The way to Sleeping Hollow was much shorter from the Valeriano territory than from the far north. Far north where winters are hard and summer is always fleeting. As I followed the unfamiliar and perhaps untrustworthy guidance of Jesse-the-asshole, I slowly became less and less sure of my decision to confront my mate this way.
Everest was thriving on the high of our journey. The fresh air made her stronger. Coupled with the excitement of reuniting with our mate- my wolf felt unstoppable.
However, she had told me very bluntly that the rumors were true. That Sleeping Hollow was a dangerous place and that a group of witches had thrown a wooden spike through her chest simply for being too near and asking too many questions. At least she had the defense of having fought countless battles before- meaning she could almost certainly handle herself.
As our journey dipped lower into hills that slowly started to stretch outward into canyons and the time between my impulse and my logic had grown- I became hesitant. Jesse caught my far off and fearful looks into the dark valleys of the canyon as we set up tents for the last night between now and our destination. The sky was brighter so far south. Blinding. Even as it drew evening and my body wanted to sleep, having so much light felt unnatural. It provoked my mind and kept me restless.
The man sat upright in his open tent which was just across from mine and spat out the first few words he had spoken since we left.
"Come on, spit it out."
I frowned, staring out at the sinking sun over the canyon. At first our silent travelling had stunned me. I didn't know Jesse could even be the quiet type, but admittedly I barely knew him at all.
"Maybe this was a bad idea."
Jesse scoffed, loudly. He raised a hand to block the sun from his eyes and stared at me in disbelief. When I didn't respond to his reactions even slightly, he offered only sarcasm. He threw his hands up into the dry night sky, exclaiming for dramatic effect.
"And what a brilliant time you've chosen to vocalise that concern, Liana, now! Now that we are literally only three more miles from their campsite!"
I opened my mouth to speak and Jesse cut me off, pulling a jug out of his something out from his travel bag. He tossed a flask at me with one hand and leaned back with both arms behind him. The stubbled brown hair of his chin had become ragged and it struck me he must have kept it bushed regularly before. He looked worn from travel. I took the flask and sniffed it.
It smelled like brown liquor. I eyed him suspiciously.
"You've had a drink before, don't bullshit me. Just take a shot or so- to calm your nerves. Sleep off that last minute anxiety."
I sighed and nodded, throwing the flask back and taking a generous swig.
Back home in the mountains our liquor was clear. Father was firmly against drinking- I never saw him within a foot of any of the stuff. Although there was one night when he went to bed early after our festival for the Moon Goddess, when mother pulled me close to her side to stare up at the night sky. She had somehow acquired a bottle without dad noticing. We drank together- laughing mostly about old pack stories or dad.
The brown liquor was less bitter but also less warm in my stomach. I swallowed this new stuff and used it to wash down the memories of mom.
"Thanks."
Jesse reached out and I handed the flask back. He took a swig himself and laid back in his tent. I sighed, laying back on the lightly padded floor of my own tent. Cicadas were buzzing in a harmonious rhythm, steady and chirping.
"How well do you know Val?"
Jesse groaned irritably and shuffled in his tent before he answered. His tiredness was evident and part of me wanted to let him sleep. But a louder and more unyielding part of my mind compelled me to pry.
"I know her in the way that she runs every facility responsible for keeping me and my family alive and safe. We've met and we're acquainted- actually Val doesn't like me much."
"Gee, I wonder why."
Jesse chuckled. The cicadas humming paused only for short spans at a time, then carried on through the night air. They never stopped, not really. Jesse yawned and answered me truly.
"Over a girl- some small thing years ago."
My chest throbbed painfully. I didn't want to hear about Val and any girls, or men, or anyone at all. It had actually never occurred to me until now that she might have dated before. I frowned in the darkness and a groggy-voiced Jesse spoke again quickly.
"Not like that- not what you're thinking. They never dated, I think they were just friends."
'I think' my heart throbbed again. I blew air out of my cheeks in the darkness. It was irrational of me to be upset by it, even if she had lovers in the past. Still, the idea was unbearable to me and made my heart throb and squeeze in my chest. I didn't want to think about her with anyone else even if I wasn't ready to think about what my jealousy meant.
"Yeah, I get it. But I meant like what her favorite color is or if she has any hobbies."
Jesse yawned again and I could tell he was practically falling unconscious as we spoke. He answered bluntly but honestly, surrendering his answer like some offhand suggestion.
"Those are things you should really consider just asking her. Val's a private person but I think she would like to know that you wonder about her."
I smiled stupidly in the darkness trying to picture what face she might make if I asked to know her birthday. I didn't really know much about her at all. I knew what her face looked like in the dead of night as the last few streaks of light slipped away. I knew she smelled like the woods I grew up in. I knew her smile made me feel something strange in my chest.
I thanked him and tried to quench whatever strange fire was building in my chest. I swallowed my giddiness and anxiety down. I told myself Val was a stranger to me. I told myself I didn't care about her past or her lovers and I almost believed it as sleep started to surround me.