“Is everything else packed now?” he asked, turning his dark eyes up to look at her.
“I believe so. Just the lean-to now,” she replied.
Lephas nodded and threw the tent peg over his shoulder in her direction. Taken by surprise, Lori lunged to catch it but missed.
She grumbled under her breath and bent to retrieve it from the snow. The demon grinned at her before tugging the second peg free.
This time he paused, catching her eye before throwing it to her. Lori caught it smoothly and stuck her tongue out at him.
He laughed and got to his feet, trudging through the snow to the root he had fastened the sheet to. Lori eyed the bag with the dead rabbit attached to it hesitantly. She held her breath and reached out to move the small, furry corpse to the one side so she could put the pegs away.
Its body was solid and cold, no life left within the creature. Somehow that made it a little easier than seeing it limp and warm like the rabbit from the previous day.
The sheet fell free from the root as Lephas pulled the hooks out. The thin dusting of snow that had settled on it slid from the waxed surface easily.
The commander grabbed it, shaking it clean before quickly folding it up and tucking it back inside his pack. He also placed the two silver screw hooks back into thesame pocket as the pegs.
“I think that's it. Let's get moving. You'll soon warm up.” The commander cast an eye over her and hoisted the bag up onto his shoulder before beginning to hike ahead.
Though the princess was loath to admit it, even in the short space of time that she had been stood motionless, she had already grown cold and begun to shiver.
“Do you still know which way we need to go?” Lori asked, tucking a strand of hair that had come loose from her bun behind her ear.
“Honestly, it's only an educated guess. I've never been into this part of the forest before and I don't really know where we're going. I can only get the lay of the land and try to piece it together as we go,” Lephas admitted.
The faerie laughed. “Still more of a clue than I would have. Did your father teach you how to navigate as well?”
“No, not in any greater capacity than simple survival skills - how to track animals, find water... That kind of thing. I just have a pretty good natural sense of direction. The king usually relies on me to scout and draw up maps for him.”
“That's impressive,” Lori praised.
“I think if anyone spent as much time as I have wandering around in the wilderness, they'd eventually get pretty good at finding their way.” Lephas shrugged.
“How long have you been working for the king?” Lori asked curiously, already out of breath as they climbed a steep incline.
“I can't really remember. Ten years? At least.” Lephas replied, glancing over his shoulder questioningly when Lori giggled.
“I was only sixteen ten years ago, you know.”
“Fuck, don't tell me that.” Lephas shot her a pained smile. “That makes me feel old... And a bit of a pervert.”
“You are officially a dirty old man.” Lori teased.
In a flash, Lephas had grabbed a fist full of snow from a nearby pine branch. He spun and launched the snowball at her.
Lori squealed in surprise, losing her footing and falling inelegantly onto her bottom.
“You dick!” she screeched, laughing as she struggled to her feet.
The demon didn't respond, just grinned mischievously at her. Never one to be beaten, Lori made a mental note – pay back would be inevitable. She waited, biding her time. If she pounced too soon, he would be suspicious of her. The princess felt a sly smile tugging at hercheeks.
They continued on and, once Lori was confident the commander had forgotten his snow ball altogether, she came to a halt.
“Hey...” the faerie called to him, pretending to be struggling with her boot. “I think one of my snow spikes has come loose.”
“Hang on, let me see.” Lephas turned and walked to her.
Hook, line...
