Page 44 of Faerie Hunted

The Lacrynthos Crown diner in the town of Holsworthy looked more like a pub in some kind of medieval village than it did an actual restaurant serving food, but their menu promised good things and my mouth salivated at the thought of potatoes of any variety.

I added my newest guilt to the ever-growing pile inside of me and shoved the stolen money across the live tree bent and shaped magically into a front counter.

Onyx stared at me and lifted a brow high when I came back with two bags of food. Almost as if he was thinking the same as I was. What was his favorite food order bac in the human world? We’d talked about a number of things we missed when we used to train together but never that.

“You got a lot,” he said when I dropped into the driver’s seat.

“Of course. It has to last us, doesn’t it?”

I’d ordered a separate sandwich for Noren and tossed it to him. He swallowed it down in a single bite without bothering to chew or taste.

My first bite of a panini made with elderflower syrup had me swooning. It dripped onto my fingers and I sucked them clean even with Onyx watching me.

“You eat like you’re starving,” he said.

I didn’t bother with a response, although I watched him in turn. When he took his first bite, grimacing through a wave of pain, I caught every flicker of agonized movement.

“I’ve never seen anyone get hurt eating mashed potatoes before. Should I not have gotten you a fae version of shepherd’s pie?” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Onyx took his time chewing before he answered. “I’m just not what I used to be.”

“If you need me to feed you, let me know. If it hurts to lift a finger.”

“Or maybe I just want you to feed me anyway,” he teased.

“You’re welcome to have anything I ordered, too. If you want to try it.”

He grimaced. “I’m not really a fan of those overly sweet syrups some places use. Although you make it look good enough to devour.”

“Flatterer.” I spoke through another mouthful of food and grinned at him.

Noren whined over my shoulder and nudged me with his nose.

“If you won’t try it, he certainly will,” I told Onyx as I held a bite out for Noren.

“He’s welcome to it, then. I won’t take food away from a hungry wolf.”

“But you’re a hungry wolf too.”

Onyx was halfway through his pie when he said, “We both know I’m never going to be the kind of wolf I was again. All those training days of ours are over.”

“You might still get better.”

Right. We both knew that was a lie.

A small bit of color returned to his face after we’d finished our meals, and, comfortably full for the first time in a week, I let Onyx take the wheel. He kept to the back roads as I lounged in the passenger seat.

The crystal powering the vehicle took us at a steady clip for hours. Somewhere along the line I passed out, and jerked awake when Onyx pulled off to the side of the road and the car fell silent.

“What’s going on? Where are we?” My heart lurched into my throat and stayed lodged there in terror.

“Relax, no one is coming for us,” Onyx assured me. His voice was soft and his smile matched. “I thought we should stop to do something fun.”

“Somethingfun?” I repeated skeptically. “Is this really the time for fun?”

“It’s a roadside attraction. Shouldn't be much of a cost to get in, probably take us about fifteen minutes to walk through the fairy glen.”

I rolled my eyes and pushed aside the last vestiges of sleep. “You stopped to check out a fairy glen? Come on, Onyx.”

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