I found him watching me intently. The steadiness of his gaze made me feel like he was looking straight into my soul.
“Yes,” I said simply.
The fey started prodding the cows from their lot to the street, and Thallirin picked me up to follow. He placed a kiss on my brow as he walked.
“What’s that for?” I asked.
“To remind you. You are mine, Brenna.”
“I like that you say it as if that’s enough. To belong to someone else. I need to be me, too. An individual.”
The tips of his ears darkened slightly.
“What did I say wrong?” I asked, reaching up and gently touching a tip. He shuddered and turned his head to set his forehead against mine.
“You said nothing wrong. That was the first time you acknowledged you are mine.”
I pulled back to look at him.
“Was it?”
He grunted, and I grinned, still playing with his ear.
“I am yours, Thallirin. I just wish you’d do something about it.”
His steps slowed, and he looked at the cows and the other fey. I could feel his resistance weakening and leaned up for a kiss, which he quickly gave and, just as quickly, ended.
“Be good, Brenna.”
I sighed and settled into his arms.
“I’m trying to be.”
He didn’t talk to me again until we reached Tenacity. According to Thallirin, getting twelve of the cows over Tolerance’s walls had been a chore. Driving those cows through Tenacity’s newly acquired, but only semi-completed, double gates was a breeze.
“This is going to make loading up for supply runs a lot easier,” Matt said, watching as Merdon and two other fey moved a pickup into place. I didn’t know where they got the heavy iron doors from, but they looked like they could keep out a hellhound. For a while, anyway.
Richard and Ryan were on top of the outer set of doors, rigging floodlights that were aimed directly toward the ground.
“Looks like it’s been a busy day,” I said.
“Very. In a good way, though. Seeing animals alive like this has people excited. It helps that a few of Tolerance’s people are here trading, too. Food in the cupboard and food walking around on four legs is a good reminder that things are getting better.”
He sighed, the sound contradicting his words.
“I should go check on the trading,” he said.
“Let me,” I offered. “I think you’ll probably be more needed here. You too, Thallirin. They’ll want this closed up before dark.”
Thallirin’s steady gaze held mine.
“We should stay together.”
I smiled.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’ll be fine.”
He grunted, and I walked away.
The supply shed still had a few people lingering around it. As I approached, I heard the exchange between the guy behind the table and a man standing in front of it.
“I think she’s on a bathroom break or something,” one man said. “I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”
“Can’t you just trade for her? She brought this stuff here for a reason.”
“Sorry. I don’t know what she was looking for.”
I stepped in before it got any more heated.
“Who was here?” I asked.
“Hannah,” the guy said.
I looked down at the box full of food, knowing too well what she’d probably come to trade for, but I wasn’t about to help her get more alcohol.
“What do you have to trade?” I asked.
I traded for meat on Hannah’s behalf, figuring she could always trade up later. When her box was empty, I asked the guy to watch over her newly acquired stock until she got back.
“Fine, but I’m telling her you’re the one who traded.”
I waved to show I didn’t care and left the shed, heading away from the wall.
Before I told Matt who he harbored within his walls, I had to know how many of them were here. I’d seen Van for certain, and possibly Oscar, but what about the other men in their group?
Staying alert, I looked at every person I passed. I was ready with an explanation for my odd behavior if anyone asked. I’d say I was looking for Hannah. Hopefully, no one would point out that I wasn’t looking at the women walking around as much as I was carefully watching the men.
In the end, none of my behavior mattered. No one questioned me, and I never spotted anyone from the bunker.
Until Van found me.
Chapter Seventeen
I had been standing between two houses, following a set of footprints in the snow when a prickle of awareness raced along my spine. Snow crunched behind me.
I whirled around, facing Van. He’d dyed his hair almost black. Eyebrows, too. He almost didn’t look