FULL NOVELXO Chapter Upsetting Her With Food
“Oh?” She shot him another look. “What?”
“Well if you’re to be out in these woods or near the forest you should be able to stave off an intruder in the House. I’m going to show you how.”
She nodded and focused on her footing. When a tiny twig snapped loudly under her slipper, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
“Not bad at all for a first try. Keep it up.”
She followed the instruction, as they wove deeper into trees. Branches tangling in her rich red hair. And dampening her green dress as they passed.
She catches on quickly.
Once far enough from the cottage to suit him, he pulled the tiny bow draped over his quiver and held it out to her.
She grasped it excitedly. Emerald eyes huge as she studied it. “What’s it for?” She looked like an eager child at Holiday Time.
“It’s a weapon.”
She gasped in awe and lifted it above her head as though to strike the log next to her.
What in Ardae is she doing?
“No. No!” He caught the end of it to stop her. “Not that sort of weapon. Let me show you.” Securing her small bow back over his quiver, he drew his own and listened a moment before twisting his torso to shoot around a tree behind him. Grunting in approval.
“What was that?”
Food.
“Dinner.” He gestured with his chin and she ran around the tree and into the grass until spotting the arrow rising from the grass. Still swaying.
She grasped it and lifted it to find a dead squirrel planted on it. Gasping she let it fall and leapt backward.
“That isn’t dinner! That’s a squirrel!” She yelped. Looking at him as though he’d betrayed her.
As I said. Dinner? His brow knitted.
I’ve clearly done something wrong.
“Where do you think all that rabbit stew you eat in the cottage came from?” He tossed a hand.
She looked horrified. Jaw hanging as she looked from the dead squirrel and then to him.
I’m no good at this. He recognized.
“Would you feel better were it not dead?”
“Would that it could be so!” She proclaimed, perilously near tears. “Poor friend!” She scooped the squirrel into her palms blinking down at it with the arrow jutting from its chest.
Sighing Acharius stepped close enough to rip the arrow out, shredding the chest of the squirrel and letting it fall limply past her nose back to her hands.
Impossible though it seemed her jaw hung further, and her look was purely crushed.
Clearly no good at this. He rolled his eyes Heavenward before swaying a palm over the creature and letting shining red flakes fall to her palm.
“What’s that?”
“Magic.”
“Magic?”
“Yes, magic.” He turned and stalked away. Restoring the bloodied arrow to his quiver.
He’d only taken one step when the squirrel inflated with a wheezing sound and shuddered. Finally leaping to its feet to give Chastain’s wrist a firm bite before jumping from her hand and disappearing into the grass.
“Ouch!” She squealed.
“And that’s thanks for you.” He tossed over his shoulder.
She climbed to her feet and swatted leaves from her skirt.
I should’ve helped her up. So much for being a gentleman. I’ve gone uncivilized living in a cave so long.
“Do you need help?” He offered a hand.
“I need you to not shoot any more squirrels!” She glowered.
“Rabbits?”
Her nose wrinkled and her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.
Nope. Not amused.
His hand wandered to cover his genitals. “You’ve that look about you.”
“What look?” She snorted.
“The one a woman gives before she kicks a man in his manly parts.”
“Don’t. Kill. Squirrels. Nor rabbits.”
Perhaps not as amusing as I’d thought.