but I shook off her protests.
“We need to put as much distance between ourselves and the Horrors as possible.”
As much distance between me and Innesol as possible.
Standing by her stag, our bags packed, she pursed her lips.
“Katherine.” I held her gaze until she finally huffed and mounted.
We rode. On and on until another sunset came. The stags took a slow pace, exhausted from last night’s wild flight. Kat’s had developed a limp. Nothing one of the handlers in the city couldn’t heal, but at this pace, we were still the best part of a day from the city.
Above, the thinnest sliver of moon remained. It would disappear entirely tomorrow night, and then the Wild Hunt would come.
They hunted the roads of Elfhame and Albion, banished to ride only under the shadow of the new moon. Those nights, their hellhounds sniffed out quarry—humans and fae foolish enough to be out after dark.
I’d heard the howls once.
They had burned my veins with cold fire, something like terror and desire, an odd energy that had pulsed through me.
That had to be how they tracked you—listening for your pounding heart, scenting your fear. Legend said once the Wild Hunt found their prey, they would pursue them to the ends of the earth. And once caught, they fed upon the poor unfortunate’s soul.
I kept us riding hours past sunset to ensure we’d make it home tomorrow. I’d have kept going longer, but I swayed on my saddle and Kat looked ready to drop.
When I led the way off the road into a clearing and dismounted, she didn’t land beside me. It was only when I peered past the curtain of hair into her face that I realised she had fallen asleep in the saddle. A true rider, she somehow still had hold of the reins.
It was the first time I’d smiled since before Innesol.
I slid her from the stag and gathered her into my arms. For a moment, she frowned and pushed, muttering, “No. You can’t take him.” But when I made a soothing sound, she stilled and settled back into sleep.
It saved me arguing with her about keeping watch.
