Page 28 of A Winter Redemption
Ketho bit back his annoyance. But why was Ketho defending him? From what Ketho knew, Aryn had every right to be angry with Jarne. And Sero of course took Aryn’s side. Why did the man bring out Ketho’s protective side?
Because deep down, Ketho didn’t think Jarne meant to harm others. Not intentionally.
And he felt for Jarne. His husband had betrayed him. His parents had let him down. And he’d just discovered the life he lived wasn’t what he’d thought it was.
Instead, Ketho just said, “He came here to make amends with Aryn. He might not be great at expressing that. But I do think he’s trying.”
Sero didn’t respond.
“Think on it.” And with that, Ketho headed off.
ChapterEighteen
Jarne wandered through the forest, notebook tucked under his arm. His boots crunched as he walked through the snow blanketing the path. Around him, the evergreen trees stood still and silent. No breeze rustled through them, and no snow fell.
He could see neither person nor animal moving. Although, he’d not be surprised to learn a critter hid amongst the trees and snow. Jarne couldn’t imagine being able to walk alone like this in Bordertown. Every street, every park, every thoroughfare had always been bustling, chock-full of people going about their busy lives.
But today Jarne walked alone. He could scream or yell and no one would hear. Not that he would, of course.
The forest held a serenity and peace. As if the whole world slowed down when he wandered through it. It seemed so far from Bordertown and his troubles back there. And even from the tension with Aryn, Sero, and his family.
He spent most of his time alone in Ores, wandering the forests or retreating to his room to make notes about the scents he’d found on his walks. It was work, and he enjoyed it. But he missed his workspace, supplies, and equipment. Other than that, he missed nothing from Bordertown. He missed no one.
Was that odd?
But he enjoyed these walks. He’d never enjoyed walking before. When he saw Ketho again, he’d have to tell him that he took pleasure in the frivolity of walking.
That was if Ketho returned. He’d been gone for three days. Jarne had no one to talk to since Ketho left. The others kept their distance. And he had no interest in forcing himself on anyone. And of course, he had his own work to keep him busy.
Pausing, he gazed up at a large pine tree, studying the evergreen needles. He didn’t know the type of pine. He tugged the glove from his hand, touched the bark, and felt the rough ridges rubbing against his fingers.
He broke off a piece of the bark, feeling it crumble in his hand. He lifted his fingers to his nose and sniffed the fragments of the woodsy, fresh pine, with hints of nuttiness.
He wrapped the bark in a square piece of paper and placed it in his notebook. Then he made notes on the scent, the type of tree, and a vague description of it.
“Jarne,” a voice called out.
Closing his notebook, Jarne turned to see Ketho walking towards him.
A feeling of warmth radiated in Jarne’s chest.
“Hello again,” Ketho said when he stood in front of him.
“Hello,” Jarne said. “How did you know I’d be out here?”
“Mila said I should be able to find you in the forest,” Ketho said. “She says you’re often out here. Then I followed your footsteps.”
“How did you know which were mine?” Jarne asked.
“I remembered them from our last walk.”
Why did it please Jarne to know Ketho had paid so much attention to his boots’ tread? Jarne cleared his throat. “I’ve been documenting the plants.” He gestured to the tree. “Smelling them and trying to ascertain what could be made into a perfume.”
“And what have you decided?”
“I have come across some promising fragrances,” Jarne said. “Normally I just work with the essential oils, mixing them and then adding alcohol to make perfumes. Finding and collecting materials, creating oils from them, is not usually my job.” Jarne gazed around the forest, at the different trees and plants. “But it is exciting to walk around and discover new odours and imagine the perfumes that could be created from them.”
He opened his notebook and gazed at his notes. “I was just thinking what scents might go well with this type of pine tree. It is new to me, but its smell is unique, and I think if you added it to patchouli and…” He glanced at Ketho, trailing off. “Do I bore you?”
