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“I wasn’t able to finish everything before we left,” he said, turning to face me, “but it shouldn’t take much longer.”

He slid his hands into his pockets and looked around.

“The bed’s up in the loft. I’ll move things around and sleep by the fireplace.”

There was only one bed, I realized. He’d built this place with only one bed because of course he would have. I was supposed to be his wife. I eyed the ladder.

“There’s no way Goose can get up that.”

“Yeah,” he said, and he rubbed the back of his neck with his palm, “I didn’t exactly plan on you sleeping with your dog.”

Gods above.

I tried to change the subject as quickly as I could.

“It’s big.”

“Baer decided everyone’s measurements ahead of time.”

“But it’s only the two of us.”

He stiffened his jaw, and I saw a blush racing across his cheeks before he could duck his head to hide it. He made busy with the inside of his pack, and I pieced it together like the slow-ass idiot I was.

Babies. Lots of them. That’s what Baer wanted.

And he could go to hell.

I moved to the ladder and ran my hand over one of the rungs. It was sturdy, well made. I left my dog and my bag behind on the floor and headed up for a quick look, pausing when my shoulders passed the platform. It was… beautiful. Another window drew my eye right away. It was under the roofline, the beams rising on either side, meeting at their highest point just above it. It was a cute little thing, and the frame had been engraved with hatch marks and swirls. It faced east, away from the village, and I thought to myself that it would probably catch a nice sunrise. I almost moved to pull back the shutters, then stayed my hand. I’d better not. The mattress was beside it, already heaped with wool blankets. The chimney from the fireplace downstairs was running along the side wall, and I could imagine the heat it would give off, warming my feet on cold nights.

I heard a whine and looked back down at Goose. He had his head cocked, staring up at me with his big ears pointing out either way, and he was a sad sight to behold.

I headed back down the rungs.

“You can have the loft,” I said, and I grabbed my stolen bedroll, carrying it back by the fireplace so I could claim a bit of floor there. I supposed it was my turn to be the stranger in his hut. Roan didn’t respond. He’d made himself busy putting his things where they went, always the organized one. His axe hung from two nails by the front door, the scarf Rahv had made him for winter beside it. Next, he was at thesmall table in the front corner, laying out his knives and tools, hanging his bow on the wall, stashing something I didn’t get a good look at into a crate he tucked underneath. Wholly focused on his task of placing everything just right.

There was a ruckus at the door. Goose had his ears perked, and I turned to look just as Indi came through, her hazel eyes gleaming.

“Fenli Wyn,” she said, “this is the prettiest hut I’ve ever seen.”

I tossed my roll and ran my palms down my pants. Her smile said she hadn’t heard about my attempt to run away, and relief swept over me. I hadn’t wanted to hurt her. I glanced at Roan, willing him not to rat me out, but he didn’t look my way.

“You did a fine job, love,” she told him, inviting herself in and pulling him down into a hug. “It’s good to see you again. Toke, are you ever tall. Fenli, isn’t he tall?”

She spoke as if she’d seen him recently, and I wondered what I missed. She also said the last bit with a sly edge to her voice, looking at me with a smile that made me want to crawl in a hole and die.

“Ma,” I hissed.

She waved me off like I was being silly, then came and pulled me into a hug as well.

“Roan came to see me last week. Did you know that?”

I glared at him from over my mother’s shoulder and he shrugged.

“No.”

“Yes, and he brought me this.” She let go of me so she could reach her hand into her pocket, pulling out a knife. The sheath and handle were made from the antler of a deer, flowers carved into each. When she slid the latch, the blade pulled free, a smooth and gleaming thing.

“Indi flowers,” I said, finally recognizing them.