Page 26 of The Demon of the Wood

She shook her head. “I can’t have children.”

He had forgotten about that, her cycle never coming. He gripped her hand tighter as they walked to the tavern. The place buzzed with activity.

“Kaemon!” Jorah called out in greeting from behind the bar as he handed a plate of food to a customer. His eyes slid to Melina and caught there, then they flicked to Kaemon, a question in his eyes. Kaemon gave a small, non-committal shrug.

Aife buzzed by with a tray of food on one arm and a tray of beers on another. She halted, grinning. “Kaemon!” She looked to Melina, then back to Kaemon, then to Melina, and back. “Who is this?” her eager tone made Kaemon swallow a groan.

“My friend, Melina,” he replied. “Melina, this is Aife.”

“Oh!” Melina exclaimed softly. “Kaemon has mentioned you and Jorah so often.”

“So, you two talk often?” Aife asked, too excited. Far too excited.

Kaemon gestured at the food she held. “Don’t you have customers waiting?”

Aife sighed. “Yes. Take the booth in the far back corner and I will bring you both food and drink. And I will get to know you better, Miss Melina.”

Aife hurried off, and they took their seat in the back booth.

“It’s so lively in here,” Melina commented. “Aife seems nice, too.”

Kaemon nodded. “She is. She and Jorah are the best people I know.”

“They're the ones who found you? After you escaped?”

He nodded, remembering it. Sitting in the cave, having given up on himself. He was certain he’d killed his captors, though he had no recollection of it. After wandering for hours in a haze, he had finally stumbled upon a cave, and laid down, his head dizzy, his body weak and aching. He thought he would die there. But then Aife and Jorah had been hunting and found the lines in the dirt of where the ends of his wings had dragged. Jorah carried him back, and they nursed him back to health.

“Melina,” Kaemon said. “When Aife and Jorah found me, they paid for so much and helped me get back on my feet. I could never truly repay them, not only monetarily, but in every way. I hope you know that my helping you isn’t a burden. It feels like the best way I can pay them back, too.”

“Oh.” She gazed at him for a long moment, then smiled. “Well, okay then. It’s hard for me to let you, though.”

He chuckled. “I can tell.”

Aife came by shortly after, two plates piled high with food and two pints of beer. She set them down, then slid into the booth next to Kaemon. She flashed a grin at Melina, her bottom fangs protruding as she did.

“How did you two meet?”

Kaemon shook his head. She was already asking questions as if he’d brought home his betrothed.

“Well…” Melina twirled a lock of her hair nervously. “I was attacked in the woods and Kaemon found me.”

Aife’s face fell. “Oh gods, girl, I am so sorry. I say the most oafish things.”

Melina shook her head. “No, not at all! It’s perfectly fine.”

Aife’s gaze skittered to Kaemon’s only briefly, clearly trying to read the situation better now.

“She’s staying with me until she can get back on her feet,” Kaemon offered.

Aife nodded. “So, you two are just… friends?”

“Yes,” they both replied too hastily.

“Very well, I can see that is true, clear as day.” Her tone implied the opposite, and Kaemon gritted his teeth. “I’ll come by again, but I have to work now.”

They nodded and Aife left to continue serving as they ate. The lunch rush slowed down and Jorah finally came over, bringing two mugs of beer and, seeing that Melina had barely touched hers, he took the other to drink.

“I’m Jorah. What’s your name, girl?”

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