Page 25 of About Love and Revenge

She takes a step back, and her withdrawal irritates me. “I'm not your problem, Odin. Thank you for arriving on time.” She looks away. “But I can manage everything from here on out. I would just like to stay for the few days I still have left on the island.”

“And then?”

“What?”

“What will you do next?”

She backs away even farther and goes to the window, her back to me. “I'll figure it out. Now I'd like you to leave me alone, please.”

“They won't come back.”I can see a shudder go through her body, and I approach her again, staying just a few steps away. "Are you going to look for your sisters or Theodoro?"

Instead of answering my question, she asks another. “What are you going to do with the horses?”Her voice no longer carries the same confidence as before, but rather tiredness.

“Turn around. Talk to me looking into my eyes.” I've never had to ask that of anyone, male or female. People don’t usually challenge me, but Elina doesn't follow any rules.

She looks back at me.

“Why the concern about the horses?” I ask.

I don't know if she notices that she smiles as she looks out once more, as if she's looking for them on the ground. “They're...theyweremine...”

I'm not surprised she likes horses too. In addition to the memory I have of her rides when I was a teenager, I knew that Elina, like me, was not very sociable. Introspective people tend to get along better with animals than humans.

“All of them?”

“Huh?”

“They're all yours?”

She glares at me but quickly turns away, shrugging her shoulders like it's no big deal.

I don’t believe she’s indifferent.

“I'm the only one in the family who rides, besides my dad, but he was never home long enough to appreciate them.”

“I love horses too.” I don't usually offer any kind of information about myself, but I feel a need to forge a bond between us, and with my words I see a glimpse of interest in her eyes.

“So you won't sell them?” She looks genuinely worried, and it strikes me.

Elina surprises me at every step. The woman has had her life devastated and is completely alone, but she still cares about the animals'well-being.

“No.”

She nods. “Can I stay the remaining days, then?”

“Where will you go next?”

“That's none of your business.”

“You're right, but I still want to know.”

“Why?”

“Answer me, Elina.”

I notice the poorly concealed irritation on her face. It might be crazy, but I like it. I don't like to see her feeling down.

“I still don’t know.”She's holding back her emotions, I realize.

---