Selene's eyes flew open, darting back and forth as she looked at her surroundings. It took less than a second for her to realize she was in one of the large burrows that rested beneath the trees. This one twice the size of the one Lily and she had stayed in.

She gasped for fresh air, the feeling of the ash still in her lungs making her panic. The heat was almost unbearable, coming from the fire that burned beside her bed.

She jumped up from the pile of furs she had been laying on and bolted for the light pouring in from the entrance to the burrow. Panic flooded her senses, blocking out everything save for the way out.

You're trapped. You're trapped. You're trapped.

She burst from the burrow, the cold air like a punch in the gut. She kept running, wanting to get as far away as possible.

Before she could react, something hard and sturdy wrapped around her abdomen. The object halted her so quickly that her feet slide out from underneath her. Something else, a hand, closed around her arm, keeping her from falling and slamming her head on the ground.

"Well, that was unexpected."

Selene could barely hear over the pounding of her heart, over the rushing of the blood in her ears. She searched wildly for an escape, any way to get out of this person's trap.

"Take a deep breath. I'm not going to hurt you."

It was a man's voice, deep and clear. So different than the forest noises she had been hearing for the past week.

Selene did as he said and tried to calm herself. Her mouth was dry, she couldn't remember the last time she had anything to drink.

"Water," her voice rasped.

After days of being unused, her throat had grown tight and talking made it sting.

The pressure of his hand disappeared as he reached for his waterskin. The band around her waist shifted but didn't let go of her. It was the man's arm. He must have grabbed her as she ran from the burrow.

Something cool touched her lips and she grabbed it, tilting it back so the water inside ran into her mouth. She resisted the urge to chug the entirety of the waterskin and handed it back to the man.

As she twisted to returned it, her eyes traveled to the man's face.

He was the same man who had saved her the night of the bear attack. In the daylight, his eyes were a much more docile electric blue. She remembered how they seemed to glow in the night as if the Angel Ophiel had given him stars for irises. His hair was jet black, yet in the sunlight, it looked softer. His scar still stood out against his chiseled features and Selene couldn't help but wonder how he had received it. His lip was split, still red and bruised from when Selene attacked him.

His body was proof of his hard life, rock hard against her malnourished body. He was built like a warrior, broad-shouldered and lean. He was almost a head taller than her. No doubt each inch was packed with muscle. Muscle that now pressed against her waist.

She had never felt more revolted.

"Get your hands off me," she spat.

Cautiously, he withdrew his arm and took a step back. Selene debated sprinting away into the forest, hopefully never to be seen again, but the way this man stared at her and stood as if he were ready to sprint after her, made her stand her ground.

She was about to step forward and demand why he had brought her here when she felt the absence of pain in her ankle. She looked down at her bare feet and was surprised to find a white bandage covering her injury. The pain was still there, but not nearly as bad as before. She also noticed the bandages that wrapped around her shoulders beneath her shirt, covering the wounds from her fight with the bear, and on a new wound on her thigh.

She was no longer in her own clothes. She was now dressed in a large shirt that traveled to her mid-thigh. She felt her face burn as she realized she was without trousers. She looked back up at the man, his face utterly neutral. She was going to rip this man to shreds for touching her.

She was just about to do so when he calmly said, "Your infection was in the blood. I had to work on your whole leg or else you would have lost it. It was easier like this."

Selene pressed her lips together, debating the truth of his words.

"Where are we?"

"A few miles from where you fought the Ursidae."

Ursidae?

The man seemed to read her face and answered her question, "The bear? It's called an Ursidae. Let me just say, I've seen few people survive one of those beasts and you killed it with a broken ankle and a stick."

Amusement danced in his eyes as if he was waiting for a witty comeback. She didn't even smile.

Selene looked back down at her ankle and the bandage, carefully rotating it until the pain forced her to stop.

"You were out for three days. I cleaned out all of your wounds and even washed your hair, so if you would be so kind as to repay me by going back inside so you don't ruin my hard work."

The man motioned with a hand towards the entrance of the burrow. The heat flashed through Selene's mind, and the thought of being trapped with it on her skin made her nauseous.

"I'd rather stay out here," Selene said, cursing the shaking of her voice. Curiosity flashed across the man's face, along with understanding, and he turned towards the forest. He sat down right in front of the burrow's entrance, his breath released in a rush as he fell.

"What are you doing?" Selene asked.

The man looked up at her, his dark hair just brushing his eyes.

"You just tried to run blindly into the forest in nothing but my spare shirt and some bandages. You think I can trust you to be out here alone?"

Selene's nostrils flared in rage. She considered kicking the man, broken ankle or not.

"Am I your prisoner?" she asked, fury lacing her voice.

He frowned and replied, "No. I just don't want you to die."

After a moment, she sat down as well, her knees pulled to her chin. More than a horse length was between them, but she didn't care as long as he stayed away from her.

She had almost died. She remembered the feeling of her own blood beneath her, the warmth of it as it spread across the frozen ground. She remembered the stars, how she had longed to be one of them. She had been perfectly content with dying, yearned for it even. Yet he had saved her. Why? What did he have to gain?

Selene glanced over at the man next to her. He was staring into the trees, focused on something that moved in the brush. He didn't seem to have any weapons on him, but he'd be a fool to venture into the forest unarmed.

She ignored the fact that she had done exactly that after Lily's death, thrown her dagger into the brush, but she hadn't cared. She just wanted to be rid of it.

The man shifted to lay on his back, putting an arm under his head and stared up through the thick trees. The thin slivers of light framed his eyes, the irises glowing like blue fire.

Selene decided that once she was healed, she would leave. She just prayed that he didn't take whatever it was he wanted beforehand.

They sat in blissful silence for an hour. Selene just listened to the birds as they sang in the trees above them, battling the thoughts that raced through her mind. Finally, the man asked her, "What is your name?"

She stayed silent long enough for the man to assume she wouldn't answer. Then she spoke, "Selene."

From the corner of her eye, she swore she saw him smile.

"My name is Aiden."

Selene didn't look at him as she responded, "I don't care."

The man snorted in laughter and watched her from the corner of his eyes. She thought he would respond, but he seemed contempt to sit in silence once more. Selene fidgeted under his stare, waiting for him to turn away. But he didn't. He just watched her until she turned to glare at him.

They stayed outside until the sun began to set, painting the sky red and orange. Selene felt nothing at the colors, not an ember of awe as the clouds bled.

When the sun had disappeared completely, Aiden spoke softly, "We need to go inside."

Selene stared at the burrow again and the fire that lit the entrance up in gold. Her stomach churned.

He stood and held out his hand to her. She looked at it, not wanting to take it. He seemed to notice her distaste and said, "If you want the fire out, I'll put it out, but we'd have to sleep together for warmth."

Selene almost snarled at him when she realized he was serious. This was survival. Selene still didn't take his hand, weighing the options.

"You have a very bad habit of not taking my hand when I offer it," laughter coated his tongue. Selene ignored him and pushed herself up. Her shoulders twinging in pain. She limped to the edge of the burrow, stopping just before the ceiling closed above her. She felt the heat pouring out in waves, not as strong as before but still intense.

The forge flashed in her mind, the burning of the furnace as the belt cracked down on her. The scars on her back ached in an answer. She felt the demon's breath on her as he whispered in her ear.

You and I are the same.

Selene was going to vomit.

She stumbled backward, her ankle twisting as she staggered.

"I can't," she whispered. She shook her head and said it again. Aiden was beside her, watching as panic rose in her again. He said nothing as he walked into the burrow and smothered the fire with dirt. They were plunged into darkness, the cold taking her breath away now that the heat was gone. Selene took a deep breath. She scolded herself for seeming so weak.

She held out a hand and felt her way into the burrow. Her fingers finding Aiden's chest before her eyes adjusted. He gripped her arm and led her to the furs at the end of the burrow. Selene went rigid as they brushed her feet. She tensed, ready to turn and attack Aiden before he did anything to her, before he dare touch her. She'd claw his eyes out before she'd let him do anything.

However, he let go of her immediately, feeling her tense, and backed away. Selene turned to look at him, her eyes finally adjusting. She watched him walk to the front of the burrow and pull a thick sheet of leaves over the entrance, trapping her inside.

She felt around her for anything she could use as a weapon, again aware of her bareness. Aiden stopped next to the charred wood that had been the fire and sat. He was facing the burrow entrance, a simple dagger she hadn't seen him unsheathe now balanced on his knee.

"Someone has to keep guard and you don't seem in the best shape to do so."

She didn't like how he seemed to know what she was thinking. She watched him warily, not trusting him enough to close her eyes. He sighed and said to her, "If I was going to hurt you why would I have saved your ass in the first place?"

Selene believed him. She laid down on the furs and savored the feel of them against her skin. Yet she didn't want to close her eyes. She feared she would see the demon again, feel the metal of Arthur's belt.

I can't.

She wanted to spit on herself. She had grown so weak, so broken. She remembered the encounter with Arthur when she finally stood up to him, the fear in his eyes at what she had become. There wasn't a shred of that girl left in her. This stranger across from her probably thought she was pathetic. She couldn't even sleep next to a fire. Winter was on the way and she would perish in the cold.

Selene squeezed her eyes shut, hoping for the black to embrace her. She felt the chill seep into the burrow, chasing away all traces of warmth. She heard Aiden breathe into his palms, trying to warm himself.

At some point in the night, when even the owls had laid down to rest, she drifted into sleep.

The last thing she remembered was that man looking at her with his bright blue eyes.

***

Selene woke to see early morning light flooding into the burrow. She felt more rested than she had in weeks. She stretched. The feeling of her muscles being pulled and strained was more comforting than she imagined it would be. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she looked around the burrow for Aiden. He was nowhere to be seen.

Selene pulled down the shirt she wore to study the bandages around her shoulders. The claws had punctured her through, tearing her muscle and scraping bone. She had no idea how Aiden had healed her fast enough to be able to use her arm so well. She let go of the shirt and it bounced back up her shoulder. Then she studied her ankle; it was stiff, but there was no pain.

She let out a huff of air, marveling at the man's work. Just then, he entered the burrow. He looked the same as the day before, but now he wielded two daggers. They rested on his belt, each simple with hilts made of leather. He carried three rabbits, strung together and swaying back and forth over his shoulder.

His eyes landed on her and his mouth set into a smile.

"She awakens, looking as beautiful as ever."

Selene watched him set the rabbits down on a stone and shuffle through his pack.

"As talkative as well," he finished.

He pulled out a different dagger, this one sharper and thinner. Dragging one of the rabbits towards him, he began to skin the animal. Her stomach twisted as she watched.

"I need air," she said before she stood and walked out into the brisk morning. It was getting colder by the day, each one a reminder of what was coming. She didn't know what would happen to her when the ice came. She had heard rumors of the snow piling up to tower over the horses, making travel almost impossible. Were they far enough north for snow like that to fall?

She took a deep breath of air, the chill giving her gooseflesh. Wrapping her arms around herself, she ventured farther into the trees. The birds sang above her head, calling out to her. She looked up to watch them as they darted from branch to branch, staring down at her as she walked. For a moment, she worried someone would find her with barely any clothes on. She almost laughed at herself, she was practically alone in the forest. No one around her save for the man in the burrow behind her who had no doubt seen more of her body than she wished.

You'd be dead if he hadn't.

Part of Selene cringed at the thought of him seeing her and her scars. No one had ever seen her bare, she hadn't allowed them to.

She continued to walk through the trees, trying to collect her thoughts. Something shuffled in the brush ahead of her, something large. She stopped walking, her mind working to figure out what to do. She was just about to run to the nearest tree when a skunk emerged.

Its fur was green, mushrooms grew from its back, and moss hung from its sides. Another oddity of the forest. It looked at Selene and sniffed as if deciding if she was a threat. It deemed her safe and continued on its way.

Selene watched it hobble away, her heart beating. As soon as its hind legs were swallowed by the foliage, Selene began to laugh. The laugh was half-hearted, yet it felt good. Maybe the fact that she was alive and healing made her feel lucky. How she had cursed her luck just a few days prior. She wouldn't doubt it would come back and bite her in the ass eventually.

Selene turned back the way she had come, taking her time. Soon the smell of roasting meat flooded her senses. She quickened her pace, her mouth watering. She emerged from the trees to find Aiden sitting outside of the burrow, a piece of meat in his hands and his mouth already chewing.

When he noticed her arrival, he stood and disappeared into the burrow. She paused at the entrance, spotting the fire that flickered. Aiden plucked a piece of rabbit off a rock, his fingers brushing the flames, and carried it out to her.

"I had to start the fire to cook us breakfast. I know you don't like it, so here." He pushed the rabbit a little closer to her and she took it, looking away so he wouldn't see the gratitude in her eyes. She went to the place she had sat the day before and began to eat, tearing into the meat. It burnt her mouth, but she was too hungry to care. This tasted even better than the rabbit she had cooked herself the week before.

She finished it within minutes, sucking on her fingers and licking her lips. She turned to find Aiden staring at her, a grin plastered on his face.

"That is why I thought three was better than two," he said as he handed her another piece. She took it and nodded her thanks before devouring it. She hadn't noticed Aiden now crouched beside her, holding the waterskin out.

Selene took it and swallowed a mouthful of water before handing it back. Aiden nodded towards the burrow and said, "I need to check your bandages."

Selene looked at the burrow, surprised to find it dark. Aiden had put out the fire.

Selene nodded and picked herself up; Aiden was smart enough not to hold out his hand. Together, they entered the burrow, still warm from the fire. She sat down on the furs while Aiden went to his pack. He pulled out fresh bandages, a needle and thread, a bottle of rum, and a strap of cloth. She eyed the rum, watching as it swished in its glass bottle.

He sent down the bottle next to her, thudding against the dirt floor. Aiden reached for her leg and as his calloused fingers grazed her shin, she flinched. Aiden drew back his hand a fraction, and for a moment, she thought he would step back entirely.

He reached for her leg again and she didn't flinch when he took it. She shifted so he could easily take off the bandage, hoping it would happen as fast as possible. She leaned back on her hands as he unwrapped her foot.

Selene sucked in a breath at what she saw. Her skin was mottled and ruined, purple bruises covered where she knew the bone had snapped. Where her infected wound had once festered was covered in a green poultice, but the redness had subsided. Aiden picked up the linen and wiped away the poultice, revealing stitches.

"At least I don't have to close it again," Aiden laughed. Selene just watched as he applied a new, green poultice, replaced the bandage with a clean one, and cut the fabric with one of his daggers, tying the end to keep it from unwinding.

He sat back on his heels, letting her pull up her leg to look at it. She had to admit he'd done a marvelous job. She knew enough about closing wounds to tell he was experienced. She resisted the urge to look at his scar. She glanced up to find Aiden staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

Aiden motioned to her shirt. "The other wounds are a bit trickier."

Selene suddenly became cold, all the heat leaving the room. Aiden blinked as if he felt it as well.

"I'm not taking this off," her voice was laced with venom as if he expected her to.

"I know," was all he said. He asked her to pull the collar of the shirt down as far as she could. The cold air nipped at her shoulder, and somehow it calmed her. Aiden brushed his hair back with one of his hands and leaned forward to unwrap her shoulder.

"This was a bastard to clean. I had sewn it shut to try and stop the bleeding, but you had lost so much blood I wasn't even sure you'd survive the trip here. But you are one stubborn woman. I had to use rum to sterilize the wound before I wrapped it and as soon as I poured it on, you started fighting. Almost gave me another scar with your nails," Aiden drew back to point to his eyes and the scar that was there.