The branch shook for a moment as he scratched himself.
“You’re not going to kill me, are you?” I murmured.
His paw dropped back on the branch with a soft thud. His panting breath filled the silence between us, his only response.
My hands gripped the strap of leather as though it was a lifeline. Arms straining, I used the belt, pulling myself up hand over hand. With clawing fingers, I hauled my weight onto the branch, pushing all the way up until I was sitting astride it.
Gasping for breath, I untied my belt and squared my body in front of him, resting my back against the thick tree trunk. I pulled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around my knees, marveling that this wild animal would come this close and not want to eat me.
With the barest whimper, he scooted forward until he rested his muzzle on the top of my boots. His tail swished with a scratching sound against the rough tree bark.
“Digger,” I breathed, reaching out slowly, touching the downy soft hairs on top of his nose. “Good boy.”
Stretching out my arm, I delved farther and stroked his thick coat, marveling that he permitted me to do this. “We’re friends now, boy.” An invisible band constricted around my chest. “I could use a friend.” My throat thickened and I blinked back the sudden burn in my eyes.
Suddenly, I didn’t feel quite so alone.
TWENTY-NINE
Fowler
IT WAS MIDLIGHT when I woke.
I sat up with a lurch. To wake to any light at all was a wholly unknown experience. Sleeping so deeply and peacefully through the long stretch of dark that I missed the coming of midlight had never occurred before. That only happened to dead men.
Usually I was awaiting it, ready to seize the opportunity to be up and moving without the threat of dwellers. I had planned on being far from this place with Luna by now.
I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the vestiges of sleep. A quick glance around the room revealed it empty of Luna. I frowned, missing her, wanting to see her and kiss her again. Hold her. I sat up and swung my legs over the side. I doubted that would ever get old.
I moved to the small window, lifting the cover, attempting to estimate how much of midlight had passed. I rubbed at my eyes with the heel of my palm, staring out at the busy town. People moved on foot and carts passed, carrying kindling and other goods.
With a curse, I turned from the window. The day was lost. I couldn’t leave with Luna now. I pressed a palm to my aching forehead. The fog of sleep stuck to me like clinging cobwebs. I wasn’t right. Perhaps an additional day was for the best.
Luna’s indentation could still be seen within the bedding. I smoothed a hand over it. Any warmth from her body had long faded. She knew we were supposed to leave today. Why didn’t she wake me?
Faint sounds drifted from the front room. I pulled my tunic over my head and stepped out.
“Oh, finally decided to join the world, have you?”
I shook my head. Everything seemed blurrier, the edges of my vision shadowy. I pressed a hand against my temple. “Yes,” I replied. “I suppose I needed the rest.” I’d been operating on a paltry amount of sleep over the years. Perhaps my body had finally decided to claim what it needed.
Mirelya smirked, her milky eyes considering me. “Or it might have something to do with the sleeping draft the girl slipped into you.”
My head snapped up, a sick feeling starting in my gut as I narrowed my gaze on her. “What?”
“You recall the drinks she fetched you both in the middle of the night?”
I did. She’d complained of thirst. When I offered to fetch them, she had insisted she could get them, and I let her go. I didn’t want to treat her like an invalid. After everything we had been through together that would have been insulting.
“Yes . . . why?” I pressed fingers to my aching forehead.
Mirelya shrugged. “She asked for my help.”
I lowered my hand. “So . . . you did something to my drink?”
“She has a right to make her own choices.”
“You did something to my drink,” I bit out.
“You weren’t allowing her to make her own choices.”
I stared at the old woman, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. “Where is she?”
“She left last midlight. You were dead to the world. I put a sleeping draft in it.”
I glanced toward the feeble light trickling around the edges of the window coverings. My stomach churned sickly. She had been gone for some time now. She had a good head start on me. A full day.