“I do love a good stew,” Ava agreed, sticking out her hand.
Oscar took it, and as he began to drag her in the direction of the dining hall, she tossed me a teasing look over her shoulder. I laughed, rolling my eyes and following after them. Oscar led us back to the entrance of the cave and down a tunnel on the opposite side. This one was taller and wider, but much shorter, as it seemed to end at a large door.
The door Oscar pushed open, revealing a massive hall with tables set throughout. We must not have been under a steep part of the mountain, because there was a hole above the hall, about as wide as I was tall, and through which a flood of natural light lit the interior. It provided good ventilation for the fires over which food was being cooked, and despite the clean smell of the crisp air coming from it, the fires kept the chamber rather warm. It was so warm that I could see snow blowing over the top of it, but by the time any flakes that made it in reached the floor of the cavern they’d melted over the damp floor.
There weren’t nearly as many people in here as there were seats. In fact, only a handful were sitting at the farthest table, half men and women, all of them cloaked in light fur and each with a different weapon at their back or hip. One of them was the man who’d found us last night, and another was the one who’d prepared our fire. Both stood when they saw us come in, and left the group to walk over.
“Father,” Oscar greeted the smaller man, who I remembered from last night as Oren. Oscar bowed his head in greeting to the other. “Sir Caedia.” Then he motioned to Ava and me. “Ladies Willow and Kiena.”
“A knight?” Ava asked.
Sir Caedia had been studying me ever since he’d walked up, but now he cast an interested eye on Ava. “Depends on who you ask,” he said, mussing Oscar’s fluffy brown hair. “Please, call me Kingston.” And even though he directed his next question at Ava, his gaze wandered back to me. “Are you feeling recovered?”
“Very much,” Ava answered, following his glance my direction. “Thank you.”
Kingston nodded, and though I could tell he was trying not to stare at me, he wasn’t doing a good job of it.
“What is this place?” I asked for a distraction.
He took in a breath, but if he’d been about to answer, he stopped himself and gave a small smile. “Eat something,” he said, motioning to the nearest table. “Refresh yourselves. Once you’re fed, perhaps, Kiena, you might grace me with conversation.”
I studied him for a long moment, taking in his supposed hospitality and weighing it against the fact it seemed he was interested in speaking to me alone. It was a bit alarming—maybe he knew who Ava was—but I’d yet to see any sign of aggression, and I wasn’t about to give reason for one. Not unless I had to. So I nodded in agreement.
“After you’ve eaten,” Kingston said before walking away, and he gestured toward the wrapping around Ava’s wrist. “There’s an infirmary back at the main entrance; first right, second left. If you’d like new linens for that.”
We both said our thanks and sat down at the table he’d motioned to. After he’d gone, a woman brought out two large bowls of stew, two mugs of ale, and as Oscar had promised, a large lamb leg for Albus. It was delicious, and quite possibly the best stew in the kingdom, though my experience was limited. Ava’s appetite had been profoundly increased by the energy she’d expended shivering last night, and while we ate, I could hear Albus cracking at the bone of his meal. It was grand, and though I couldn’t finish my own bowl, I’d still eaten so much that I grew heavy and tired.
“What is this place?” Ava mused like I had earlier, pushing away her empty bowl and glancing around the dining hall.
I shrugged. “I suppose I’ll find out when I talk to Kingston.”
“Do you trust him?” she asked.
“I don’t distrust him,” I told her. “But it makes little difference so long as they don’t stop us from leaving. We shouldn’t stay long.”
Ava nodded. “The king will hear soon that I’ve headed south.”
While I answered I stood, ready to find the infirmary and make sure Ava’s wrist was still doing well. “There’ll be more soldiers to avoid. We’ll have to be careful, and I need to get you a weapon.” We headed back out into the short hall, Albus trailing behind us with the large bone hanging out the side of his mouth.
Making the first right and the second left, it didn’t take long for us to find the infirmary. I pushed open the wooden door, not seeing anyone immediately inside. “Hello?” I called.
But it was such a small part of the cave, and completely empty of whoever’s job it was to care for the sick. There were only a couple tables at the back with supplies, an empty one in the middle of the area, and a sleeping cot off to the side. Still, I assumed it was fine if we made use of the supplies, so I wandered over to the stock tables while Ava leaned back against the one at the center. There was clean dressing linen, and a multitude of glass bottles of liquids. I grabbed only the linen, because I wasn’t sure which decanters were for what, and I trusted my own antiseptic more anyway. I carried the roll of linen back around to Ava, and after I’d set it on the table and placed myself in front of her, she handed me her wrist to remove the old bandage.
“Does it still hurt at all?” I asked, unwrapping the last bit from around her hand. She didn’t answer, and when I glanced up at her she was giving me a blank look that I knew the meaning of. “I know you’re not delicate,” I chuckled. “Does that mean I’m not to care?”
“No,” she said, studying me closely and giving a soft smile. “I enjoy your care.”
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t catch the implications behind her tone, and it’d be an even bigger lie to say it didn’t immediately make my stomach flutter. She was so close to me, and the warmth in her voice evoked memories of the heat of her lips. The recollection of how she felt and moved and tasted, the knowledge that she’d wanted it, that she’d started it. And I knew she was thinking about it too. I could feel it in the sudden silence and tension between us. I could see it in the way her eyes followed me as I leaned across her to grab the clean linen.
I tried not to meet her gaze while I wrapped the new cloth around her wrist. I tried not to let my touches linger, but my heart was beating hard. I could feel it in my throat, hammering at my chest, tingling in my fingertips every time they made contact with her flesh. I finally finished, and I would’ve turned away and made my retreat before the temptation got worse, but her other hand came over and set atop mine. Then it slid under so she could press our palms together, her fingers slipped tenderly between my own and I could hear the request in the slowness of her touch. Look at me. Notice me. Kiss me.
“Ava, please,” I whispered, but even as I met her gaze pleadingly, I could feel myself leaning in.
“I don’t understand,” she said, begging just as much as I was but for the complete opposite reason. “You want to.” She set her forehead against mine, and she was so close that I could feel her breath on my lips. “I can feel it.”
And gods, I did want to, more than anything. I had to shut my eyes because the beseeching sparkle in hers was too much. “It doesn’t matter what I want.”
“That’s all that matters,” she argued, and her lips brushed against mine in the most imploring way, but she wouldn’t finish the action.
She wanted me to. Only, I couldn’t, because just one kiss wouldn’t be enough. If I did, I feared I wouldn’t be able to stop myself this time, and I’d give whatever she wanted and invest myself wholly, and I’d end in ruin. But was it wrong if I just let her do this? The barest graze of her lips against mine. I was so tempted to allow it. To part my lips further so she could brush them more completely, so I could skim her with the tip of my tongue. The modesty of it wouldn’t last if I did, and I knew it. I could hear it in the hitch of her breathing. I could feel it in the rushing of my pulse and the longing ache between my hips.