Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night

Cade had moved to sleep beside Mari, and she was good with that plan, but Rydstrom had said something sharp in Demonish that made Cade scowl at the entrance to the cave, then turn away from her.

As the others drifted off to sleep one by one, Mari remained wide awake and still chilled and hungry. Though they were in a jungle, this cave sat at a higher elevation. The night air inside was moist and cool, and her long hair hadn't dried.

Rydstrom remained awake as well, and after placing more wood on the fire, he limped over to where she lay.

'How's your leg?' she asked.

'Healing rapidly.'

'I'm glad to hear it,' she said, reminded again of everything he'd done for her. 'Listen, Rydstrom, thank you for helping me tonight. For all your help.'

'It was nothing.' When he sat beside her, her attention wandered to his damaged horns. One had a piece gouged out, and the other had at least four inches missing from the end.

Mari's first—and only—long-term boyfriend, Acton, had been a storm demon. After dating him for years, she knew how important a demon's horns were to a male. Even females were vain about their tiny, downy ones that looked more like cool hair accessories.

And for rage demons, when their horns straightened and sharpened, the points emitted a deadly poison. Their kind didn't often get jumped from behind. To lose an end would be handicapping for a warrior. 'What happened here?' She just prevented herself from reaching out and skimming her finger over one—which would have been totally taboo. 'Did it hurt?'

'Like hell. I fought a bit when I was younger.'

'I'll bet you did with Cade.'

He shook his head. 'We didn't live in the same household growing up. The heir is always separated out.'

That explained the differences in their accents and bearings.

In an obvious bid to change the subject, he said, 'You know, something struck me as odd tonight.'

'Only one thing struck you as odd?'

He raised an eyebrow, then continued, 'Earlier, when I mentioned that I'd told the Lykae to leave us, I thought you would have been more pleased.' Why was Rydstrom studying her reaction like that?

'I was thoroughly pleased.' Utterly. 'Good riddance, I say.'

'If I didn't know better, I'd think that even now you're wishing he'd come back.'

'Oh, but you do know better. MacRieve's rabid, and needs to be put down. Though maybe I shouldn't say anything bad about him since you're obviously friends with him. You saved him tonight, from me.'

'I did that for you as well. I didn't want you to regret taking his head.'

'I'm a witch—I'm sure I would have found a way to carry on.' She tilted her head at him. 'And you really stuck up for MacRieve with the others.'

He nodded. 'Bowen and I fought together for many years. And in one battle he saved my youngest sister's life.'

'MacRieve did?' At Rydstrom's grave nod, she asked, 'Then how could he trap you in the first place?'

Rydstrom shrugged. 'I think he was a shade shocked to see me inside, but honestly, I'd have done the same to him. It was a competition, and he desperately wanted that key.'

In an uninterested tone, she said, 'I suppose he must have loved his mate very much.'

'I can't say for certain. I never had the opportunity to be around him and Mariah together. They were only together for a few weeks before she died.'

'Mariah? She was fey?'

'Yes. A princess of the fey. Very beautiful, by all accounts.'

Princess? Mari thought, running a hand over her matted hair. Beautiful?

Puzzling, but her Pig Pen appearance bothered her more than it had a moment earlier. Her hand shot down when Rydstrom regarded her quizzically. 'How did she die?'

'I'd heard it was an accident in the woods.'

'Then what did he mean when he said he was responsible for her death?'

'He was with her and blames himself.'

'There's got to be more to the story than that.'

'I'm sorry, Mariketa, but it's not my story to tell. And unfortunately, I can't recommend asking him about it either.'

'Oh. Well, it's not like I'm going to stay up nights thinking about this.'

'No? You seem curious about him.'

'He's my enemy. It's a good idea to learn about him.'

'You are right, of course. I will answer any questions I can.'

She hesitated, then couldn't keep herself from asking, 'What's he usually like? When not fighting for something?'

'He once was jovial, but he always did his own thing. Since his mate's death, he's been dying slowly, turning cold and indifferent. Some say crazed, even. I will admit he can be coarse, saying exactly what's on his mind, but the others were wrong tonight—he's never been needlessly cruel.'

'Why does he hate witches so much?'

'I don't know the specifics, but I think his family was grievously hurt by one in some way. Besides, all Lykae mistrust witches. And I think they instinctively fear them a little.'

'I can't see MacRieve fearing anything.'

'True, he was always on the front line in battle, the first to meet the enemy. But with your kind... ' He trailed off and lowered his voice. 'I've seen him unconsciously ease across the street to give even a fortune-teller a wide berth. He was wholly unaware of it.'

'No way!' When someone mumbled in sleep, she softened her tone to say, 'So my attack tonight must have completely thrown him—pun intended.'

He grinned, flashing his even white teeth and short fangs. 'Yes, but that's the thing about Bowen—he'll shrug it off soon enough.'

As she thought over what she'd learned, Rydstrom said, 'There's one thing you should remember if you ever do happen upon him or another Lykae. If you want the key to understand them, know that they truly are like wolves. If you're around them enough, you can see it clearly.'

'What do you mean?'

'Have you ever heard of the Lykae Instinct?'

She nodded. 'They have a wolf spirit inside them or something. Makes them howl at the moon, bite their bed partners, scratch inappropriately, blah, blah.'

He seemed pleased by her flippant answer for some reason. 'It's a bit more complicated than that. But we'll talk some more tomorrow.' He lay on his side and shut his eyes. 'Get some sleep. The upcoming journey will be arduous... '

Hours later, Mari was still awake, hungrier and now shivering. Though she was abjectly miserable, she'd thought she would sleep through anything—

'Come tae me,' she heard from a distance.

She shot upright, squinting into the shadows. At the entrance of the cave, warm amber eyes glowed in the darkness. He'd come back!

'Ah, you're excited about my return, then,' he murmured. 'Your heart sped up at the verra sound of my voice.'

The nerve! 'Only because I'm eager to throw you around some more. That'll never get old.'

'You're cold and still soaked through.'

'Nothing escapes you.'

'I've something for you to eat.'