She’d misjudged the size of the window. Davin had managed to slide through and follow her effortlessly across the sloping ledge of the roof. From there, it had been easy enough to climb down to the patio just outside the busy dining hall, the noise inside covering their footsteps.
Davin had come in handy though, darting ahead to covertly unwind two horses from the stables behind the inn, calmly walking them over to where Alex hid, no sign of concern or hurry evident in his movements. She hadn’t missed the coin he’d left in their stead, the honesty and goodness of him surprising her yet again and adding to the guilt she already felt for what had almost happened between them.
But now, as they mounted the horses and began riding away, the awkwardness crept in, and Alex didn’t know exactly how to break the silence. But as it turned out, she didn’t have to.
“Are you going to tell me what that was all about?” Davin asked, once they were far enough away and had ensured they weren’t being followed.
“No.”
“Did you know who those men were? Why they were after you?” Davin continued, completely disregarding her response.
“Again, No.” Alex did not want to have this conversation.
“Who are you, Alex from Varon?”
“Look, I’m not that interesting a person, ok?” She should have tried harder to rein in her annoyance with the situation, given that he had helped her, but he’d gotten under her skin.
“Those men were chasing you. We escaped out of a window and stole horses, so that makes you a very interesting person to me.” Davin drawled, his voice edged with sarcasm.
“How do I know they weren’t really after you!? I have been here for days with no incident at all and suddenly you show up and I am being chased by psychotic henchmen!”
Davin gave her a sidelong look. “Well, they clearly knew you, and you knew enough to run, dragging me with you.”
“Ha! I didn’t ask you to follow me! You took that upon yourself. You can leave anytime.” Alex bit out. This man was infuriating. She didn’t need some white knight coming in to save the day. She was doing just fine on her own before he sauntered up to her table.
“That’s not happening.” Davin said, his voice ringing with conviction. A beat of silence passed before he spoke again, softer this time. “Let’s call a truce, ok? I can see that you need time. Emotions are high right now. When you are ready, I am here to listen.”
Alex rolled her eyes but didn’t bother to answer. Her mind spun with the events of the last few weeks. They rode in silence for what felt like hours, only the sound of the horses’ hooves on the packed earth between them. Davin’s nonchalant demeanorwas comforting. Not that she would be willing to admit that out loud.
Davin
He kept his word and didn’t press any further, too wrapped up in his own inner musings. Why had he left with her? He could have easily taken those two men alone. The flimsy excuse he gave her of worrying they would come for him next wouldn’t hold for long. Lucky for him, they were both heading to Brynn.
Glancing over, he studied Alex’s profile where she rode beside him. She was toned. Her lithe body moving in time with the horse's gait. She was a little skinny, but the muscles were there. She had an air of defiance about her, holding her head high, like she wished someone would cause trouble just so she could work off the nervous energy that radiated from her.
Alex could clearly take care of herself and didn’t really need his protection, but he couldn’t leave her alone. It felt wrong. Guilt flooded him as memories rushed in.
Nila could take care of herself too, and you remember how that turned out. STOP.
He refused to allow his mind to sink into those memories. He would not revisit the grief that he had somehow clawed his way back from. Davin swallowed back the stabbing pain in his chest, focusing on the here and now, which currently involved the ever growing irritation of a highly skilled and dangerous woman whom he, for whatever damned reason, felt the need to protect. He would see this through. He would not make the same mistake twice.
Clearing his throat, Davin asked, “So have you always lived in Varon?”
Alex looked over at him, clearly debating whether or not to answer his question. Resignation settled in her eyes, and he knew he had won a small battle.
“No, I grew up in the Brynn province.” She answered, her eyes returning to the trail in front of them.
“Married? Kids?” He wasn’t making any assumptions just because she was young.
“No. I have never married and children aren’t in my future.” A drop of sadness had snuck into her voice.
“What about you?” She asked in an obvious attempt to deflect the attention from herself.
“There is no wife or kids waiting for me back home, if that is what you are asking.”
“I figured. You don’t seem like the type.” She replied, her gray eyes meeting his.
“The type to be married and have kids?”
