Warmth radiated from his palm as he used a basic healing spell, the same one he’d used the first day I had met him. And as his fresh scent surrounded me, I choked on a small sob and burrowed into him.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, petting the back of my hair. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”
Another scent hit me then. Spice and leather. Arms came around me from behind before something soft pressed to my nape. “Do noteverrun away from us again. Do you hear me?” Maddox held me tighter. “Gods. My heart stopped when I learned you were missing. I’ve never been so terrified.”
“I’m sorry,” I said again. I couldn’t say it enough. “About everything. Running away and making everyone worry. Upsetting both of you because I’m a horrible person.”
“Horrible person?” Maddox asked.
As more tears welled in my eyes, I hastily wiped at them, annoyed at myself. “I heard you talking last night. You were upset about me choosing between you. That’s why—”Hiccup.God, I was a sobbing mess now. How embarrassing. “That’s why I ran. I thought it’d be better if I just went away.”
“Shh.” Briar wiped at my wet cheeks. “Enough of that. We’ll talk more once we get you home.”
I was then lifted from the ground as Maddox picked me up. He cradled me to his chest and walked toward his horse. Briar kept pace beside us, his hand finding mine and our fingers threading together. The rocking motion of Maddox’s body, along with the relief of being with both of them again, relaxed the anxious pit of nerves that had twisted in my gut during the earlier commotion. Crying had helped me some too, releasing endorphins or whatever.
“Wait,” Lake said, stepping after us. He then halted in place, hesitating as his purple eyes fell to me. “Will I see you again?”
“No,” Maddox told him. “You won’t.”
“I wasn’t speaking to you, knight.”
“That’s Captain. Not knight.”
“You are no captain of mine,” Lake responded.
“Don’t fight,” I said, surprised by how weak my voice sounded. Exhaustion had crept up on me. I felt like I could zonk out for the rest of the day.
Briar gently squeezed my fingers. “Let’s take him home so he can rest.”
Maddox nodded and continued forward. They were getting along fairly well, so there didn’t seem to be animosity between them. For now, anyway. Would that change once I was safely back at the castle?
“We’ve both fallen for the same man,”Briar had said.
And god. I’d fallen for them too. All I wanted in that moment was to return with them and feel their arms around me.
However, as Maddox seated me on the stallion and swung up into the saddle behind me, I looked at Lake. He stared back at me, expression shadowed. I couldn’t explain why, but the thought of never seeing him again caused an ache to tear through my chest.
And as Maddox guided the horse toward the trees and I saw Lake’s face crumple, I thought of that story about the red fox. People thought the fox was bad, so they had cast him out. When really, he was sweet and loved to laugh and play. He’d only wanted a friend who would see the truth.
Had Lake reread that story over and over because he felt like that too? Misunderstood and lonely.
The cottage faded from sight as we traveled deeper into the forest. I rested against Maddox and let my eyes fall shut. He had one arm wrapped around my middle and occasionally pressed kisses into my hair.
I didn’t stay awake long. During the journey, sleep closed in around me, much like the shroud of the forest, and I dreamed of a hollow inside the base of a tree. Rain came down hard, some of the drops catching on the leaves of the branches. But instead of a small fox, I saw a white wolf pup. He trembled as lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Tears shone in his purple eyes.
Sometime later, I awoke in Maddox’s bed. Neither he nor Briar was in the room, but I heard them speaking softly outside the door.
I tried to sit up, but my limbs weighed heavily. I felt groggy and a bit out of it. A small glass vial on the bedside table caught my eye, empty. It looked like the ones Briar used for his elixirs. Had he given me one to help me rest?
The thoughtfulness burrowed into my chest.
The door creaked open before Briar stepped through. Maddox trailed behind him.
“You’re awake.” Briar approached the bed and sat on the edge of it. He smoothed a hand over my hair. “How do you feel?”
“Tired.” My voice sounded croaky, and my throat was dry.
Maddox stepped closer and looked down at me, gaze hard. Guarded. “You should get more rest.”
