Something snaps behind me, and the hairs at the back of my neck lift at the unexpected sound. Slowly, I turn to see what made the noise only to find myself staring into the bloodred eyes of the biggest animal I’ve ever seen.
Not just an animal…A wolf.
The beast’s lips curl back from its teeth; blood drips down its maw, splattering the curled, brown leaves at my feet. I don’t know what it just killed but I know what it’s going to kill next.
Me.
Carefully, and without taking so much as a breath, I back toward the wagon, making it three steps before the muscles in the wolf’s shoulders tense.
“Ever,” I whisper even though there is no way he will be able to hear me.
Why didn’t I wake him when I left? Why did I think it would be safe to go outside? Didn’t he warn me of the dangers of this forest? And off I went without a care in the bloody world.
“Ever,” I call, louder than before, but fear steals the power from my voice. I take another step back. And another. And another, loath to take my eyes from the wolf to search the ground for something to use as a weapon, to give me some sort of chance against the beast.
The wolf’s ears flatten, its eyes glazing over with feral rage. A growl starts low in its belly, lifting the hairs on my arms and sending my heart into overdrive.
I whirl to run but my escape is foiled by my feet tangling in my skirts. I screw my eyes shut and wait for the inevitable pain.
A pitiful yelp cuts through me and my eyes fly open, finding the wolf collapsed at my feet, blood pouring from where a dagger with a bone-hilt protrudes from its crimson eye.
Ever leaps in front of me, yanking the dagger free and dragging the blade across the wolf’s throat. Blood sprays from the wound, splattering all over my bare feet and dress.
With the beast slain, he rushes to where I’ve fallen, cradling my face, but all I can see is the blood. Its coppery tang taints every breath. Ever’s lips are moving, but the ringing in my ears muffles his words.
Something warm and wet dribbles down my cheek. More blood. His hands are painted with it.
The ringing suddenly stops, and everything around me comes into sharp focus.
“Did it hurt you?” Ever demands.
“N-no.” But it could have. It could have ripped out my throat and torn me to shreds and Ever would’ve been none the wiser and he never would have forgiven himself.
He lets me go, carding both hands through his hair, his expression a tumultuous storm of rage and fear. “Why were you out here?”
Why was I out here? I can’t even remember. “I-I had to use the privy.”
“You should have woken me.”
“I’m s-sorry.”
“You could have been killed,” he says, as if I wasn’t already painfully aware of that fact. As if I can’t still see the promise of death in the beast’s eyes. Feel the heat of its blood-drenched breath against my cheeks. “If that wolf had gotten to you first, not even all the water in the well could have saved you.”
I want to shout, but all my trembling voice is capable of seems to be another pathetic, “I’m sorry.”
“You are sorry?” Ever murmurs, his head hanging and proud shoulders falling in defeat.
“I’ll do better.” I’ll prove to him that I can survive on this side of The Divide. He can give me a dagger. Teach me to use the bow. I’ll never be defenseless again.
He yanks the blade from the ground and twists the hilt in his hand, scarlet drops splattering on his bloodstained boots as his head shakes. “You will go back to your people.”
“No.” How can he even consider such a thing? I won’t let him throw us away because of one foolish mistake. “Ever, I love you.”
He looks me dead in the eye and says, “Take your love and return to Rosehill.”
Finally, I find my voice. My courage. My backbone. “No. I’m not going back there.” I refuse to leave him.
“I do not want you here.”