Page 19 of A Winter Admire
“Of course.”
“We’ll go soon, then.”
Joy bubbled up inside Edwin. As they walked together, he couldn’t help but wonder if Sinoe was his secret admirer. Who else could it possibly be? Still, the sliver of doubt niggled in the back of his mind, stopping him from asking.
ChapterFifteen
“Careful, now. One step after the other.” Sinoe glanced back at Edwin, who made his way slowly down the steep rock steps into the valley.
Sweat dripped down Edwin’s back beneath all his layers of clothes.
“Just a bit further,” Sinoe said.
Edwin sucked in a breath. The next step didn’t seem big enough for his booted foot, and the rock was slanted.
Sinoe reached out his hand towards Edwin. “I’m right here. I won’t let you fall.”
Edwin took the offered hand. The calloused skin felt rough against his own, but he had no time to appreciate that he was touching Sinoe, skin to skin, as he was helped down the last few steps. Sinoe moved with grace and ease, walking backwards and stepping on rocks and snow, which Edwin wouldn’t dare.
But finally, Edwin’s feet touched the earth of the valley floor. Sinoe released his hand, and Edwin immediately felt the loss. He straightened his glasses, pulled his gloves back on, and surveyed the valley. It had been years since he was last here. Perhaps almost twenty. He’d been just a boy, and he’d never been here in winter.
He gasped. Several oreads climbed down a cliff face. His stomach twisted. They looked young, practically children. They were metres above the ground, and just one small slip and they’d fall!
“Don’t worry. They’re oreads. We’re born to climb.”
Edwin tried to relax the muscles in his shoulders. “Sorry, I know. Still, they’re so high up.”
The oreads laughed and called out to one another, clearly not concerned at all.
“I suppose you’ve climbed your whole life,” Edwin said.
“We’re taught to climb as soon as we can walk. Sometimes even before.” Sinoe turned over his hand, the hand that had held Edwin’s, showing Edwin the dark, heavily textured pad of his palm. “Perfect for climbing,” he said, flexing his fingers.
Edwin wanted to reach out and touch them but wasn’t sure it would be welcome. “Your feet are like that as well?”
Sinoe nodded. Then he turned towards the group who had reached the bottom of the cliff.
“Liney,” Sinoe called out.
Liney turned towards them.
Sinoe yelled something in the lilting, flowing language of the oreads.
The boy responded; it couldn’t have been more than a couple of words. Then he ran after his friends, disappearing amongst the trees.
“I promised Ori, Liney’s older brother, that I’d keep my eye on him,” Sinoe said, watching Liney run away. “He was sick as a child, and Ori worries.”
“But he is better now?”
“Yes. And he doesn’t always appreciate his brother and the village healer always checking on him. Come, let me show you around the valley.” Sinoe started walking through the trees, and Edwin followed. “Did you play here as a child?”
“Yes. Although, that was many years ago now.”
“Perhaps we played together,” Sinoe said.
“Maybe.”
“I like that idea.” Sinoe smiled at him.
