‘You said that Joarr would probably kill you anyway. What if he challenges you?’
He made a face. ‘Then I’ll try my best to dissuade him. I did some thinking last night, about all the things you said about Hilda and how it didn’t make sense that she was involved in the massacre. I think perhaps you might be right. That day on the beach when I fought Joarr, she held him back. I didn’t understand why at the time, but maybe I can talk to her. At the very least, I’m going to try.’
‘But so soon?’
‘The sooner the better.’ He smiled and threw his pack over his shoulder. The sooner he left, the sooner he could come back and seize his second chance at happiness—with her.
Chapter Sixteen
‘Carving again?’
Danr lifted his head with a smile at the sound of Sissa’s voice. They’d arrived back at the roundhouse around twilight, just in time to light a fire before darkness descended completely.
‘What do you think? I’m quite pleased with this one. It’s supposed to be a king.’
‘It’s very good.’ She sat down on the ground beside him. ‘I thought you said you weren’t patient enough for carving?’
‘I know. I’m surprising myself.’
‘Well, here’s your reward.’ She passed him a bottle. ‘You’ve earned it.’
‘What is it?’ He pulled open the stopper and sniffed. ‘Mead?’
‘Yes. Sometimes the villagers give it to me.’
He stared at her, trying to decide whether to be pleased or annoyed. ‘You mean you’ve had mead this whole time and not told me?’
‘You haven’t been here that long.’
‘It’s still a long time without mead!’
She rolled her eyes. ‘I prefer fresh water from the mountain.’
‘Good.’ He lifted the bottle to his lips and took a long draught. ‘That means more of this for me.’
‘There might be some wine in the cave.’
‘Might be?’ He threw her an exasperated look and took another swig. She was right; he had earned it after their second long hike in as many days. More than that, he needed it, if only to dampen any impulse he might feel to visit her roundhouse in the middle of the night again. Exhausted as he was, being back here, so close to the place where they’d lain together during the storm, made his trousers feel uncomfortably tight. He had to keep stopping himself from thinking about the way she’d looked that night, the way she’d felt beneath him, too... He was tempted to ask whether she’d made a decision about him staying yet, but he had a strong suspicion that rushing her wouldn’t do any good. Maybe he ought to wait until after he’d confronted Hilda anyway...
She gave a wide yawn and stretched her legs out in front of her, propping herself up on her elbows as she looked up at the sky. ‘The norðrljós are bright tonight.’
‘They are.’ He tipped his head back to gaze upwards. The white streaks and swirls were breathtakingly beautiful, stretching and shimmering in ever-changing patterns as if the currents of the sea surrounding the island were being reflected in the sky above their heads. ‘There was a streak of blue a few moments ago. We see that often in Maerr.’
‘Really?’ She sounded wistful. ‘I’ve only seen green lights a handful of times. Once I thought I saw purple, too, but it was gone so quickly I wondered afterwards if I’d imagined it. I love to watch them, though. It looks like the sky is dancing.’ She pause
d and glanced across at him. ‘Have you thought any more about my offer of help?’
‘No.’ His brows snapped together at once. ‘And I’m not going to.’
‘You should.’
‘I told you, I’m taking a branch of peace and going alone. I don’t want you in any danger.’
‘But you agreed that she might not have been involved in the massacre, and if she wasn’t then it’s not dangerous for me to go.’
‘Might isn’t a very convincing argument. I still don’t want you involved. I’m going to the village tomorrow—alone.’
She glared at him. ‘Why not the day after tomorrow?’