The stallion grunted, none too pleased about being left out in the rain for so long. Their shelter was only large enough to keep their food and heads dry. I was a little worried he’d refuse to hunt for the insult.
“I’ll make it up to you once we’re home,” I promised him. I was going to make it up to Patrick when I got back, as well.
With an irritated toss of his head, Dhellgas followed Rath’s stallion into a gallop towards the trees. The rain pelted my skin, cold and sharp, but I did my best to ignore it. I would only be more miserable if I focused on it.
We made it to the trees in record time, and I jumped off Dhellgas’s back and patted his side as Rath and I drew our bows.I got a nip as he walked off, but I didn’t comment on it. He was allowed to be annoyed. I knew I was.
It didn’t take long to find some evrach enjoying a meal. With the sound of the rain silencing my footsteps, I was practically upon them when I finally let loose my arrow. Rath did at the same time, killing two in quick succession. The ease of that hunt surprised me, and I shot a look at Rath, who looked just as surprised.
“Perhaps we should reconsider hunting in the rain?” I suggested.
He huffed, reaching for the evrach and twisting its neck roughly to ensure it was dead. “Let’s discuss it with the others. If it means we can get back sooner, I’m all for it, but not while lightning is in the air. It is too much of a risk.”
True, but the lightning wasn’t all the time. And mud or not, I could catch the coiwak. It might even mean we could catch more than one at the same time.
“Patrick?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I smiled at Finn, beckoning him inside. It was just me in the cooking tent. Yamileth’s bones didn’t handle the poor weather well, and after I’d proved I could cook enough for everyone, she finally took some time to rest. I was slow-roasting some meat for our supper, and I mostly stayed in the cooking tent to avoid Verus’s. It made me sad to be in there all alone.
Finn pulled off his cloak, wiping his face off on his tunic sleeve. He’d hovered around me and Zoya since Rath left, too heartbroken to be left alone for long. I liked his company, so I never said no to his visits, gesturing to an empty stool for himto join me. I handed him a basket of beans to prepare, giving his hands something to do while we sat out the storm.
“Does it always rain this much in this area?” he finally asked, leaning a little closer to the fire to stay warm.
I hummed, adding another log to the fire. “In the spring, yes. Not where you’re from?”
He shook his head. “I lived farther south, near Hartheim.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “The capital? I thought they didn’t participate in the treaty.”
He shrugged. “We were close to it but still far enough away that the capital refused to send soldiers to protect us. It took a few days to get me to the clan after I was volunteered. I didn’t realize the weather would be so different in the north.”
Honestly, neither had I. I’d never been south before. I didn't realize how close our town was to the barbarian’s winter hunting grounds. Granted, the forest between here and the town was massive, and I spent days wandering around, but still. Only a forest stood between our town and the barbarians during the winter season. I wondered what the mayor would do with that information. He’d probably freak out.
Finn sank in on himself a little, his lips turned down in a deep frown. “Rath usually keeps me warm at night. Without him, it’s hard to sleep. I’m always cold.”
“I was going to ask,” I admitted. Finn was tiny, with no body fat to keep him warm, and the tents didn’t have fires in them yet, except for the healing and cooking tents. Even I was a little uncomfortable at night, and Verus had plenty of furs in there to keep me warm.
Looking around, I considered our options. “We could stay in here?” I suggested. “Yami might complain, but at least we’ll be warm, and it would spare me from having to try to walk back to Verus’s tent with so much mud around.” I gestured to the crutches with a grimace. It was a pain to get through the muddypaths between the tents. I’d needed to request help twice already because I nearly slipped and fell just walking to the trench to relieve myself. If I could avoid it unless absolutely necessary, it felt like a win for me.
“Are you sure?” Finn asked, twisting his fingers anxiously.
“Why not? My home was above my shop in town. How is this any different?”
Twenty-Three
Iwas right that Yamileth complained when she found me and Finn sleeping in the cooking tent, but after seeing how upset Finn was and how much it helped him to sleep near the fire, she relented. She even decided to join us after a while, stating the fire felt good on her aching joints. I agreed with her on that, since my leg hurt unless I was close to the fire. It also made the nights a little easier to bear, having those two to chat with and knowing someone was close by.
The rain had died down to a drizzle when I had an unexpected visitor. Yamileth had gone to check on the new mother and her baby, and Finn went to visit Zoya, leaving me alone in the cooking tent for the first time in days. It wasn’t close to a meal time, so I wasn’t expecting anyone to come in. When someone cleared their throat near the entrance, it surprised me. I jumped and whipped my head around, pressing a hand to my chest.
“Goddess.”
Saneth grimaced, his expression apologetic, which was strange for him. I was wary about being alone with him, and my eyes flicked to the entrance of the tent for a moment. I contemplated calling out for help or leaving, but he could stopme before I got very far, and I wasn’t sure anyone would be able to hear me if I yelled. The rain kept people in their tents for the most part. There weren’t that many people around to hear me.
“I haven’t done anything,” I said quickly, shrinking away from him a little.
He shook his head. “I know you haven’t. Well, I assumed you hadn’t. No one else complained about being sick, and Tavik and I haven’t been eating the food you made. I’m not here about that.”
“Then why are you here?” I asked, a small tremble in my voice. Did he purposely wait until I was alone? Would he hurt me before anyone could show up to help?
