to unless she wanted to grab hold of the cat’s sleek black fur, and she had a sneaking suspicion the creature wouldn’t like that.
“Up!” Rook commanded. She tried not to hyperventilate as the beast shifted beneath her, its muscles bunching and rolling beneath her legs as it rose to its full height. Just by the movement, she could tell the giant cat’s power was immense.
“Any last-minute tips on how not to die on one of these things?”
He gave her an amused smile and climbed into the saddle of the big cat beside her, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Follow me and do everything I say.”
“Great. Just perfect,” Cate muttered under her breath.
Rook tapped the flanks of the catamount with his feet and in a clear, commanding voice said, “Forward!”
Cate followed his lead, but as she tapped the beast, it flattened its ears and let out a low growl that rumbled all the way from her crotch to the base of her skull.
Her youngest sister, Jane, was always fond of saying, “Fake it till you make it.” It seemed like sound advice in this instance. Cate swallowed hard and dug deep, trying to silence the quiver in her voice and infuse it with power. “Forward!”
The growling stopped and the cat leapt forward. Cate’s stomach dipped. She squeezed her legs around the animal to help her hold on as the catamount moved in a smooth rolling lope to catch up to Rook and his mount. Silently, the big cat sped through the jungle and began climbing higher into the mountains.
Vegetation started to change, the giant fernlike trees giving way to broad-leafed trees that towered overhead. The catamounts slowed, no longer able to lope through the undergrowth, but having to weave their way through the thickening mass of trunks.
The happy gurgle and splash of a running river grew louder. Here and there Cate noticed that instead of verdant foliage punctuated by vibrant tropical hues of pinks, yellows, and purples, the plants here were more of a mix of greens, reds, and oranges that glistened and danced in the late morning sun.
The seasons shifted the farther they traveled away from the coastline, the air growing noticeably cooler. Looking back over her shoulder as they climbed the mountain, Cate could see the point where summer transitioned into autumn. “Your world doesn’t have seasons like ours, does it?”
Rook glanced at her. “Of course we do. Depending where you are in the kingdom determines which season you’ll encounter.”
“That’s the reason you had me dress warmly, isn’t it?” His thoughtfulness struck her. She’d never had a man cater to her like that before.
§
Rook didn’t dare do more than glance at her, concerned he might give away more than he intended. Certainly weather conditions for where they were headed was a factor. Shadowland was split into two seasons, and Wyldwood had the other two. While summer hugged the coast and autumn climbed over the Meru Mountains, in Wyldwood there was winter inland and spring on the western coast.
The catamounts reached the River Ulean, which wove its way south from the heart of the continent to the great falls that plunged five hundred feet into the ocean below. Cate’s eyes grew great and round.
“Where’s the bridge?” she asked.
“A hundred miles out of the way,” he replied. “But don’t worry. The catamounts can normally leap it without a problem.”
Her complexion turned waxy and pale. “Normally? Which means that sometimes they don’t make it.”
His tone softened. “Trust me just a little, Cate. I won’t let any harm befall you while I’m with you. I promise.”
She stared at him. The word trust hung heavy in the air between them. Fae didn’t give promises lightly, and they both knew it.
“Just lean forward at the hip, hold on, and let the catamount do the rest.”
He brought his big cat up side by side with hers. “Ready?”
“Do I look ready?” A sheen of perspiration glistened on her brow.
“No one is ready the first
“Up!” Rook commanded. She tried not to hyperventilate as the beast shifted beneath her, its muscles bunching and rolling beneath her legs as it rose to its full height. Just by the movement, she could tell the giant cat’s power was immense.
“Any last-minute tips on how not to die on one of these things?”
He gave her an amused smile and climbed into the saddle of the big cat beside her, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Follow me and do everything I say.”
“Great. Just perfect,” Cate muttered under her breath.
Rook tapped the flanks of the catamount with his feet and in a clear, commanding voice said, “Forward!”
Cate followed his lead, but as she tapped the beast, it flattened its ears and let out a low growl that rumbled all the way from her crotch to the base of her skull.
Her youngest sister, Jane, was always fond of saying, “Fake it till you make it.” It seemed like sound advice in this instance. Cate swallowed hard and dug deep, trying to silence the quiver in her voice and infuse it with power. “Forward!”
The growling stopped and the cat leapt forward. Cate’s stomach dipped. She squeezed her legs around the animal to help her hold on as the catamount moved in a smooth rolling lope to catch up to Rook and his mount. Silently, the big cat sped through the jungle and began climbing higher into the mountains.
Vegetation started to change, the giant fernlike trees giving way to broad-leafed trees that towered overhead. The catamounts slowed, no longer able to lope through the undergrowth, but having to weave their way through the thickening mass of trunks.
The happy gurgle and splash of a running river grew louder. Here and there Cate noticed that instead of verdant foliage punctuated by vibrant tropical hues of pinks, yellows, and purples, the plants here were more of a mix of greens, reds, and oranges that glistened and danced in the late morning sun.
The seasons shifted the farther they traveled away from the coastline, the air growing noticeably cooler. Looking back over her shoulder as they climbed the mountain, Cate could see the point where summer transitioned into autumn. “Your world doesn’t have seasons like ours, does it?”
Rook glanced at her. “Of course we do. Depending where you are in the kingdom determines which season you’ll encounter.”
“That’s the reason you had me dress warmly, isn’t it?” His thoughtfulness struck her. She’d never had a man cater to her like that before.
§
Rook didn’t dare do more than glance at her, concerned he might give away more than he intended. Certainly weather conditions for where they were headed was a factor. Shadowland was split into two seasons, and Wyldwood had the other two. While summer hugged the coast and autumn climbed over the Meru Mountains, in Wyldwood there was winter inland and spring on the western coast.
The catamounts reached the River Ulean, which wove its way south from the heart of the continent to the great falls that plunged five hundred feet into the ocean below. Cate’s eyes grew great and round.
“Where’s the bridge?” she asked.
“A hundred miles out of the way,” he replied. “But don’t worry. The catamounts can normally leap it without a problem.”
Her complexion turned waxy and pale. “Normally? Which means that sometimes they don’t make it.”
His tone softened. “Trust me just a little, Cate. I won’t let any harm befall you while I’m with you. I promise.”
She stared at him. The word trust hung heavy in the air between them. Fae didn’t give promises lightly, and they both knew it.
“Just lean forward at the hip, hold on, and let the catamount do the rest.”
He brought his big cat up side by side with hers. “Ready?”
“Do I look ready?” A sheen of perspiration glistened on her brow.
“No one is ready the first
Similar Books
