She crouches by the river, watching fish swim for any distraction from him. Her fingertips dip into the icy water, hoping to lure in a minnow. She feels a tug almost as soon as her skin touches the freezing water, like an invisible cord gripping her waist.
They are on the right track.
She can’t explain the sensation, but she knows without a shadow of a doubt that they are closer to solving the mysteries in Toftlund.
He returns, adjusting his trousers and continuously glancing over his shoulder. “Do you feel something or someone watching us?”
She shakes her head. “If anything, I feel confident about our direction.”
He withdraws one of his axes and checks the bushes as they walk. “I just want to be sure nothing is following us.”
When they reach a level section of the path, he halts her steps by tossing her a savory biscuit from his pack. “Eat.”
As they nibble on the rather stale bread Thora had lying around, a rustle comes from behind them.
“Show yourself, you coward!” He whips out his other blackwood axe and yells. “I will rip your head from your weak little shoulders!”
He stands before Avina, who settles onto the ground. She looks around his legs, still munching on the snack.
“Stay behind me,” His growl is low.
But Avina doesn’t see a thing. His sheer size is enough to dissuade a bandit or a vagabond.
By now, a hungry predator would have attacked us without being provoked, not to mention the landslide scattered off most of the wildlife.
The bush moves gently, and he leans in and watches it closely. “I said come out!”
Avina shoves the remaining biscuit in her mouth, chewing loudly. Anything hiding in that bush is small enough that even she could defeat it.
Why is he so uptight all of a sudden? He was fine until after the rockslide.
At his command, a furry snow-white hare hops from the bush, chewing on a leaf.
“Rabbits are often misunderstood creatures,” Avina says, stretching at his side. “Legend states that their teeth can rip a whole carrot in half.”
Sigvid is unmoving.
She clutches her stomach as tears of joy trickle down her cheeks. The rabbit hops closer when she finally composes herself, allowing her to scratch behind its ears.
Avina glances at him with a broad smile, expecting him to glower or scoff at her amusement. Instead, there is a slight twinkle in his eyes. He does not quite have a smile, but he lacks his usual fury.
She wipes away her happy tears. “Even you must admit that is hilarious.”
He grumps. “That rabbit has been stalking us for a few bushes, and I have heard legends of those hares killing hunters. I wanted to make sure we would not become his next meal.”
“Was that a jest, my lord?” Warmth fills her belly at this rare side of such a violent man.
He sighs, giving Avina a genuine smile. “If we are being honest, the bunny looks a little like Thrain.”
She tilts her head to take in its wiggly nose and pointed ears. “Yeah, I can see it.”
“Oh yeah, that rodent carries itself with an air of snobbery.”
Avina feels her shoulders relax as he pokes fun at the situation. She cannot help but smile at his dedication as a warrior, no matter how hard he tries to hide his softer side. After engaging in these high-strung situations, she has begun to rely on his intensity for quick decisions.
She places her palms on his chest. “Have we been properly rescued from the fuzzy creatures of the Fjell Mountain?” Her full smile shows even her white teeth.
“Why yes, you are safe.” He whispers against her ear, “Your smile is brighter than the sun.” He cups her cheeks, thankfully concealing the crimson blush filling her cheeks. “I could drink in the happiness filled in your upturned lips and never need anything else in my life.”
