CHAPTER SIX
Rowena
“Well,D’malk?”
Vrogul smirked as he stacked his hands behind his head, teasing me with thechiefhonorific. “Are ye going to allow me out of bed today?”
I scowled as I turned back to the porridge I was stirring in the small cauldron hanging near the fire.
“You know good and well ‘twas Matthias who ordered you abed all yesterday. You feel better, do you not?”
“I feelmuchbetter.”
I wasn’t looking at him, but I couldhearthe wink in those words.
“‘Tis amazing what three days abed with a beautiful womanwill do for a male.”
Since I knew he only said such things to get a reaction from me, I hid my snort and pretended great interest in scooping out the breakfast mash into a pair of wooden bowls.
Aye, I knew his dry sense of humor now, and knew when to tease him in response. I knew he liked honey and nuts in his porridge, and I knew he snored if he slept on his left side.
‘Twas uncanny to have such knowledge of a male who was my enemy.
The last few days had been…interesting.
That first evening, Vrogul had returned home as commanded, eaten a triple serving of the pottage and bread I’d made, and crawled into the bed while the sun was still setting. I’d puttered about, cleaning, and eventually settled at the table with a shawl wrapped around my shoulders to protect me from the cold breeze coming through the western window. By the light of the flickering candle, I’d fixed a hole in one of my stockings.
Until I’d heard him awaken behind me.
“Rowena?”
And I had been helpless to resist that husky, sleep-rough murmur.
“Aye?”
“Come to bed.”
My hand curled into a fist around the needle and thread. I’d been dreading this since that morning when I’d woken cuddled against him.
“I am busy.”
I couldn’t trust myself to resist the lure of his warmth.
But he made a sound which might’ve been a drowsy laugh.
“We had an agreement. Come to bed. I promise no’ to bite.”
Wedidhave an agreement, and I wanted to spar with him. And I was cold.
So I didn’t object further, but hurried through the rest of my ablutions and pulled back the blankets to take the side of the bed I preferred?—
Only to let out a surprised little yelp when he wrapped his arm around me and tugged me up against his side, curling around me. Warming me.
The last time he’d grabbed me like this, I’d held a knife to his throat.
He’d returned it.
With his arm around me, Vrogul let out a sleepy little sound of pleasure, ruffling strands of my long hair which was pinned beneath me. I held still until he fell back asleep, then gently extricated the inconvenient braid to lay it over my shoulder.
