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“A wise woman.”
“She was,” he said, moving forward to put the fish in place by the fire.
“Wait,” she said, then went into the wooded area.
By the time she returned his stomach was growling and his hospitality patience was starting to ebb.
Re-emerging from the green space, she went to the water’s edge, washed whatever she’d picked in the saltwater, then approached the waiting fish. Sliding the greens into the split belly, she set it closer to the heat to cook.
Jori didn’t recognize what she’d put into the fish, but then he wasn’t much of a cook. He was more of a grab something edible and stuff it in his pie-hole kind of guy. He just hoped she wasn’t choosing this time to poison or drug him for nefarious reasons.
She didn’t say anything while they waited for the fish, so he went in search of wide leaves to use as plates. From the corner of his eye, he could see her watching his every move, unable to discern her motives. Her face was unreadable. She’d probably slay him in a game of poker.
“So, is your island nearby?”
She nodded, “Yes, fairly close.”
That was good to know. Would she help him? The last few hours had given him time to think. He really had no right to expect help from someone whose land he was trespassing on. For all she knew he was capable of causing irreparable damage to her and her home. She was smart to carry her knife. On the flip side, for all he knew she might be hunting dinner for her cannibalistic village.
He eyed the greens she’d stuffed into the fish. I guess I’ll soon find out.
His mouth watered as the aroma of cooked fish filled the air, mingled with the scent of the mystery herb.
Soon, she pulled the fish from the heat and laid them out on the broad green leaves, handing one to him. “Tell me of yourself,” she said.
It wasn’t a polite request out of curiosity.
He eyed the fish. His stomach rumbled.
Her gaze hadn’t left his, waiting.
“As I said before, I’m chasing childhood stories,” he started carefully.
“What stories?” she dipped her fingers into the fish and extracted a piece.
“Legends of the ocean.” His mouth watered.
“To what purpose?” The fish touched her tongue as she tested the temperature.
“To find out how much of it, if any, is true.” His gaze fixated on the tip of her tongue.
“And then what? If you find truth, what will you do then?” the fish slid into her mouth and she licked her fingers.
He swallowed. Legends. He turned his attention back to his fish and quickly pulled a plump piece free of the bones and dropped it onto his tongue. Flavor exploded in his mouth and he nearly groaned. “What is that herb? It’s amazing.” He ate another piece.
She smiled at his pleasure, eating more of the fish from her leaf. “Your legend?”
“Right.” He shrugged. “Document it and figure out what it is, if it’s even real.”
“And then what?” she prodded again.
He pulled his focus from the food back to her face. This was important to her. He needed to think carefully on what to say. “Then I will know the truth of a mystery.” He shrugged.
Her free hand cupped the fish, she watched him carefully. “That’s it. You’ve come all this way, alone, risking your safety. You’ll search it out, find it if you can, then just turn around and go home?” her expression was dubious.
“It’s what I do.”
“What of all that?” her hand gestured toward the stack of equipment cases. “What’s in there? Weapons? Contraband? What?” Her tone had been controlled, he felt something thrum through the air, he couldn’t discern.
