Page 85 of The Poison Daughter
“And do you feed him?” I ask.
Henry rolls his eyes and gestures to the blood trail. “Sometimes. Often he feeds himself, as you can see. He just lives here and hunts with me.”
“But he’s not a pet. What is he, then? Your colleague?”
Henry blows out an irritated sigh.
I tense as the wolf prowls closer, bloody snout nudging my skirt. Its paws are huge. It must be nearly as big as me, with a lean, muscular body.
“He won’t hurt you,” Henry says.
“You just told me he’s not a pet, which means he is a wild beast and—” My mouth goes dry as the beast steps closer. The wolf’s coppery breath ghosts over my face. He stares at me like he can see into my soul.
I flinch as he flops onto the floor beside me and rolls onto his back, rocking from side to side, like a puppy. A startled laugh rushes out of me, but I’m still too afraid to do more than talk.
“Really, Ky? What a fierce protector! Showing a stranger your belly,” Henry grumbles behind me.
The wolf rolls onto its stomach and looks at me. Its eyes are bright with intelligence as it stares me down and then glances at Henry.
“I suppose I wasn’t so far off with your nickname,” I say.
Henry rolls his eyes. “I should get you back upstairs. The feast festivities will start at sundown and you should be tucked away in your room by then.”
“Are you going?”
He smirks. “Of course. I’m heir of Mountain Haven.”
I glance at the wolf, slowly pushing up to my feet.
“Why? Does that make you jealous? I’m happy to escort you, but Ithought we’d ease you into our lifestyle. Unless you’re feeling up for it. You are going to be Mrs. Feral Wolf, after all.”
I glare at him, but he just laughs and presses a hand to my back to lead me to our room. I look over my shoulder at the statues.
“We’ll come back and see the rest soon, but I figured you’d want to clean off the rabbit blood,” Henry says.
I let him lead me upstairs and leave me in our room with the promise that I’ll stay put, knowing I have no intention of missing an opportunity to snoop.
16
HENRY
Kyrin trots along beside me as I stalk down the long corridor to my parents’ private sitting room. It’s early evening, an hour until moonrise and the start of the hunt, but it’s so dark already. It’s a reminder that we’re just weeks from the Dark Star Festival and the coldest part of the winter.
“Way to be a fearsome beast, Ky,” I tease. “You really put the fear of the Divine into her.”
The wolf chuffs as if to say he thought the same of me.
“It’s my job to get her to open up. You’re supposed to be the cagey one.”
We take the last turn in the hallway and the guards posted outside my parents’ room come into view.
Kyrin comes to a stop outside the ornate sitting room door and lies down to wait beside the guards.
The guard to the right nods. “They’re waiting for you.”
I let myself into the room and find my parents seated in plush chairs across from the fire. My mother’s face lights up when she sees me, the well-worn crease in her brow relaxing.
“Have a seat, Henry. I had tea brought up. I know you were out and about and it will help you shake off the chill,” she says.
