Heart of the Forest (Arwn's Gift Book 1) by Christina Quinn Page A

approached, I waited with bated breath. Lingering in the threshold, my gaze tracked them until I could see their faces. I recognized two of the five. Aneurin and Islwyn grinned at me, but there was a certain sadness in Aneurin’s expression. Islwyn embraced me, placing a quick kiss on my forehead. Aneurin, however, hung back.
    “Here is the most gifted healer in all of Ersland! We’ve brought game, and wine and…strawberries!” Islwyn declared through a peel of laughter. He seemed drunk. “Have you had a strawberry? I don’t think they grow outside of the forest.”
    “No, I haven’t had one before… What brings you here?”
    “Oh nothing. We saved your life, so I insisted on seeing how you fare these days. Since you—unlike your smith friend and his daughter—have nowhere to go and none to look out for you.”
    “Saved my life? How?”
    “Witch hunters, a day’s ride away. Complete with a cart of kindling and an archpriest.” Aneurin’s voice coaxed a shiver from me that had nothing to do with rain or the news.
    “Oh, come in. All of you. I don’t have much in the larder. The crops haven’t been taking too well with the heat.” I opened the door and held it for all five of them. The last had seven rabbit carcasses tied together and slung over his shoulder. Their dead eyes stared at me as I closed and locked the door behind them.
    “We brought dinner and wine. Those sheep-plowing archpriests certainly travel with the finer things.” Islwyn stumbled about. “His whore was a pretty thing too. The sweetest tits I’d ever seen on an Erslander. Almost as sweet as yours. Come here and show them to us, it’s the least you could do. We did save your life after all.” Ignoring Islwyn, I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest.
    “I have three empty rooms you’re welcome to sleep in. And I’ll be more than happy to give you some linen to wrap yourselves in while your clothes dry. But none of you will be seeing my tits tonight.”
    “But there are five of us, and one of you. Math begs to differ.”
    “Islwyn!” Aneurin snapped. Islwyn held up his hands.
    “All right, all right. I’ll stop. It was all in jest. Can’t we joke like old friends?” Islwyn beamed at me. Even with those pretty blond curls rain-slicked to his head he was attractive. For a moment, I looked him over. Were I anyone else…
    “How about I walk to town and get the whore? I trust you have coin?”
    “Oh, beautiful Valentina, my pouch is more than full.” I rolled my eyes. Drunk males were all the same, elven or not, apparently.
    “My home is yours. Feel free to use whatever you find.” I grabbed my thin summer cloak off a hook by the door.
    “I’ll go with you,” Aneurin added quickly, taking a step to follow me. I stared at him for a few moments before nodding.
    We slipped out into the cool rain in silence. The road was muddy and sucked at my feet with every step. Aneurin didn’t seem to have that problem; his steps were sure as always. The quiet ate at me. It had been over a year since I had seen him. Admittedly, the cold reception I got wasn’t what I had expected. From his letters, I half expected him to pull me into his arms the moment he saw me.
    “So, why is Islwyn drunk?”
    “He drank an entire cask of wine by himself this morning because he was sick of carrying it after the horses died.”
    “And…to what do I owe this sudden, unannounced visit after a year?”
    “I was worried about you. They burned your friend in Edaen. After finishing with them, I had to know that you were okay. The rabbit, strawberries, and wine were Islwyn’s idea. I should warn you, though, they’ll expect me to share the whore.”
    “And why would I need a warning about that? It’s not like you’re my lover. You’ve written me a handful of letters over the last year. We’re not bound to one another.” Shrugging, I adjusted my hood. The linen was soaked through.
    “You were the one who wanted to keep us a secret.”
    “You