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Chapter Thirty
Ivy
The morning dawned cool and gray as she stumbled out of the remains of the small cabin they had been sheltering in and stretched. Fin already had a fire going and was cooking something over the flames. She looked around and saw neither Hollis nor Mira and figured since it was still early, they had slept in.
“Good morning,” she greeted Fin with a smile.
“Good mornin’ tae ye.”
He looked at her with pure adoration in his face, and it made Ivy flush. She had never felt so loved before but knew it was a feeling she could get used to. As was the feeling of the sore, stiff muscles in her body garnered during her night of passion with him. That was a feeling she could get very used to. In fact, she was hoping it would become something of a permanent condition.
Ivy sat down on the log before the fire and watched him hang the meat-bearing sticks over the fire. The sound and smell of the meat sizzling saturated the air around them and made her stomach rumble.
“What I would not give for bread with some butter and jam,” she said. “Perhaps some boiled eggs and a rasher of bacon.”
Fin pursed his lips. “I’m sorry this is nae a proper meal.”
Ivy immediately felt terrible for saying such an insensitive and rude thing. She took his hand and squeezed it.
“I am sorry. I had no desire to make you feel bad,” she said. “I did not mean to-”
Fin shook his head. “Tis all right,” he grinned. “I ken this is nae what yer used tae. I ken this is quite a bit rougher. But it willnae be for much longer.”
“It is fine, Fin,” she said. “I was rude to speak out of turn like that. I appreciate that you are providing for us.”
They had lingered in Therline for almost two days now. Fin wanted to give things ample opportunity to calm down. They all agreed that Castor would be sending patrols on the main roads to York, searching for them. If Ivy knew her brother, she knew Castor was going to try to stop them from meeting with the Duke at all costs. He knew if they got to the Duke and explained it all, it would be over for him. There was no way Elix could stand up to York in a military conflict.
Ivy knew her brother had men inside York. Spies. Men who reported back to him and offered up information for a few coins regularly. They would surely tell him if they arrived. But by then, it would be too late. He would have to stop them before they reached the gates. To that end, he and Hollis had been alternating turns to go out on patrol and see how the situation was unfolding.
“I did not hear you get up to hunt this morning,” she said.
“Aye. Got up with Hollis and sent him out on a ride,” he said. “Should be comin’ back with news anytime now.”
Part of her figured the news would be the same as it had been the day before - Castor’s men still patrolling the roads. Ivy was a little frustrated by her brother. All she wanted was a hot bath, a nice meal, and some fresh silks to wear. And Castor was getting in the way of that. It was just one more reason for her to resent him.
Fin pulled one of the sticks of meat off the fire and handed it over to her. She took it with a grateful smile.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Tis nae a rasher of bacon and fresh bread with jam, but it should fill the void in her belly ‘til we get tae York.”
She gave him a grin. “You will never let me live that down, will you?”
Fin shrugged. “Nay. Probably nae.”
She laughed. “You are a beast.”
Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of a horse approaching. Fin’s hand hovered near the hilt of his dagger, but a moment later, Hollis came around a thick copse of trees. He slid down off his horse and tied it to the picket line, then walked over to them. Fin handed him a skewer of meat, and Hollis tore off a chunk of it, popping it into his mouth and chewed on it. Ivy did not know how he did that because the meat burned her fingers to touch.
Hollis’ face was grim, and his usual jesting demeanor was absent. He had not even looked around for Mira yet. The change in his personality put Ivy on edge because she could tell something was not right. Fin sat down next to her and started tearing strips of meat off his skewer, chewing on them thoughtfully as he studied his friend. She knew he could tell something was wrong as well. But he had not yet said anything. Perhaps he wanted to let Hollis get a little food into his belly first, but the anticipation was killing her.
“What is it, Hollis?” she asked, unable to stand it any longer.
Hollis swallowed what he was eating and then took a long swallow from his waterskin. He gave her a tight smile and looked pensive as if he were afraid of saying what he needed to say in front of her.
“Out with it, mate,” Fin said. “Anythin’ ye need tae say tae me, ye can say in front of her.”
Hollis nodded. “Yer braither… he’s assemblin’ his army.”
