Page 51 of A Tale of Mirth & Magic

“Look, I’m really happy that you two are working out your issues. It’s… heartwarming,” I said as they beamed at me and then each other, exchanging heart-eyes from atop their horses. “But where do we stand now on the whole hunting-Elikki-for-bounty situation? Am I going to need these?” I raised the stick, my hefty sword, and an eyebrow.

Stan had the grace to look embarrassed. He said, “No, no. Think our days as bounty hunters are over.”

“We weren’t going to ’urt ’er or anything,” Ronald added. “But it was basically this or being bandits. At least this is legal. Or semilegal.”

“Oh well. Banditry it is, then. Good honest work, I suppose,” Stan said with a shrug.

“Wait, wait, wait,” I said. “There are plenty of other options than becoming a criminal. That’ll just get you sent to prison.” At that, Ronald shuddered.

“Take this,” I said, passing them a few silvers from my coin purse. “And you know that colorful inn back up the road? Find the owners, Legus or Saho, and let them know I sent you. And maybe, um, try to wash up a little in a stream before you get there. If you’re nice and don’t bother the customers, they’re likely to help get your feet under you again.”

Stan tucked the money into his boot. He said quietly, “Thank you. That’s very kind.”

“We’ll repay you someday!” Ronald said, looking a bit overcome with emotion. “Sorry again about the stabbing.”

I tossed my stick back into the woods and waved them off. “Just—take care of yourselves. And good luck.”

They waved farewell, and I watched as their tired horses plodded away down the dirt road. When they were out of sight, I let out the huge breath I’d been holding. After sheathing my sword with relief, I shook out my wrists and rolled the tension out of my neck. That could have gone very differently. I didn’t feel great about sending another of our problems to Legus and Saho for them to clean up, but I knew they’d want to help. I’d do the same for them.

And—dammit—I really had been stabbed. Now that the adrenaline from the fight was fading, I was fully conscious of the sharp, throbbing pain in my left upper arm. I forced myself to look at it. Blood had soaked through a good bit of the sleeve, though it looked to be slowing down now. Grimacing, I moved my arm around gently to test it.

Painful, yes, but it didn’t seem to be deep. I’d have to clean and bind it soon to be safe, or Ma Wren would scold me for weeks. But first things first.

Where the hell was Elikki?

17

ELIKKI

Floating, floating. Hair drifted around my head. The water was freezing cold, but the top bit was just sun-warmed enough to manage.

Besides, I needed the shock of the icy water to wake me up. Now that I was on my own again, I had to be alert. Constant vigilance. It wasn’t safe to be tired, or even look tired. Or take midday naps in lovely lakeside patches of grass, however much I wanted to.

I let my body bob horizontally, savoring the feel of the hot sun on a few frigid parts that broke the water’s surface—the top of my tits, my belly, the curve of my upper thighs. This really was a beautiful little lake.

Closing my eyes against the bright sky, I tried to focus only on the way the water moved over and around my skin. Don’t think about him. Barra. His name brought a sharp jolt to my chest.

Stop it. You need to wake up and smell the seaweed. He’s gone.

I’d probably never see him again. And I needed to get over it.

The jolt stabbed harder, and I ground my teeth. A few tears leaked out, but that was fine. They mingled with the lake water on my face. It was all just lake water.

My toes were starting to go a bit numb. I should probably head back to shore. Get dressed, pack up, figure out my next steps.

I sighed up into the clouds, thinking of the long walk ahead of me to Old Orchard. A long, quiet, boring walk with no sexy half-giant at my side to talk with, laugh at my clever jokes, flirt back and forth with, and give me those shy little smiles that made my heart go all warm and gooey. You really screwed this one up, girl.

Maybe another bounty hunter would attack me on the road to break up the monotony. Sighing again, I let my body fall under the lake’s surface and dunked my whole head. Sputtering, I rose and pushed the thick wet strands of hair out of my face.

“—ikki? Elikki!” I heard a voice calling. Wow, did I just conjure a bounty hunter from thin air? A bit earlier than I’d like—hard to fight when you were stark naked. Not impossible though.

“What are you doing out there, you madwoman!”

I started to swim back to shore, but stopped in shock when I saw who was waiting for me. Pulling his hair, looking like he had half a mind to throw off his shoes and come into the water to get me.

Barra.

“I’m not giving back the blanket!” was all my mind came up with to shout back.