Page 13 of The Demon of the Wood

The cabin smelled nice, like leather and fire, but it was disorganized and messy. First, she would take care of that. She set to the kitchen area, organizing the sparse dishes and cooking utensils that lay in an otherwise disjointed heap on the wooden counter. She made quick work of the entire cabin, setting things neatly away, making the bed and fluffing the pillows, then she set to clearing out the hearth. The cabin was warm enough at the moment, but certainly they would make a fire later.

She found a small broom made of sticks and a little wooden dustpan. She swept the ashes in it, then went outside, bracing her shoulders against the chill. To the left was a garden, though snow covered the ground and all that remained were trellises made of sticks. They should keep the ashes then, for the soil. She found an old metal pail with some already covering the bottom. She dumped the ashes there and continued the process until the fireplace was clean.

She drew water from the river, as the snow wasn’t as deep leading up to it, and they could use some for later. She gathered two pails, then cleaned the windows and any other surfaces she felt needed it.

Kaemon walked in, and she sprung to her feet, backing to the other side of the room, and feeling foolish for it. As if that would protect her. Kaemon watched her carefully, moving as he did against the other side of the cabin. He was respecting her space, something she was not used to. Her cousins often got in her face and yelled or shoved her to the side out of spite.

Kaemon carried two large pelts, a stringer full of trout, and a satchel. He laid the pelts near the fireplace and hung the stringer there as well. He gestured to the stove near her, where a counter that had a washbasin, utensils, and a rack hanging above was.

“I have smoked meat I need to store over there. May I come by?” he asked.

She nodded and stayed as still as she could. The smallness of the space meant that when he passed by, he was close enough for her to smell his scent. Wild like the forest itself, with hints of lavender. The scent came to her in an intoxicating wave, and she almost grabbed his arm, but then came back to her senses and flushed in horror.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head and smiled. He was always smiling and, while it was a brilliantly beautiful smile, it perplexed her. “Just rest. You need to recover from last night. I will make us dinner.”

She tensed. “No, please let me help. I can cook. I’m an excellent cook.”

He walked past her again, his eyes locking on hers in a way that made her lower belly flutter. “Rest.” He went to the fireplace, then turned back to her, surprised. “You cleaned.”

She couldn’t read his expression, only his brows were high in surprise. It suddenly struck her that he may not like it or take it offensively that she’d organized and decorated, and the color drained from her face. “I’m sorry.”

He frowned. “Why are you sorry?”

“I didn’t mean to take over or be impertinent. I just thought it would be nice to do, but I wasn’t thinking.”

Her uncle’s words, like knives, seemed to repeat to her in her head.Thoughtless, careless girl.

“It looks nice, Melina. Thank you.” Sincerity shone in his eyes. He held up a line of trout. “Do you like fish?”

She blinked at him, uncertain what to say as her uncle and cousins never thanked her. She nodded, still confused that he seemed so easily pleased by her efforts, and that set her on edge even more. What was his game? She thought idly that she would trust him better if he said something mean to her. She knew her uncle and cousin’s threshold, what little things she did to set them off and so it was predictable. As yet, she hadn’t found his threshold and the uncertainty of it made her jaw clench anxiously.

She grabbed plates and utensils, placing them on the table as Kaemon finished making the fish and brought it over. Her mouth watered from the smell, and she eyed the fish hungrily. He slid half the fillets onto her plate, and she protested, but he only shook his head.

“I don’t think you’ve been eating enough,” was all he said, then stared at her, gesturing for her to eat.

“Shouldn’t you eat your fill first? I really need so little, and I’m sure you need more.” She pushed the fillets towards him, but he stopped the plate and pushed it back.

“Where I come from, the females are served first. If you don’t get what you need, your cycle will not be as strong.”

Her cheeks flamed. “You talk so casually of it, but you don’t have to worry. I don't have a cycle.”

He nodded. “Because you’ve never had enough food.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but she wondered if he was right. She knew little about women’s cycles as her mother had died before she ever came close to having one, and then she’d never had one or a need to ask the women in town. Kaemon gestured to the food. “Eat.”

She nodded and obeyed, Kaemon piling on another fillet as she finished one. She could only eat three, even with all her previous hunger before her stomach felt like it was going to split open, but he seemed intent on her eating more.

“I truly can’t eat anymore, please,” she begged. “I will be sick.”

He grunted in approval, then piled his plate high, devouring it so quickly she almost laughed. He noticed her watchful amusement and slowed his chewing, but only marginally. When they finished, she stood quickly to gather the plates, but Kaemon was determined to beat her to it. He swooped them up, his body close and his hands brushing against hers as he took the plate from her. That same jolt from the morning shot through her.

“Let me wash them,” she said, unable to meet his gaze as she found her breath.

“I think you should rest. Yesterday was difficult for you,” he said.

She frowned. She couldn’t let him see her as weak or useless, or then he’d be rid of her in an instant and she really wouldn’t have anywhere to go. She took hold of the plates and gave a little tug. His mouth twitched, and he let go.

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