Page 74 of A Shard of Ice

“Let me check on the soda bread.” Grigor stands.

“There’s bread?” Kyrie pushes out a breath.

“And butter. I churned some this morning.”

She makes this little breathy noise that has my balls pulling tight.

Not now!

I shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable. Grigor jumps up and goes to the hearth to check on his bread. The scent of food makes me salivate.

Kyrie takes a big glug of her wine. “This is delicious. I don’t remember wine ever tasting this good.” She takes another big sip.

“Easy does it there, love. It’s strong.” I realize my mistake, but it’s too late to take it back.

Xander and Thesha give each other a look and then look at me with glinting eyes.

Kyrie’s cheeks go bright red. I’ve always found it adorable how quick she is to react. How she can’t hide her feelings, especially embarrassment.

“Um…it’s just…um, go easy, Kyrie, or you’ll be sorry tomorrow. Blackberry wine is dangerous,” I mutter, trying to cover up. It doesn’t work very well; it only serves to make it worse.

Thesha giggles, and I know she’s about to say something when Grigor arrives carrying a huge loaf of bread on a wooden plank.

“Let me help you.” Kyrie jumps up, her cheeks blazing.

“I’ll help, too,” I say, standing.

It doesn’t take long before all the plates and crockery are on the table, together with a pot of steaming stew. It smells and looks incredible.

Soon, the rhythmic sound of eating fills the room, and for a time, no one speaks. We’re too busy stuffing our mouths. The only sounds are the odd groans and moans of enjoyment and requests to pass the bread.

Once we have sated the worst of our hunger, conversation flows easily as we all share silly stories and trade jokes. Grigor regales us with tales of Isolde and their life together, painting a picture of a vibrant and loving woman who was taken too soon.

“Did you have children?” Kyrie asks, pushing away her empty plate and rubbing her belly. We’ve eaten too much, but who knows when we will be able to eat like this again.

“We were never blessed with babes.” Grigor smiles; there’s sorrow in his eyes. “But we were never short on love and joy. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

My heart yearns for such a love. I look over at Kyrie and have to swallow down a thickness that develops in my throat.

“Through love, all things are possible. You youngsters would do well to remember that.” He looks at each of us in turn.

I look at Kyrie again and catch her looking at me. Our gazes lock. Her eyes look shimmery with unshed tears. She blinks a few times and then sniffs, quickly taking a sip of her wine.

“Can I use your washroom, Grigor? Would anyone object if I bathed first?” Kyrie asks.

“Of course, young Kyrie. I put out a few dresses and things that I thought you ladies might like to wear. I will wash your clothes and put them in front of the fire to dry in time for nightlift tomorrow. That goes for all of you.”

“You’re too kind, Grigor,” Thesha says.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” He waves a hand.

“I will be as quick as I can,” Kyrie says as she walks toward the washroom.

“You should take your time,” Thesha shouts after her. “I certainly will.”

Kyrie throws us a smile over her shoulder before disappearing behind the door.

“Let me fetch some more wine.” Grigor stands with a flourish. “I will have to go down to the cellar.”

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