A HAND SHOOK HER AWAKE.
Her eyes hadn't opened yet, but she had already struck, grabbing her assailant by the neck and kicking off from the ground to push whoever it was to the floor, nails digging into soft skin.
"Leonor," they gasped. "It's okay. It's me."
Her eyes flew open, blinking away the sleep that clouded them. She took in the auburn hair, the freckles, the high cheekbones, and she scrambled away, pressing her back once more to the wall.
"Heinrik."
He sat up, rubbing at his neck. "You know, for your size, your grip is really tight."
He watched her for a quiet moment, and she wondered what he was seeing that left him so speechless. After what seemed like an eternity, he asked, "What were you dreaming about, Leonor?"
She plucked her fur hat off the hay-strewn loft floor. It must've fallen when she'd sprung up to attack Heinrik, half asleep. As she dusted it off, the word for this kind of fur hat, one with flaps to cover her ears, wormed its way into her sleep-addled mind. Ushanka.
"The usual," she responded.
He stared for a bit longer before he reached over, handing her a flask. She unscrewed the cap and took a long, deep drink. Water had never tasted so good before. It cascaded over the dry parts of her throat, flowing down her gullet as she swallowed. She hadn't realized she'd finished off the contents until she tipped it back all the way, trying to capture whatever was left.
"Sorry," she muttered.
Heinrik waved a dismissive hand. "We have more. About the food—"
"Save it for Mun."
Heinrik laughed at her, the early morning light from the window hitting the highest planes of his face. "I thought we didn't finish each other's sentences anymore."
"Old habits die hard. What happened after I fell asleep?"
"Ahmed transported Hassan inside." He nodded at where Hassan snored in the corner adjacent, injured leg splayed out in front of him. "After that, Ahmed and I drove the car back to the Ummerlingen. We shadow walked back."
"And what now?" she asked.
He tossed her the coat she'd traded for Ipatiev's yesterday. She donned it without question. Heinrik had already changed, handsome in the dark grey-green of his standard issue coat.
"You and I are going to head into town. Ahmed is going to take us to Romhalde's edge. We need to find some medicine for Mun and Hassan, and some food if we can manage it."
"How much money do you have?"
He reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out his triangular coin pouch. The coins jingled merrily from within. "Fifty marks, give or take."
Leonor snatched the pouch from him, her hands blurring when they moved. She tore it open, staring into its depths. "More than we need," she grumbled.
"Can't be too careful."
"You nobles are all the same."
He leaned in, smirking. "Feeling bitter?"
She tossed his pouch back and pinched his pointy nose. "Only partially."
Heavy footfalls on the stairs made Leonor freeze in place. Ahmed leaned up against the wall, blowing an errant curl away from one piercing emerald eye. "If you two are done flirting," he said, "you might want to let me take you out of here."
YOU ARE READING
The Immortal Calls
Fantasy❝YOU HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL EYES,❞ CROONED THE MANY-FACED MONSTER. ❝SO TELL ME, LITTLE ONE... WHAT IS YOUR GIFT?❞ It had chased her a thousand times in her dreams, grabbing her with hands as frigid as the ice that had been meant to be her grave. It cha...
