Angel of the lake

Chapter Eleven

Meg wondered how that other angel had fared. The one who fell on the same night as her. But then she decided she didn't want to know. It was better that way.

What about my sister?

Had she made it out of these woods all those years ago unscathed? Or did the snakes get to her too?

Can't think of it.

Meg couldn't remember a time in her life where she'd ever felt this cold. She shuffled closer to the fire. Only the fire couldn't thaw this kind of cold.

"Are you alright?" Claudio asked her. He kept watching. Always watching. That matehood stuff was playing on her mind still. She hadn't given it much thought before, but now she felt like she was clocking onto what he was saying. Even if she didn't understand it. Claudio was waiting for her because him meeting her was destiny. She figured she was supposed to give him something, but she wasn't sure what yet.

At least he was nice.

She supposed there were worse people she could've stumbled across in this forest.

"I'm fine," She answered, eyes on the flames.

"That's good."

Gods, she could hear it in his voice that her answer wasn't enough for him. He'd been worried about scaring her.

Claudio didn't make much sense to her. She didn't understand why he was constantly hesitating. Weren't Kings supposed to be direct about what they wanted?

She got the sense he was being careful about something, dancing around a topic.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her this time.

"I'm fine."

Emotionally, she was somehow holding it all together.

Being kicked from heaven hadn't actually been all that much of a shock. Maybe at the time, but not anymore.

It was this whole death thing that was getting to her. That, and the fear of what she was supposed to do now.

Where was she supposed to go? How was she supposed to get back up there?

"How is your back feeling?"

"De-winged."

"Are you warm enough?"

"I'm fine."

"What about your feet? Do your feet hurt?"

She sighed through her nose.

"They're fine."

"Have you eaten enough?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Can I get you anything?"

Good lord! This man was impossible. She gave him an irritated look, but the guilt quickly came in.

It wasn't his fault she wasn't used to having help. He wasn't really doing anything wrong. Other than coddling her. Funnily enough, he didn't look like the type.

There was no denying his warrior status. On the surface, Claudio looked cut-throat. Like someone who scorned human emotions and intimacy. Someone who looked down on weakness and vulnerability and connection.

And yet here he was visibly aching to be closer to her. To connect emotionally and all of that jazz. His body was freaking vibrating. He'd probably go into overload if she did a come hither motion.

"No," She said. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I can—" She grabbed a pebble from the ground, launching it over the fire. It whacked against his breast plate as he chuckled. "Okay. I get the message."