Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,65

with a tight smile and hard eyes. My protective lieutenant bristled beside me at her rudeness, but as Winter was Vojvodkyna and Chaeron a mere Mister, I placed a quieting hand on his arm to reassure him and received a blistering look from Wolfe for my trouble.

I had never been so thankful to get away from a room in my life. I hurried to my suite and locked myself inside.

But I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking of our journey ahead in the morning. Soon we would be in Alvernia and I would have to brave the mountains for Haydyn’s cure. But brave them I would, and then I would hurry home to bring her back to us. I needed her more than ever. I refused to think of what was happening back in Silvera. If I did, I’d panic and lose the little focus I had.

Finally, after having tossed and turned the sheets into a tight tangle around my legs, I shoved myself out of bed and into a dressing gown. Winter had a library on the ground floor. I would pick out a book and read for a while, hoping it would send me off to sleep.

I was surprised to discover the sconces still alight out in the hallway, and as I walked, it became apparent that the vojvodkyna kept her house lit even when the household was asleep. I clucked, shaking my head. The lady really was wasteful.

I hurried through the hallways and tiptoed down the stairs, my bare feet cold against the marble floor. I hopped quietly from rug to rug to save my poor feet from the chill. As I drew closer to Winter’s parlor, the sound of low voices drew me to a halt. Was that Wolfe?

Heart thudding, blooding rushing in my ears, I sidled along the wall until I drew up to the door. Peering tentatively around the door frame, I sucked in a breath at the sight before me. I hated that I wanted to cry. I hated that he made me feel that way.

Wolfe was sprawled in an armchair, his long arm draped over the edge, a brandy snifter dangling from his fingers. Winter stood over him, between his legs. She gazed down at him in longing.

I wanted to scream.

“Darling, you’re being impossible,” Winter purred as she leaned down, bracing a hand on each arm of the chair. “I’ve missed you. Two nights in the same house and not even a peck.” She finished by pressing her lips to his cheek.

To my horror, Wolfe groaned, that familiar groan that I thought was all mine. Stupid fool. Stupid, inexperienced child.

But then he shocked me by pressing a hand to Winter’s shoulder to push her away. With a sigh, Wolfe rose to his feet, towering over the vojvodkyna who was even more diminutive than I. I couldn’t look away. Even as he stared at her so intensely. I watched as he brushed his fingers gently down her cheek. Winter stared back at him, wary and bewildered.

“I told you no,” Wolfe said in a low voice. “I’m sorry, Winter.”

Holding in my breath, I waited for Winter’s response. She didn’t seem like the kind of woman who would take kindly to being rebuffed.

Indeed she turned from him, her spine ramrod straight. “You can’t possibly love her,” she whispered. “She’s nothing special. She’s not even beautiful.”

My jaw dropped. I may have questioned who on Phaedra they were discussing but I knew how much Winter admired beauty … and I was anything but beautiful.

“I think she is,” Wolfe whispered back, and my heart pounded so hard, it was as if the organ itself was swelling. My legs trembled; my toes curled into the marble floor.

Winter shook her head and turned back to him. “I’m such a fool. Even back then, your eyes followed her everywhere. I told myself you were only doing your job, watching over her.”

“I’m sorry,” Wolfe repeated, looking remorseful.

“Stop saying you’re sorry. So what? You’re going to give up what we could have again for a girl who doesn’t even care for you?”

Wolfe flinched, and that awful pang resonated again and again like a vibration in my chest. I wanted to cry out to him. It wasn’t that I didn’t care for him. It wasn’t that at all. I just couldn’t be with him.

“Rogan is confused.” He rubbed his forehead in that familiar way of his. “But I’m willing to wait.”

Winter shook her head, as if she thought him a fool. Mayhap she saw something