Temerity by Toshi Drake

Author:Toshi Drake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Toshi Drake

CHAPTER 13

Tyr grabbed me and forced me to meet his gaze. His beautiful red-gold eyes were so wide and filled with terror even as he helped regulate my breathing. I don’t know how long it took for me to finally calm down or when the creature became bored and sought out other prey, but I only noticed when the sound of insects returned and darkness descended upon us.

“You okay?” Tyr mouthed, still silent. I began nodding, but I shook my head unhappily instead. Tyr nodded and pulled me close to him, my ear against his heart. The steady staccato helped, and I finally felt safe enough to look around. He met my eyes and spoke softly. He stood carefully and swept the area with a quick glance. “I’m going to go search the area and see if I can find anything for shelter, okay?”

Something in my expression caught his eye, and he swooped down and bumped foreheads. He ruffled my hair once, making me growl before he stood up and crept away. I watched him as he melded into the shadows. Not a branch snapped or a leaf rustled. It was eerie.

I slumped against the tree, wincing at the rough bark scraping my back. The deepening twilight turned everything spooky. Every call of a night bird was another monstrous insect waiting to attack. Every scurry of a tiny rodent across the dirt was a man-eating vine. I was wound up and so exhausted trying to keep an eye on our surroundings as I waited for Tyr to return.

Soon, he dropped down in front of me, offering his hand for me to take. “I found a hollow in a tree that we can use for the night. It looks like it’s been abandoned but is still fairly secure. It might have been a hunting blind for the Asyrans at one point. There are no predators in the area that I’ve noticed, but try to remain as quiet as possible. I’m kinda tired of running.”

I winced as I stood. Every single one of my muscles was tight with tension and strain. I limped after Tyr, following in his precise footsteps as he led me to the hollowed-out tree. I froze whenever an unfamiliar sound echoed, and Tyr waited patiently until I was ready to continue.

Once in the secure space, Tyr pushed a heavy rock into the opening, blocking it from anything trying to get in. We were safe for the moment. He fell back on the soft bed of dry leaves and covered his face. “Holy fuck, I’m done.”

I sat against the slick wood and looked around carefully. The space was a good size. The ground had a carpet of leaves to rest on. But I had to wonder, was this space actually abandoned or was it bait for tired hunters? Would a creature come to the tree and laugh because they caught dinner?

“You’re having thoughts. What’s going on?” Tyr asked, rolling over to face me. His posture was that of a relaxed man waiting for night to fall and fun times to begin.

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