Page 275 of Hunters and Prey

She was a decent rider, especially for her size and age, but it was bound to be more dangerous on these things at night. They ran fast, and even if the isthelay could see fine in the dark, if Lily herself missed a drop or sudden turn––or a random tree that looked exciting to the crazy beast––they could still unseat her easily.

Plus, he was pretty sure Revik mentioned the animals were mostly nocturnal.

That might make them even more energetic.

Hey,Black sent to Revik. She wants to go riding. Now, I mean. Is that a good idea?

There was a pause.

Then the other male’s voice rose in his head.

Not tonight,he sent. Tell her I said she can go riding with her uncle tomorrow.

Black flinched at the uncle thing, surprised, in spite of himself.

He didn’t say anything, though.

Motioning towards the house with his head, he nudged Lily with his hand.

“Come on, small fry,” he grunted. “Your dad says no. Tomorrow, okay?”

She grumbled a little, but followed him willingly enough back to the house.

Black listened to her talk about the isthelay the whole way, chattering about their different personalities, detailing the little squabbles they got in with one another, how the pecking order worked between them, and the fact that Dylan had a crush on a different isthelay owned by Balidor’s wife, Cass, and that they’d even talked about breeding them.

Black nodded to her words, grunting here and there, but his mind was wandering again.

He’d noticed for the past few days that his separation sickness was getting worse.

He wondered if some part of him felt like his wife had died––if his light didn’t understand her absence and was reacting badly.

He had never been separated from her for so long.

Well, not since they’d been married.

Well… other than when he was in that prison.

They’d at least been on the same world then, though.

Pushing the thought from his mind, he shoved his hands in his pockets, closing down his light a few degrees more and trying to concentrate on what Lily was saying.

He didn’t like counting days… much less hours.

His mind did it anyway, seemingly outside his control.

Sixteen days, twenty-seven hours, at least according to the solar time here.

Lily smacked him. “Cut it out!” she said. “She’s coming back.”

Black only grunted.

He didn’t answer, though.

IOPENED MY EYES.

Panting, in the dark.

There was no gap that time… no pause between A and B… or A and D… or F and A.

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