Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

" H ow can ye even see where we are riding in this?" Elara asked, pressing her lips into the back of Kaden's shoulder to fight the biting wind that was buffeting the two of them.

"I cannae see. It's getting worse."

The horse had slowed to a canter now, his nose dropping further and further to the ground. Darkness had swept in, but the mist had also come with it, creating a dense fog that made it impossible to see behind or in front of them.

"We're going tae have tae stop fer the night," Kaden said gruffly, his arms starting to shiver in the cold. Elara was also trembling, cradling into his back as much as she possibly could. "At this rate, the horse could walk off a ledge and plummet us all tae our deaths."

"Ye are a cheery soul, arenae ye?" Elara asked. If Kaden had been tempted to laugh though, he was either too cold or concentrating too much on the fog to do so. "Aye, let's stop."

When the steed entered a rocky section, his hooves struggling to find a clear path over the mountainous terrain, Kaden jumped down and Elara followed. They tried to lead the horse forward a little better, avoiding what may well have been a steep drop behind them or flat ground, they couldn't tell because of the fog. Slowly, out of the mist, a flat face of rock emerged. They halted beside it, both staring up and panting to catch their breath.

"There," Elara said as a slither of darkness in the rock caught her eye. "A cave."

"Aye, it will have tae dae." He led the horse to the opening then fastened the reins around a rock and bent down, scattering what looked like broken twigs. Elara went to help him, shivering all the more. When they had a bundle strapped together, they both retreated into the cave, sitting in the mouth opposite one another and building the fire.

"Ye have nae said much since we left," Elara whispered, aware that Kaden was staring at the burning twigs and avoiding looking at her. "Why?"

"Why dae ye think?" he spat, shaking his head. "Maybe because I was concentrating on getting us out of there?"

"Aye, a plausible reason. Or…" She waited to see if he would offer up anything else. He at last looked up from the fire as he managed to strike a flint and create a spark. The spark landed on tufts of grass beneath the twigs, setting them alight. The glower on his face, flaming red in that firelight, was enough to make her guess at his feelings. "Or ye didnae like seeing me flirting. Hurts, doesnae it?"

"Aye, of course it bloody hurts."

"Ye did it too!" she reminded him vehemently. They both added extra twigs to the fire, building it up a little so they would have some heat in the cave. They worked on reflex, mostly looking at each other rather than at what they were doing. "I had tae watch ye flirt fer information – why couldnae I?"

"I didnae say ye couldnae. It doesnae mean I have tae like watching it," he said, shaking his head. "Ye think it's easy, dae ye? I just told ye I loved ye, and I had just made love tae ye, and next minute, ye're sitting by another man trying tae make him smile –"

"Tae protect ye!" She moved to her knees and waved her arms at him. "Dae ye nae understand that, Kaden? Ye saw me when we first met. It was a means tae an end, same as tonight, that's all." The moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted it. She could see on his face the resentment he felt at being reminded she had only ever spoken to him because she wanted to punish him for believing him to be a murderer. "That's nae what I meant–"

"It is exactly what ye meant," he said somberly, his voice deep. As the fire grew stronger, he sat further back from her, half his face ablaze in the light of the fire, the other half covered in shadow. "Thank ye fer the reminder."

"Kaden, can ye be in any doubt of what I dae feel fer ye?" She rounded the campfire on her knees and moved to kneel in front of him. "Words arenae always easy, ye ken."

"I ken that. I'm nae asking fer a declaration, but I cannae just brush away the jealousy I felt when I saw ye sat beside that soldier. Believe me, I'm trying, but I cannae."