Chapter 40
ERANN
He wept.
‘Sereh,’ he called. ‘Sereh, please come back.’ His voice was loud enough that Skaldi must have heard him. Emma returned from allowing him and Sereh some time alone, somewhat flustered.
‘What is it?’ he queried, perplexed despite his misery.
‘I will tell you more when you’re healed. Now, help me as much as you can.’ Emma soon had him back safe and warm in his makeshift bed, her actions neat and concise, even if her face was edged in sorrow.
‘Come on, Erann,’ she murmured. ‘A good night’s sleep and all will seem better. She can’t go far, Skaldi will watch her.’ She fed him and then gave him a drink so heavily loaded with her healing herb he was asleep before the cup was finished.
His night was peaceful, yet he was plagued with dreams of Sereh.
In them, she walked an enormous distance, not resting for food or water, her steps lit by bright moonlight.
Erann had no idea where she was going. There were no landmarks.
Everything remained covered with layers of snow.
Even as he dreamt, he thought of the landscape and why the thaw wasn’t more noticeably underway.
Sereh had pointed that out in their angry exchange – the thaw should have started by now. There should be green shoots springing everywhere. The landscape should have shed its wintry cloak.
He felt waves of her anger. Not once did he see her face, only ever her back.
Eventually, he understood he watched Sereh from Arrow’s perspective.
It was bizarre for Arrow to be behind Sereh.
The wolf-dog usually led the way. It was yet more evidence of Sereh’s anger.
The knowledge tore at him, even as he slept.
Eventually, night fell, and it was too dark for her to continue. She was forced to stop, again, in a cave. Only then did he see her face, in the demi-light of dusk. Before the wolf-dog’s mind closed to him, he could have sworn her face was lined with the dirty streaks of tears.