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“I’m glad we were able to help them, glad that we ended up in this village. I knew as soon as I saw that blacksmith answer Lucius’ greeting that the Ongahri weren’t welcome here. I had hoped seeing me would change the man’s mind.”
“Which it did.” He kissed her head.
“It was good of Lucius to offer aid. I still don’t know him as well as I want to, and seeing him so… altruistic warmed my heart. The Ongahri could do so much if they didn’t hide themselves away and only exist in children’s nightmares.” She laughed.
“I agree.”
“Eat, love.” She kissed him sweetly and then stood. “I need to speak with Lucius. Find me before you’re ready for bed?”
“I will.”
After she left, Phobius joined him. Demos could feel the cold coming off his brother’s body. He had been outside with the other men who had been searching for all the livestock that had run off, the sheep and chickens the marauders hadn’t stolen.
“Hungry?” Demos waved his plate in Phobius’ direction. It was some stripped meat, two fluffy hot biscuits, and some cheese.
Phobius chose a biscuit and stuffed it into his mouth with a grunt.
Both men ate in silence. Around them were a few warriors from the Halifax tribe. Demos had gotten to know a little about those Ongahri males from the east. Fine men, quiet, not as raucous as the men from House Trajan and House Dega. In fact, they seemed intrigued with Demos enough to venture up more than a “hello” to him.
Even though Demos was centuries-old, these past few months were the longest length of time he’d ever been in their presence—sharing food, shelter, words. Now that he was mated to Sierra, it looked like his future would be tied to the Ongahri from now on. There weren’t many blond-haired, blue-eyed Ongahri males, but if Sierra could fit in, then he could as well. Although he would miss days like today, where being a Servant felt like coming home.
“What are your plans when all this is over, Phobius?” He’d been wondering for some time what his enigmatic brother had been up to all these years, but especially wanted to know where he’d go from here.
Phobius wiped his mouth. “Odessia. Join Lucius. Sorry to tell you, but I think you’ll be stuck seeing my beautiful face for another year at least.”
Demos wasn’t one to roll his eyes, but he was tempted. “I admit, the thought of visiting a warmer clime sounds good about now. Well, relatively warm in these conditions.”
The mention of Odessia’s tropical setting reminded them both of its opposite—snow, frigid temperatures, starvation.
“I had no idea things were going to be this bad,” Demos said, looking at the fire, memorizing its light and heat, for tomorrow and the next few days they would be once more out in the elements, where only an outdoor fire would burn, if they were fortunate.
“And so quickly.” Phobius lowered his voice. “We cannot dally, Brother. We need to get to her as soon as possible.”
He meant Boriel, Demos knew. “I know this.”
“Then you also know it would be best if we left on our own. Lucius knows now—”
“I cannot leave Sierra.”
“We could take her with—”
“Absolutely not,” Demos said with a growl. “Besides, we need her with us, I think.”
“Oh I don’t think, I know. The three of us should go right now.”
Demos shook his head adamantly. “No. I will not risk her life.”
“Demos?” Lucius called, shouldering the front door open, letting in colder-than-ice air into the room and making the fire snap to life.
Nodding his understanding, Demos stood and glanced down at Phobius. “We’ll arrive as planned. It will take longer, true, but it is smarter, Phobius. We must do it this way.”
He didn’t wait around to hear what his brother planned to say as Demos met Lucius and followed him outside.
“I want to run something by you,” Lucius said once they were far enough away from the cabin. He leaned against the wooden porch and watched as the snow fell in soft drifts. “I’m thinking of making a short side trip to Providence.”
“Providence?” It was the last thing Demos expected to hear.
“I had a conversation with one of the villagers. His cousin raises cervos. Has a ranch, and Ongar, could we use them.” He looked out to the vast snowy landscape. “Our horses aren’t going to be able to survive the further north we go.”
