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After an awkward moment, he said, “She’s nice.”

My gaze cut to his. “A knife? Really?” Maybe I imagined it, but it seemed like a bit more color filled his cheeks. I turned away and headed for the door. “Where’s the nearest shat hut in this h-hell hole?”

He frowned. “First of all, gross. Second, theouthouseis northwest, between here and the trees. And third—”

I was out the door before he could say another word.

Chapter Ten

Roan

I’d taken everything from her, and I felt like the biggest ass in the world. The home she’d carved out a place for herself in? Gone and replaced with a hut that felt shamefully mine.

It’s what I was thinking as I knelt before my sizable bed in the loft while she slept on the floor in front of the fire she’d made.

How the tides change.

It was almost humorous except for the part where it wasn’t at all and I was miserable. I dragged a hand down my face, tired of wrestling with my thoughts. I had not laid on a mattress since I was a boy in my mother’s hut, before I’d been married and before Baer had separated me from everything I’d ever known. It had been tents and bedrolls for ten long years. When others had gone back and enjoyed village life, I’d stayed in the Hinterlands with the few who were keeping the camp. When it had come time to build my own hut and move in a mattress, I’d refrained from even trying it out.

It was stupid, I knew, but I was a stupid and superstitious ass.

Wasn’t that what Fenli had said? She’d been right.

I just had this idea in my head that laying on it for the first time together and having good sleep (along with, I don’t know, possibly more?)would bring good luck. Good luck for me, good luck for her. Good luck for our time together.

I groaned too loudly, winced when I heard the dog huff from below, then grabbed a blanket right off the bed. After wrapping myself in it, I hit the floor, curling up next to the mattress but not on it.

Toke above, I hated being a stupid, superstitious ass.

But I didn’t know how to be anything else.

I woke the next morning when the early shreds of light were just starting to filter in through the cracks between the shutters, untangling myself from my blanket on the floor and hauling myself into a sitting position. My shoulder was aching, and my neck was tight. I rolled and stretched them both while blinking sleep from my vision, first leaning against the mattress, then thinking better of it and scooting away.

I needed to get out of this hut.

Goose perked up from his spot curled up against Fenli, watching me as I descended the ladder’s rungs. I could tell he was warming up to me, and I was unworried as my feet met the floor.

Then his tail wagged, and I stopped cold. He froze as well, watching me with bright eyes.

Did he want to play?

I made a quick jerk, and he mirrored it. When I went still, so did he, only his tail swinging back and forth.

An opportunity was presenting itself, I realized. The dog seemed willing to let me into the little pack he and Fenli had created, and I could take him up on it right here and now. And the best part? There was nothing Fenli could do about it. She could not glare or berate me until after her dog was eating out of the palm of my hand, and then it would be too late.

I smiled, then bolted for the table.

The dog exploded in a frenzy of barking, scrambling after me like the hunt was on. I swung around to stand my ground—“Come on, you beast!”—and laughed when he launched himself at me with all he had. I just got hold of the scruff of his neck, slowing his momentum and pushing him from side to side while he growled like a lunatic, his mouth open in threat, his tail wagging like a pup’s.

The dog scrambled back, knowing he’d been had, when I glanced up and caught Fenli’s gaze.

She’d sat up and was looking on in horror, like her heart was in her throat, like maybe I was really going to hurt her dog. Only I’d been smiling, laughing even, and when that registered across her face—she looked lost.

I hesitated, just for a moment, looking her in the eyes and feeling everything that was swirling behind her stare.

Then the mutt surprised me, launching himself at me once more and this time sending me back into the wall.

I laughed.