redoubled mine, made communication easier. “Wearing familiar skin, I see. Where’s the canis?”
“He waits for my return,” he said. “Once you and I finish, I will lead the pack’s crossing.”
“And the canis is amenable to your possession?” It seemed unlikely to me.
“The alpha fears his pack faces starvation if they remain in the northlands.” He sighed. “I vowed I’d guide them to the southlands, to Cathis, where they will be revered and never hunted.”
I had difficulty thinking of what to say. “I hope all ends well for his pack, and you.”
More than manipulating me, Brynmor was conversing with a wild animal. I supposed his possession of the canis’s body explained their ability to communicate, but it was still remarkable.
“As do I,” he said. “And I hope as much for you. My vow is only good as long as my heir is in charge of my clan and the lands surrounding Cathis. I would hate to fail so many, and yet…”
“I will not let Vaughn’s birthright be taken from him.” The vow slipped past my lips before I censored myself. “Isolde and Rhys are his only surviving family. I won’t have them displaced.”
His scrutiny made me shiver despite the rising temperature. “You care for my son.”
Rather than answer him, I deflected. “I have seen the damage done to our families where matters of the heart are concerned. I care for Vaughn, but I must follow my own heart’s path.”
He snorted. “Be wary of intersections.”
I tipped my chin. “I have a soul mate, a male the gods have chosen for me.”
“Yes, you do.” His eyes went out of focus. “I was foolish to accept Isolde as payment for her clan’s debt to me. I know that now, but she was the loveliest female I had ever seen. I thought if I made her my wife…but it didn’t matter. Her heart belonged to another. Even our child was less in her eyes because of his father, because of me.” He glanced at me with sudden clarity. “Know this. His mother will wring a price from his flesh, but it will be my neck she imagines twisting.”
My palms dampened. “Why are you telling me this?”
His shape flickered, his lips moving over words I no longer heard.
Air lightened around me, my sight cleared. The half-mile trek lay behind me, the southlands lay before me. Hot air swirled hair into my eyes, and humidity dampened my skin. So near home.
I gasped when a firm hand closed on my arm. I would never grow used to Brynmor’s touch.
“Your intersection lies ahead.” His voice crackled. “Don’t let…my son…”
The shade vanished and took Brynmor’s parting words with him.
My next step severed our connection. I crossed onto southland soil, and my ears popped. A moment of gratefulness to be home washed over me. This was the blistering heat, the lush green grasses and fertile trees I was born to. Instead of sterile snow and ice, I smelled fragrant plants in bloom and swore I heard the rushing river near my clan home. Despite my weary feet and legs, I almost danced the first steps onto Salticidae-owned soil. My heart lightened. My burden lifted.
“You make me regret I didn’t ask you to dance when I had the chance.”
Vaughn’s voice so near my ear made me stumble. I blushed. “I don’t dance.”
“Pity.” He sounded as if he meant it.
“Yes, well, not all clans embrace the Araneidae’s idea of society. I would rather warm my toes before the council fires than dance in heels across those frigid tiles in Erania.” Not that I so much as tried on the heels Lourdes had gifted me. I’d left them in my room, on my bed, for her to keep.
“I could teach you,” he teased. “Father taught me. We had no means of entertaining clans as the Araneidae do, but now our fortunes have changed. My mother might enjoy hosting a dance.”
There was more to playing host than the funds to provide entertainment.
I lacked the heart to tell Vaughn few outside clans would accept Isolde’s invitation except at sword point. Cathis was
“He waits for my return,” he said. “Once you and I finish, I will lead the pack’s crossing.”
“And the canis is amenable to your possession?” It seemed unlikely to me.
“The alpha fears his pack faces starvation if they remain in the northlands.” He sighed. “I vowed I’d guide them to the southlands, to Cathis, where they will be revered and never hunted.”
I had difficulty thinking of what to say. “I hope all ends well for his pack, and you.”
More than manipulating me, Brynmor was conversing with a wild animal. I supposed his possession of the canis’s body explained their ability to communicate, but it was still remarkable.
“As do I,” he said. “And I hope as much for you. My vow is only good as long as my heir is in charge of my clan and the lands surrounding Cathis. I would hate to fail so many, and yet…”
“I will not let Vaughn’s birthright be taken from him.” The vow slipped past my lips before I censored myself. “Isolde and Rhys are his only surviving family. I won’t have them displaced.”
His scrutiny made me shiver despite the rising temperature. “You care for my son.”
Rather than answer him, I deflected. “I have seen the damage done to our families where matters of the heart are concerned. I care for Vaughn, but I must follow my own heart’s path.”
He snorted. “Be wary of intersections.”
I tipped my chin. “I have a soul mate, a male the gods have chosen for me.”
“Yes, you do.” His eyes went out of focus. “I was foolish to accept Isolde as payment for her clan’s debt to me. I know that now, but she was the loveliest female I had ever seen. I thought if I made her my wife…but it didn’t matter. Her heart belonged to another. Even our child was less in her eyes because of his father, because of me.” He glanced at me with sudden clarity. “Know this. His mother will wring a price from his flesh, but it will be my neck she imagines twisting.”
My palms dampened. “Why are you telling me this?”
His shape flickered, his lips moving over words I no longer heard.
Air lightened around me, my sight cleared. The half-mile trek lay behind me, the southlands lay before me. Hot air swirled hair into my eyes, and humidity dampened my skin. So near home.
I gasped when a firm hand closed on my arm. I would never grow used to Brynmor’s touch.
“Your intersection lies ahead.” His voice crackled. “Don’t let…my son…”
The shade vanished and took Brynmor’s parting words with him.
My next step severed our connection. I crossed onto southland soil, and my ears popped. A moment of gratefulness to be home washed over me. This was the blistering heat, the lush green grasses and fertile trees I was born to. Instead of sterile snow and ice, I smelled fragrant plants in bloom and swore I heard the rushing river near my clan home. Despite my weary feet and legs, I almost danced the first steps onto Salticidae-owned soil. My heart lightened. My burden lifted.
“You make me regret I didn’t ask you to dance when I had the chance.”
Vaughn’s voice so near my ear made me stumble. I blushed. “I don’t dance.”
“Pity.” He sounded as if he meant it.
“Yes, well, not all clans embrace the Araneidae’s idea of society. I would rather warm my toes before the council fires than dance in heels across those frigid tiles in Erania.” Not that I so much as tried on the heels Lourdes had gifted me. I’d left them in my room, on my bed, for her to keep.
“I could teach you,” he teased. “Father taught me. We had no means of entertaining clans as the Araneidae do, but now our fortunes have changed. My mother might enjoy hosting a dance.”
There was more to playing host than the funds to provide entertainment.
I lacked the heart to tell Vaughn few outside clans would accept Isolde’s invitation except at sword point. Cathis was
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