Page 86 of Adam, Mine

He hadn’t expected to work so soon after a hard ride, but Elias knew sheep. He had done this before.

Willem’s sheep were big golden things in need of a shearing. Their matchsticks legs bunched firm hindquarters as they bounded far from home. Willem whistled at them. They turned to look at him, then continued running.

Elias laughed. They were so disobedient and smart. He took off at a sprint to catch up.

It took nearly an hour to get them back into their pen. When they got close to the house, they ran to the gate and bayed like they were more excited to be home than they’d been in the hills.

Elias giggled and swatted them in as Willem watched him, leaning against his fence post. They were both muddy and drenched with fog.

“So, Victor has already been here?” Elias commented. He hoped he wouldn’t have to stay filthy like this for long.

Willem cocked his head to the side in lieu of a reply. Elias decided that he was quite crow-like. In the way he moved and the mischief in his eyes.

“What did he describe me like, if I may ask?”

Willem shrugged. “He does not know you,” Willem said plainly. “He imagines you weak and terrible all at once. Like an adder.”

Elias laughed. He laughed and laughed even though he could tell it was rude. He couldn’t stop himself.

Willem just watched silently, his expression curious, though it would have been his right to be angry.

When Elias finally was able to stop, Willem put a hand on his shoulder.

“We should wash.”

Willem

Willem had running water.

Out in this desolate place. He filled a bath with it full to the top in moments. And it came out warm.

Willem saw the look on Elias’s face and did another one of those smiles where his mouth stayed flat but his eyes crinkled.

“There is metal for it to run from a spring under the ground. It passes over the hearth in one long circle, gets warmed by the hot brick and comes out here,” he said.

More magic that was not magic.

Elias shed his muddy clothes and placed them as close to the front door and out of the way as possible. He desperately wanted to sink into this bath but Willem was filthy, too.

Instead of getting in first, as was his right, Willem handed Elias a washcloth and small cake of soap. Then he sat down near the fire and turned his back.

“Thank you so much for your hospitality,” Elias said, and started to lather. “Wait, Brogan gave me a gift for you.” He tossed the cloth into the tub and crossed the room to get it from his things.

Willem held out his hands for it, without turning around, smelling it deeply as Elias handed it over. Elias sank into the tub while Willem unwrapped it.

“Hm!” Willem sounded pleased, and Elias heard the un-wrapping of paper. He looked up to find Willem sitting with a pile of sweets in his lap. Caramels and butterscotches, chocolates, too.

“Brogan is interesting,” Elias remarked.

“Everyone is interesting,” Willem said, popping a caramel into his mouth. He beamed and quickly opened another. He stood and made his way to Elias’s bath. Elias grew nervous and contorted to preserve his modesty, but Willem did not even look below Elias’s eyes. He pressed the caramel to Elias’s lips so he would not have to touch it with soapy hands.

Elias shook his head. He had never eaten such a thing and had no intention of beginning now. Just because it might not kill him did not mean he wanted to spend a day unconscious with a man he did not trust.

Willem shrugged and brought the caramel to his own mouth, cramming it in with the other.

“It is unusual for sweet people not to eat sweet things,” he said.

Elias blushed and didn’t respond. He scrubbed himself harder. When he was finished, Willem was there with a large warm sheet. He wrapped it around Elias like a clean, light snowdrift and lifted him out of the bath. Elias scrambled for a second, then just went limp to allow it. Willem was monstrously strong, like Alain. Probably more so, as he was bigger.