Page 78 of Queen of Whispers and Mist

The breathless cry of his name had him tossing her a smug grin of his own.

“Shh, love. It’s my turn.”

* * *

“Is holding my hand really necessary?”

“Yes.”

“Afraid you’ll get lost?” Reyna teased.

“Not me.You.”

“Me? Ronan, I was born amongst the trees.”

He grunted and squeezed her fingers tighter when she tried to pull free. “The last time you and I traipsed through the woods alone, you wandered off, and it took me five years to find you. I won’t apologize for wanting to ensure it doesn’t happen a second time.”

Her gaze was soft and dreamy, and she leaned in close so she could rest her head on his shoulder. For several seconds, only the sound of their mingled breaths and the crunch of leaves accompanied them before she tossed out, “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll deny it with my dying breath.”

“I’d expect nothing less, killer,” he said with a laugh.

“Killer?”

He pulled away to look down at her face. “I’ve always called you that.”

She smoothed a hand down his chest. He hadn’t bothered putting what was left of his shirt back on, so the play of skin over skin made him shiver. “I know, it’s just...”

He tipped her chin up with his free hand. “You like it when I call you kitten?”

“Darkness help me, but I do.” Reyna smiled, color tinging her cheeks. “If Ryder and the other Night Stalkers could see how soft you make me, they’d never let me live it down.”

“Huh. And here I was thinking about how hard you—oof.”

She elbowed him sharply in the stomach, making him laugh through the burst of pain. He ran his thumb along her cheekbone, holding her in place when she made to keep walking. “You’re not soft, Reyna. You’re in love. There’s a difference.”

She made a contented sound in the back of her throat, giving him a quick kiss before pulling away. “I suppose so.”

“You’re still as savage and bloodthirsty as ever, I promise,” he said with a slight wince, discreetly rubbing at his aching ribs.

Pleased with his verdict, they resumed their trek back to the campsite, still hand in hand.

“Do you think the others will be worried we were gone so long?” she asked.

“No. Buttercup stayed with us most of the night. They’d have let Jagger and the others know if we were in trouble.”

She made a considering sound, her eyes narrowed.

“What is it?”

“Hmm? Oh... it’s probably nothing.”

Reyna was the last person he’d accuse of overreacting. If something felt off to her, he trusted her instincts. “Out with it.”

“It’s just... it seems odd to me that we haven’t seen or heard any sign of them yet. I know we’re still a little out from the campsite, but sound carries. Even if they were all asleep, they should have heard us by now or at least come to investigate the source of the noise after the attack last night.”

“You’re wondering why they haven’t come to greet us?”

She nodded. “Bast especially. I don’t know Calypso and her crew well, but they don’t strike me as the sort to stand idly by. And Bast...”

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