“Good sign,” shouts Ylvin as she ushers him back to bed. “I’ll have some stew sent to you.”
She comes out, looking stricter than I’ve ever seen her. The door slams behind her. Throwing her arms to her sides, Ylvin approaches the table.
“These fucking giants,” she growls. “I swear they find no peace.”
A chortle escapes Elof, like he’s heard it said a thousand times. I can’t believe that Ylvin would deny a healing man his rations.
“He’s hungry!” I complain.
Ylvin’s wolfish eyes widen playfully as she sits.
“Good, then go feed him. He’s your man after all. Woman’s duty and all that.”
As I stand, Elof turns to Ylvin.
“You never… How can you?—”
Ylvin waves her hand to dismiss his coming accusations.
“Come on, I cook for you—sometimes.”
“Sometimes…” he confirms.
Eidunn giggles at the couple’s endless back and forth. Ylvin and Elof love each other. That much I know. Eidunn seems to like them. I do too. Not the worst people to be stuck in a cabin with.
I fill a bowl of steaming stew for Ari, making sure to fish out extra pieces of elk. Healing men need meat. Lots of it. And Ari is… A healing troll giant man? They probably need more.
I inhale, steadying myself. Seeing him awake brings heat to my cheeks. I have been longing for a private moment. Just the two of us. I need to come clean with him. Be honest—for once.
With swift strides I bring the food to his room, closing the door behind me.
Ari laughs.
“Oh, what blessed maiden brings a lone man food?”
“Spare me,” I say with a smile.
I hand him the bowl and sit on the end of the bed.
He pushes an overflowing spoon into his mouth, like he’s never tasted food before. His smile is like the sun after the darkness of winter. I want to crawl beside him and stay there forever.
“Thank you,” he mumbles while chewing.
“There’s a lot more.”
“I can make it fit.”
I snicker. It feels good seeing him eat. Seeing him heal so fast. Tomorrow he will probably walk like normal. No limp or anything.
A lump forms in my throat as I prepare to tell Ari the horrible truth—Njord’s innocence. I stare at the floor, disappearing into my thoughts as I practice my words internally.
“Uh… are you okay?” asks Ari.
I’m jolted back to reality.
“I… No, I’m not.”
“What’s wrong? What can possibly be worse than what?—”
