Dearest Evelyn

-chapter 35-

I slowly paced my stomach, keeping it from flipping out all while keeping Hector from taking anything too far.

I waited patiently for him to continue dressing, dragging the tip of my finger through Geraldine’s fur, marveling at its rough, brisk, outer layer and soft, downy inner layer.

I listened faintly as he hummed some old folk tune to himself, and didn’t flinch when he tucked a loose strand of strawberry golden hair behind my ears. I felt him kiss my forehead as he waited for me to look up.

When I did, he stood over me with his arms crossed, smiling warmly.

“I suppose you should speak to Terrin?” I asked quietly. Maybe I could distract myself.

“Why?”

“Please! It’s bothering me to no end that you two are constantly at ends . . . .”

His smile slightly faded.

I continued, “Think over it Hector. And if you simply don’t give a shit then do it for me. It’s been tearing me up for months now.”

I noticed his jaw tense.

He cleared his throat a bit, uncrossing his arms and pulling up a makeshift chair in front of where I sat upon a trundle-trunk. He sat. “He kissed you. He’s stubborn and vain.”

“So are you—“

“My point is that he never leaves me alone.”

“You punched him first.”

“Listen to me, Eve.” He growled. “We bicker a lot. But mostly because I’ve been . . . too stubborn to accept his apology.”

My jaw dropped. “Why didn’t you, idiot?!”

He grinned. “I thought it’d upset you.”

“Why?!” I threw my hands in the air.

He chuckled. “You’re so cute when you rant.”

I scowled.

“Fine, fine. I’ll talk to him, alright? But don’t expect us to be best friends again.”

“That’s exactly what I’m expecting and it’d better be like before this whole stupid thing happened. Got it?”

He only rolled his eyes.

I smiled sweetly and hopped up, headed to the small creek in the forest next to the camp.

~

The next night, I couldn’t sleep. It was raining. It was pitch dark, there being no fires lit. It felt too cold without Gwin beside me. Where was he? No one, not even his father, knew his whereabouts except that he was running an errand. What sort of errand was so important and secretive that Gwindire had to do it himself, rather than some messenger boy?

I sighed and forcefully rolled over.

My arm bumped against the curled-up Geraldine. She didn’t even stir.

A sudden gush of cold air sent pricks down my spine. My already open eyes flew wide, instantly making my body rigid. Something moved.

I didn’t dare look.

I clenched my jaw and shook my head into my pillow. It was raining, and the thin tent material made all sorts of noises when it rained.

I released my withheld breath, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to force myself into sleep.

But there it was again.

My eyes reopened. I wasn’t hearing things this time.

Something cold and hard clamped over my mouth, and my first, instant reaction was to scream.