Cerian nods. Then he shakes his head before nodding again.
What is that supposed to mean?
“Shall I—”
But before she can finish her question, he’s on his feet and gone, leaving her gazing at the empty doorway he passed through.
He ran. Again.
ElowynsmilesbackatRominy before hurrying up the stairs to the railcar awaiting them for their journey to the mountains. She stops short inside the door. This is not like the train they rode from Feressa. Instead of benches, it has a small sitting room with two upholstered armchairs.
“It’s one of our luxury cars,” Rominy says from behind her. “We’ll be on the train overnight.”
Elowyn glances back at him. “Overnight?”
He looks away and nods, and she gazes at the armchairs again. The benches in the other car would have been more suited to sleeping.
And the space is so small. This is a luxury railcar? It defies logic.
“So we get this little room to ourselves for the night?” She puts on a smile. What an adventure, regardless.
“What? No. This is...”
When he doesn’t finish, she tilts her head as she studies him. “This is what?”
He breathes out slowly, and rather than respond, he steps toward a door on the other side of the tiny room, and she follows him. As soon as he slides it open, the train lurches forward, and they both lose their balance. She tumbles against him, and he stumbles through the door, falling backward onto...a bed? She lands on his chest, and they stare at each other, not saying anything.
On a bed. On a train.
His heart picks up speed along with the locomotive, and hers pounds to match.
There’s only one bed in here, though the fact that there’s a bed on the train at all is fascinating.
“Are you all right?” His voice is almost too quiet to hear.
“Yes. Elves are sturdy creatures, remember?”
He nods. “So...”
“So...?”
“I...you...are you—”
Whistling wind. She’s still on top of him.
She scrambles to her feet, bracing herself against the wall as warmth spreads through her.
He quickly rises as well and gestures to the bed, which takes up most of the small room. “So that’s the...right.”
“Right. The bed.”
“Yes.”
She meets his gaze, and for a moment, neither of them says anything.
Then the corner of his mouth twitches, and Elowyn covers her own mouth to hide a smile before laughter gets the best of her.
He runs his fingers through his hair and leans his head back as he joins her mirth. “That was—”
