Page 50 of Somewhere down the Ley Line
Isolde smiled as well. “Thank you. For everything,” she replied. “Farewell.”
The elder inclined her head. Then she stepped back, and Isolde mounted her horse.
Their small group rode off into the forest in single file, Leif leading them onto narrow game trails. The morning air was cool and smelled of earth and pine, and though Felix had spent enough time in forests by now to find little novelty in them, he couldn’t deny the day was fine.
Leif led the group, with Luella and Garren behind, then Isolde, and Felix making up the rear. He didn’t like how pale Isolde still was, but at least they were on their way north again.
19
Clear the air
In the following days, Isolde had little chance to speak with Felix alone. Their argument in the Crovan village weighed heavily on her, and her outburst at him heavier still. He never brought it up and did not act any differently, but the whole business with Beorn and Asara and then the mercenaries and Leif’s injury had disrupted something between them. Something small, and maybe foolish on her part, butsomething.
Getting to know Leif made up for some of it. He was endlessly curious, and they spent hours discussing plants and animals – which he knew far more about than she did – or history and astronomy, which she had him beat at. She didn’t need to measure her words or worry about ranting about a subject for too long with Leif, because he ranted for even longer than she did.
Leif was not a welcome friend to only her, either. He changed the entire dynamic of their group far more than Isolde had expected. A constant stream of talk overtook their rides and evenings. No amount of Luella’s pointed sighs, Garren’s grunts, or Felix’s increasingly creative huffs could dissuade Leif from telling stories, asking personal questions, and sharing terrible jokes at any opportunity. It added a lightness that Isolde had not realised was missing before. Suddenly, casualconversations at the campfire were more common than not. Even Felix seemed to enjoy Leif’s company, though he still mostly kept to himself.
One evening, they set up their camp in a small clearing. Luella had left to scout their perimeter, and Garren retreated to his tent to get some sleep before his watch. Isolde sat by the fire with Leif, engaged in an animated discussion about tracking different forest animals, when she caught sight of Felix approaching the firelight. She paused mid-sentence, blinking at him in surprise as he dropped onto the grass beside them.
“Felix!” Leif said happily. “Is there still anything to do for the horses or tents?”
Felix shook his head. “Everything is done.”
Isolde eyed him. He looked almost relaxed. Maybe being on the move again was agreeing with him?
“We should play a game!” Leif declared. “A game of questions! Whoever doesn’t want to answer the question has to take a drink!” He produced a bottle of Crovan mead with a wide grin.
“I’m in,” Felix said.
“You’rein?”she echoed, incredulous.
“Of course,” Felix said. “The mead is good.”
“Excellent!” Leif exclaimed. “What about the fair lady?”
“I… yes, alright,” she said, her eyes leaping from Leif to the bottle then to Felix.
“Perfect!” Leif jumped up, rummaging through their gear until he unearthed three mismatched cups. He poured generously, handed them out, and plopped back down by the fire, grinning. “Let’s start easy. What’s your favourite colour? Mine’s green!”
“Blue,” Felix said casually as he took a sip of his mead.
“You can’t answer the questionanddrink!” Leif protested.
“Why not?” Felix grinned. “It’s better that way.”
“I think purple,” Isolde said, “but sometimes red, or brown… I don’t really know. Does that mean I have to drink?”
“Only if you don’t want to answer,” said Leif. “Your turn next!”
“Oh! Umm…” She thought for a moment, glancing at Felix. He was eyeing her over the rim of his cup. “What is your favourite childhood memory? Mine is sneaking books and cookies into the garden and hiding from my governess in the greenhouse.” She smiled as she recalled it.
“Good question,” Leif said. “Let me think… My father teaching me how to hunt! What is a governess?”
Isolde launched into a lecture on the child-rearing practices of the nobility. She only half noticed Felix did not answer, but quietly took a long drink instead.
“Your turn, Felix,” Leif said when she finished talking.
Felix grinned at Leif. “What is the most reckless thing you have ever done?”
