Bare Your Teeth, Wicked Ones

29. Let Us Get Lost in Each Other

Warning: Mature content. Please keep comments respectful. Thank you.

William

If Nicholas saw Charmaine and refused to speak, the truth had to be grim. What had Fearworn done to her? Was she even still alive? Were they too late?

William fell into a chair among the cots, wishing more than ever that Charmaine was here. She had optimism and hope. He tried so hard to be the same, but every word felt like a lie. A voice, deep, dark, and merciless, uttered cruelties; Charmaine is dead. Neither of you will see your families again. Her body will rot here, and so will yours.

He wrung his hands together, raw from a long day of work. The nurses were no better. A young woman frowned over the water bowl, gently scrubbing her pained hands, but another soldier needed attending to.

William rose to return to work when a heavy wind kicked through the room. The nurses shrieked from the chill. He stared at his feet where a letter now laid. Cocking a brow, he retrieved the small note written in flourishing handwriting.

Meet me in the grove from the other night.

Trouble

The note might have made him smile if he weren't irritated with the sender. He stuffed the letter in his pocket.

After his day ended, William slipped on the ring and fled to the grove as the note requested. The night had a brittle chill his jacket couldn't keep at bay. Without his military boots, his feet would have been wet even with shoes and two layers of socks.

The light of camp faded behind him. Pale moonlight flickered through the branches, scarcely illuminating the trees. An orange glow upon the horizon guided him into the grove. Nicholas waited on a boulder shaped into a bench by his fae magic. A fire roared in front of him, spitting sparks and crackling. His steps alerted the fae, who raised his attention from the flames that reflected in the expressive pink of his eyes.

"Why are we meeting here?" William asked.

"I thought we both should get away from camp for a moment."

Nicholas presented his hand. William shivered from the touch of warm fingers he had come to know so well. They fit too perfectly together. He fell beside Nicholas, their bodies close and warmed by more than the fire.

"If you believed this would distract me from asking you about Charmaine, then you were sorely mistaken."

Nicholas sighed. "Do not ask me to upset you."

"You have had no issue upsetting me up to this point."

"Things have changed. I do not wish to upset you any longer, so do not ask it of me," he admitted the words like a curse. William dared to think they were. They had played a dangerous game from the beginning and the match felt soon to set.

"It is too late for that. Your avoidance says enough." Feeling restless, he released Nicholas' hand to pace by the fire. "She is alive, but alive means little in these lands. I've had countless men breathing and begging for death."

"Let's not linger on these thoughts tonight."

"How am I meant to think of anything else?"

"Pay attention to me."

"You are more cocky than I realized if you think that is enough." But he could not stop the smile forming after Nicholas took his hand and urged the other to his shoulder. The fae caught William's waist and started to sway. "What are you doing?"

"Dancing." Nicholas grunted from trying to move them, but William's feet stood firm. "This is the part where you move your feet."

"There's no music."