Page 63 of Storm of Desire
There had to be some water fresh off the glacier around heresomewhere.
"Get some sleep," hecalled.
This time she didn't denyhim.
It seemed there was more than one way to win anargument.
12
Are you corrupting my warhorse?"
Árdís drew her closed fist into her chest guiltily, though she kept stroking the silky muzzle of the beast with her other hand. "Absolutelynot."
They'd stopped for lunch, and so Haakon could rearrange most of the bags, and allow the sweat on Sleipnir's back to dry. Sleipnir made sloppy crunching noises as he made short work of the wizened apple she'd been feeding him. Snorri had demurred, still not quite trusting her. He practically had a seizure every time she glanced hisway.
There'd been no signs of anydrekiin the skies this morning, but she couldn't help feeling onedge.
Both thanks to thedrekihunting them, and a certain husband who'd left her pleasantly boneless on the bedroll lastnight.
Árdís closed her eyes momentarily. Climbing back onto Sleipnir this morning had made it clear not all of her aches were gone, but it hadn't been painful, the way she'd beenexpecting.
Last night had been a thoughtful gesture, nothing more. She didn't deserveit.
It reminded her of when he'd been courting her.Drekimales had battled for her attention, delivering gaudy rings and necklaces dripping with jewels at her feet, but only Haakon had ever truly cared for her feelings. At court she'd been a prize to be won. Haakon made her feel as though nothing could ever hurt her, when he was at her side. There'd never been jewels, or gold, or anything adrekiprincess expected to find. Instead, there had been wildflowers waiting for her on her pillow when she woke, or berries he'd gone out of his way to find for her once he realized how much she enjoyed them. A thousand thoughtful little gestures that made her heart ache so badly, now that she knew she couldn't havehim.
"Sleipnir's a foul-tempered brute." Haakon looked faintly disapproving as he came to her side, glaring as though his horse had betrayed him. "And he bites like a bastard when he thinks your back isturned."
Someone was in a bad mood this afternoon, and she had a good ideawhy.
"He wouldn't dare," Árdís cooed, capturing the enormous bay's face in both hands and pressing her lips to hisnose.
The horse's nostrils flared out as she stared into those velvety brown eyes, letting it see thedrekiin hers. Sleipnir gave a nervous snort that sprayed snot and chunks of apple slobber all overher.
"We have an understanding," Árdís said, but she looked at the mess down the front of her dress and curled her lip up.Ugh.
Haakon dragged a rag out of his pocket and caught Sleipnir's bridle. "That's what you get for coddlinghim."
"For a vicious warhorse," she retorted, taking the rag and brushing herself down, "he practically rolls over and shows me his belly when I pathim."
If only his owner would do thesame.
But it felt as though he'd spent all night thinking of what a mistake it had been to massage her. And now she was paying the price for it. The second she broached his walls, he began bricking them back upagain.
Haakon slung his saddle blanket over the bay's broad back, settling it high on his withers. The stark line of her husband's profile made her shoulders slump a little when she saw his expression soften as he rubbed his knuckles over Sleipnir's flank. There was genuine affectionthere.
He'd looked at her like thatonce.
"How far can we get today?" Árdís demanded, trying to force down her confusing feelings. She'd made her sacrifice seven years ago, knowing full well what it would cost her. "These beasts move soslowly."
"Maybe fifteen miles, if we're lucky. Sleipnir isn't used to carrying two people." He patted Sleipnir's glossy neck, muttering in the horse's ear. "How does that apple taste now, you traitor? She's talking about you, youknow?"
Fifteen miles. She felt the frustration of it all the way to her bones. "I could cover that in ten minutes," she muttered. "Orless."
"I thought the point was subterfuge," he said, easing the saddle into place, and cinching ittightly.
"Or hiding in small nooks and crannies whenever something flaps in thewind?"
"If we make it to nightfall without any more sightings, I'll start to rest easy." He looked at Sleipnir. "Breathe out, you bigbastard."
