I slapped him on the arm. “Get away with you, man. Before you commit the very error you warn me from.”
Herschel leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “But should you need a man, and you might, call on me. I know you travel with all women.”
I nodded at him. As I watched him disappear amongst the throng of both soldiers and Thane’s men, I felt a presence just behind me. When I turned, I saw the Vyggian leaning up against one of the military wagons, fingertips looped into his jerkin’s neckline, his lone eye on me.
“What are you looking at?” I asked.
“A penitent,” he replied with a slow blink. “What areyoulooking at?”
“A stranger.”
He gave me that same shuttered smile he had given me in the town square when I asked why he cared, a thing without feeling or meaning.
“Watch yourself, salt man,” I went on. “I appreciate your intervention last night, but I don’t know you or your intentions. And I know how to use a knife.”
He blinked again. “I’ve no doubt, madam.”
I hated the way he unnerved me. I charged forward in the direction I had been going when Herschel stopped me, resisting the desire to look back.
“Robbie,” came a voice, and I looked up to see Thane fall in step beside me. “How was your first night? Is the wagon to your liking?”
“Yes, we are very grateful,” I said, feeling suddenly awkward. “I could not have afforded the wagon on my own and?—”
“I know,” he said, placing a hand on my elbow. He guided me from colliding with a soldier rolling a large barrel, who didn’t so much as look at us. “Starling has always wanted to make your life difficult.”
“Bit of an understatement,” I said airily.
“Robbie,” Thane said, coming to a stop and pulling me to face him. He ran the hand on my elbow down to my wrist and brought our hands between us, caressing my left one with both of his.
It occurred to me then that he was the third man to interrupt my walk from the latrine to wagon four hundred and twenty-three, and also that he did not seem to mind my other hand held a bucket that had only recently contained a lot of piss.
Around us, penitents were packing up their breakfasts, soldiers were calling out orders, and horses were shifting and neighing as they were secured back under their yokes.
“Robbie,” he repeated. “I want to talk to you.”
I nodded, eyes on our hands. I could not look him in the eye. As a girl, I had been so in love with him, so lost in lust, I had once told him I could eat him alive. We had laughed about it and kissed for hours after I said those words.
“I won’t be able to see you as often as I like,” he continued, interrupting my thoughts. “But during all this, on our way to Skow, I mean to protect you and Tessa and your household as much as I can. Please ask for anything should you need it.” He ran a thumb over the back of my hand. Then, as if he had dared himself, he brought theback of my hand to his mouth and held it for a beat before releasing it altogether.
“Thane,” I breathed.
“It’s beentwenty-one winters,” he said in a low voice. “Can we put our old hatred to rest? I can’t stand being near you and not speaking. Sitting at Tessa’s table weeks ago was, despite my news, like a gift. To be that close to you again. I tried to approach you that night in The Pale Horse, but you ran away from me.”
“I was not running from you,” I murmured weakly. I drew my breath in when I felt his fingertips tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, then lifted a shoulder as if to bat him away. “I need to bathe already,” I laughed. “My hair is full of sweat and dirt, believe you me.”
“That is the way your hair was when I first courted you.”
I met his eyes and almost gasped again. He looked at me so sincerely. He was always so poised, so restrained. He had been raised to hide his softheartedness, and I myself had not really seen it since I was nineteen and in love.
I did not know what to do with this newly tender Thane.
When I didn’t say anything, he said, “We will soon reach the portion of road that runs along the Oberlong. You may even be able to bathe daily for most of this. Send for me if you need me. I will try and come see you when I can. You have no idea how grateful I am that you signed the list, Robbie.”
I was frozen when he kissed me on the forehead and walked away.
“I did not take you for a harlot as well as a witch, Madam Finch.”
I laughed despite the fear that sprang to life in me. “Can a woman walk across a campground without more than one man interrupting her?” I asked and then turned to see Starling striding towards me, his hands clasped behind his back. His brooch with the Perpatanian crest twinkled in the morning sun.
