It was late afternoon by the time I finally stumbled across a sheltered area against the base of a ridge. I dismounted and hung onto the saddle for a few moments as my legs protested being forced to work again.

After tethering Milly to a tree, I pulled off her saddle and set it on a log. She half-heartedly nibbled on some plants, more tired than hungry. I was so exhausted I had no interest in food, but I knew I had to eat.

First, I had to find a place for Shane. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back up once I sat down, so I stumbled through the underbrush, looking for an area similar to the one I'd taken him from, comprised of a small clearing, dense shrubs, and a big tree. I doubted it mattered to the curse, but some stories emphasized certain details, and it would also put some distance between us.

Thankfully, I didn't have to search too long to find such a place. I took off my backpack and knelt down, carefully angling it so he slid out. The hollow, dried-out bones were no less creepy now than they had been the first time I'd seen them.

I leaned him against the base of the tree, murmuring, "I'm hoping this is a safe place to leave you."

Exhaustion was sweeping over me, so with one last look at the mummy, I returned to where I had left Milly. I'd pushed myself hard all night and all day, so the thought of setting up a proper camp wasn't something I even contemplated.

Milly was tethered with a water bucket and grazing, so I unrolled my bedroll and shoved it under a bush, using sticks to prop my rain cloak above me like a miniature tent in case another storm came by. I slowly ate a trail bar, barely finishing it before I fell asleep, my spear and dagger within easy reach.

My muscles were stiff and sore as I put out the fire. The journey the last two days had taken its toll on me, but I had to be ready when Shane returned. Milly stood nearby, already saddled and loaded. The sun was disappearing behind the mountain peaks, and if this evening was like past few days, Shane would soon put in an appearance.

I wasn't ready to face his certain anger, but I had no way to postpone it or appease it before he arrived. With a sigh, I sat on the still-warm ground by the fire and slowly ate my bowl of stew. Another bowl sat across the fire, although I wasn't sure if Shane would accept the peace offering or if he'd abandon me out here.

As a werewolf, he'd have no issues traversing the mountains in record time. Other than a paltry hiring fee, nothing was binding him to this trader and mule. And with so many soldiers around, the farther away he got, the safer he'd be.

The last beams of sunlight disappeared behind the mountain peaks, and I took a deep breath as I waited, my stomach turning in my stress. I didn't have to wait long. Soon enough, bushes rustled as Shane stomped into view with his rain cloak flaring out behind him. His fists were clenched, and his eyes practically blazed with his fury.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, ducking my head in an attempt to show I wasn't a threat. "Bandits showed up almost as soon as you left."

"So you dragged me out here without my permission?" he demanded, his voice cutting like a knife.

"I'm sorry," I repeated remorsefully. "I was scared they'd find you, and you weren't that far from the campsite."

"Don't you dare try it again."

"If the bandits hadn't been so close, I would have remained in the campsite."

"Even bandits have better things to do than bother a werewolf."

"I don't know anything about magic, but I was worried they'd break your bones or hurt you trying to get your necklace out of your chest."

He was silent for so long that I finally looked up. He was still scowling at me, but no longer appeared quite so furious. After far too long, his gaze left me as he glanced around.

"Where are we?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I rode most of the day to get away from the bandits. Farther south, but that's about all I know."

He pursed his lips as he examined the mountains above and valley downhill.

"There's stew," I offered quietly.

With an annoyed huff, he picked up the bowl and started eating while examining our surroundings.

"What did you mean when you said they might try getting my necklace out of my chest?"

I blinked in confusion. "Uh, well, I can't see a bandit ignoring a silver necklace, even if- even where it was located."

His penetrating gaze moved to me. "My necklace was visible?"

Did he not know? But the answer was clear – he didn't. "It... it hung inside your ribcage. You could see it if you came close."

His frown deepened. "I wasn't aware it came into existence. The sun forces me into my werewolf shape before I black out, so it didn't occur to me. The only other person to see me like that never mentioned it."

I shrugged uncomfortably, unsure of how to reply. This was a topic I had never dared bring up before, and this latest discovery already had him angry.

"What did it look like?" he asked.

That was not the question I'd expected, and I wasn't exactly sure what "it" was. "The necklace or your day form?"

"Both." His tone was terse but curiosity lay beneath. Or, perhaps, not so much curiosity, but the need to know something about himself that he had no way of learning on his own.

I took a few moments to organize my thoughts. "If your tracks hadn't led there, I never would have guessed it was you. It... kind of looked like one of those mummified cats in some desert temples, only the head was clearly a wolf."

He ate another spoonful of stew, his intent gaze never wavering.

Was I supposed to call that mummy it or him? Gah. This was not covered in any of my etiquette classes. "You were much smaller, maybe twice the size of a cat?"

"The necklace was inside my chest?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, it kind of looked like it was looped around your spine, but it hung inside."

"How were you able to see inside my chest?"

"Err, you were like those mummies, all curled up, but your chest was hollow. There was some fur, skin, and such, but they only covered about half of the bones. I could see quite clearly inside, although I tried not to."

He was silent for a very long time. "The other woman who saw me in that form didn't give me that much detail. I hoped this curse and the effects would wear off after all these years, but it clearly hasn't."

There was nothing I could say to that, so I washed my bowl and spoon in the water remaining in Milly's bucket.

"Thank you, I guess," he eventually said. "I'm not sure what would have happened if the bandits broke my bones when I'm like that, but I don't think it would have been good."

"If trouble comes calling again, do you want me to just flee, try to hide you better, or take you with me?"

"I'll make sure to hide myself better," he said shortly. "And make no mention of this to anyone."

"Never," I promised solemnly. Not only would people not believe me, but the repercussions of having a huge werewolf furious with me weren't something I wanted to consider.

Silence fell between us, but even though Shane was still irritated, his anger had mostly dissipated.

When his spoon began scraping the bottom of the bowl, I said, "Once you've finished eating, I can wash your bowl if you want to check the area and decide the best path to take."

"It'll take me a few minutes to get my bearings, but you can start walking while waiting for me." He examined the liquid on his spoon. "What kind of stew is this?"

"I made it from some trail rations I brought from my home. It can be eaten as a trail bar, but it's much better when cooked since the spices blend."

"It's good."

"Thanks."

I hoped that meant I was mostly forgiven. He finished the soup, and instead of setting the bowl down beside the fire like I expected, he handed it directly to me. Taking a step back, he pulled his necklace off, and the normal shimmer of orange and green appeared.

Without pausing my scrubbing of the bowl, I glanced up at him. On his hind legs, he towered over me, closely watching my reaction – or lack thereof. He turned his attention to the necklace in his hand, staring at it before shaking his head and walking away.

As he lowered his hand, the necklace shimmered in the fading light and disappeared.

"I'll come find you shortly," he said as he disappeared into the forest.