Page 18

Chapter 18

Eleri

A fter eating something quickly, I went outside, first walking around the perimeter of the house. I stood for a brief time at the wooden fence spanning the top of the cliff overlooking the sea that stretched on forever, noting how smooth the cliff face was and where the boulders were in case I needed to grab and drop one.

If I couldn’t lift one, I’d roll it over the side.

The smudge of darkness on the horizon hadn’t expanded, but they’d said the storm wouldn’t arrive for a day or two.

Did we have time to get ready?

I’d weathered storms in the village but back then, Zur was with me, and our neighbors would help if we had great need. Help Zur, that is. I was less sure they’d ever help me.

That didn’t appear to be the case here, at least with Trilden. Drabass? I wasn’t sure about him. He was friendly and appeared to be Odik’s friend, but I hadn’t liked how he’d looked at me.

What would it be like to live among people who accepted and welcomed me? I hoped I’d find out. Here, I felt like I had a chance.

The cliff plunged down below me, landing at broad smooth rocks stretching away from the sandy shore. Odik’s fishing spot, most likely. Waves glided up to the rocks and when they hit, sprayed water into the air. So pretty. I could only imagine how treacherous it might be down there when the storm arrived.

“Get to work,” I told myself. “No more taking in the gorgeous view.”

I limped toward the house, planning to walk in widening circles around it.

I found a rake, a few containers covered with overgrown grass, and a pile of boards near the spindly cluster of trees. I put the containers and rake in the shed, securing the bar on the outside, but left the boards where they were for now. They appeared to have been there a while and were grayed from the weather. They must’ve been through many storms. I’d ask Odik about them when he returned.

After walking back and forth across the meadow and not finding anything else, I decided to take the path I’d seen in the woods. I wouldn’t walk far, though it was good for my leg to get the exercise. Curiosity drove me to explore my new world.

The path meandered through the woods, exiting at another meadow. I could see what Odik had alluded to in the large garden area. Scruffy crops in neat rows struggled to survive, the sun baking them. I picked those that were mature to bring into the house and mulched around as many of the plants as I could with leaves gathered from beneath the trees. The wind would sweep them away, but until the storm arrived, the mulch would help preserve the moisture. Dew must form here just like it did in the village gardens, and that would quench the plants a little.

At least the storm should bring rain. I’d make sure we had barrels and containers set up to collect it, though I was sure Odik did that already. Where else would we get drinking water?

I also found a series of open stone tubs overgrown with weeds along the edge of the meadow, but I couldn’t imagine what they might be used for. Perhaps to collect the rain.

After clearing them of weeds, I returned to the house with my skirt loaded with vegetables from the garden. Were there any fruit trees that needed picking? Returning outside, I walked around, finding a small tree with orange fruit. But I wasn’t sure if they were edible or ripe. I’d wait to ask Odik.

Since he’d be hungry when he returned, I prepared him a simple meal and put the plate in the cool box.

Night had fallen before Odik arrived, and he was clearly exhausted.

After washing his hands beneath the saltwater pump at the sink, he dropped into a chair and sighed. I placed his meal on the table where he could reach it.

“Thank you,” he said, taking a big bite of the bread with meat and cheese I’d made him. “This is good.”

I nodded, smiling.

“Is everyone ready?” I sat across from him, worrying the placemat in front of me.

“I believe so. I’ll check again tomorrow.”

“I’ll come with you if you’d like.” I wanted to meet everyone.

“That would be wonderful.” He reached across the table and took my hand, squeezing it. “I owe you an apology.”

“For what?”

“Our first kiss was so quick; I doubt you felt it.”

Heat rose into my cheeks. “We’ve passed the kissing stage, haven’t we?”

“You don’t like kissing?”

I’d enjoyed his kiss even if it had been brief. “Perhaps we need to do it a few more times before I decide.”

He grinned. “I’ll be glad to accommodate you, mate.”

My smile joined with his, and once again, I was grateful I’d taken the other woman’s place in the hunt.

No one believed something good could come from the hunt, but they were wrong. The fates had given me the best life had to offer and it was Odik. Already, I was falling for this solemn, kind male, and I could easily love him. He was like the warmth of a snuggly blanket.

And the heat I’d find beneath it.

I gestured to my haul from the garden, and he nodded, his gaze full of pride when he looked back at me.

I loved feeling needed.

“You’ve been busy,” he said, speaking around another bite. “I appreciate the help.”

Being a good mate to him mattered a lot to me. He appeared to carry all the clan’s burdens, and I wanted him to know he could share them with me. Life here wouldn’t be easy, that was clear already, but if we shared the work, surely we could find joy in what we did because we’d be together.

I told him what I’d done in the garden and mentioned the pile of wood.

“It can stay where it is. I’ll make sure the ties I fixed to the ground a year or so ago are secure, but we don’t need to carry any of it into the shed.”

“Look around in the morning to make sure I didn’t miss anything.”

He nodded.

“I’m going fishing and then for a swim,” he announced after he’d swallowed his last bite. Rising, he took his plate to the sink and carefully washed it.

“Fishing in the dark?” Let alone swimming. I’d splashed along the shore of the river but only during daylight hours.

“The fish come close to shore at night to feed. With a hook and some bait, I can bring in a good catch.” Turning, he leaned against the counter. “We’ll clean them and store them in the cool box, so we have plenty to eat during the storm. I’ll try to catch enough for those who can’t fish.”

“I’ve cleaned many fish,” I said. “Zur was a good hunter and fisherman. He sold most of it, and we used that income, plus mine from my work as a seamstress, to buy or barter for everything else we needed. As I said, I made all our clothing.”

“There’s a need for a seamstress here. We purchase our clothing in the city.”

“Maybe once things are settled, I can open a small shop.” That would benefit us both and the community.

“Or you could set up a shop in the city.”

“And travel there each day?” I wondered how that would work.

“Zarran could take us. Or . . .” He looked down at his boots. “We could stay there most of the time.”

Was he shoving me out the door already? No, he couldn’t be. He seemed to be happy having me here with him. Perhaps he meant we’d remain in the city together.

“Are you thinking of leaving the island?” I asked carefully.

“I love it here. It’s been my clan’s home for many generations, longer than anyone can remember, but each time a few leave, then a few more, it makes it harder for the rest of us to survive.” When he lifted his gaze, a profound sadness filled his eyes.

My chest ached in sympathy. “What would you do if we lived in the city?”

“I could sign with the army. My friend Jaus is the commander of the entire fleet.”

“Army.” I pondered what that could mean. “I assume they defend the city.”

“Yes,” he said grimly. “From both shaydes and the dresalods.”

And I could lose him.

I shouldn’t cling. Everyone had to fight off attacks or none would survive. Still, I couldn’t imagine losing him.

“We can talk about that later.” He nudged his head toward the hall. “Let me gather some things together, and we can take the stairs to the bottom of the cliff.”

I hadn’t seen any stairs, but I’d spent most of my time scanning the meadows and area around the house for things to pack away.

“Would you like your first swimming lesson tonight?” he asked.

“In the dark?”

“You’ll be perfectly safe.”

I should be frightened of the idea of fish nibbling on my toes, right? But if Odik was with me, I wasn’t. “All right.”

He started toward the bedroom but turned back to look my way. “By the way. I always swim naked.”