Wyatt grinned at her because he knew she’d let him win their discussion, at least for the time being. He took a deep breath and then shrugged, “I honestly don’t know. The last place we saw him was at least a day and a half’s walk, and he won’t be traveling the way we did. So, I would say we have at least a day.”
Addi nodded and said, “Right. Well, I will pack up some things. You should go see to her wound. The last thing we need is for the princess to get an infection.”
Wyatt laughed. He knew Addi meant the whole princess bit like an insult, but he knew something Addi didn’t yet. She is just going to love it when I tell her the rest of it, he thought. He then hopped up and kissed Addi on the cheek. “Have I told you lately that you are my favorite sister?” he prodded playfully.
“Ha. Ha,” Addi quipped, scrunching up her face. “Anyway, tell Nev we will be leaving at first light. Marsdon is a bit of a hike, but we have connections there that could help. I think that is where we should be heading. It’s too bad though, I always liked this place.”
He smiled at her and responded, “I know. Just think of it as an adventure.”
“Right. Well, this mystery woman better be worthwhile because your worth is diminishing quickly,” teased Addi as she scoured the cupboards for anything useful.
Wyatt faked a serious injury and fell to the floor dramatically. “You have wounded me, my sweet sister.”
Addi glanced at him and shook her head. “And she loves you back? She must be special indeed,” she retorted, laughing.
Wyatt stood up and brushed himself off before heading towards the washroom. He grabbed a few supplies and made his way to the bedroom. Addi’s playful words sat heavier in his mind than she likely intended. And she loves you back? Hmm… I think so. At least, I hope so, he thought.
Chapter 20
Nev had briefly considered rifling through Wyatt’s belongings but, found his bed to be much more enticing. She had not slept in a real bed for over a year. Nev laid down and stretched her legs and arms as far as they would go before curling up with the soft blanket. She sighed with contentment as the sting from her cheek and the encounter with the prowler faded. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander.
Sweet-smelling air drifted through the open window above, and Nev inhaled it deeply before smiling to herself. In the past, being closed inside a room would have filled her with dread. Now, she felt strangely content. As she relaxed into the bed, a single image came into focus in her mind: Wyatt. She studied his face in her mind’s eye and slowly came to the realization that she’d really meant what she said prior to their daring escape. I must tell him. Tell him I love him, she thought, beaming.
Wyatt opened the door and found himself momentarily stopped in his tracks. He didn’t know what he had expected to see when he opened the door, but her lying peacefully in his bed wasn’t it. Her back was to him, and the blanket was tugged snuggly to her. Even so, he could sense a calmness about her. Gently, he closed the door behind him before sitting the supplies down on a small table. As Wyatt moved closer to her, he tried very hard to not make a sound. If she heard him, she didn’t let it be known. For a few moments, he stood mesmerized by her. In the days they’d spent together, most of their time was filled with the constant threat of danger. Moments of calm were rare, and he treasured them.
Nev rolled over and smiled at him before making room for him on the bed. She pulled back the covers and patted the now vacant space.
Wyatt did not need more of an invitation. He slipped his boots off and quickly climbed under the blankets with her. The bed was narrow, so they squeezed their bodies close together. He watched with rapt attention as she rested one of her hands on his temple. Feeling her fingers gently twisting his hair around them, he became lost in the thought of how much he loved it when she did that.
She smiled and confessed softly, “I need to tell you something.”
He ran a finger gently along her injured cheek. “Do you?” he asked playfully. “Maybe I should play healer a bit first,” he grinned, feeling quite proud of his wittiness.
Her face frowned slightly, and she took a deep breath, “I do,” she clarified.
Seeing her expression suddenly become more serious, he grew concerned. “Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything. I don’t want you to feel pressure, not from me,” he countered gently.
She moved until her face was almost touching his, savoring the feeling of his breath on her skin. Feeling his eyes searching hers, she knew he was looking for hints to what was troubling her. She sighed faintly and gazed into his eyes. “You saved me, you know? And I don’t just mean from the prowler,” she whispered sorrowfully.
Wyatt nudged her forehead gently with his and smiled affectionately at her.
Nev gave him a quick smile, even as tears filled her eyes.
“Hey, you’re okay. We are going to figure this out, and it’s all going to be okay. You’ll see,” Wyatt promised, hoping to cheer her up.
Nev closed her eyes for a moment, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. “When I went into that town, somewhere in my head, I knew it would end badly. And I think… I know I wanted
