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‘Do you have a problem, Kara? I’m not prepared to play guessing games.’
‘I’m no man’s possession. Shall we get that clear? You need not make any concession for me either.’
He opted for a smile. ‘We were able to leave Sand without being molested.’
‘Why should anyone want to stop you? Is there something you are keeping from me?’
A single drop of rain ran down her cheek, shimmering in the half-light like a tear and highlighting the circles under her eyes. ‘When did you last sleep properly?’
‘I could ask you the same thing! It takes time to organise a journey like this.’
‘Not as much time as you might think. I’m used to getting by with little sleep. When you’ve sold your service, you have to be prepared to reach the battle on time.’
‘Are you going to battle? I thought you were going home.’
‘Have you ever travelled all night?’ he asked rather than answering her question. Going home for him was a matter of facing his demons, but she didn’t want to know about his suffering. Kara wanted an invincible hero. ‘You seem more than half-asleep.’
Kara reached up and pulled her cloak’s hood more firmly over her head. ‘My horse and I can go many miles yet.’
‘You and your horse can, but I require rest. This place is good ground for a battle. I’ve learnt to always camp where you are sure of the ground,’ he said, pulling his horse to a halt. ‘Good ground about this hut.’
‘Who is going to attack here in Raumerike?’
‘I want to be prepared in case of the unexpected,’ he said lightly. Maybe he was wrong and Kara was right. His uncle might use the law instead, but he doubted it. Maybe he had lived far too long with war and he’d seen the look in his uncle’s eye before his uncle had stormed out of the temple. ‘Tonight mainly I want my rest. I hope I get it.’
‘Perhaps if we had started later, you wouldn’t be so tired.’
‘Tomorrow I meet my son. I want to do that fully alive rather than half-dead.’
She pushed her hood back and he caught a glimpse of her expressive eyes. ‘You truly want to stop? You aren’t simply being kind because you think me weak?’
‘Why would I ever consider you weak?’
‘You used to get impatient when I couldn’t keep up. Even on our wedding night, you kept going when I begged you to stop.’
‘I was younger then.’ He instinctively rubbed the knot in his leg. The hours of riding had caused it to seize up. ‘When you are older, you learn the value of respecting your body. I’ve learnt the value of conserving my energy until the battle begins.’
‘You plan to do battle with our son?’
‘Hardly...unless he wishes to do battle with me. Sons have a habit of doing that with their fathers.’
Ash waited for an answering smile. Her eyes drooped further and her hands went slack on the reins.
‘You never fought your father,’ she murmured, her head nodding. ‘Rurik dreams of being a warrior. Your father encouraged it.’
Ash slid off his horse. His father. He knew all about that sort of encouragement. And his father had always said that he wasn’t ready to fight, that he’d never make a true warrior.
‘Down you come. Stop protesting. When did you last have a proper sleep?’
He put his hands about her slender waist and lifted her down. She weighed less than he imagined, but there was an inner strength in her back.
‘I know how to dismount.’ She gave a half-hearted push against his chest. ‘You try planning a wedding which gets interrupted as well as running a large estate. Hardly any time to breathe, let alone sleep.’
He gave in to temptation and held her for another heartbeat, drinking in the soft floral scent.
Something stirred deep within his memory. No other woman he’d ever encountered smelled like Kara. It had been one of the biggest mistakes he’d ever made, leaving her in the way he had. He had to hope he wasn’t making another one coming back and turning her life upside down. But now he was here, he had to try.
‘Were you always this independent?’ he murmured against her hair, making a new memory. ‘In my mind, you always agreed to my suggestions, no matter how outlandish.’
‘I learnt the value of independence and using my mind.’ She wriggled and he set her on her feet. ‘It means the only person you have to blame is yourself.’
‘The only thing you do tonight is sleep. Orders. In there. Sleep with no one to disturb you. Know you are safe.’
