Page 33
Andor was crouching in front of the fire, stoking it.
“Look, Andor,” she said, and he turned his head towards her, his face pinched in silent warning.
Oh no. She should stop.
She couldn’t.
“I was thinking… You should come with me tomorrow morning to do yoga.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “What? Where does this come from?”
“Well, I just—I know you were curious, earlier. You were asking me about it. Would you like to try?”
“You’ve just broken your word.”
“Come on, you can’t seriously expect me to not talk to you for the rest of this journey.”
He shook his head and returned to his work. “Leave me alone.”
She could help him get through this. She just needed him to see. “You clearly have anger issues—issues about caring. Your heart—”
He jumped to his feet, his eyes a mixture of anguish and fury. “Woman, I am warning you, one more word and you shall be sorry.”
His voice was so thick and full of threat, Cathy shrank.
“How is it possible that I’m trying to help you, and all you give me is anger and hatred?”
Andor straightened up, his chest rising and falling, his eyes wide under his furrowed brows. “Because you are constantly disturbing my peace.”
“Peace? You have no peace.”
“Yes, I do. I did. Maybe not peace like you, but my own version of peace. When I do not need to watch over annoying females.”
“I don’t need to be watched over.”
“I thought you said you needed me.”
“Only because you know the way.”
“I do not know the way.”
“Well. You know how to orient by the sun or whatever. I can hardly find my way using maps on my phone.”
“For Odin and Thor. There is nothing to orient. Follow this road. It goes north.” He sliced a hand through the air in the direction of the road, which was behind Cathy. “If you are lost, ask someone. You speak the language.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. A kernel of stubbornness screamed for her to say, Fine, I’ll go without you. But how could she leave him alone in enemy territory with his bad leg? She couldn’t because she wasn’t cruel…and part of her didn’t want to leave him. She studied him for any sign that he didn’t mean what he said, that it was just his defense mechanism. But all she saw was a gorgeous, furious man who had no interest in her whatsoever. A man who wanted to be left alone.
The story of her life, with the lucky exception of Brad.
Her eyes prickled. “Fine,” she said. “Ungrateful man. No ‘Thank you, Cathy, for saving me.’ No ‘Thank you, monks, for treating my wounds.’ No ‘Sorry I raided your monastery and stole your treasures.’ I’m better off without you anyway. It was nice to meet you.”
His shoulders slumped in what looked like relief. She picked up her bag, turned away, and walked towards the road through the dusky woods. Her heart was bleeding, her chest aching, her eyes filling with tears. She turned back to see if he was following her.
Silly her.
Of course he wasn’t. Why would he?
She sped up and, when she found the road, set into a jog. She wiped her eyes, but the tears kept coming.
