Page 46 of In The Dark
“What?” Ezra furrows his brows, throwing me a glance over his shoulder. I chuckle and ride up to his side just as we make it past the town, taking all of five minutes to ride through it.
“What’s the plan for food tonight? We’re getting low on what we brought with us,” I say, needing something more substantial than fruit as we’re getting low on our supply.
“I’ll hunt. You and Ren can start a fire and tend to the horses. We’ll set up camp in about an hour before we enter the Twin Valley,” he says.
“I just pegged him with a peach, and now you’re pairing him with me?” I ask.
Ezra swivels toward me with a glare as if realizing that Ren’s outburst was because of me, then smirks a little. Teasing. “You can handle him. Just keep the hatred alive.”
“Fine, but if you come back to a dead brute, that’s on you.”
A cool breeze passes through, the weather already better than when we came in a few days ago. Autumn is just around the corner with how quickly it gets cold in the evening.
“Hi, Isa,”Ivy says, brushing the edges of my mind—softer and less invading than Rydian.
“How was your trip?”I ask.
“It was great. King Rydian has settled himself at one of the inns. I’ll follow you to the campsite and join Ezra as he hunts in case he sends word back to the king.”
“Thanks,”I say.
I know she feels like she needs to track Ezra after telling them he was placed in charge of this mission. She quickly leaves me to my thoughts as we continue down the trail in search of our stopping point.
Another hour passes when we finally find a place to camp, just outside the Twin Valley. I slide off Bjorn, stretching my legs.
Aching from the long trip, I groan in relief and turn to scratch him behind the ear. He lets out a low chuff—a happysound. Ezra grabs his bow off Freya, handing her to Ren after a moment.
“I’m going to start the hunt since we only have a few hours left of daylight,” Ezra says, quickly making his departure between the trees, saying nothing more.
“I won’t see you for a while, so reach out if you need me. You should be able to communicate even if I am a few miles out,”Ivy says.
After unbuckling Bjorn’s saddle from underneath, I place it on a nearby tree, escorting him to the field where the stream meets the grass. Freya and Myst are released shortly after.
Ren stops beside me while I watch the horses graze the field, listening to the grass sway in the light breeze. The forest fills my senses, a mix of cedar and crisp water.
“Bjorn says he appreciates the apples you give him,” Ren says after a moment, his words barely brushing the air as if it’s the most normal thing to say.
I blink, sliding my eyes to him. “He said that?”
Amusement flits across his face before he masks it, fighting a small grin. Then he clears his throat. “Unfortunately.”
Is he joking with me, or did Bjorn actually say that? I attempt to push his shoulder at the insult when he catches my wrist, leaving me to glower at him with a small grin on my face. A challenge.
His gray eyes meet mine as he studies my face—only a few quiet seconds—before releasing me without another word. He just… lets me go. I stand frozen, watching him stride back to the campsite. His steps are soft but solid across the ground, broad shoulders swaying with each step.
The way he looked at me wasn’t like before—it was different. Perhaps he’s sick of arguing. Regardless, I’m exhausted from being on guard around him—holding my tongue more often than not. Maybe snapping at him in Sylvanor was what needed to happen between us.
After the horses are released, I stride across the forest insearch of kindling, knowing the temperature will drop enough to chill our bones. My eyes graze the sky as the sun begins to set—an hour before setting completely behind the west side of the valley.
Dropping the wood to the ground, I notice that Ren has rounded up large boulders, placing them in a circle around the fire that’s not yet lit. Waiting on the sunset, I suppose.
“This should last us the night.” I wipe the sweat off my temple. “Has Ezra come back yet?”
“Not yet,” he grumbles quietly. “He should be back soon. I saw some rabbits out in the field earlier.”
The fire is lit with a quick flick of his wrist, and we sit in silence. It crackles—sharp pops and hisses as we settle in. Burning wood fills the area in a smoky haze, but I find it oddly comforting.
There’s something about being in the woods late at night, sitting around a large fire, that brings me peace. I dance a couple of orbs across my fingertips, hands tingling as they light up my face.