Page 37 of Unbound By Shadows
But she was human. He was meant for a demon to complement his nature, not to restrain it. The only thing Selene was to him was a distraction.
His stomach contracted at the word. Distraction. That’s exactly what she had become. There were times when he looked at her and felt as if Zaybris himself could walk right up and he wouldn’t notice.
It was at that moment that he realized Thema’s plan simply wasn’t going to work. Things had gotten too complicated. His attraction to Selene had turned into a diversion he could not afford to indulge. Not when he needed to be at full capacity to return home.
They had to part ways.
Sam woke up tense and agitated the next morning. The pre-dawn sky was gray and overcast, mottled as a bruise. Dread writhed in him over the decision he needed to make. He hoped a solution would come easier after sleep, but he rose feeling even more conflicted. How to best separate himself from Selene?
He could leave right now. He could quietly pack his things and set off without a word. Selene was clever; she could find her way back to Thema’s castle. He could leave the map, the switch pouch, and a note to explain how Thema’s delusions about finding her sister had made her desperate. He would urge Selene to forgive the queenfor her deception and make a life among the Malkina, where she would be protected.
Sam began to pace, considering Selene’s panic, and the devastation she would feel when she woke to find him gone. He sighed as that idea fizzled out. Leaving Selene without a word would be cruel. And cowardly. There had to be another way.
“Is everything all right?”
Sam spun around to see Selene standing outside her tent, her hair tousled by sleep. She was dressed in a long white nightgown with a row of buttons down the front. It was held up by thick straps that exposed her arms, shoulders, and collarbone.So that’s what she wears to bed.Seeing her in such an intimate state made blood rush to his groin.
“Everything’s fine,” he answered, a little too quickly. “Why do you ask?”
“I just woke up suddenly. I had a feeling something was wrong.”
“Nothing is amiss.”
A sudden wind blew a lock of hair across Selene’s cheek, and she looked up at the sky. “Is there a storm coming?”
“No. Go back to sleep. It’s not quite dawn. We’ll leave in a few hours.”
“Nah, I’m up now.” She stretched her arms. “We can get an early start. Aren’t we going through a town today?”
“It’s more of a village, but yes, we travel through Iriswood.”
“I’ll get dressed.”
After Selene ducked into her tent, a flash of movement on the ground to the left caught his eye. Something had expanded the switch pouch slightly. He reached inside and found a note.
Samael, I am planning contact with Zaybris soon to tempt him with our prize. When do you expect to reach him? My impatience to find my sister grows with each day. Please tell us how you fare — Thema
He crushed the note in his hand. Damn the queen’s timing. He didn’t know precisely when he would connect with Zaybris, especially not now when things had become so complicated.
As Sam moved to disassemble his hammock, an idea took form. Although he had never been there, Iriswood lay at the crossroads between Malkina lands and Harpy country. It was the gateway to Queen Aello’s territory, with travelers coming through to rest and trade at the local inn. Many of them were also looking for work. Perhaps he could hire a guide in Iriswood to take Selene back to Queen Thema.
He considered the thought. Selene would not be abandoned and he could reach Zaybris in a few weeks. Plus, with the amount of gold he carried, he wouldn’t even have to haggle a price, once he found a guide who seemed trustworthy. A fierce Harpy or a protective Lycah wouldn’t be hard to find in Iriswood.
It would probably take most of the day to get there, and they could stay the night at the inn. Then he could get an early start that morning before Selene even knew he was gone.
It would be a relief to have the matter closed.
Chapter 16
It was late afternoon by the time they spotted the towering, spindly buildings of Iriswood peeking over the hillside. Lightning cracked overhead and Sam looked up to see swollen clouds churning over a yellow-green sky. It looked as if a storm were coming, but he didn’t feel the ache in his knee that usually came before rain.
“It’s getting dark early isn’t it? Or is that just storm clouds?” Selene asked, her Nereid cream shimmering.
“Nightfall approaches. Iriswood can be a dangerous place at night. It would be best for us to stay at an inn so we don’t have to camp so close.”
“But I thought it was better to stay out of towns at night. You know, with vampires and all.”
“Iriswood is different,” Sam said, hating to lie so that she would agree to retire in a place where he could find a guide. Selene looked skeptical. “Wouldn’t you like to sleep in a place with proper amenities? We'd get two rooms, of course,” he added.
