His head falls and he turns ever so slightly, casting a wary side-eye my way. “You love her.”

“I do.”

“And she loves you?”

All I can do is nod. She loved me last night, but I cannot be sure if our newfound affection is strong enough to withstand my sending her away. My heart might be hers until eternity, but she is like my friends. She has a future ahead of her. Any male would be lucky to be chosen by her.

The thought of someone else holding her, someone else loving her blurs my vision and ignites a fire in my blood. What can I do but stand here and burn?

Maddox kicks a clump of dirt with the toe of his boot. I wait for him to say something else, but all he does is sigh and leave me to turn to ash.

* * *

All that remains of the wolf is bone and sinew. Instead of leaving the thing hanging and attracting scavengers, I drag the carcass to the middle of the forest and leave it there. In a few months, I will return to add the bare bones to the perimeter of my camp. If I dry the meat, it should last me a week or two if I ration it. Considering I do not feel like eating anything, that should not be a problem.

Back at camp, I build a fire and cook the meat, so it does not go off. A squeak chirps from the path toward the village, too high-pitched to be an animal.

I catch a glimpse of a carriage moving through the trees. Maddox sits atop his steed, navigating his home through the broken logs and boulders. Behind him, Gryffin leads his unicorn and cart as well.

They come to a halt next to my carriage.

Maddox dismounts, giving the animal’s thick neck a pat.

All I can do is stare as he ties the beast next to my own, offering not a word of explanation.

“What do you think you are doing?” I finally ask.

Maddox shrugs and swipes a skewer from the fire, blowing on the meat before taking a bite. “Moving. Staying in one place too long makes me itchy.”

Gryffin steals one as well, not bothering to blow on it before stuffing the thing between his lips.

“You are moving too?”

He nods.

“Life at camp has been shit without you. Boring as hell too.” Maddox steals another skewer, leaving me with only one left for dinner.

“By all means, help yourself to my food,” I say dryly, blinking through the sudden stinging in my eyes. Must be the smoke from the fire. Yes. That is exactly what it is.

“It is not very good,” Maddox mumbles around another bite. “Needs seasoning.”

“I do not suppose you brought any?”