Season of the Wild Hunt(Book 1 of The Seventh Gate series)

A Complicated Truce - pt2

The slope above the cave was steep, slippery with fallen pine needles, and now and again Donn had to wait while she negotiated a tricky spot. He was still armed, and Nyani cursed softly at her own stupidity in bringing no other weapons than her short knife in her belt. For all she knew, he might just try and run her through and toss her off a cliff to be done with all the aggravation. He must have heard her, because he halted again and turned to look back at her climbing up behind him.

"Never mind." She waved him on. "Just wondering if you're planning to cut my throat, is all."

"What?"

Feeling acidic, she couldn't help herself. "If you are, I think we're out of earshot of the cave by now. You don't have to drag me all the way up the mountain first."

He turned away and kept moving upwards, muttering evil-sounding oaths under his breath.

The trees trapped the warmth of the light filtering between the branches, and despite her sour mood Nyani found that she was almost enjoying this excursion. The sun felt good on her arms and the open neck of her tunic, and her leg was giving almost no trouble at all. It was weaker than the other, but nothing worse. They crested the hill, and Donn wove between the trees to a boulder perched on the peak. He climbed it, offering her a hand to help her up. She stubbornly ignored it.

He settled cross-legged on the flat top in a patch of sunlight, and after a moment's uncertainty, she sat beside him. They were surrounded by pines, so they shouldn't be easily spotted, but the trees were tall enough that they had a view out over the landscape beneath the lower branches. Donn had brought a water-skin, and offered it to her without comment.

It was peaceful here, the air scented with warm sap and dry needles. Birds chattered and flitted between the branches, and far off in the skies above the forest, a hunting bird hovered motionless on an up-draught.

To the south and east the hills were rugged and pine covered, the feet of the mountain range that loomed behind them. Westward, she could just make out the border of the forest, and beyond the green hills they had crossed yesterday. There was no sign of An Tor Mór. She let the peace wash over her, soothing her nerves, and closed her eyes. This spot reminded her of one she and Baruti often favoured, in the western foothills of the Winterbones looking out over the plains. She missed him sorely - it felt so very long since she had sat beside him there.­

"I've missed coming here. It's been some time." Donn said, so unexpectedly in tune with her own thoughts that she started. "Where were you, just now?"

"Home." Her throat tightened, and she was grateful that he didn't respond. Even the slightest hint of sympathy might crack her fragile shell. She didn't want anyone, least of all him, knowing how hard this was. After all, she had demanded of Elen that she be the one to come. She had been so hard with her mother in those last months before leaving. Unforgiving; even cruel.

Until last night, she hadn't truly understood how it must have been for Elen, thirty years ago. Only much worse. Elen hadn't known where she was going, or even where she had ended up. Elen had been completely alone, with no best friend for company and support. She and Ashira had left their families and all they loved behind, but Elen must have known her family would think her dead.

Donn sat quietly next to her, seeming to realize she needed time with her thoughts, but when he eventually broke the silence, he truly surprised her.

"My heart's desire to sit upon the hill, to watch the wind and taste the sun, in the soft embrace of Anu," he murmured. Nyani turned to stare at him, and he shrugged his shoulders, smiling. "An old song. Some things never change, I suppose. I used to come here often, to soak up the peace and quiet. It seems to ease the mind somewhat."