Page 65 of Soul of Fire

I frowned. I knew that Anders was sixteen, and I had no idea what her son had to do with anything.

“We are not here for Dragejakt.” Arik placed his hands on my upper arms, the heat from his body chasing the chill that lingered beneath the blanket. “Just for shelter. Your ward was kind enough to invite us in.”

Hilde shot Anders a piercing look as if she didn’t quite believe Arik’s story.

“The drage are always welcome, of course.” Her voice held a hollow, rehearsed quality, and I swallowed my sigh. I had fearedthe drage once upon a time, and it was jarring to be on the other side of that. “How long will you be staying?”

She looked intensely hopeful that it wouldn’t be long.

“Until nightfall.” Arik replied. “We will of course make sure that you are properly compensated.”

I glanced up at him, wondering how he planned to pay these people when we had only three coppers.

Hilde looked equally skeptical, but nodded. “I can make up beds for you in the attic. It isn’t much, but it will be warm and dry.”

“Thank you. If you can spare them, some dry clothes for my wife would also be appreciated.” Arik squeezed my waist as if to warn me not to argue about the title.

The urge to speak mind to mind was so intense, I could almost scream with frustration.

Anders’ eyes blew wide, but Hilde nodded tightly, giving him a nudge toward the kitchen. “Anders. Go help Stein with the food.”

He nodded, looking dazed, a thousand questions in his eyes.

Hilde followed. “I’ll be right back.”

“Wife?” I murmured as we were left alone in the dark bakery.

Arik shrugged, his posture relaxing a fraction. “I didn’t think ‘mate’ would be received well.” He rubbed my shoulders, warming me beneath the blanket as he pressed a chaste kiss to my brow. “And I rather like the sound of it.”

I felt myself blush, realizing that, for once, he couldn’t sense the pounding of my heart at the idea. I reached up, grazing my fingers against his temple. “Nothing yet?”

He shook his head once, his jaw tight. “Just silence. It’s…” he hesitated for a moment, then shook his head again. “Unsettling.”

“How long—“ I cut myself off as Hilde returned, and I cursed inwardly. It felt like an age since either of us had been able to finish a damned thought.

“I’m not sure these will fit,” she said, offering me a folded pile of clothing. Her voice was still tight, but she seemed less terrified than when we had first appeared. “But take whatever you like. They were my daughter’s, but she’s gone to live with her husband’s family and won’t be needing them.”

“Thank you.” I took the pile, trying to hold them away from my body so they wouldn’t get damp. Hopefully there was something I could use for my cycle, even if none of the clothes fit.

She turned her eyes to Arik, her gaze wary. “Anders says it was you who freed him and Sigrid from that awful man.”

He nodded. “It was.”

“Then you have my gratitude. He is as much a son to us now as our Leif.”

I felt something tight in me loosen. It gave me comfort to know that Anders had found another family to care for him.

Hilde turned back to the stairs. “I’ll get the attic ready.”

She was gone before I could ask about Sigrid.

“I’m sure Sigrid’s fine,” Arik murmured against my ear, his hot breath sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with my damp clothing.

“How is it possible that you can hear my thoughts without Baldur?” I had meant the comment in jest, but something shuttered behind Arik’s eyes.

He gave me a tight smile that I knew meant he didn’t want to talk about it, tucking a strand of wet hair behind my ear. “Because I know you, Kjære.”

I wanted to wrap this man in my arms and soothe his aching heart, but Anders chose that moment to reappear.