The world swayed. A steady heartbeat thumped against her ear. Charity blinked open her eyes and squinted through the pounding in her head. No, the world wasn’t swaying, she was. Or was it the forest’s dark canopy above her?
She was in Toren’s arms, her head resting on his shoulder, being carried through the woods. She nuzzled in closer, pushing her head beneath his chin, content to be in his arms. The residual stink of the dungeon didn’t even bother her.
Except…? Why was he carrying her? He believed her to be one of Aldreth’s lackeys.
She tried not to be mad at that. She really did. And she got it. Toren had been tortured by the woman for months. It wasn't his fault that he'd have trust issues, but really? He thought she’d work for someone like that? Except that was just it. He didn’t know her. But he should because…hell. She wasn’t being fair.
Just because she'd gone through this instant emotional bond with him that was one of the most profound things that had ever happened to her in her life, she couldn't expect him to remember what had passed between them because for him it had never happened.
Her fault.
She'd taken that away herself when she used her grandmother’s spell and traveled back a day through time and forever changed that moment, that glorious wonderful confusing moment between them, by not healing him.
Great. Hurray for her. She’d done everything she set out to do. Brownie points for her. She rode his time rift back several centuries and to another continent and gotten him out of the dungeon just like she said she would. She got what she wanted, right?
So what did she expect?
That he would remember something that for him never happened? That when she healed him beneath the tangled branches, that deep connection they'd experienced before would miraculously occur again and he'd instantly feel something for her?
Well, okay, yes. Maybe she had expected that, but apparently that was a once in a lifetime happenstance.
Her lifetime.
Not his.
Her heart constricted. It was painful to breathe.
“Put me down,” she said suddenly, squirming to get loose.
His hold tightened. “Cease. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“What do you care?” Okay, that came out testy, but whatever.
She flopped out of his grasp forcefully enough that he let her slip away, though he did not fully let go until she was steady on her feet.
He frowned down at her and once again Charity was reminded of just how tall he was. His expression seemed almost, well, hurt. Edeen and Col came up behind him, watching.
“I do care,” Toren’s sultry voice whispered across her senses.
Charity went very still, uncertain.
He lifted his hand as though to reach out to her, but then dropped it.
She didn’t know what to think, what to feel. Her pulse raced through her veins. She wanted to grab Toren’s hand and just hang onto him, but wasn’t certain what he was feeling toward her and couldn’t take another accusation of working with Aldreth right now. Not now. Not while he was looking at her like he did when they were dream trailing. Like she was special to him. Like she meant something. She sent a questioning look to Edeen.
It was Col who came to her rescue. Taking her arm, he steered her away. “Are ye well enough, Charity?”
“I’m fine. Now. You’re the one who fainted.”
Col stopped mid-step, a scowl stamped across his lean features. “I did not faint.”
“Flat on your face. Swooned like a maiden,” Edeen informed as she passed them.
“Did not. Warriors do not swoon.” Col’s long legs carried him to his sister.
Charity glanced back at Toren. His gaze remained steady on her, disconcerting. Not ready to talk with him, she walked on, feeling his eyes on her back.