“What happened?” Thallirin asked.
“I thought I saw someone that I knew. But, it wasn't who I thought it was. It just scared me for a minute. I'm fine.”
“You saw someone who scared you, and you went running toward them?” He scowled at me.
I crossed my arms and scowled back.
“You say you want me, but as soon as I started wanting you back, you ran away. Don't scold me for contrary choices when you do the same.”
He sighed heavily and pressed his forehead against mine.
“You are my heart, Brenna. Even when your words kick me in the testicles.”
I snorted out a laugh.
“It's a relief to know you understand what's going on.”
“Everything okay here?” Eden asked from nearby. I peeked under Thallirin’s arm to smile at her.
“Yeah, it's fine.”
“Why'd you go running off?” she asked.
“I thought I saw someone.”
“Someone who scared her,” Thallirin said, still caging me in.
I set my hand on his chest, not to push him away but for the connection. Both of us seemed to need it.
“And you went running toward that person?” Eden asked.
“I thought it was Oscar. I needed to know.”
She swore softly.
“It wasn't, though,” I said quickly. “It was an old guy with his wife.”
She didn't seem to hear me as she looked out over the crowd.
“Who is Oscar?” Thallirin asked.
“No one important,” I said, patting his chest.
Eden and I shared a look. I wasn't trying to hide anything from him, but given his reaction to Garrett this morning, I didn't want Thallirin to go crazy in a crowd of newcomers. It would be a bad first impression of the fey for them.
I looked up at Thallirin.
“You going to let me go?”
He grunted and stepped away from me.
“No more running into the crowd,” he said.
I grinned and joined Garrett and Zach. They did most of the trade negotiating while I spoke to people off to the side, who were too hesitant to approach because of the fey. I tried to reassure them that the fey were nice and their physical differences didn’t mean they were bad, but only a few seemed to listen to me. Others continued to look at the fey with suspicion.
The people who had the livestock quickly approached the group when they heard what we wanted.
The owner of the single, pregnant cow that had made it to Tenacity wasn’t willing to give her up. However, he was willing to trade for a map of where he’d found her. He claimed there were more at a farm a few days’ walk from us. His price was steep for the information. Half of what we’d brought to trade and a box of food every week for a year. If we found livestock still living, though, it would be worth the supplies.
A woman approached us with two chickens. Her price, like the first man’s, was a box of food delivered to her house each week until the chickens died. One of the fey quickly agreed to it then asked her to show him where she lived. She was young enough and had no man with her. I wondered if she understood what she’d actually traded.
The rest of our supplies went in random trades to those who needed them, and we were ready to head back before my stomach had a chance to rumble for lunch.
Thallirin carried me again; and I spent my time watching him instead of the trees. I couldn’t help but wonder if what Eden had said would work. Did he need more than just a flash of skin? Did he need some kind of assurance, too, that I wasn’t just using him for his body to become immune?
As soon as we crossed over Tolerance’s wall, Eden called Thallirin’s name and waved for us to follow. I didn’t realize her intent until we were standing on Mya’s front lawn. Had I known where Eden was leading us, I would have convinced Thallirin to take me home first.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
“We need to let Mya and Drav know about the map and the cows. The animals won’t live on their own for long. If we want any chance at long-term survival, we need to move fast to rescue them.”
“But why do Thallirin and I need to be here?”
She flashed me a grin.
“You have other plans?” she asked.
“Maybe,” I said, then scowled at Thallirin when he quickly put me down.
“That’s what I thought,” she said. “Come on. It’s good to socialize.”
With anyone else but Mya and Drav, I thought to myself.
Eden knocked on the door, and Drav opened it a minute later.
“Hey, Drav. If Mya’s up for it, we have some news from Tenacity.”
He let us in, and I saw Mya in her usual spot on the couch.
“Feeling any better?” Eden asked, removing her coat. I reluctantly did the same and followed her into the living room.
“It comes and goes,” she said with a look at Drav.
He grunted his agreement before shifting his gaze to me. There was a lot less scowl this time, which just annoyed me.
Ghua sat and pulled Eden into his lap, where she snuggled comfortably. I looked at Thallirin, and he just stared back at me. Stubborn fool. I turned back to Mya.
“We traded goods for a map that supposedly leads to livestock,” I said, just wanting to get the conversation over with. “Garrett has the map. It’s a three-day walk, but it should be less than a day to drive there.”
“Pregnant cows,” Eden said. “Oscar was as obsessed with animals and needing them to survive as he was with needing women.”
Ghua growled, and Eden absently patted his arm.
“The man was right on both counts, just wrong about how he went about obtaining them. If there’s still something living out there, we should move quickly to bring it back.”
“What do you have in mind?” Mya asked.
“I think a group should leave today,” Eden said. “They’d probably reach the farm just before nightfall.”
“That’s too dangerous,” Mya said. “The hellhounds—”
“Need to be hunted,” Thallirin said. “Humans cannot go with us.”
“Go ask for volunteers,” Drav said. “Will you come?”
Thallirin nodded. Ghua stood and set Eden in the chair and left with Thallirin and Drav.
“What in the hell just happened?” I asked.
“I think they decided they’re going to get the cows,” Mya said, leaning her head back on the couch. “I can finally puke in peace.”
“That bad?” Eden asked.
“It seems worse when I’m stressed, which has been constant since the breach.”
If she was looking for pity, I wasn’t going to give it. I felt bad about the stress and the baby situation but held firm to my belief that she’d handled things wrong with me all around. And when she’d had the opportunity to make amends, she didn’t even want to do that.
“How are things with Thallirin?” she asked.
“Fine.” I stood and grabbed my jacket. “I think I’ll go home and sleep before I grab a night shift on the wall.”
I moved around the kitchen, making myself dinner. It wasn’t the nice candlelit dinner for two that I’d hoped for, just a lonely dinner for one. I could have gone to Mom and Uan’s, but I didn’t feel like company. The reality was that I missed Thallirin. At what point had I grown so used to his presence? I’d resented his attention and now I resented his absence.