Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
“Huh.” His brows drew in as he seemed to consider that. “Maybe I’m not so selfish, then.”
She laughed. “I daresay you are not—as you’ve proved over and over again. Not only did you help break the stone curse and save all of Galoth, but for the past three years, you’ve also been killing demons in the north so that they never reach our door.”
“Yet one demon got through.” His intense gaze locked on hers. “Maybe it wouldn’t have if there was another warrior to fight them.”
Her heart thundered. “Perhaps a swordmaster?”
Without taking his eyes from hers, he nodded. “Or whatever you wish to be. And if you wish for a cottage like this, a farm—you’ll have one. Or if you wish to live in Aleron’s palace, I can arrange that, too. Whatever you want.”
Sarya was certain of what she wanted, and it had nothing to do with where she lived. All that mattered was what she did…and she wanted to fight side by side with Bannin, keeping monsters from Galoth’s door.
But she’d been so certain before—and then she’d lost everything. She could not bear to lose him now, too.
So like an utter coward, she said, “You’ll give me time to decide?”
“All the time you need.”
Though not all of that time would be spent with him. He’d promised to wait for her, and yet he could not remain in Galoth much longer. Only to the end of harvest, he’d said. Or until they killed the demon.
Sarya did not want him to leave. Not without her. Yet fear of losing everything again gripped her throat and the words wouldn’t come. Instead she only said quietly, “I need to begin cutting the widow’s field today.”
Bannin’s expression abruptly shuttered, but not before she saw the pain that darkened the green of his eyes. Because he’d taken that as her answer, Sarya realized. Cutting the widow’s field would provide Sarya enough hay to see her animals fed through the winter here…which she would only need if she intended to stay.
She had no intention to remain. But staying was not the only reason to cut the widow’s field. “I promised her,” she told him. “She could not easily find someone else to do it when everyone is busy harvesting their own fields.”
“Then I’ll help,” he said firmly. “We’ll get it done faster. Hunting the demon can wait a few days.”
Especially since they’d heard and seen nothing of it for nearly a full week—since it had left the bones scattered across her clearing. If the demon had moved on, eventually they’d hear of where it had gone and they’d follow.
Until then, it was better that Bannin wasn’t out hunting it alone, so Sarya wouldn’t argue with him about helping her. Heart full, she kissed him instead. “I appreciate it.”
He caught her face in his hands. “Anything for you, woman. I mean it.”
Sarya was truly beginning to believe it.
Some hunting was done that morning. Widow Elphin’s farm lay on the far outskirts of the village, so Sarya and Bannin had to travel along the forest path to reach the widow’s hayfield at the edge of the woods. They reached the farm without incident, though in truth, Sarya would have preferred some distraction, because she could not stop remembering the pain in Bannin’s eyes when he’d believed she intended to stay. As he might still believe, since she hadn’t told him differently.
It was a memory that haunted her throughout the morning. Scything the tall grass was a repetitive, mindless task that allowed her thoughts to return again and again to Bannin…and why she could not simply tell him all that she felt.
It was nearing midday when she paused to drink from her waterskin. The day was hot, perfect for drying the hay before it was stored, yet she gave hardly a thought to the weather when her gaze landed on Bannin. He was halfway across the field, stripped down to a pair of loose breeches. The heavy muscles in his back flexed rhythmically with each swing of the scythe. Sweat glistened over skin burnished by the sun.
And she loved him.
Staggered by the realization, Sarya braced the blade of her scythe against the ground and watched him work, letting the emotion roll over her until it slipped in and filled her heart to bursting. She waited for the fear to follow—the fear of losing everything—yet it didn’t come.
Because Bannin would not let it, she realized, and nearly laughed where she stood. Almost giddy with the understanding that came to her then.
Bannin would never give her up. He wouldn’t have married someone else. He wouldn’t have put her in a crypt. And if something happened to turn her to stone again, he wouldn’t remain home and accept that it was the end. Not for one minute. Instead he would go and find the cure. And if necessary, he would battle every demon in the world while he did.