“What was that?” I asked. I hated the way my heart was pounding in my chest. I was too close to death to be afraid of it. “What did you do?”
The man turned to me, and I saw his face for the first time. He didn’t look much older than I, but he had sharp, mature features that matched the clear leanness of his body. His dark hair stuck out under his hood, even blacker than my own.
I was certain I had never seen him before. I would have remembered.
“What makes you think you can take on a pack of wolves with your bare hands?” he asked. His voice was dripping with anger.
“That’s none of your business. And it wasn’t with my bare hands. I was armed,” I said, crossing my arms.
The man laughed. “Right. You’re lucky I was here, or you would have been slaughtered.”
“Excuse me?”
“What? You think that sad excuse for a dagger was going to save you? I’ve seen a pack of wolves much smaller than that take down an entire lioness, sweetheart. Don’t bite off more than you can chew next time.”
I was actually speechless. Who the Saints did this guy think he was? He knew nothing about me or my experience with hunting.
He continued anyway. “A lady should not be wandering the forest alone after the sun goes down,” he said. “It’s dangerous, as I’m sure you know by now.”
He was still standing way too close to me, but I didn’t back away. He was trying to intimidate me, and by the smirk he wore on his face, he knew it.
“Do not speak down to me,” I said, rolling my shoulders backward. “I am not a child. My family needs food, and I am providing it. You can mind your own business next time.”
He laughed and shook his head. “That’s a lot of confidence coming from someone who nearly just died. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“I don’t need your help,” I spat. The darkness hid the embarrassment rising to my face. I hoped so, at least.
I turned away from the stranger and began walking toward the edge of the forest. Going back for my knife would have been no use. I wouldn’t need it anymore, anyway. Not after tomorrow.
“You provide food for your entire family?” he asked, catching up beside me.
I don’t know why I felt the need to answer him, but I did anyway. “My sister, Tessa. My dad’s a useless drunk. Someone has to put food on the table.”
A flash of something crossed his dark features, but it passed before I could identify it.
“Did you make that rabbit trap yourself?” he asked, continuing the interrogation. How long had he been watching me? Annoyance crept into my body. Was he serious? Following me into the forest to embarrass me, taunt me, and start casual conversation as if we were friends?
“Look,” I said, stopping and turning to face him. “I don’t know who you are or what you’re doing out here, but it’s probably best for both of us if you go home and leave me alone. And if you’re a creep who thinks he can take advantage of a young woman, just know that that knife isn’t just for rabbits. And it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve used it on a man.”
I was angry. My heart was beating into my ears.
But the man just smiled in amusement, crossing his hands over his chest and leaning on the nearby tree.
“Okay, Jade,” he said. “I’ll leave you be, then. My apologies for interrupting your clearly under-control hunting trip.”
“How do you know my name?” I asked, stepping forward. “Who are you?”
He paused in thought, as if he were debating on whether or not to answer me.
“I know your name because you are marrying the Prince of Shadows tomorrow. Everyone knows your name, Jade Farrow.”
“That’s not true,” I said. My heart sank to my stomach, dread creeping into my senses. “Nobody knows about that.”
“You’re very wrong,” he said. “It’s all anyone’s been speaking about for weeks.”
“You’re not from around here,” I said. “I’ve never seen you before. How did you find out about my marriage?”
He smiled in amusement again.
He was taller than any man in my village, stronger than any of them, and a complete stranger.
A chill ran through me. Could he be a fae? In the human lands?
I shook my head. No. It was impossible. He didn’t even have wings. The darkness hid most of his features, but I didn’t see pointed ears, either. They looked normal, with a small silver piercing on his left ear.
“Nervous about something?” he asked. His calmness and cockiness were doing nothing to help my growing agitation.