The mountains were still in view after three days and I felt as if someone was following me, but I knew I was being ridiculous and jumpy. I could have gone farther if it wasn't for my sprained ankle. Part of me wished I hadn't left Sebastian alone there. He seemed to have enjoyed my company- I seemed to have amused him a lot. I snorted throwing back my head and laughing. What is wrong with me? He was infuriating.
Close to dark, I looked for a place to camp. When I had found a good spot, I started making a fire, but as I walked towards some pine kindling, something closed around my leg and, with a soft twang, I found myself looking upside down awkwardly at the grass. I groaned. Luck definitely wasn't with me on this trip. The city had made me soft- back when I had been in the pack I was a great scout. I had forgotten all of the dangers the forest could hold in its innocent looking beauty. I tried to raise myself to reach my right boot so I could grab my hidden knife, but was having little luck. How was I going to get out of this?
Just as I was about to give up hope, I heard the soft flapping of wings and then a loud thump not too far away. What was that? My interest piqued as I tried to see into the darkness.
"I leave you alone for three days and you found trouble again already, my little she wolf?" came the husky voice I knew too well.
"Sebastian!" I exclaimed.
I didn't do too well concealing my happiness. He was probably smirking.
"How did you find me?"
"Just hold still," he said.
A moment later, I felt his closeness as he used the sharp claws where his nails should have been to cut the trap off my foot and I yet again found myself in his arms as he landed not too softly on the ground. What I mean by that is he had landed on his back with me looking down at him.
"You don't do graceful when it comes to landing do you?"
"You try carrying another person when flying," he said with a slight hint of resentment in his voice.
"The loud thump over there suggests you're not too graceful landing even without me."
He growled lowly in his throat and I chuckled.
"I thought I was the only one who growled."
I rolled off him and tried to stand, but my bad ankle brought me to my knees with a short cry of agony escaping my lips.
"There was no other answer for my embarrassment at you hearing me having a hard landing," he said, sitting up. "Was the trap around your bad ankle?"
He touched my injury gently with his hand and I whimpered slightly. His touch was cool.
"Aye," I mumbled.
He stood up, scooping me into his arms.
"I'm not glass," I pouted.
Honestly, I don't know how he found me, but I was happy he was here- there was no other way I would have gotten out of the trap before the owner came. I allowed myself to nestle closer to him. I hadn't been able to get him out of my head since I left.
"I know. You just have bad luck."
I knew he was smirking by now. He started walking.
"How did you find me?" I asked.
He didn't answer my question. "Sebastian?"
"Just rest," he said soothingly. "You had quite an exhausting day today."
"Can you at least tell me where we're heading?"
There was no sarcastic tone to his voice and it was odd. All the memories of staying with him that I had replayed in my head the last few days had been of his comebacks and sense of humor. Had I worried him somehow? Why was he acting so different? For once I wasn't tempted to pull his horns out.
"A small village not too far from here," he said pulling the cowl of my cloak up.
A small amount of fear hit my heart.
"Not Reytor … right?"
"No not Reytor; it's a smaller village. I just don't remember the name off the top of my head. Besides if it was, why would I be hiding your face?"
He stopped beside a nearby tree and sat me down gingerly.
"Can you support yourself for a moment so I can try to hide my features?"
I nodded, moving my tail so I could tuck it into my belt so it wasn't sticking out from under my cloak.
"I'll need you to book the room when we get there; your eye color and appearance are more human than mine."
I nodded as he slipped a pouch of gold into my hands. It felt light.
"It's only enough for one bed," he said apologetically. "I'll sleep on the floor."
Once he had placed some gloves on his hands, secured his cloak and pulled the cowl up, he scooped me gracefully back into his arms before I could protest. Even without his usual mocking tone he was starting to make me mad. I wasn't a flower and here he was treating me as if I would wilt.
"I could walk," I growled.
He chuckled, a low, gravelly sound in his throat. "If you don't mind losing some dignity, I'd rather get to an inn before tomorrow morning, she wolf."
I pouted, but yet again moved closer. His skin radiated cold like the snow that the ice dragons loved, but for some reason it was a welcoming kind of cold.
"Fine."
He laughed. "Comfortable?"
I glared up at him, hoping he had slight night vision, but the look went unnoticed. I hoped he wouldn't hit a rock as well then or we'd both be stranded. I relaxed even more against him, resting my head slightly in the crook of his arm. I fell into a light sleep.
****
"Thorn," he whispered. "Thorn?"
I mumbled incoherently and swatted him slightly. I felt him slightly chuckle as he took his gold purse out of my other hand. Why had he given it to me in the first place?
"Long night, lad?" asked a wintered voice.
"Aye. The poor lass is hurt. Fell off her horse not far from here. Luckily I found her. Looks like she sprained her ankle."
The man dropped his voice. "I usually don't serve your kind- I'll make an exception this once, but stay in your room. Understood?"
Sebastian relaxed slightly. "Aye. Thank you."
I felt Sebastian start walking and then climbing the stairs. I honestly had no sense of where I was other than in his arms, feeling him struggling not to move me too much as he walked. I heard the creak of a door and him stumbling into the room gently laying me on the bed. When I didn't feel him anymore I whimpered slightly. I didn't want him to leave me.
"What?" he asked, failing at keeping the amusement from his voice.
I heard him start the fire and I sat up slightly staring at him.
"So you are awake," he said with a wide smile on his face.
"Mm," I mumbled rubbing my eyes. He chuckled again.
"Go back to sleep."
I sat up fully, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and undoing my boots and removing my cloak and gloves throwing them to the floor beside my boots and then removing my tail from my belt. I stretched, yawning loudly. I saw him watching me, with a twinkle of amusement in his frost eyes.
"What?" I snapped.
"What was the whimper for when I laid you on the bed and walked away?"
I felt myself flush. "I.. my ankle."
He sat down on the floor and untied his boots and removing his cloak and gloves as well.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
He lay down on his back with his arms supporting his head. "Going to bed- as you should be."
I saw he had no pillow or blanket. How was that comfortable?
"Sebastian…" I started.
"I'll be fine here, Thorn. Now rest."
"This bed is more than big enough for the both of us."
He looked over at me. "My she wolf, are you inviting me to bed?"
Color rose in my face. Leave it to Sebastian to take it exactly the opposite of what I meant. "No… I mean yes … no. GAH! I'm just ... never mind!"
I crushed a pillow over my head. He was infuriating!
I heard him get off the floor and felt the bed indent. I moved the pillow to see him getting comfortable on his side and a moment later taking his pillow out of my hands.
"I just wanted you to be comfortable. You saved me again today," I whispered.
He looked at me with a touch of softness in his features.
"Thank you."
"No, thank you. Though I still don't understand how you found me."
He moved the comforter to cover him more. "Just rest."
I saw a soft touch of pink on his pale skin as he rolled over so he wasn't facing me. Was it possible he had been following me these last few days and that he was the presence I felt watching me? Looking at him, he had looked worn down. It was possible. Though with his rough landings, for sure I would have heard him. The thought made me smile remembering his hard landing earlier. Bash seemed like a better name for him.
"You already know how I found you," he said with a tired sigh. "Now rest."
"You followed me?"
There was no reply and I took the silence as a yes.
"Did you?"
He groaned. "I'm tired. I swear I'll answer your questions tomorrow. Now please sleep."
I smiled rolling over so I wasn't facing him and let him fall asleep. No matter if I was right about him following me, I was glad he had saved me even if he treated me a bit too gingerly. The thought made me roll my eyes. He was irritating.