“I have two Senses. I’m a Seer. Night-Sighted. I can see in the dark. ”
He saw in the dark. She should have known with his reflective eyes. With the way he never stumbled at night. “And the other?”
He looked right at her, his gaze brilliant green. “I have a strong sense of smell. ”
“You have a strong sense of smell. ” Aria tried to process what this meant. “How strong?”
“Very. I can scent tempers. ”
“Tempers?”
“They’re emotions . . . impulses. ”
“You can scent people’s feelings?” She could hear her voice rising.
“Yes. ”
“How often?” she asked. She’d started to tremble.
“Always, Aria. I can’t avoid it. I can’t stop breathing. ”
Aria went cold everywhere. Instantly. Like she’d just taken a plunge in the ocean
. She shot through the path Cinder had cleared, diving into the darkened woods. Perry came right behind her, calling her name and asking her to stop. Aria spun.
“You’ve been doing that all this time? You’ve known how I’ve felt? Have I entertained you? Has my misery amused you? Is that why you kept it to yourself?”
He pushed his hands into his hair. “Do you know how many times you’ve called me a Savage? You think I wanted to tell you I can smell better than a wolf?”
Aria’s hand shot up, covering her mouth. He could smell better than a wolf.
She thought of all the horrible feelings she’d had over the past days. Days she spent with that pathetic, sad melody going round and round in her mind. The shame she felt at menstruating. Of being terrified, a stranger in her own skin.
Was he smelling the way she felt right now?
He tipped his head to the side. “Aria, don’t be embarrassed. ”
He was. He did know.
She backed away, but his hand closed around her wrist. “Don’t go. It’s not safe. You know what’s out there. ”
“Let go of me. ”
“Perry,” said a smooth voice. “I’ll stay with her. ”
Perry looked down at her, frustration plain on his face. Then he let go of her arm and stalked off, branches snapping in his wake.
“You can cry if you like,” Roar said when Perry was gone. He crossed his arms. In the darkness, she could just make out the glint of the black bottle of Luster propped on his elbow. “I’ll even offer up my shoulder to the cause. ”
“No, I don’t want to cry. I want to hurt him. ”
Roar laughed softly. “I knew I liked you. ”
“He should have told me. ”
“Probably, but what he said is true. He can’t help knowing tempers. And would it have changed your agreement?”
Aria shook her head. It wouldn’t. Before long, she knew she’d be back to walking endless miles with him.