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He stopped and looked at her. “Maybe you should have let them.”

She shook her head. “Andor, come on. You can’t be serious.”

“Would have been better.”

“You need to stop with this nonsense.”

“If anything had happened to you because of me—again…”

“I’m fine! Look at me. I found Baldwin. I knocked down two guys. We are out, both alive.”

“But it could have been different.”

“Isn’t it good that you trained me to fight with a sword then?”

Stubborn woman. Andor growled in helpless rage, but it seemed he would not be able to persuade her otherwise.

He took a lungful of air and plunged down into the water. When he emerged, he walked towards the shore and watched with satisfaction as Cathy’s lips parted while she took him in.

“See something you like?” he asked, wiping his body with a piece of cloth that Baldwin had given to Cathy along with some food before leaving them. He had also told them that there were just five days of road to Jorvik.

Cathy quickly glanced away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. Your clothes need to dry, so here.” She gave him her cloak, and he wrapped himself in it. His skin burned, the air feeling hot after the shock of being in icy water. But he accepted the cloak and walked with her to the campfire.

When they had settled, he shook his head like a dog to get the water off of his hair. Cathy brushed the drops from her cheek, then removed her cap, revealing a bruise by her hairline. Anger at himself flared and his jaw muscles tightened.

“Why did you risk your life to save me?” he said. “You could have gone to Jorvik alone. You must save your Brad. Why risk his life to save mine?”

Cathy looked into the fire. “It was just a good opportunity to test my sword-fighting skills,” she said, and Andor’s gut twisted with disappointment.

What was he hoping to hear?

That she cared. That she had saved him because he was more important than his twin from the future.

That she wanted to stay.

But he knew the end of their journey together was near.

“Tell me the truth,” he said.

She swallowed and flashed a smile. “You know why I saved you.”

“Indeed, I do not.”

“Because you would have done the same thing, Andor. In fact, you did. At the pagan sacrifice. I owed you.”

She owed him. This was true, but not the response he was secretly hoping for.

No matter. This was for the best. He did not deserve her affection. Not after the way he had treated her, and not when Svana’s memory deserved his full devotion. The devotion he had been ignoring, replacing with feelings towards Cathy.

This was better. They would arrive in Jorvik, she would be on her way, and he—

He what? Would continue his miserable existence, raiding and fighting and sending the spoils to Svana’s family? Ignoring the sucking wound in the pit of his stomach?

Would there never be an end to it?

Andor tugged the cloak tighter as the cold air stabbed his skin from all sides.

“You fought well,” he said. “You impressed me. Two men. You have a warrior within you.”