no matter how much my kitty wants his cream,” I stated, realizing my error the moment it had slipped from my tongue. “Whoever he may be when I finally release myself from the oath.”
“There are more stones further from camp,” a warrior stated, striding toward us, his midnight-blue eyes lifting to mine, then sliding to Torrin’s with unease. “There are several piles of them, unfortunately. I’m guessing the wraiths fed gluttonously last night, which means they should be sated for now.”
“How is that possible?” I countered, watching the men’s faces shut down all emotion. “Nothing? Just going to let us assume the worst?” I asked, watching the anger sizzling in Torrin’s stare.
I shouldered past him, moving toward the horses while my team stood around watching me. Once I reached Chivalry, I nuzzled his neck, brushing my hands against his flank while he neighed loudly, tossing his mane around. He offered comfort from the turmoil in my mind.
Why would there be moon-touched people here? And why would they be stupid enough to be out in the darkness as the moon rose? The day was iffy enough for the moon-touched people, but add in the darkness of night, and you could count on the monsters unleashing to feed.
That’s what happened in the Badlands. It was why the moon-touched stayed far away from this place. Not to mention, we’d been banned from entering it. Sure, we were still close enough to the border that the moon-touched could have slipped in and lived among the cliffs, but they would have had no chance of remaining alive if they’d lingered here that long.
I felt Torrin behind me but ignored him as he saddled his horse. I bristled, not being able to understand what had befallen the others. I knew wraiths had consumed them, but why were they here, and had they followed us? Had the Order of the Moon sent someone to spy on us to ensure we finished our mission? It was possible. It would be stupid on their part, especially without warning us first.
“I need to go figure out why other moon-touched were here last night.” I turned to find Torrin inches away from me.
“No, you don’t,” he argued, handing me his cloak. “Put this on and cover up your fucking hair.”
“Why?”
“Because I fucking said to put it on, woman,” he demanded, daring me to challenge him.
“Put it on your fucking self, asshole,” I muttered, turning back to Chivalry.
Torrin grabbed me from behind, yanked my arms behind my back, and shoved me against his horse’s flank. I yelped as he held me there, sliding his mouth across the back of my neck as he whispered.
“If you want to be rough-handled by pissing me off, it’s one thing…” Torrin growled, and neighing sounded behind us. I turned, watching him shake his arm violently to remove Chivalry’s teeth from his forearm. Smiling at his anger, I winked at my horse before concealing it as Torrin turned back toward me.
I clucked my tongue, and Chivalry released Torrin, his anger palpable in the air. He crackled with it, and yet he didn’t strike my horse. Instead, his hand lowered, pinching my ass, and I gasped and ground my teeth together.
“You need to get your fucking horse under control,” Torrin seethed, his teeth skimming against my throat. “He’s as wild and unpredictable as his rider.”
“He better be; I trained him myself,” I muttered. “You done yet? I’m getting a little more horse than I want, and mine is probably about to attack yours for having his scent on me.”
“Put this cloak on, now. You don’t want to be visible when we pass the nightwalkers or the others that will fight to suck that light from the marrow of your worthless bones. I never agreed to protect you. The choice is yours,” Torrin snapped, tossing his heavy cloak toward me.
I turned, staring at the others who waited to see what I did. They wore their cloaks. Mine was the only one lost to the river’s rushing current. I pushed my arms through the sleeves to pull it up over my hair.
Torrin watched me in silence, but there was something ravenous in his stare. He pulled me closer by his cloak, pushing my hair into the hood before he leaned over, dragging his lips over mine while everyone watched. I moaned, then slapped his cheek in embarrassment as the girls groaned.
“This is why her kitty never gets fed. She’s never getting laid like this,” Amo grunted, and the others agreed,