“I don't especially like talking to people I'mrobbing,” he muttered quietly enough I didn’t think I was meant to hear.
It was a different attitude than the one he'd had that morning while assuring me we would make good of this somehow. Clearly, whatever was nagging at him sapped what little optimism he had about our trip.
Honestly, I didn’t have much of my own to offer in exchange, so I sighed and gave him a tired look. “Good thing you're not doing the robbing, then.” It came out more forcefully than I intended, and I regretted my sharp tone immediately.
Anders rolled his eyes and flapped his hand at me. “Sounds boring. But fine, we’ll do it your way.”
While Anders dug around in his bag of jerky, I pressed my knee against Penny’s in unspoken apology. He glanced down at the point of contact, and the tension in his shoulders eased.
Once full dark fell, Penny and I banked the fire with fresh wood while Anders spread out his bedroll. We retrieved our bedding as the lumberman stretched out on top of his and slung a blanket of heavy furs over himself.
“Keep watch and keep the fire going, won’t you?” He yawned. “Wake me at dawn.”
Penny glanced up from shaking out his bedroll, and his brows dipped low over his eyes. “You’re not going to take a turn?”
Anders scoffed. “Of course not. I need my sleep. I’m sure the two of you can manage it fine.”
Penny made to protest again, but I laid a hand on his arm and stopped him short.
“Just let him sleep,” I murmured.
Penny sighed and settled in with his satchel and sketchbook still clutched to his chest. I offered him my bedroll as I sank down on the cushion of pine needles covering the forest floor. He tilted his head in a silent question.
I couldn’t say it aloud with Anders within earshot, but I didn’t trust the lumberman. There was no chance I would sleep with him around unless there was a locked door between us. I certainly had no intention of leaving either Penny or myself vulnerable so far from help. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time I stayed up on guard all night.
“Use it as a pillow. I’ll keep watch.” I pushed the blanket into his hands, but he refused to take it.
“But then what will you sleep on?”
“Please take it, Pen. And get some rest.”
He drew a breath to argue but instead sparked a flurry of coughs that left him gasping and me worried about having him out in the cold overnight. Once he calmed and could breathe normally, he accepted the rolled bedding and tucked it under his head, too tired to protest any further.
I spread both his blanket and mine over him, not caring whether or not Anders was awake or watching. Penny huddled into the warmth and his eyes track me as I drew my knife from its sheath to hold it at the ready in my lap.
“Goodnight, Kit,” he said, fighting a yawn. “Wake me up when it’s my turn.”
I kept the fire going through the night, glad for the task of gathering more wood as the flames got low because it kept me awake. By the time the eastern horizon lit with the orange glow of sunrise, my eyelids were drooping, and sleep threatened with every blink.
I sheathed my knife and scrubbed my hands over my eyes, trying to rub away some of the heaviness, before I gave Penny a shake. With Anders snoring on the other side of the dying fire, I took the opportunity to press a kiss to Penny’s forehead.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” I whispered against his chilled skin.
I started to sit back as he stirred. He fought to free his arms from the blankets and slung them around my shoulders to catch and pull me in for a real kiss. I eased into it, grateful for that bit of closeness before the peace of the morning could be ruined by Anders.
“You were supposed to wake me up for watch,” Penny said when I broke away.
I grinned and smoothed his mussed hair. “I never agreed to that. How would I look after you if I was sleeping?”
He scowled, and I snickered as I pushed to my feet.
“I can look afteryoutoo, you know,” he grumbled.
“I know you can, Pen. Next time.”
He held out a hand, and I hefted him upright. The blankets fell away, and he shivered.
“You want to get Flint hitched up?” I suggested. “It’ll help keep you warm. I’ll get Anders and put out the fire.”
