Page 28 of Ensnaring the Dove
He almost preferred it when she was aloof though; for when she let her guard down, when those smoky eyes held his, he lost his train of thought.
Colombia Juventus was a dangerous distraction. They couldn’t be friends. They came from different worlds, and after he dropped her off at the Wall, their paths would diverge forever.
“Enough of this,” Aedan muttered, shaking his head to clear it. “Focus.”
Indeed, he had to keep his senses sharp, or he’d never catch them any supper. He’d hoped to stumble upon a hind in the valley, yet the foul weather had driven them away to seek shelter elsewhere.
The afternoon had drawn out, and the light started to fade. And all the while, the rain drummed down—relentless. Aedan’s wet clothes chafed his skin, while cold and fatigue dragged at hislimbs. He was starting to lose heart and didn’t want to catch a chill as Colombia likely had. Maybe they would go to sleep with empty bellies tonight.
Worry tightened his gut then.Colombia needs to eat something.He hadn’t liked the heat he’d felt on her brow earlier, or the flush on her cheeks. If she got sick, they’d be in trouble.
Irritation speared him once more at just how easily his thoughts returned to the woman he was escorting—at how easy it was to worry about her.
He needed to get ahold of himself, to concentrate on keeping her safe and well until they reached the Wall. After that, she’d be her father’s responsibility. He and her betrothed could take care of her.
Halting, Aedan growled a curse under his breath. There was no point in continuing. He wasn’t going to catch anything this afternoon.
However, he’d just turned for home when he spied a grouse moving amongst a patch of heather only a few yards distant. Drawing to a sharp halt, he quickly unslung his bow and notched an arrow. The bird, with its distinctive dark-brown feathers, was plump.
Moments later, the grouse was dead, and Aedan strode to the clump of heather, grasping the bird by the feet.
He then set off at a jog up the valley.
A wry smile tugged at his lips. He wouldn’t return to the overhang empty-handed, after all.
When Aedan finally ducked under the ledge, he was relieved to see Colombia was awake. She’d also kept the fire going, and he stifled a sigh as he lowered himself down, cross-legged before the hearth.
“You caught something,” she greeted him, managing a wan smile. “Although you’re soaking wet.”
Aedan pushed his dripping hair off his face and grinned. “I am, but it was worth it … a nice fat grouse.” He began to pluck the hapless bird, in short, deft movements, glancing up at his companion periodically as he did so. “How are you feeling?”
“Much the same as earlier.”
“Your fever’s not worse?”
“I don’t think so.”
Aedan wasn’t convinced. She had a tell-tale gleam to her eye, and the flush on her cheeks had deepened. It concerned him.
Once the bird was plucked, he used his knife to gut it—and then a short while later, the grouse was roasting over the embers upon a long stick.
The toothsome aroma of cooking meat wafted through the overhang, and Aedan’s belly growled. He glanced Colombia’s way once again. “You must be hungry too?”
She shrugged. “Not really.”
Aedan’s brow furrowed at this news. That wasn’t a good sign.
Pushing his worry to one side, he focused on roasting the grouse. When it was done, they picked the rich meat off the carcass, eating their supper as the light beyond the overhang faded. The rain had slackened a little now though.
Despite her earlier comment, Colombia ate her share of the grouse without difficulty, and once they’d picked the bones clean, they washed their hands under a trickle of water that ran over the lip of the overhang and slaked their thirst with it too.
Aedan then put more fuel on the fire and shifted around so that he too sat with his back against the rock wall, shoulder-to-shoulder with Colombia. Noting that she was shivering, he shot her a sidelong glance. “Can I check your brow again?”
She nodded, and when he placed the back of his hand on her forehead, he noted it was hot and dry.
“Your fever is worsening,” he murmured. “We’re going to have to sleep close tonight.”
Colombia jerked slightly at this, her glazed eyes widening. “Excuse me?”