the witch’s spells. I’m stronger than they thought. The witch’s words scared me because I know they’re true, or at least they could be.
“I’m fine,” I insist, just like the other five hundred times they’ve asked me since the other day. He can feel my confusion down the bond, and me reliving my past probably isn’t helping. Feeling bad, I glance across at him and take in his frowning countenance. “Sorry.”
His face softens, and he reaches over, squeezing my leg. “We will figure everything out.” Ever since we sealed our bond, he’s been much more touchy-feely, and surprisingly, I like it. At least, I like it when he touches me.
Nodding my head in acknowledgement, I try to smile, wishing I could agree with him. “I just get the feeling something’s about to happen.” I see the others stiffen and turn on their horses to look at me as I speak, obviously eavesdropping on our conversation.
“Like what? Is the goddess trying to tell you something?” Vaeril asks, trying to pull my attention back to him. His voice is calm, but I felt his flash of alarm through the bond. That’s one of the downsides of having this connection, I can feel everything he feels, and I have no idea how I’m going to cope with having three connections.
What about Eldrin? my traitorous mind points out, and I quickly try to shove those thoughts as far away as possible, but they drag up unwelcome feelings. I worry about Eldrin. The queen sent him away before we left to visit the wood elves, and then the attack happened and we were branded traitors, having to go into hiding. Even if Eldrin managed to escape the battle, how would he find us? Would he even want to? Plus, he has a complex relationship with the queen. Would he betray her and join us? Although she hates him, he’s been desperately trying to gain her approval for years, something she exploits. Even just thinking about her and the way she treats him makes anger bubble in my stomach.
Vaeril watches me with an unreadable expression as I think of his friend. I know he’s worried about Eldrin, and Naril has been almost unbearable since we left the wood elves, but there’s an unspoken question there. Why do I care? Do I care because he became my friend when he was teaching me to defend myself, or is there something more? Not that there could ever be anything more. I am bonded, I have a mate, and I have connections with two other men. Eldrin and I have no fated connection, we could never be anything more than friends.
“Clarissa?” Tor calls, and I snap out of my thoughts, pulling my gaze from Vaeril to glance over at the tribesman. We’ve not spoken much since he appeared the other morning and he discovered that Vaeril and I have sealed our bond. He once told me that he knows about my connections and he wouldn’t make me choose, but actually seeing it first hand is very different. Slowing his horse, he drops back so we can talk easier. “You have a feeling?” he prompts, reminding me of the original question.
Nodding, I sit back in the saddle as much as it will allow. “Yes, I can’t shake it.” The nagging feeling in my gut that something is coming is growing with each second that passes, but I can’t determine what it could be. Usually, I would feel a sense of dread or fear, but instead I just get the impression that whatever it is, it will be important.
Naril snorts ahead of us, his back to me as he rides. “Brilliant, some other disaster for us to deal with.” His tone is scathing, and Vaeril lets out a long-suffering sigh beside me.
Frowning, I reach forward and absentmindedly stroke my horse’s mane. “I’m not convinced it’s a bad thing… Just something…big.”
Snorting one again, Naril stops his horse and turns around to face me. “Well, that’s mysterious.” His face is set in a scowl. “I betrayed my race to follow you, and that’s all you can tell me? That something is going to happen? But you don’t know what, when, or why?”
His words make me flinch like he’s hit me. His expression changes as soon as he sees my reaction, like he wants to apologise, but he steels his features, faces forward, and encourages his horse to start walking once more.
Vaeril’s angry that Naril has upset me, but he’s also concerned at the