Glancing up at the cloudless night, she thought that maybe this would be a good spot to make camp. Fairy being this close, Chrysalis would likely not come here. “Let’s bed down here.”
Making his way to his feet, Aeric planted his hands on his hips and looked around. Everything inside of Wonderland was home, she knew it like the back of her hand, but even so she tried to picture it is he was viewing it now. By his own admission he did not come into Wonderland often, and as much as she teased him about it, she’d also never left Wonderland herself.
It was obvious he knew nothing of leech vines, or the magical properties of the fairy’s brook, did he know how to scout food, did he know how to burn fire, she smiled thinking perhaps she could be helpful after all.
“Are you certain? Maybe we should look a little farther out,” he said. “There are no trees to shield us, this is flat, open land. Any predator could spot us within a mile—”
“You have to take everything that you think you know, hunter, and toss it away. The trees are no more safe than these predators that you fear. You now know about the leech vines, what about the polka dotted python acorn tree, or the hanging willow, or the galloping Oak? I can keep you safe.”
She could see he wasn’t overly fond of what she was saying, but he also couldn’t deny it. He looked back out at the flat lands.
In that moment, with the wind rifling through his hair, pulling the umber locks behind him and the smell of juniper all around, her heart did that strange beating thing again. She rubbed her chest and frowned.
“Then I guess we make camp,” he finally agreed.
Pulling his pack off, he dropped it on the ground and began rifling through it. “We cannot set up camp next to this brook, water is a beacon to any creature good or evil, we’ll go back twenty yards. We should be safe enough then.”
She wasn’t inclined to disagree with him, he was absolutely right.
Pulling out a rag, he wiped his brow, then smashed it back into his pack. Together they walked twenty paces away and in no time flat had a makeshift camp set up.
Aeric then pulled out a skin of rolled furs, laid them out flat, and then sat before taking out a hunk of dried meat and began chewing on it.
“No fire?” She asked.
He shook his head “I don’t often build one, only when it’s really cold and I know that my flame will not attract anything. I still feel too exposed out here.” He tipped his meat toward her. “This is jerky, it will fill my stomach tonight. You called Chrysalis a demon,” he said, “why?”
She shivered, remembering the one time she came upon the woman dressed in silks of blue. There’d been a vacancy in her eyes, something Lissa would never forget. “Because I’ve never seen her in physical form, she’s always appeared to me as a ghost would. She never moves, never utters a sound, all she does is stare.” She shook her head. “I’ve seen much in Wonderland, but she brings ice to my veins.”
“I can imagine.” He swallowed. “But when she was with me, she wasn’t a ghost. She was as physical as you mostly are. How did she look to you then?”
Frowning, she glanced down at herself. Because she was usually always alone, she’d never thought much about the fact that only certain parts of her were ever visible at a time. Right now, only her face and arms were in physical form. But it always shifted with her, unless she was in cat form. Why? She never really knew.
She shrugged. “A ghost.”
“I didn’t fight a ghost, I can assure you.”
Twisting her lips, she spread her arms. “Not sure what to tell you. That’s how I see her.”
“Hmm. That’s interesting.”
“Really? Why?”
“Not sure yet, just interesting.” He smiled.
It wasn’t a lingering smile, it wasn’t a sensual smile. There was nothing in that smile that even suggested it was anything more than an inconsequential grin, and yet she felt that smile move all the way through her. Heat rose to her cheeks, and for the first time since being with him, she wasn’t exactly sure what to do.
So she pretended to spot something interesting over his shoulder, making sure to not look him directly in the face.
After a while he snapped his fingers. “Hey, you okay?”
“What? Me?” She yawned and stretched her arms. “Oh, I’m fine. Just tired. Yup. Long day.” Even if it didn’t appear as though she had legs, she actually did. Standing, she nodded. “I should probably let you get some sleep now. I’m sure you’ll want to head out early in the morning.”
His jaw worked from side to side a bit before he finally responded, “You’re probably right.”
Did he want her to stay? She blinked, she’d stay, if he asked.
But he didn’t ask, instead he said, “Thank you.” And the way he said it so haltingly, she knew it wasn’t easy for him.
She could be mean and ask him for what, forcing him to explain himself. To put into words that without her he would most assuredly be dead. But she suddenly found she wasn’t as keen to tease him, as she’d been earlier.
“No problem.” Nodding, she turned to go.