“Apples. For the horse,” I explain slowly. Ifhewants to act like a toddler, I’ll treat him like one. “She likes apples, and I’d like to start this trip off on the right foot.”
Fhord shakes his head, frustrated.
“Leif,” he says after a moment. “Get Sifa some apples.”
The thin man jerks his head and jogs off toward what looks like a stable along one side of the courtyard. As I’m moving slowly toward Hilde, my hand outstretched, he returns and gives a few slices to me.
“Thank you.” He seems nice enough. No reason to be rude to Fhord’s friends.
“You’re welcome,” he responds with a wink. “Anything to keep this one happy. She’s got a bit of an attitude.”
“Just a bit. But she’s quite charming when you get to know her.”
“So many things are,” he says with a smirk this time. “I brought a few extra for your packs.”
“Thank you, again. I appreciate it.”
He steps to Hilde’s side and lifts a flap, stowing his treasure, and then walks in my direction. “Be nice to Fhord,” he tells me. “He’s not nearly as miserable and mean as he’d like everyone to think.”
“That I find hard to believe. We’re destined to hate each other. At least we’ve only got a couple of weeks together.”
“We’ll see.” Leif smiles again and spins to jog back into the stables.
Within a few minutes, we’re sitting astride our horses, leaving through a gate I never would have found if I didn’t know where to look. Turning after it closes behind us, I search for the latch, but it’s disappeared too. I can’t find any sign of it.
“I would never have guessed people live in that building. Or that there’s an entrance on the back side.”
“As intended.”
“How long have you been living there?”
“Long enough.” Fhord’s brusque tone tells me he doesn’t want to talk. But we’ll be traveling together for a while, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to do it in silence.
“Do you all live there?”
“No.”
“Where do the others live?”
Fhord turns his head as slowly as he possibly can, frustration written in every line of his face. His arms drop the reins to fold across his chest as Sigurd finds his own way. And then he just stares while I hold his glare. Loosening my hands so they’re gentle on Hilde’s reins, I force my lips to tip up in the barest hint of a smile. I will not let him see the effect he has on me.
Finally, he speaks. “Do I look like I want to talk to you?”
My grin grows, which only deepens his scowl. “Do I look like I care what you want? We’re stuck together. I’m gonna have questions. You may as well get used to it.”
“I’m not here to educate you. Especially about my life. Keep your questions to yourself.” He spins to face forward again.
“Well, at least tell me where we’re going. That’s something I need to know.”
“You’ll know when we get there.”
Gods, this man is frustrating. “I need to know what to expect along the way. Whether we’re likely to be attacked. I won’t go into this blind and unprepared.”
A long-suffering sigh erupts from Fhord. What a diva. It’s just a question, not an inquisition.
“We’ll go north,” he answers at last. “The Nest holds something that belongs to Bevin. We’ll find it and return it to him. Without being caught.”
The Nest. Fuck. My heart jumps as a chill runs down my spine. Fhord twists his head at my sharp inhale, so I focus on controlling the things he can see or hear. Slowly, my hands stop shaking and my breathing returns to normal. I ride in silence as the cold spreads through me, even my fingers and toes tingling.
