Page 45 of Winter's Scorching Kisses
He shrugged and leaned back in the chair as he kicked out his feet towards the fire. “Just making sure I get you to your sister in tip-top condition. Nothing more.”
“Suuure.” She drew out the word slightly.
Mathar glared at her before turning his gaze back to the fire.
“So, what is this?” Adorra motioned around to the cabin as she watched Lisag disappear from view as ice giant woman went about her business.
“Just a house for weary travelers. Our king pays any couple nice enough to do this handsomely.” He turned his gaze to the wood walls, and for a second she saw a glimmer of hope emerge in those dark depths. He almost looked like he wished for something. “It can be lonely work all the way out here, but it provides a place of shelter for anyone traveling.”
If she wasn’t mistaken, he almost sounded like this was something he would be interested in doing.
Adorra turned her gaze away from him and looked around the cabin. Could someone actually hope for a home like this? She’d admit it was charming but small and from he just said, out of the beaten path. “It sounds like an unfair trade-off. Even if they get paid well, who would want to live all the way out here on their own?”
“Some people enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest.”
She shook her head, her hair swaying around her shoulders, the bun completely gone after all the riding. “It’s peaceful, but wouldn’t you long for the company of another?”
“They live here together, husband and wife. What more do they need?”
“Wouldn’t they ever want more?” Adorra couldn’t imagine what they’d do to fill their time.
“Want more?” Lisag walked around a wall to stand beside them, causing Adorra to nearly jump out of her seat. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, but I couldn’t help but overhear. We have everything we want here, and when we want, we can always have someone else mind the cabin while we visit the castle. And when we’re old, we will have enough money to buy a home back in the village near the castle.”
It didn’t sound like too bad of a deal now that she knew more. Especially if people actually enjoyed living this far away from a bustling castle city.
“I’m back!” The door to the cabin busted open as a burly ice giant plowed in with his kills strung over his back. He paused mid-step as his eyes fell on everyone sitting by the hearth fire. “We have company.” His eyes flickered over her briefly before he looked over at Mathar. “Nice to see you again.”
“Likewise,” Mathar said. “You want help with those?”
The man raised his eyebrows in question.
“The rabbits you have slung over your shoulder.” Mathar pointed a finger at the animals the man had brought inside.
“No,” Lisag rushed to say, “we will prepare them for dinner. Don’t you worry yourselves. Just stay by the fire and warm up while we finish up the soup.”
Adorra smiled. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” Lisag sent her a warm smile in return, and then went over to her husband.
“A human?” Grewar asked his wife as she guided him away.
“Something to do with Jasmine, that human you spoke of not too long ago.”
“Ah,” he cast one more glance over his shoulder at Adorra, before he carried on with the rabbits he’d killed.
Adorra smirked as she turned back to the fireplace. Those two reminded her of a couple she knew back at court. It was interesting for her to be finding similarities between their two people. And so far no one had lopped off her head.
“Good?”
Adorra glanced up to find Mathar watching her as she plowed through her bowl of hot soup. “It’s so warm,” she said over a mouthful of soup, and the weight of the food in her belly felt so good. She hadn’t gone this long without a hot meal before.
“Let me get you some more.” Lisag snatched her bowl before she could say anything and strode over to the cooking fireplace and ladled some of the hot soup into her bowl. Then she brought it back over to the table and sat it down in front of Adorra on the table.
“Thank you.”
“It’s good to fill yourself up after all that traveling through the cold weather.” Lisag glanced over at Mathar. “Sometimes soldiers forget about the niceties and how delicate some women can be.”
“She can handle herself.” Mathar motioned over at her.
