Page 30 of Wolves & Watercolors
“You can stay out here.” His hand runs up my back and rubs circles between my shoulder blades.
“I want to help. It’s fine. I’m good.”
“Okay,” he says, frowning at me. When I don’t move, he holds out his hand, palm up.
With an awkward laugh, I give him a high five and force myself through the coop door before I have to witness his reaction. I’m going to die of shame. But I don’t want him to see my hands shaking or realize I’m sweating.
Onyx stands in the center of the small space, cuddling a white chicken to his chest. Behind him, Ember goes from cubby to cubby, looking for the clue.
The chickens ignore me. As I step forward, they move away, and I exhale in relief. This is fine. No chickens are going to attack me.
Gritting my teeth, I peek into the first cubby. A pair of beady eyes stare back. With a squawk, the hen lurches forward. I echo with my own screech and throw myself backwards. Armsclose around my waist and catch me before I fall and crush a few of these mother cluckers.
Cedar’s reassuring herbal scent envelops me, his hands warm against my ribs. He doesn’t say a word, just sets me back on my feet and releases me. My blood rushes in my ears and I scramble to grab his arms and steady myself further. My fingers close over his, and he shifts our hands until our fingers lace.
“What happened?” Cedar asks, his voice low.
“That freaking chicken attacked me!” I hiss, scowling at him. From the corner of my eye, I see Onyx grinning at me. Relieved to have an outlet for my emotions, I turn and glare at him.
“I got it!” Ember says, waving a card.
“Good job, babe,” Onyx praises.
She opens the card and scans it, before clearing her throat and reading. “In a house among the trees, find your next clue with ease.”
“What?” I say. “All the houses around here are in the trees.”
“It’s the treehouse,” Cedar says.
Ember frowns at him.
“Hawthorne and Crickett have a treehouse behind their cabin,” Onyx explains. Ember’s mouth opens into an O, her hand drifting to the chicken in her boyfriend’s arms. She strokes down its back, and I suppress a shiver.
“That makes sense with the clue,” I say, eyeing the gate longingly.
“Alright, let’s go. You’ll have to put Piccata down,” Ember says, laughing. With a dramatic pout, Onyx sets his chicken down.
Unable to wait a second longer, I unlatch the gate and push through. My hand feels cold without Cedar’s fingers wrapped around mine. I shouldn’t need his support. I’m being ridiculous.
Ember and Onyx pass me, breaking into a jog. But Cedar stops beside me. His brows furrow.
“Are you ready to go?” I ask.
“You’re afraid of chickens and you didn’t tell me.”
“No, why do you say that?” My faux-confidence is broken when another shiver washes over me.
“You should have told me.” His tone is soft, like a request instead of a reprimand.
“I’m sorry. Do you want me to confess all of my phobias to you?”
“Maybe just the ones we are possibly facing.” He crosses his arms, and I can’t help myself.
“Well, I don’t like clowns either.”
He ignores my snark and looks down my body like he is evaluating me. “Are you really okay?”
Jasper and Marigold’s group enters the garden and sprints past us.
