Divine Beginnings

Chapter Nine

Tegan wasn’t difficult to find. He stumbled into the clearing where Maev’s pyre still smoldered when Aine pulled the carthorse, who was suddenly acting uncharacteristically skittish, to a halt. He collapsed to the grass, not bothering to look up at her.

“Were you trying to follow me?” Aine climbed from the cart and approached him warily, wishing the piercing pain in her leg would stop.

He drew several gasping breaths before he answered her. “Not following you. Just trying to get back.” He did glance up then, motioning vaguely in the direction of the castle.

“By the Goddess! To Guardian Castle?”

His brow wrinkled and he gave her a look that clearly said he thought she might be soft in the head. “Of course not. My cave is in the Trier Mountains. I’ve stayed clear of the castle.” Then his gaze focused on the pyre and understanding widened his expressive eyes. “This is Maev. The woman you thought I killed.”

“She was a centaur Huntress.” Speaking slowly, Aine corrected him. Then the truth hit her. Tegan hadn’t killed Maev. She felt it just as surely as she felt the pain in his leg.

“I didn’t kill her,” he said.

“I know.” She made her decision quickly. “Get in the cart. I’ll take you back to your cave.”

“And then you’ll bring warriors there to kill me?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do about you,” she said truthfully. “If I touch you-help you into the cart-will you bite me?”

The slight, sad smile touched his lips again. “Do you want me to?”

“No.” Aine said firmly, rubbing at the bruised spot on her neck.

“You are safe from me, little Healer. I lost control before only because I was on the brink of death. Your blood strengthened me. I am in no danger of dying, so you are in no danger of me drinking from you.” He paused before adding, “Unless you wish it.”

“Then I’ll be safe from you forever,” she said under her breath as she went to him and offered her hand.

Moving slowly, Tegan let her help him to his feet. She sucked in her breath when he stood beside her. Goddess, he was tall! He loomed over her, blotting out the darkening sky. His wings were at rest, tucked neatly against his back, but he still looked like a wild, masculine bird of prey.

“You’re so small,” he said suddenly. “I’m afraid I’ll crush you if I lean on you. Maybe you should find me a branch I could use as a crutch. Or bring the cart closer and I’ll hobble to it.”

They stood there staring nervously at each other while he balanced precariously on one foot. Finally, she had to stifle the urge to laugh-albeit a bit hysterically. Could he be as scared of her as she was of him?

“I’m stronger than I look,” she said.

Aine moved to his injured side and put her arm around his waist. His arm went instantly over her shoulders. She led him to the cart, careful not to go too fast. His body was warm and strong, and she could feel his wings behind her like a living mantle. She hadn’t noticed his scent before, but it came to her now. He smelled of the forest and sweat and man. He also smelled vaguely of blood-his and hers. Aine was disconcerted to realize that the she found the scent alluring.

“I can only take you part of the way in this.” They’d managed to get him into the flat bed of the cart and she had started the horse down the castle road. “I’ll have to stop before the walls are in sight or the warriors might see us.”

“So you’ve decided not to betray me?”

Aine looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m betraying Partholon by keeping you a secret.”

“No you’re not. I mean no harm to Partholon. I’m not dangerous to your people.”

“Just rest while you can. You’ll need your strength to get yourself back to that cave.”

Tegan closed his eyes and cradled his head in his arms.

He hated lying to her.