Page 41 of Never Tamed
She must be even faster than we bargained to make it this far, too. It’s not like we were an easy hour from the summit. We weren’t even close.
After what feels like hours, my paws are damn near frozen, and I know. I just know where she went.
Another few heartbeats and the temple rises out of the white-out like a ghost. I slow just enough to search the area. A flash of movement separates from the storm and a figure resolves through the flakes.
Red.
She’s there in the middle of the broken stones talking low to someone. Only the person she’s got her head bent beside glows like starlight spun into skin.
Instinct sends me ducking behind a fallen column with a growl threatening to climb up my throat.
Who the hell is that? Better yet,whatthe hell is that? Humans don’t glow.
Nothing glows. Nothing in this world unless we’ve somehow all been abducted by aliens. I don’t watch TV but I know.
I slink closer and crouch behind a piece of cracked foundation. From the long hair and curvy form, it’s clear it’s a woman, but when I sniff the air to catch a scent, I come up empty.
My nose twitches. The glowing woman has no scent at all. Not possible. Everyone smells likesomething.
The woman and Red continue to talk and I catch pieces of their conversation.
“…stop Andras from destroying the balance…”
“…you’ve already started the process…”
“…trust the men at your side…”
And then Red mutters, bitter and exhausted, “I’m allowed a little bit of wallowing.”
The woman rises. Her glow intensifies—not reflected moonlight, but something alive. Primal.
“No, you’re not. Not anymore. Stand tall and do your job. Be my sword. Protect the people you love.”
Then she dissolves into light.
Poof. Gone.
I slam back on my tailbone and surprise skitters like an ache up to my skull. Red’s left kneeling in the cold, the silence deafening.
A whine rumbles my throat and I shift back onto two legs, shaking my head. Another heartbeat passes and I step out of my hiding place. Walk over to her.
Red glances up at my approach. Sadness is etched into every inch of her beautiful features and it twists a knife in my heart.
“Little Red.” I crouch beside her and grasp her hands. Hers are warm. Mine shake.
“Dax.”
“I know you think this is all on you. But it’s not. We’re with you. Every step.”
Whatever the fuck she just experienced, I’ve got to be strong. If she can handle talking to a glowing chick then I can fucking handle giving her support.
She blinks hard, lips pressing tight like she’s holding back more than just tears.
“I get it,” I add. “You don’t trust yourself. But I do. We do.”
She shakes her head. “How, though? Why would you? All I’ve done is fail.”
I pause. “Red, I don’t care what anyone says—Moon Goddess or Santa Claus himself—but if it comes down to burning everything down or you, I’ll light the damn match myself.”
