Page 121 of Huntress

Riven took a bit longer, her face tomato red when she made her appearance. She sat between Perrie and Marley, eyes kept low as she ate.

They finished the trees inside the barrier that evening. Elsie and Trenton stood with their arms crossed, surveying their work. It was bleak and ugly. Bare, exposed soil, with neatly stacked piles of long, thin timber all over the place.

“I keep feeling like something’s watching us, passing judgment for what we’ve done here.” Elsie rubbed away the goosebumps on her arms.

“I’ve noticed it too,” Trenton admitted. “It’s going to get worse tomorrow when we salt what we’ve already finished.”

“I’ve been telling myself that it’s my imagination working overtime because a lord was in the area, but I don’t think that’s it. It’s like someone out there is mourning these trees.”

“I’ve had almost the same thoughts. I read about this kind of destruction once. About how the humans clear-cut the land all over the world, racing to their own destruction,” Trenton said. Elsie looked up at him, surprised.

“I–I mean, I get why they have to do it to protect the nests, but they used to do it everywhere. Sometimes to graze livestock, sometimes to turn trees into houses or paper. They destroyed entire ecosystems, ruined the soil for generations to come, and punched a hole in the atmosphere,” he clarified.

“That’s terrible.”

“It is.”

She stretched and turned to the rest of the squad, who’d struck similar poses with varying expressions. “That’s it for the day, let’s head back.”

Dinner had mashed potatoes and gravy, and Elsie did a little happy dance back to the table. The first bite proved to be good, not overly salted and actually flavorful. She ate the rest in bliss.

“You take joy in the strangest things,” Morgan teased.

“Leave her alone,” Marley scolded. “Never come between a woman and her favorite food.”

“I’d eat this every day,” Elsie crooned.

After dinner and showers, she settled in with her book, expecting Saint to follow the same routine as the past few nights, but he sat cross-legged on his cot, arms resting on her bed, chin on his arms.

“Are you really trying to give me away?” he asked.

She glanced over at him and set her book down. She couldn’t ignore those eyes when he pouted like that.

“You told the mage to take me to her village,” he accused when she didn’t say anything.

“I had to keep up appearances, so I gave her permission to ask if you wanted to go with her,” she corrected. “I can’t make that choice for you. You’d resent me if I took away your freedom.”

“I’ve already made my choice clear to you.” He scowled, stretching his hand out until it lay next to hers on the bed.

“I know.” She stamped down the urge to stroke his hair. “I was fairly confident you’d tell her no, but I didn’t want to get in your way if you’d changed your mind.”

“I understand having to do it to convince them you hate me, but you could have warned me. Don’t do that again. I hated it.”

“I won’t. I’m sorry for hurting you, Saint. I’m glad you decided to stay.”

“You could test me in a hundred different ways, and I will always choose to stay with you,” he said.

Warmth bloomed in Elsie’s chest, and she couldn’t help but stare into his eyes for a long moment. She searched for the right reply, but everything she could think to say came up lacking.

“Mistress? We’ve had all these nights alone here, but you still won’t let me come closer,” his voice was soft, almost a whisper, as if he’d hoped she wouldn’t hear him. If she didn’t, she couldn’t tell him off.

Elsie glanced at his hand, inches from her thigh. “Is that not close enough to satisfy you?”

“It’s not.”

She sighed and got up. There was no way she could let his skin touch hers after he’d stirred up deeper feelings than she’d known she was carrying for him. Setting her book on the end table, she went over to dig through his bag. When she found what she was looking for, Elsie tossed him his gloves. They were in far better shape than hers, since she’d been working on the trees while he loafed around and explored all day.

Saint frowned, but he put them on, watching her hungrily as she lay back down. Elsie made herself comfortable, then held out her hand. He seized it in both his hands, completely concealing it between his palms. He was eager, but the look on his face was still so dejected that she rolled onto her side to face him.