Page 10 of Deadfall

It wasn’t a question. The food turned over in my stomach. I met his gaze and tried to keep the spoon from rattling. His dark eyes studied me intently from under a furrowed brow.

“I know a gunshot when I see one,” he nodded to my head. “But that—”

His attention drifted over the knife wound on my face and his lips tugged downward. His eyes darkened further in a look that made me think he knew it wasn’t an accident. Goosebumps broke out across my skin and I dropped my eyes, fiddling with a loose thread on the blanket.

“That’s something else,” he muttered in Russian.

I pretended I hadn’t heard.

“How—” I cleared my throat. “How long have I been out?”

“Ten days.” I looked up in shock at his answer. “You had a fever so I don’t expect you’ll remember most of it.”

Ten days? A fever?

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I tried again.

“I-I appreciate your help, thank you, but I’ll—I’ll leave—” I stammered.

“And go where?” He interrupted. “There’s nothing for miles. A child wandering around this forest won’t—”

“I’m not a child,” I snapped.

I immediately regretted the outburst—it was foolish when I didn’t know what would trigger this man. Fear that he’d keep me here against my will had me regretting eating the stew so quickly as it turned in my stomach. He tilted his head ever so slightly, his expression unreadable, but his jaw clenched as he once more slid his attention over my injuries.

“No, I suppose you’re not.”

The silence stretched, punctuated only by the occasional snap of the wood burning in the fireplace.

“What’s your name, girl?”

I debated answering. I didn’t know if he would try and return me to Vetticus or Albatron. I didn’t know if I wanted to stay here, but if what he said was true and there was nothing around for miles, I wasn’t sure if that really was a choice I had.

“You first.”

His lip twitched and the tension eased a bit from his shoulders.

“I’m Sacha. That’s Fang.”

He jerked his head towards the dog, then looked at me expectantly.

“Emersyn.”

“Emersyn,” he echoed. “Do you have a last name?”

“Do you?”

Sacha blinked and the expression on his face said fair enough.

“Here’s the deal, girl, you’re not going to ruin all my hard work by traipsing off into the woods in your condition. You’ll heal up and then you can do whatever you want.”

I thought it over and realized pretty quickly the only smart option was doing what he said. I was injured, weak and had no idea how to survive out there. I didn’t even know which direction I needed to go in. I would use the recovery time to figure out my next move and then I’d leave.

I nodded my agreement.

“Everyone pulls their weight around here.” Sacha put his empty stew bowl in a bucket and brought it over. “You’ll do the dishes from now on. Got it?”

He set it down and brought his face nearly level with mine. I stiffened and my breath shortened at his proximity. His expression grew dark at my reaction.