Page 41 of Destiny of a King

Another blast of wind drove the snow into his face.

The horse tossed its head and snorted.

Dravic leaned close to its neck, speaking calmly as he guided it forward. “We’ll find shelter.”

The words were meant as much for the horse as for himself.

Time lost all meaning. The forest became an endless blur of white and dark trunks until…

He thought he spotted something. But it vanished, then appeared again moments later.

A roofline, barely visible through the snow.

Dravic narrowed his eyes, steering the horse toward it. As they drew closer, the outline of a small stone cottage emerged from the storm. Relief eased some of the tension in his shoulders.

No smoke curled from the cottage chimney. It stood empty, half hidden beneath the snow, its heavy wooden door weathered but still sound. Along one side stood a rough lean-to, sheltered from the wind.

Dravic directed the horse beneath it and saw a rack stacked with dry hay beside neatly piled firewood. Someone had prepared the place, and he realized it was most likely one of the shelters scattered through the forests kept ready for weary travelers and truth seekers.

He dismounted, then reached up and lifted Adira off the horse, then settled her by the cottage wall. He gestured for her to stay put, and she nodded. He got busy tending to the horse and, once done, he rubbed the animal’s neck in thanks for carrying them safely through the storm, then spread a generous armful of hay for him.

Once finished, he slipped his cloak off Adira, then draped it over his shoulders and tucked her beneath it, close to his side. He hurried them along the wall of the cottage to the door.

Dravic shoved against the heavy wooden door. It resisted at first, then gave way with a groan.

A rush of stale, cold air greeted them.

He ushered Adira inside before pulling the door shut against the wind. Silence settled over the cottage. Though the bitter chill lingered, it was a welcome relief from the biting snow.

The single-room shelter was sparsely furnished. A sturdy table and two chairs stood near a cold stone hearth. A narrow bed rested against one wall, while shelves held a few clay bowls, an iron pot, and a battered kettle. Near the hearth, neatly stacked firewood waited beside a basket of kindling.

Dravic turned to Adira. Snow clung to her hair and lashes, and despite the shelter, she shivered beneath his cloak. He slipped his arm around her and guided her to the chair nearest the hearth. Before settling her there, he slipped off his cloak and arranged it over her shoulders. It was massive on her, leaving enough room to tuck it around her.

Cocooned in his cloak, he settled her in the chair.

She looked up at him and smiled softly.

Relief. He saw it in her gentle smile and something else in her eyes.

Safe.

She felt safe and he would make sure to keep her safe. But she also needed warmth, they both did. He left her side to get a fire going in the hearth.

The fire slowly gathered strength, its warmth pushing back the chill that had settled inside the cottage. Dravic remained kneeling before the hearth a moment longer, adding another log before the flames had a chance to falter. Satisfied it would burn steadily, he rose and turned.

Adira sat wrapped in his cloak, her hands tucked beneath its folds. The warmth had already brought a touch of color back to her cheeks, though a few damp strands of hair still clung to her face. Firelight danced softly across her features, drawing his attention in a way he found difficult to explain.

She was watching him.

Not because she waited for instructions or reassurance. She simply watched him, her gaze calm and steady, as though being alone together required nothing more than sharing the same quiet.

He found himself standing there longer than intended.

Outside, the wind battered the cottage walls and sent snow scraping across the roof, but within the small shelter the fire crackled gently between them. It was the first time since Adira had entered his life that no one demanded his attention. No council waited. No warriors stood ready for orders. No duties called him elsewhere.

There was only Adira… and the unexpected peace of her company.

Adira rose, leaving his cloak draped over the chair. She touched her fingertips to her lips, then mimed drinking.