👑Winner in the Firework Awards
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💎2nd place in the Ohanna Awards
💓 Best Cover in the GAwards
💓 Best Cover in the FallenAngelAwards
💍 Highest ranking in historical fiction : nr 67 from 3k9 books on 28th December...
Her cheeks were heated by the time she made it back to the campfire. No doubt that Sokanon had heard her footsteps from a few metres away when Elizabeth pushed away some branches to reveal the warm glow of the fire burning on the ground.
And as she thought; the native woman was standing up and holding her bow ready to shoot if someone would emerge out of the darkness who was an enemy. But as soon as Sokanon laid eyes on Liz, the bow lowered, and the woman glared at her.
"You're too loud," she sneered, making Liz's head snap into the woman her direction.
"You've already stated that a few hours ago," Liz snapped back, sitting down on the ground close by the fire and turning her head away from Sokanon. Hopefully making a statement that she wasn't going to have a discussion this time or even a conversation.
"And I'm going to keep saying it until you're silent in the woods."
Liz closed her eyes and counted to ten in her mind. She was angry and knew herself too well that bursting out towards Sokanon would lead to a fight. Liz felt too tired to have one at this exact moment. Tired, angry and... sad. Or disappointed. Maybe all of them. At this point, Liz felt like she could sleep for days and she wasn't sure when she would want to wake again.
The heavy footsteps of Declan appeared only a few seconds after her counting to ten had ended. Making her eyes open again and seeing his silhouette appear from out of the woods right behind the fire. Liz couldn't see him well and didn't want to either. Instead, she laid down and pulled the fur close to her.
"Sokanon," his voice cleaved through the air and straight through her heart. It made her close her eyes and Liz pulled the fur over her head, "we're heading out by sunset to the Red Claw."
Elizabeth waited for an answer from Sokanon and after a few seconds got what she waited for. Except, she couldn't understand a word Sokanon said because the woman switched to her native language. Whatever they were discussing, the argument got heated fast.
A part of Liz, the stubborn and curious part, wanted to get up to join the argument. To ask to switch to English so at least she could understand. But the other part of her, was still hurt after what happened in the woods earlier that evening.
Instead of getting up, Liz just turned on her other side so that the flames were warming her back. The conversation behind her dried up and she heard some muffled sounds of fur and maybe footsteps. But because of the warmth of the fire and being exhausted by recent events, Liz fell asleep faster then she expected.
--
"How do you think they will react seeing two white people entering their campement," Sokanon's loud voice echoed through the air and reached Liz's ears. It woke her up and the sudden cold hit her in the face when she sat up.
The fire was out, and it was still dark but when she looked up, she could see the Sun struggling to break through the clouds and chase the night away. Sleep was still heavy settled in her mind and it took Liz a moment to fully comprehend what Declan and Sokanon were talking about.
She slowly stood up, her limbs painful from the cold and Liz shook her head to get rid of the drowsiness lingering in her mind. It was the first time she realized her feet ached and her shoes felt too small, but Liz ignored the pain.
"Who is the Red Claw?"
Her voice was hoarse from sleep and even in the duskiness, Liz could see both their heads turned to face her. She frowned when the uncomfortable silence hit her.
"My tribe," Sokanon replied, her voice was calm for once, not angry like as the days before. The native woman her eyes flickered between Liz and Declan. "His tribe," she pointed at Declan with her thumb over her shoulder.
As if that was the only thing Elizabeth needed to know, Sokanon walked away and disappeared into the tree line. As silent as ever and Liz suddenly felt uneasy being alone with Declan Harp.
"Your tribe," she looked towards him, "your wife...?"
"Yes," was the only reply that came but Liz knew enough.
Silence hit her again. Uncomfortable and something deep in her stomach ached. Maybe it was the deafness of the stillness between them after what happened the night before or maybe it was the sound of his voice when he replied to her.
Liz never forgot he lost his wife and child to Benton. But suddenly felt selfish for behaving the way she did last night. A sigh escaped her lips before walking over to him.
"Tell them you've captured Michael and me," she said and earned a look from Declan when she stood still before him. Liz didn't look at him, but her fingers graced his left hand. Something she couldn't help doing and Declan didn't pull away from her. "Tell them you need us for bargaining with Lord Benton."
He surprised her when Declan suddenly moved closer and let his finger wipe away a strand of hair out of her face. Liz looked up at him before she turned her head away from his hand.
"Tell them what you need too," she ended her conversation then by turning on her heels.
They had the same cause; Lord Benton had to go and his captain Chesterfield with him. No matter what happened between Liz and Declan, it didn't have any effect on what they had to do. Although, the sting of rejection still ached in her stomach and it pulled at her heart.
"Elizabeth," her name was whispered, and it made her turn her head slightly.
"Yes?"
"Can I trust you?" Declan asked while looking at the ground.
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It was a simple question, or so it seemed. At first, she thought it was about helping him with Lord Benton but when Declan gently pulled her against him, Liz locked eyes with Harp. He was asking for something far more important then her trust with the Benton problem. Declan Harp was asking her trust for himself...
