“The camp is just beyond those trees. Which way is our stuff?”
I took a moment to assess our surroundings, searching for anything familiar, when I saw it. The tree with the heart-shaped burl.
“That way.”
We turned, beginning the next leg of our trek, when the pained cry of an animal echoed from their camp, stopping me in my tracks. I couldn’t leave them there. I wouldn’t.
“What is it?” Liam asked, looking at me with concern.
“I…we…we must go back.”
“Back? Back where?”
“We have to go to the poachers’ camp.”
Liam stepped toward me. “What? No. Why?”
I was on the verge of tears, exhaustion and fear catching up to me. And now I couldn’t keep myself from picturing those helpless creatures sitting there, waiting to be traded to live their life in a cage in some rich person’s house.
It was tearing my soul in two.
“The animals.” My voice came out rough.
His expression softened. “Oh, sunshine. What are you saying?”
“We must free them.”
Emotions warred on his face as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Please,” I said.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“There are only two poachers left.”
“We can’t. What if they have weapons or powerful magic we don’t know about? What if the others aren’t dead and they return?” He pulled me after him, walking away from the camp. “Let’s go get our stuff. We can report them to the authorities. That’s all we can do.”
No. I wouldn’t accept that. It would take much too long. Yanking my hand from his grasp, I turned on my heel and marched toward the poachers’ site, my fear and exhaustion turning to anger.
“Where are you going?” Liam hurried after me.
“If you won’t help me, I’ll do it myself.” I refused to let innocent creatures suffer.
“For fuck’s sake, you stubborn woman,” Liam muttered, yanking me back and pinning me against a tree. One hand landed beside my head, while the other gripped my hip, but I’m not sure he even realized how close he was. “You can’t go barreling in there,” he whispered harshly. “Those men won’t hesitate to kill either one of us.”
“I’m not leaving without freeing them. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. You’ll have to drag me away, kicking and screaming.”
He studied me closely. “You’re serious.”
“Of course I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be? Have youmetme?”
A mirthful chuckle escaped his lips as the hand on the tree moved to the side of my neck, his thumb brushing my jaw. “Well, far be it from me to stop the tenacious Cerise Thornheart from saving a group of innocent wildlife.”
“I’m glad you’re finally seeing reason.”
His eyes dipped to my lips and he leaned in to whisper in my ear. “By the way…once we complete our animal rescue, we will be talking about that kiss.”
I swallowed as he pulled back.