Anew

26

Tristan lined up his first arrow and aimed at the target in the distance.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

When Scarlet left the cabin, his insides tightened in her absence, making his breathing labored and painful.

Which was nothing new.

But, for some reason, it hurt more than usual.

And, on top of that, he was stressed out.

He drew back another arrow and let it fly, hoping to relieve just an ounce of tension.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

No relief.

If anything, he felt more anxious. More helpless and afraid.

Today had been a disaster.

Scarlet meeting him…her not remembering the past…Gabriel telling her about the curse—or at least, part of the curse….

Disaster.

Sighing heavily, he drew back another arrow and loosened his fingers to release it.

Something caught his eye.

Through the thickness of the tall trees, Tristan saw movement. It was brief and shapeless, but he immediately knew what it was.

Scarlet.

What was she doing in the woods?

He blinked a moment, before shaking his head. He drew the arrow back again, trying not to think about her.

Whoosh.

The arrow missed the target completely.

He paused for a moment, wrestling with his instinct to go comfort her.

He was drawn to her physically and supernaturally, that he knew.

But what he was feeling at that moment wasn’t supernatural.

It was something old and deep, something he’d never been able to part with.

He shook his head again, shoving the warmth in his chest back into the frigid pools of his soul where it belonged.

Gabriel was her boyfriend. He should be the one to go console Scarlet in the woods.

And besides, hadn’t Tristan just lectured Gabriel on giving her space?

Tristan shook himself.

No. He refused go over to her—even if it hurt to stay where he was.

Which it did. Very much.

Tristan drew another arrow and lined it carefully against his bow.

Whoosh.

Another miss.

He waited a beat before lowering his bow and cursing.

Not because his arrows had gone astray.

But because the missing piece of his soul—the blood that belonged to him but pulsed inside Scarlet—was huddled down somewhere in the deep woods, sad and afraid.

Tristan dropped his bow to the ground and started walking into the thick forest.

He couldn’t see Scarlet, but he could feel her.

And that was all he needed to find her.