Page 10 of North Queen
“There are men who have no home,” he explained, “but venture about, harassing people they run into and causing chaos. Their numbers have grown over the years. They’ve become quite a problem.”
“Sounds about right,” she mumbled.
“Is that where you were all this time?” he asked. “With drifters?”
She frowned. “Do I look like I’ve been with drifters?”
Was she offended? He shook his head quickly. “No. You look beau—not like you’ve been… No. No, you don’t.” It was a weird stumble of words, and heat rushed to his cheeks. She watched him as he watched her.
She flexed her fingers again against the heat of the flame. He was desperate to ask her more, but he didn’t want to push her. Fortunately, he didn’t have to.
“I came across a man, much like you described,” she said. “He and three others chased me into the forest.”
Alexander shifted his weight, and a fever of anger rippled over his skin. He couldn’t help himself, and he asked, “What happened?”
She shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure. Two… um…” She struggled with the words as she clutched her hands together, and his heart lurched. What she must have gone through…
She rocked forward a little, then back. “Two, uh… they… killed themselves.”
Killed themselves. In front of her. And she was still obviously shaken. He wanted to move closer, to take her hand, to comfort her, but he couldn’t. He was a stranger to her—the best thing he could do right now was give her space.
“The other two ran off,” she continued. “I can’t explain it, but it was horrific. The most terrifying part was that… they didn’t want to kill themselves, but it was like they had no control. One of them kept screaming that I was a witch.”
She swallowed, shifting under his eye. “But I’m not a witch,” she added quickly. Her voice dipped, betraying her lack of confidence in those words. She shook her head with an unsure shrug. “I don’t know what happened. And I thought whatever killed them would come for me, too, but it didn’t. So, I took the dagger because I had nothing else, and I was following a fox through the woods when you found me.”
His brows drew together. “You were following a fox?”
“I’m not mad,” she insisted.
“No, you’re not mad,” he assured her. “And I know you’re not a witch. The Wild is home to the faeries, or spirits, whatever they are. It’s said that they protect it with a kind of power, one that lets them take over the mind of anyone who enters, make them do things, harm themselves or others. Everyone knows the stories like the one you tell now.”
“And you still came?” Her blue eyes stared back at him.
He was caught in the snare of her gaze again. “There’s nowhere I wouldn’t go for you, Norah,” he said softly.
Her lips parted slightly, and her breath caught. He couldn’t look away. Finally, she pulled back and broke the spell. “The fact we’re talking about faeries at all is utter madness,” she said.
He gave a small smile. “Then maybe you are a witch.”
But his joke fell flat, and she only blinked.
“Forgive me,” he said. “That was meant in jest.”
“And it was funny. I’m just…” She let out a breath.
“You’re tired, and you’ve been through a lot. You should eat.” He reached over to his pack and pulled out some salted meat and bread, along with a wineskin, and handed them to her.
They sat on the floor by the burning logs, soaking in the warmth of the flames. He adjusted another log with his sword. “I’ll hunt for us in the morning.”
“It’s fine, really. I’m appreciative just for this,” she said, lifting the meat in gesture and then finishing it. He held out his bread roll, and a small smile escaped from her as she took it. He offered his meat as well, but she politely shook her head.
“I know you want it,” he said.
“Thank you, but I’m full.”
He knew she wasn’t, but he didn’t press. He watched her for a moment and smiled, then folded the meat back in the cloth instead of eating it and tucked it into his pack for her later.
“You shouldn’t carry a drifter’s dagger,” he said as she finished the last of the bread. “Here.” He pulled a knife from the sheath on his calf, tucked inside his boot, and held it out for her. “This suits you better.”
