Free A Trace of Moonlight by Allison Pang Page B

second thought. Sighing as the dry cloth hit my shoulders, I sank down to the comparatively luxurious bedroll, tucking my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around my legs.
    Part of me debated the wisdom of my current state of mostly undress, but my worry was less about wedding night jitters and more about the possibility of having to run bare-assed down the hillside, pursued by a grumpy troll. Besides, at the moment the only smexy time I was going to have was the sort that involved passing out and drooling all over my arm.
    The prince shook out my damp things and hung them over a tree branch. “I doubt they’ll get particularly dry, but at least you’ll sleep better for not being in them.” His face sobered as he looked at me regretfully. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “Things shouldn’t have happened like this.”
    “And yet here we are.” I shrugged. “It wouldn’t be my life if it wasn’t messed up.”
    His hand snarled in my hair, pulling it over myshoulder with callused fingers. A moment later and his mouth was on mine, soft and tender with a hint of something far stronger. He lingered there, sliding his hand to the back of my neck before pulling away.
    “I’m going to set those snares,” he said finally, his smile rueful as he tucked the woolen blanket around my shoulders. “As pleasant as this is, there are things that need doing before I settle down for the night.”
    I made a mild noise of protest, but it was halfhearted at best, exhaustion taking my libido over its knee and spanking it soundly.
    “I’ll be back soon.” If he said anything after that, I didn’t remember, and sleep swallowed me into nothing.

    Warmth.
    Blissful, enchanted warmth suffused my skin, radiating down my spine. Sometime during the night Phineas had crept in beside me as well; a light snoring vibrated low against my hips. I cracked a bleary eye toward the opening of our shelter as false dawn crept over the edges of the treetops.
    Talivar’s fingers shifted, spreading gently beneath my breast, his mouth brushing my neck. Dimly I wondered if we should have set a watch or something, but undoubtedly the prince knew what he was doing.
    “Everything okay?” His voice was a soft murmur in my ear.
    “Mmm. Just wondering if we’re actually safe.”
    “Nothing’s ever safe, Abby.” He shifted so that his head was pillowed on his arm. “But for now we’re assafe as we can be. I left a few trip wires to warn of anyone’s approach. We’ll know someone’s coming, anyway.”
    “Good enough.” I nestled against him. “Where will we go?”
    “I’ve been thinking on it,” he said, “and we need to aim for the Barras. Kitsune might be willing to hide us for a time, and we’d be able to get access to more information that way.”
    The Barras was a traveling kingdom composed of the ragtag remains of the Unseelie Court, broken up and banished to wander aimlessly through the realms of Faerie. Although not officially recognized by the Queen, it did still retain a certain level of sovereignty. And we had friends there. Still . . .
    “How are we going to find it? And what if it moves too close to the CrossRoads? Won’t that trigger the geas?” The idea of traipsing over the verdant mountains of Faerie was a romantic concept, but that didn’t mean I wanted to spend the next three months sleeping outdoors either.
    “I’ll try to scout it out in the morning. If I can get a message or two out, I may be able to discover where it’s going to be. And as for moving . . . well, maybe we can talk to Kitsune about that. There may be a way to slip your leash yet.”
    I made a little grunt of affirmation. The Barras didn’t have an official leader, but the fox-woman certainly had no qualms about making her wishes known. She had more resources at her disposal than we did at the moment anyway.
    “I’ll come with you,” I snorted, shifting my legs stiffly. “Assuming I can even walk.”
    “Ah, not this time,” he