Again.
I think he mightlikedoing that.
“Fine!” I call out stubbornly over my shoulder. Once I make it to Epona I’m damn near out of breath. I stand there for a long time, stroking her head and mane, cooing a soft string of sentimental words about getting me here safely and how thankful I am, and really, she’s saved my life, and she should be proud of that.
I find Sitri collecting more wood for the fire. Turning my attention toward the insanely large trees, my hands stroke over the rough bark. I explore the bank next, plopping down against the flattened rocks to stare out at the crystal-clear water, dipping a toe in to discover it just as icy as I remember. I linger there for a while, trying to get a grip on my fluctuating emotions and soaking up the view. Who knows if I’ll ever even see a place like this again?
The sun descends past the trees, taking the light and the little bit of warmth with it. The chirping of crickets replaces the birds and I finally retreat back to the fire and settle back against the log next to Sitri.
Wrapping my cloak around my legs, I huddle in closer to the flames. My eyes flicker across his bare chest. “Aren’t you cold? You can have your cloak back,” I say, scooting over so he can take it out from underneath me. He glares, apparently offended I would even ask. It’s not long before everything past the warm glow of the fire is cloaked in darkness, and the sound of crickets grows deafening. I sneak surreptitious sips of his profile, illuminated from the flames. The other side of his face marred by the scar completely eclipsed in shadows.
“Why do you cover your scar?” I blurt out. He doesn’t respond, doesn’t even turn to look at me, and I shift nervously. Rude.I am so rude.“I mean…I kind of like it. Well, I don’t like that you received it-- it’s-- I think it looksnice…not nice, you know. People getting their face sliced… doesn’t look…nice.”
It’s like a nightmare, every word spilling out of my mouth somehow worse than the one that came before. “But it’s definitely notbad.”
He slowly turns to face me, expression indecipherable.
“I mean… I don’t think you look any worse like this. You still look really… good,” I finish weakly, a burn blooming across my cheeks.
“It’s not a vanity thing. I keep it covered so I don’t have to discuss it with people.”
“Oh. I’m sorry,” I rush out.
“It’s alright.” He leans back into the log, puffing a breath, shifting close enough that our arms touch. If I weren’t so cold, I would move away, but with the chilled air, it takes everything not to lean further in, to take more of his heat. This time I can feelhisperusal like a cold draft skimming across the side of my face. “Why did you switch places with your sister?”
Notthat. “Oh, um…I don’t know,” I say sheepishly, fiddling with the cloak in my lap.
“Come on. You have a reason.”
“I guess I felt like she didn’t deserve it.”
He cocks his head. “But you did?”
“I guess you’d have to know her. Syra is…really good. Everyone loves her. You can’t help but love her.”
His brows draw together. “And you’re not? Good?”
I let out an anxious snort. “You’ve met me.”
He frowns. “You switched places with your sister. I would consider that to be prettygood.”
“It just made sense. I didn’t have anything to lose.”Already long afflicted by the daemon.“She…she also had someone she cared for,” I say, deflecting the spotlight anywhere except on me.
Surprise splashes across his face. “You mean romantically?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you?” he asks flashing that spotlight right back over me.
“Did I what?”
“Have someone you cared for…in that way?”
I huff a laugh. “No.”
“What?” He turns to face me, a glimmer of humor in his eyes. “No one good enough for you, pet?”
I laugh again at how far from the truth he is. “What’s so funny about that?”
