on the sides of the boat, pale and gnarled. Finfolk heads appeared from beneath the waves, green hair waving in the water as their eyes gleamed up at me.
“Hurry!” I shouted.
Lachlan pulled the charm from his pocket, smacking one of the Finfolk off when he tried to climb into the boat. My heart shot into my throat as a hand gripped my leg. I kicked out, breaking the grip, and pulled hard on the oars to drag us over the line and out of the barrier of the protection charm that trapped us.
“Now!” I smacked another Finfolk with my oar.
Lachlan hurled the charm to the floor of the boat, and a silver cloud burst up. We dove in at the same time, just as the boat was overrun by Finfolk.
7
Eve
* * *
The ether spun us through space, making my head whirl and my stomach lurch. The pain inside me grew, as if my wolf didn’t like being parted from Wyre.
By the time the ether spat us out in the courtyard in front of the Shifters’ Guild tower, I was gasping, my muscles weak. I knelt on the damp green grass, the pale moonlight bathing my skin in warmth.
Somehow, it burned.
“Eve.” Lachlan knelt at my side, his hands hovering gently over my shoulders. “Are you all right?”
I nodded, trying to force myself to my feet. Every muscle shook, and the pain was excruciating. With a shaking hand, I reached into my pocket and withdrew a potion. I gulped it back, sighing with relief as it soothed.
I staggered upright, then nearly keeled over. At Lachlan’s look, I waved him away. “Don’t worry about me.”
He hoisted me into his arms, clutching me to his chest as he strode toward the tower. “Of course I worry about you.”
“You shouldn’t.” I looked up into his handsome face, my heart breaking. “You really shouldn’t.”
“I know.” His voice sounded rough, and he did know. He could already feel the effects of the curse. Of course he knew. “I can’t help it.”
“That’s the problem.” I wanted to rest my head against his shoulder, but I knew that I shouldn’t under any circumstances.
Exhaustion tugged at me, a soul-deep ache that demanded I rest. I needed his help now, but I couldn’t take more than the bare minimum. I couldn’t take what I really wanted.
My gaze flicked to his lips, then away.
Definitely not.
Lachlan climbed the steps to the tower two at a time, sweeping through the doors and ignoring the looks of the people in the great hall. I could feel their gazes burning into me, each of them ravenously curious. I made sure not to make eye contact. I had as many questions as they did—there was nothing I could say to them.
Lachlan reached his quarters a moment later and lay me in the bed. It felt divine, my aching bones sighing at the welcome of the soft mattress. But the location…
I looked up at him. “This is your room.”
“Ah—” He looked briefly surprised, as if he hadn't realized and had just brought me here on instinct. “You’re right. It is. But I’m not staying.”
I blinked at him. It was the first time I’d ever seen him look anything close to embarrassed.
He stood abruptly and went to the door. “Get some rest.”
“What are you—”
But he was gone, and exhaustion was already pulling at me. Whatever had happened back on Wyre had sucked the strength from me, and the only solution was to sleep.
Didn’t matter if I didn’t want to—my body was making it clear. Within minutes, I was out.
Lachlan
* * *
This is your room.
Eve’s words echoed in my head.
Idiot.
Why had I taken her there? I hadn’t planned on anything other than laying her down to rest. For that, I should have taken her to a nearby guest suite.
Instead, I’d brought her to my room, instinct driving my motions. That was exactly the kind of thing I wasn’t meant to do. I was supposed to be putting distance between us, not putting her right in my bed.
Frustrated, I dragged a hand through my hair, then reached for the flask in my back pocket. As I palmed it, I remembered that there was no point. It would do me no good. I could no longer rely on that crutch to suppress my emotions.
I just had to feel the damned things.
Terrible.
I had no experience with that. Not anymore.
Annoyed with myself, I shook away the thoughts and found Kenneth in the library, where he usually was at that time of night. Despite his