“I’m just grabbing Elowen.”
“What if something happens to me?”
I eye her skeptically. “I think you’ll be okay.” She scowls, but I ignore it. The faster I have Elowen’s help, the faster we can get inside and Auri can start warming up. I make my way up the steps to the door, being careful to watch for ice. “Elowen,” I call out once I open the heavy door.
She appears a few moments later, wiping her hands on a towel. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, thank you. If you could just grab the chair.”
“Of course.”
We step back outside and get to work. “All right. Ready?” Auri nods, and I notice she doesn’t look as scared this time. Or maybe she’s just exhausted. Either way, I lift her, so Elowen can take the chair. “Pull it up backwards; it will be easier,” I call out. I feel bad not being able to help her, but she manages just fine. When she gets the chair to the top, I carry Auri up the steps and set her in her chair. Then Elowen holds the door, and we manage to get her chair back inside. I watch as a full-body shiver rolls through Auri. “I’m sorry I kept you out so long,” I tell her.
“It was good,” she says, surprising me.
I rub my hands together. “It’s freezing in here. Let’s get a fire going.”
Auri glances at Elowen. “We don’t usually light the fireplace in this room.”
I don’t even want to know why, so I plow right ahead. “Well, that changes right now.”
Chapter 16
I rub my hands together. “All right. Where’s the wood?” They both give me a blank expression. “How do you keep the stove in the kitchen going?”
“Rauk does that for me,” Elowen admits.
“Well, he obviously gets the wood from somewhere.” I look between the two of them.
“He keeps a stack outside,” Elowen admits. “But—”
“Okay, thank you.” I don’t leave her a chance to talk me out of it. “I’m grabbing wood; I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Where would we go?” Auri calls out from behind me, but I’m already closing the door behind me. I walk down the steps at the back of the castle and start looking for wood. It takes me way too long to find the area where the wood is neatly stacked. I can’t fault Rauk on this part; there’s enough wood here to last quite a while. I carry as much as I can and start back to the door.
When I get inside, Elowen is on her hands and knees with her head practically in the fireplace. I quickly walk that way. “Whatever you’re doing, I can do for you.”
She pulls back and looks up at me. “I was just cleaning it really quickly.”
“Well, I’ll take over for you.”
“I think it’s good.” She starts to her feet, and I grab her elbow to help her up. “Thank you for getting the wood.”
I turn around and find Auri watching. “You ready?”
“I'll get a candlestick from the kitchen,” Elowen says as I start stacking the wood in the fireplace. I take the lit candlestick from her when she gets back and light the fire and turn to Auri.
“Come on; get up here.”
She rolls closer, and we start to thaw out in front of the flames. “I’ll be right back.” I make my way back to my room and grab the pillows off my bed and bring them back. “Elowen, here’s a pillow for you. Auri, one for you, and one for me.” I drop my pillow on the floor and step towards Auri. She looks up at me in confusion. “Come on. I’ll help you.”
“I’m good right here.”
I don’t fight her on it as I drop onto the pillow next to Elowen. We sit in front of the fire and let it warm us. I watch Auri out of the corner of my eye and make sure she’s okay. I can tell how tired she is. I’m pretty sure she hasn’t really done anything like what I had her do today in a long time...maybe ever. When I see her start nodding, I know I need to let her rest. I stand and stretch. “All right. Mandatory rest time everybody.”
“What about lunch?” Elowen asks with concern.
“Are you hungry, Auri?” I ask.
