Stalk the Moon

by Jessica Lynch

  “You sure? Not gettin’ too tired?”

  His question catches me off guard. Am I lagging behind? I thought I was getting better at keeping up.

  “No. I’m… I’m okay.”

  “I mean, if you start to drag, I don’t mind carryin’ you again. It’s no trouble.” A boyish grin tugs at his lips. “If you get tired, right?”

  My heart stutters at the appearance of his dimples. He looks like the chance to get me back in his arms is all he’s ever wanted.

  Hmm. I wonder if Hunter’s a fan of willow blue.

  23

  The blood drains from my face.

  Holy shit.

  Up close, Hunter’s mountain is huge and scary as hell. Craggy and capped with snow, it’s even bigger than the tallest skyscrapers I’ve seen in New York City. It’s part of a range, shadows of further mountains looming in the distance, spreading out as far as I can see.

  This one, though? This massive mountain is strong and untamable. The line of trees extending from the woods leads up from the bottom, thinning out as the mountain extends high into the sky.

  The absolute peak disappears into the thick, light grey clouds overhead.

  I gulp. I’ve got my eye on those clouds, too, ‘cause the last thing I need is a thunderstorm when I’m about to climb a mountain in a dress and sandals.

  I wish the threat of a storm and a lack of climbing gear is all I had to freak out over. All the time I spent wishing I was here and it never once dawned on me that I’d have a problem with climbing Hunter’s mountain because heights have never bothered me before. Coming face to face with this monster? Vertigo has my head spinning. I might just hurl again.

  Oh man. I’m doomed.

  “So… this is it?” Please say no, please say no.

  “Yup.”

  “This is where you lived? In a cave on this mountain?”

  Hunter nods. “It’s safer than the woods, if that makes you feel any better.”

  Should it? It doesn’t.

  I swallow roughly. My mouth is suddenly super dry.

  I know that Hunter wants to visit the cave he once lived in because he’s seen portals there on at least two separate occasions. This morning, that seemed as good a place to start as any.

  Now, though?

  I swallow again, trying to work up some moisture. It’s like the Sahara desert in there. “This cave of yours… was it close to the ground? Like, maybe only a few feet up and not all the way at the top or anything? Because that sounds like a good spot for a cave to me.”

  “You afraid of heights, darlin’?”

  Sure, my eyes are totally glued to this behemoth of a mountain in front of me. I still see it when Hunter’s lips twitch. Wonderful. He’s hiding a smile. I know I sound like a moron. How nice that he agrees.

  “Afraid of heights? No. Terrified that I’ll trip and accidentally fling myself off this mountain? Oh yeah.”

  “You’re not gonna fall.” Hunter grabs my hand. He’s too fast. I don’t even know he’s moved until his fingers are wrapped securely around mine. His palm is rough, calloused, and warm. “I won’t let you.”

  I wrench my hand out of his grip. If I let him touch me, I’m afraid I might beg for more. “Hunter, please. Don’t… just don’t.”

  He lets go, though it’s obvious he doesn’t want to. I don’t get it. For days, I thought he was tolerating me because he’s a good guy. Now?

  Fucking Artemis.

  I shake my head. “Forget it. Let’s just go. Up, right? Okay.”

  Deep breath in, shaky exhale out. I can do this. If I can slay a scorpion with a stick and threaten a god with a bow, I can conquer this mountain.

  I can.

  I’ve taken maybe three steps when Hunter’s voice calls out from behind me.

  “You asked for honesty.”

  Huh? Happy to have an excuse to delay heading up, I whirl on Hunter. There’s dare written on his face, challenge in every sharp, masculine feature.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “When you first came back with me, I asked what I could do to make this right between us. You said to be honest with you. So I am. No more hidin’, no more waitin’ for you to come to terms with who you are. You want honesty?” He throws his arms out wide, his cloak falling off his shoulders as he gestures at his body. “Here it is.”

  I vaguely remember that. I was so tired and so annoyed with Hunter, he could tell me I said anything and there’s a good chance I’d believe it. Did he get me when I was dozing? Probably.

  I gotta say, the honesty thing does sound like me. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a friggin’ liar. And, yes, not telling me the truth when he had days to do is the same thing as a bald-faced lie in my book.

  So now he wants to be honest? Okay. Kudos, big guy. But since when did his new honesty kick mean that he’s going to hit on me? Because I’m not down with being a replacement for the chick he really wants.

  “What does any of this have to do with you grabbing my hand?” I ask him. The fact that I wouldn’t let him seems to have set him off. What the hell?

  “It’s all I’ve wanted to do since I first found you. I tried to take my time, I tried to give you space, but one fool word from Apollo and I almost lost you before I had you. I won’t risk it again. You’re here now, with me now. For as long as I can keep you, I aim to try. You want a portal? I’ll find one for you. But I won’t pretend that you’re not mine. You have been since you crossed the mirror. It’s about time you knew that.”

  The strangled sound I make reminds me of the yowl Dudley lets out when I accidentally step on his tail. “I—what?”

  The tiniest of grins crosses his lips. I guess he got the exact reaction out of me that he was aiming for.

  Reaching behind him, he adjusts the heavy pack that he’s carrying. Once he’s satisfied that it’s secure, he shields his eyes with his hand, staring up at the mountain.

  Meanwhile, I’m standing there with my mouth open, gaping at him like an idiot.

  He lowers his hand, ducking his head so that he can look me right in the face. His eyes twinkle in amusement. Before I can stop him, he reaches out, rubs the back of his fingers across my cheek, and then tucks them under my chin.

  With a gentle push, he closes my mouth for me.

  “No time to dawdle, darlin’. C’mon. Mountain’s waitin’.”

  By the time I recover enough to shove him away, he’s already five feet ahead of me, and damn if I don’t hear him chuckling.

  You know what makes tackling this intimidating mountain easier? Being absolutely unable to let any of that go.

  When I’m constantly running Hunter’s words through my head on an endless loop, it’s all too simple to forget for a minute that one wrong step and I can plunge off the steep, rocky mountainside. Too much of my attention is focused on a hundred different comebacks that I didn’t think of at the time.

  He had the last word. I hate that he keeps getting to do that, ending any conversation we have on his terms. It’s like he knows how to get to me, to rattle me, and I’m the dumbass who keeps letting him. I swear, as soon as I get the chance, we’re picking that topic up again.

  For now, though, I keep quiet. Just because I’m not worrying about dying at the moment, it doesn’t mean that I’m not being careful. From far away, I was afraid we’d have to actually climb this beast. Once we started up, I discovered that there’s a footpath that wraps around most of the mountain.

  The footpath makes it easier to go up since we’re not actually climbing anywhere. Even so, it ain’t no walk in the park. There are spots where the dirt is eroded away or the rocky surface crumbled. Sometimes the ledge narrows to the width of my two sandals touching each other.

  Most of the journey I fit okay, but Hunter’s a big guy and he takes up a lot of space. It’s impossible for us to walk side by side and, since he knows where he’s going, he takes the lead.

  That leaves me staring at his ass and thinking up a million different thing
s I could’ve said to him at the base of the mountain. He says he’s being honest? I appreciate that, I guess. I only wish, when he said those things, he was talking to Noelle.

  I know. I know. I’m being irrationally jealous of someone who’s actually a part of me and it sucks.

  I trip over a loose stone I didn’t see once or twice. And, because I haven’t let more than a couple of inches separate us, I inevitably reach out and grab the back of Hunter’s cloak to steady myself.

  He turns and grins at me every time I do. Rather than be annoyed, he seems satisfied that I need him—that I’m the one reaching out to touch him. The knots in my stomach tighten whenever I see that easy, knowing smile light up his face. I swear that I’m not doing it on purpose, but I don’t know. I might be.

  Damn it.

  I finally start to flag about an hour into the climb. We’ve already gone up at least twenty feet and the air is thinning. I haven’t forgotten that I spent all morning traipsing through the woods. I’m kind of amazed my feet don’t hurt yet, but the pressure in my chest as we continue is making me a little nervous. I start to slow down.

  Hunter glances over his shoulder, quickly noticing the gap that’s built up between us. Maneuvering his big body carefully, turning on the cramped path, he backtracks his way over to me.

  He dips his chin, gesturing toward the ground. “Have a seat. Rest a moment. No rush, yeah?”

  “It’s break time?”

  He nods.

  I know he’s only stopping because of me. Don’t care. I’ve been needing a breather. He’s willing to wait? I’ll take it.

  Setting my bow down on the ground, I use the flats of my hands to brace myself against the mountain’s craggy side, shimmying down until my back’s to the wall. My legs are short, but the path is narrow enough that they hang over the edge.

  While I’m getting situated, Hunter slings the pack on his back over his shoulder, ducking his head as he removes it and lets it fall next to me with a solid thump. Bending over, he digs around inside the pack, mumbling something under his breath while he searches. He straightens, taking out a canteen. He leaves the pack on the path before moving toward me, extending the canteen in my direction.

  As he shifts, his cloak falls open. I can see his knives, his sword… the canteen swaying against his hip. It’s got a dent in the front.

  I narrow my eyes on the canteen he’s offering me. No dent.

  He’s handing me the one full of nectar. What a surprise.

  I’m thirsty enough to try it again. I twist off the lid, my eyes immediately watering when I get a whiff of the fumes that drift out of the top. I blink the tears away and lift the canteen to my mouth.

  Bottom’s up.

  Ugh. It’s even worse now that it’s had some time to ferment.

  Hunter said nectar is like moonshine. It’s definitely got a kick to it, burning the back of my throat as I force a mouthful down. Before I think better of it, I take a second sip, almost sputtering when the first sip decides to fight its way back out.

  Whoa.

  I swallow roughly. It’s a little thick, and much cooler than the boiling nectar I had the other day. Something weird starts happening once I actually drink it. A cozy warmth begins in my gut, slowly working its way up and out until even my fingers and toes seem to tingle with it. The aches and pains and fatigue I’ve been suffering from fade away like, well, magic.

  This stuff is friggin’ amazing. So it doesn’t taste the greatest. All of a sudden, I feel fantastic.

  I chance one last teeny, tiny sip, careful not to overdo it, just in case. Hunter said there isn’t any real alcohol in the local brew. I don’t know about that. A sniff could burn your nose hairs right off, it’s that strong.

  He lets me rest, and I swing my feet, thumping the flats of my sandals against the rock. I’m giddy and happy and, holy shit, my head is starting to go a little woozy. No liquor, huh? I’m thinking Hunter might’ve fibbed a little.

  To call me a lightweight is a bit of an eentsy-weentsy understatement. This nectar is hitting me harder than any booze I’ve had before. Oopsie. But you know what? I have an amazing idea.

  I’m resting. Hunter isn’t going anywhere yet. Maybe we should get back to the conversation we had when we were starting out on our hike.

  Normally, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that I’m still obsessing over that. Then again, I wouldn’t normally down the equivalent of a bottle of tequila in a couple of shots of some Other moonshine.

  Because I’m drunk. At least, I’m pretty sure I am. I know this feeling. Booze does this to me, makes me all warm and happy and giddy until I eventually pass out and wake up much later with a raging headache. And drunk Noelle is a talker.

  Why not talk to Hunter?

  He’s got his hands in his pack again, rearranging whatever it is he’s brought with him.

  I hiccup, then clear my throat, partly because I want his attention, but mostly because I want to get rid of the lingering nectar taste. “Hunter?”

  He peeks over me. His eyebrows lift. “Yeah?”

  “Hi.”

  “Hey, darlin’.”

  “You’re pretty,” I tell him. And then I gasp, my free hand lifting up to cover my mouth. A giggle slips out from between my fingers.

  His gaze flickers to the canteen hanging in my limp grasp. Amusement lights up his eyes. “Thank you kindly.”

  What am I doing? That’s not what I was supposed to say! Wait—what was I supposed to say?

  The woozy feeling is getting worse. I rub my forehead, trying to focus. All I can think about is the burn in my belly and how friggin’ gorgeous Hunter is. I giggle again. “Whooooaa. This nectar? It’s kinda strong, isn’t it?”

  The angelic look he gives me suits his pretty, pretty face. “Just at first, so long as you don’t swig too much of it. Give it a minute. You’ll feel better and then we can start climbin’ again. Sounds good?”

  I shake my head. Did I overdo it? Um. I think so.

  He pulls the leather bag off his belt, grabbing some more of the smoked deer meat. After telling me it’ll help with the nectar, he splits his handful between us. We eat in silence, the only noise the grinding of our teeth against the tough meat. I can still sense Hunter’s amusement as he stands beside me like he’s watching to make sure I don’t do anything stupid.

  He’s got a point. Since I’m pretty sure that my balance is shot, I stay down. The jerky definitely helps, and not only because stuffing my mouth full of it guarantees I don’t say anything else to humiliate myself.

  Once I’ve finished my portion, my head starts to clear up some. I still feel warm and loose, the nectar sending a little hum up and down the length of me, but I remember the whole point of what I was going to say before he railroaded me with his moonshine.

  I take stock of my self. Not entirely sober, not yet, but not so drunk that this is a bad idea.

  Good enough, I guess.

  “Hunter?”

  “Mm?”

  I take a couple of deep breaths. With each lungful of clean, mountain air, I’m more clear-headed.

  Here we go.

  “Okay. Look, I tried, but I can’t let it go. What was all of that—” To illustrate that, I wave my empty hand in the direction of the base of the mountain far below us, “—back there?”

  He has the nerve to raise his eyebrows while wearing a guileless expression. “You mean when I was just bein’ honest, like you asked me to?”

  “Being honest is one thing. Suddenly saying some alpha, caveman bullshit like ‘you’re mine’ is a little different, don’t you think?”

  Without warning, he crouches low, gently taking the nectar canteen out of my hand. Removing the lid with a quick snap, he carefully places his mouth against the rim in the same spot I drank from and gulps. Not sips. Gulps.

  One gulp. Two gulps. Three gulps.

  Four.

  Whoa. I know liquid courage when I see it.

  Hunter sucks in a breath, his cheeks
hollow, his pale eyes glazing over. A flash of pain darts across his face before he resumes that fucking godawful emotionless mask again. I can’t wait to see how the nectar hits him. It shouldn’t take long, right? Despite his size, I’m thinking it won’t take long at all.

  My heart starts to drum. Okay, so maybe I’m panicking a tiny bit. Because Hunter might be used to drinking the nectar. That doesn’t mean he can handle that much—and I don’t know if I can handle any more of his honesty.

  A soft exhale, and then he steps close enough to me that I can feel the body heat seeping out from under his cloak. Part of me is feeling lusty enough—and still a touch tipsy enough—that I want to reach out for him. With me sitting on the ledge and him standing there, I could totally stroke him. The sane part that hasn’t been affected by nectar is screaming get away, but since jumping away means a pretty big drop if I’m not careful, I stick to staying put while keeping my hands to myself.

  “You don’t want to do this, Noelle.”

  He’s probably right. Like that’s going to stop me. “You told me that you’ll tell me whatever I wanted to know.”

  I expect him to throw in my face that my carte blanche ended when he left his campsite. He doesn’t. Maybe the nectar’s hitting him just as hard because, holy shit, he starts talking.

  “You want the truth? Fine. Truth is, your brother forced my hand. The moment you stepped through your portal? I knew you were here. I was already on my way to find you because this story… it ain’t only yours, darlin’. It’s mine, too. Ours.”

  It’s one thing to suspect that, based on the little hints that Alex and Hunter both let slip. It’s another entirely to have Hunter tell me that the two of us are even more intertwined in this mess.

  I open my mouth to reply.

  Hunter holds out his hand. “Please, just… let me finish. You asked me a question. Let me answer.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I know what you’re goin’ through. It took me ages to understand this place, and then even longer for me to believe any of it. You should’ve had more time, but the archer took that from you. He thinks he’s helpin’, only the fella he’s helpin’ is himself.” He pauses, then scoffs. “Like I’m any better.”