Through the hike, Octavia kept her bag on her at all times. Although she’d caught Flynn eyeing it on multiple occasions, he hadn’t asked what was in it. Even if he did, she wouldn’t tell him.
It was her secret.
As the days progressed, Flynn began talking Octavia’s ear off. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy conversations—in the right circumstances, with the right topic, she could go for hours—but being an outcast for over five decades meant many of her social skills were out of practice.
“Did you know the merfolk throw a ball every year to celebrate the Summer Solstice?” Flynn asked, holding a branch aside so Octavia could duck under it.
She frowned. “No, and where did that thought come from?”
She’d quickly learned that Flynn’s mind often jumped from one thing to the next, taking leaps that she sometimes had trouble following.
Moments ago, he’d been telling her about the various trees that made up the Rose Empire. She knew about them, having lived in the woods for most of her life, but redirecting the conversation would take more effort than necessary.
Flynn held out his hand and helped her over a twisted root. “Summer Solstice is a week away.”
Was it? Octavia paused, frowning. She hadn’t realized that. Somewhere along the way, she must have lost track of time. Damn. The dragons in Firefall loved celebrating the Summer Solstice. A pang of disappointment went through Octavia when she realized she wouldn’t be back in time. Few people in the Rose Empire threw celebrations like dragon shifters. Whether it was for a birth, a solstice, or a mating, dragon shifters loved to party.
Gods, that was just her luck. If the storm hadn’t hit, she would’ve been able to return in time.
Despair twisted her stomach. Why did everything bad have to happen to her? Just when it seemed like things were turning around, something else would happen. What if she completed her delivery and returned to the village just in time for them to find another reason to ignore her? That would be horrible.
And yet…
For the first time, Octavia wondered why she cared so much. The villagers, who were supposed to be her family, had spent the better part of the past five decades ignoring her and making her feel horrible for her mistake. It had been an accident, but they constantly held it over her head. They’d been cruel to her, so why was it so important to her that they included her once again?
Even as she asked the question, Octavia knew the answer. Dragon shifters needed family. It was the same reason shecraved touch. Kydona had created the shifters to live together in a unit.
Being alone meant she was missing an integral part of herself.
“Octavia?” Flynn took hold of her sleeve. “What’s wrong?”
Her lips tilted down. “It’s just?—”
Her next words never came.
A pack of massive wolves, twice the size of normal ones, barrelled out of the woods. Snarling and yipping, they circled the pair.
Octavia’s stomach dropped as she tightened her grip on her walking stick.
Flynn drew his sword. “Fuck.”
CHAPTER 4
A Gods-Damned Cage
Awitch and a dragon shifter with a bad ankle were no good against a pack of angry werewolves. Octavia knew instantly they were dealing with her shifter cousins. The orange eyes and larger-than-normal sizes were dead giveaways.
For the first time in nearly two weeks, common sense returned to Octavia. Thank all the gods for that. Swallowing, she dropped to her knees. Her walking stick fell beside her. Her right knee landed on a gnarled root, but she didn’t dare move. She held up her hands in supplication. “We mean you no harm.”
A chorus of snapping teeth and low growls was the only response.
Octavia inched her head around to look where Flynn still stood with his sword drawn. Did the witch have a death wish? It would be a real shame if his handsomeness were destroyed by the wolves. Especially since Octavia had come to… well, not enjoy, but tolerate his chatty presence enough that she didn’t want to see him eaten by wolves.
Listen, her bar was fucking low.
Carefully moving so as not to anger the pack, Octavia tugged the leg of Flynn’s trousers. “Get down,” she hissed.
Octavia’s heart thundered as the wolves inched closer. A long moment passed before Flynn sheathed his sword and dropped down beside the dragon shifter, his cloak fluttering.