Page 33 of Torin and the Princess

“What the hell? It’s like Groundhog Day.”

“Exactly! I grabbed Cooper’s gun and went down there and he was really pitiful, in pain and exhausted and thirsty, so I gave him water and made him a sandwich.” I poured wine in our glasses and passed her one.

She raised her brow. “You made him a sandwich! Ibetyou made him a sandwich. I bet you wanted to smooth some butter on it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? That is a pitiful comeback, really beneath you.”

“Yeah, I’m off my game. I had to be so attractive and fun on my date, now I’m spent.”

“He was pitiful, Jen,that’sthe point.” I took a sip and then thought,I really shouldn’t drink, there’s likely danger about.I pushed the glass far away on the counter.

She said, “He is too hot to be pitiful. I suppose if he’s pitiful in front of you, youwantto make him a sandwich.”

“I told him to go away and thought that was the end of it, then just a little while ago, there was another one of those storms. I tell you, Jen, I didn’t really believe that it was related or worse, supernatural?—”

She scoffed. “Come on, Lexi, that’scrazy.”

“I know, I didn’t believe it, but when that third storm happened, my heart just dropped, it was… I knew it wasn’t normal or natural. I rushed outside and there were two men lying?—”

“Two!”

“Yep, and then, as I approached, they got to their feet and started swinging swords at each other, fighting to the death on my lawn.”

“Right outside?”

“Yep, it was like something out of a movie. I can still hear the sounds of their grunts and the steel blades, clanging. It was wild and terrifying.” I gulped. “Nothing like a movie, this was really scary.”

“So you were like out there and these two guys were sword-fighting in your yard...” She fanned herself. “Like big swords? Like really big swords?”

“Yes, and this is not funny, and it’s not sexy, Jen. The other guy charged at me and Torin got between us and told me to get behind him — it was like he was protecting me?—”

“Hot.”

“Terrifying. Then Torin cut the guy, so much blood, and the guy fled.”

“So Torin won.”

“I think it was more like a draw. I didn’t know what to do — Torin needed to rest. He’s wiped out. His shoulder was already injured before the sword fight, so it made sense to let him stay in the back-shack.”

“So kinda like Dude, he’s a stray and you’ve taken him in.”

“Exactly like the cat, yeah, very perceptive. He’s just like a cat.” I rolled my eyes again.

“So, putting all the insane stuff aside, what is his explanation for why he’s been stalking you for days, while, I will remind you, Cooper is out of town?”

“That isn’t… I don’t think it can be described as stalking. He doesn’t want to be here. His explanation is that he’s stuck, he has a vessel thingy, and it keeps accidentally bringing him here.”

She screwed her face up. “To your yard? That is not a thing that happens. You can’t possibly believe it.”

“I don’tnotbelieve it. It doesn’t make sense, but I can’t think of any other explanation. He’s landing in my yard, unconscious, and it keeps happening. He’s not there, then he is. Plus the storms.”

“So you totally believe the storms are related?”

“The storms arecausedby it.”

“He’s riding storms? Like some kind of god — is he Thor?” Her eyes went wide, “His name is Torin, is he?—”

I interrupted, “Do you hear yourself?”

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