Sharing a blanket was a lot warmer than he’d anticipated.
Lovina hummed the melody she’d been singing while drawing him yesterday.
He propped himself up on one arm so he could see her properly. “Is that a Flatlander song?”
“Yesterday, I remembered Ma singing me this song when I was a littling.” She rolled onto her back, smiling up at him. “I’m starting to remember things, Tomaaz.”
Her hair gleamed in the firelight, all coppery hues, honey and burnished browns. Gods, she was beautiful. He lowered his head toward her, breathing in her warmth.
Then they were kissing.
§
Tomaaz’s arms closed around Lovina, gentle with her injured arm, warm and reassuring. He’d come to mean so much to her, so fast.
His kisses trailed across her cheek, to her nose, her eyelids. “Brave,” he murmured. “So brave and beautiful.”
She’d never felt this. Never felt treasured. Never felt home.
§
In the wee hours, while the embers were still glowing, Lovina’s sobs woke Tomaaz. “It’s all right, Lovina, I’m here.” Cradling her back, he curled around her.
Her cries subsided and she sighed in her sleep, her now-serene face lit by the glow of the embers.
He held her gently, careful of her injuries. She was precious, fragile but resilient. Beautiful, strong and vulnerable. Her trust was sacred, treasure to him. He’d do his best to protect her.
He propped himself on an arm, watching the cave entrance, keeping her safe while she slept.
§
Sunlight filtered through the flapping blanket, waking Tomaaz. It was hanging on an angle. Half of it had come down in the night, but it didn’t matter, because they were leaving soon. He’d meant to rise earlier.
Wonder unfurled inside Tomaaz. His presence affected Lovina so deeply. His feelings meant so much to her, and hers to him. It was like unwrapping a gift and finding more than you’d expected.
And knowing you’d discover more each day.
The moment he stood, he missed her warmth. He tucked the blanket around her and stretched. There wasn’t much point in making a fire. They had nothing to eat and weren’t staying, and they could drink from a stream on the way. The water would be cold, but with the storm over, as long as they kept moving, they’d be warm enough.
While Lovina was asleep, Tomaaz changed back into his own clothes, the air warmer today, and repacked what he’d borrowed into the chest. He’d brought enough wood in yesterday to replace what they’d used, but couldn’t do much about the food. Shrugging, he packed the mugs away and stood the pot on the cold fireplace. He donned his cloak.
There was nothing else to do except wake Lovina so she could get ready.
They needed to find their way back through the forest to the cabin. No small task. Shoving dreadful thoughts of Pa’s fate out of his mind, he knelt by Lovina and kissed her cheek. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
She turned to him, smiling.
Was the stupid grin ever going to leave his face? He hoped not.
He helped Lovina up and passed her clothing to her, and she made her way to the rear of the cavern.
While she dressed, he strode to the cave mouth to take down the blanket. The trees below were bathed in sunlight and most of the snow had thawed. The goat track was now a trickling stream, edged in white. By tomorrow no one would know the storm had blown through.
Although he doubted he’d ever forget.
After scanning the sky for dragons, Tomaaz ducked back inside, twisting the blankets into snakes and tying them around his stomach, making sure he could still draw his sword.
Lovina approached.
He tucked her borrowed clothes back in the chest. Now that he was getting to know her, Tomaaz couldn’t imagine life without Lovina, but he didn’t want to scare her. With Dragons’ Realm in upheaval and his family splintered, neither of them knew what the future would bring. He’d wait, perhaps talk to her later, when they were at Dragons’ Hold.
Tomaaz took Lovina’s hand and they left the cave. “The track’s slippery; lean on me.” The last thing he wanted was for Lovina to fall on her injured arm.
A furry mass hurtled toward them down the side of the cliff.
“Ambush! Back to the cave!” Tomaaz yelled, thrusting Lovina up the track.
He whipped his sword out, dodging the tharuk as it landed downhill, where he’d just been. The beast jumped to its feet, tusks trailing saliva. A tracker.
Another tharuk appeared between him and the cave. A furrow of mud showed where it’d been hiding, further up the bank.
A familiar voice sent a chill down Tomaaz’s spine. “You two deal with him.” Bill jumped out of the bush by the cave mouth, grabbing Lovina. He gestured at the blanket around Tomaaz’s waist. “Thank you for the flag you left flapping in the wind. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have noticed your hideout.”
Tomaaz had let his guard down.
Lovina kicked Bill’s shins. Hard.
Bill grabbed her hair. She screamed, thrashing and punching, as he dragged her into the cavern.
“No!” Tomaaz rushed up the track, the tharuk barreling toward him.
Behind him, the tracker swiped. Tomaaz ran uphill, but there was nowhere to go. Pa had always said to fight smart, not hard, so Tomaaz whirled.
The tracker snorted, a huge globule of saliva flying off its tusks, and charged again. Right before impact, Tomaaz dropped into a crouch and sprung up, driving his sword into the beast’s armpit. It roared and cuffed him across the head.
Reeling, Tomaaz stumbled, catching himself before he toppled off the cliff edge. He had to get past the other tharuk to Lovina. Tomaaz scrambled out of the tracker’s way and raced toward the furry brute.
There was a shriek. Tomaaz’s
