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‘Here’ doesn’t look like much, until I notice the cave in the mountain. “Are you sure it’s safe? Not home to a bear or a puma or something?”
“Bears and mountain lions avoid troll territory. They are not apex predators where we are concerned.”
The image of Bradoc rolling on the forest floor, wrestling with a bear, pops into my mind unbidden. I shake my head. Now is not the time.
“Okay, then. The cave it is.” I say.
He sets me on my feet and we tentatively make our way into the hole in the rock, going only as far back as is necessary to get out of the driving rain.
“I wish I had my camp pack with me,” I muse. “I had matches and paper in there. We could start a fire. There’s no way we’ll be able to find any kind of kindling in this mess.” Though, even if we could start one, I don’t see how we could keep it going. There’s not a dry log on this whole damned mountain.
Inside the cave, the sound of the storm is muffled a little bit, at least to the extent that we don’t have to yell anymore.
“Thanks for the rescue,” I say.
“Of course,” Bradoc replies.
“So. How injured are you this time?”
He tilts his head at me, feigning confusion. “What do you mean?”
I roll my eyes, though I doubt he can see it. “Come on, don’t play games. I’m positive you didn’t come out of that raid unscathed.” He doesn’t strike me as a reckless warrior. Just a brave one who will throw himself headlong into battle in order to save others. “So tell me how bad it is.”
“I am fine.”
I huff. I know he’s not telling me everything. His gallant streak goes a little too far sometimes. Maybe it’s just the way trolls are, but he needs to realize that I’m a fully capable modern woman and I can handle shit. Not to mention, I have unique healing abilities.
“Bradoc, you can’t protect me if you’re injured. Let me help you.” I don’t quite keep the smugness out of my voice; if there’s any way to get him to admit what’s going on, it’s to question his ability to do his duty. I may have only met him a few days ago, but I already have a deep understanding of who he is.
Honestly, it’s a little unnerving to feel like I know him so well after such a short time. I’m having a hard time with my emotions, which are swinging like an out-of-control pendulum. There are moments when I just want to run away, pretend this marriage never happened, and resume my normal life.
But those moments are interspersed with my growing interest in trolls in general, and Bradoc specifically. My curiosity about their lifestyle and my weird, inexplicable-but-intense attraction to this huge man.
He sighs, sounding more put upon than I have ever heard. “I have some minor injuries, but nothing that can’t keep until morning. I propose we get some sleep and assess our situation when it’s light out.”
“All right, fine,” I say. “But I’m giving you a thorough inspection in the morning, buddy.”
“I would expect nothing less,” he says.
Do I detect the faintest hint of sarcasm from the troll? Thus far, he’s been remarkably earnest, but it seems being exhausted, wounded, and worried about his tribe has rubbed some of the polish off.
I’m into it.
He settles onto the cave floor, and I cuddle close, ostensibly for warmth. Though who am I kidding? I just want to snuggle.
I don’t expect to get much sleep, what with the raging monsoon and the rocks poking me in the back, but to my surprise, I crash out hard. When I wake up, thin light trickles into the cave, and while it’s still raining steadily, the endless thunder and lightning seem to have abated.
Bradoc is nowhere to be found, so I stand and stretch, taking a moment to rub the sore spots on my neck and shoulders. Then I venture out, wondering what I might find.
My troll husband is sitting at the mouth of the cave, staring thoughtfully into the forest. In the light, I can see the fresh cuts on his face and arms, and I wonder what else I might find when I examine him.
“Good morning,” I say.
He grunts in response. Perhaps, like me, he’s not really a morning kind of guy.
“How are you feeling?” I try.
“Concerned.”
