Chapter 58:Another Kind of Man
ELIA
A huge, snarling lion landed on the dirt in front of her, just as the wolf-woman pounced. For the second ti since arriving in Anima, Elia had a mont of seeing her death reach for her, followed by a shocking interruption.
The wolf-woman yelped as the lion cuffed her from the air and she tumbled to the dirt. Within seconds this creature had all three of the wolves bowing, eyes down, no more arrogant swagger, no more sharp promises for her fate.
But then this…. thing turned on her and Elia's heart leapt into her throat. Pounding feet behind her announced yet more arrivals, but Elia was held, frozen in the golden gaze of this massive animal. But she recognized Behryn's voice behind her when he spoke.
"Elia, it's Reth. He's just… it's Reth!"
Elia blinked.
The eyes. Those deep, golden eyes that she'd seen the other night in Reth when they were interrupted and Behryn was asking him to co back.
This was Reth? This was his beast form? This was what Gahrye ant when he said they all had the ability to change?
Reth groan-huffed and the noise was so deep and resonant in his chest that Elia felt it in the ground under her feet.
"Reth?" she breathed.
He huffed again, and it ended in a sound that was almost a purr. He stepped towards her, his massive paw so huge she couldn't have circled it with both her hands. Standing on all fours he looked her in the eye.
She trembled as she stepped forward, reaching towards his face.
"Elia, no!" Behryn hissed behind her, but she ignored him. "He won't—in this form he doesn't think like—"
She shook her head to silence him. There was sothing in those eyes.
This was Reth.
And he knew her.
She thought.
"Is that really you?" she breathed, her shaking fingers splayed out.
He groaned and pushed his muzzle into her palm, his soft fur and warm skin a shock after the chill of fear.
She scratched the side of his face like she used to do to her pet cat, Bessie, when she was a child, and just like Bessie, he leaned into the attention, his eyes closed and lifted his chin for her to scratch underneath.
"Reth… you're beautiful… but…"
He snorted out a breath and she felt the force of it on her arm.
She swallowed hard. "Please, co back. I've missed you. Please." She sighed as he pulled out of her hand and t her eyes again—his eyes. Those eyes. She couldn't decide whether they were the picture of the warmth of his heart, or the cold darkness of his willingness to kill. "Please?"
He turned his great head, tail lashing again, and scanned their surroundings. Then, with a glance at her, walked into the clearing properly. Hesitantly, she followed, not certain she was reading him correctly. But once she stood with open air around her, he began to walk a circle, scenting the air and sniffing the ground, huffing every ti she started to move.
By the third ti she put her fists on her waist. "I'm not going anywhere, I just want to watch you."
He growled, but it was playful—she thought.
Behryn and the others first surrounded the young wolves, then to Elia's surprise, sent them off alone, back towards the city. Reth paused in his search to watch them go. But when they ca to join her in the clearing, Reth eyed them until they circled her. She couldn't tell if he approved, or not, but he didn't make any noises at them, just continued in larger circles, spiraling out to check the clearing.
"She's safe, Reth," Behryn called eventually. "Co back. She's safe."
Reth threw a look at Behryn over his shoulder, then disappeared into the trees.
Elia looked at Behryn, who was frowning at the treeline where he'd disappeared. "What's he doing?" she asked quietly.
"Either he caught a scent he wants to check out, or he doesn't want you to see him transform. But I don't see how… he isn't usually that thoughtful as a beast. We have to be careful with him. His dominance takes over and—"
Elia gasped as Reth, completely naked, appeared in the moonlight, walking towards them, his body sculpted in silver and shadow. He looked magnificent, though his shoulders were rolled forward and his steps shorter than usual. "Reth," she breathed and ran towards him, throwing her arms around his neck.
He grunted, but pulled her into his chest with one arm, swinging her around, then imdiately put her down and searched her eyes. "Are you okay?" his nostrils flared and he searched her from head to toe, then pulled her back into his chest. "You're safe, thank the Creator, you're safe," he said, his voice heavy with relief.
"I'm fine, thanks to you!" she said into his chest, surprised by the sudden well of emotion that made her throat pinch and eyes blur. "Reth, that was—"
"Behryn?" Reth's voice was deep and sharp with disapproval and his eyes shone with anger.
Elia turned to see Behryn, though Reth kept his arm around her and didn't let her step from his side.
Behryn stepped up, almost to her feet, and knelt in front of her. "Please forgive , my Queen," he said. "I failed you."
"What? You didn't do anything! It was the wolves—"
"They shouldn't have had an opportunity to reach you," Reth snarled, his chest heaving as he snorted a breath.
Behryn paled. "I left my post and… clearly your plans changed. Please forgive , Elia. It won't happen again."
"Of course, you weren't—Reth, he wasn't even with ! How was he supposed to know?"
Reth spoke to her, but his eyes were hard as flint on his Second. "He was watching over you, Elia, from a distance, while I was gone. When he learned I'd called for him, he shouldn't have co until he'd made sure the guards were in place. For exactly the reason we just witnessed."
Behryn's shoulders sagged in his bow. "I beg your forgiveness too, my King."
Reth glared at him for a mont and Elia's heart raced. The two were so close! Surely Reth wouldn't let this co between them?
"Gareth," she hissed and elbowed him. He flinched, which surprised her. She must have caught a rib with her elbow. Before she hadn't even been able to make him move.
Behryn didn't leave his bow, but his eyes popped up to her in surprise and Reth growled at him. She caught the light of humor in the Equine's gaze before he looked away. Then she turned back to Reth.
"You know, if you'd told that I was supposed to have guards all the ti, I wouldn't have started walking back here without them," she said quietly, stroking his chest with one hand because she needed to touch him. Though turning to face him reminded her suddenly of just how naked he was. She kept her eyes up on his face, swallowing hard.
But Reth still glared at the horse-man and snarled between his teeth, "Your awareness shouldn't have made an ounce of difference to his job, which was to keep you safe while I was gone!" he ended in a shout that echoed off the mountain and over the trees.
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