2 - Two Years Ago: Storm in the Summer

Two Years Ago - Lana’s POV

‘You can just stay with us,’ Rune shouts over the loud crack of thunder as we race across the courtyard. The water that splashes up from the puddles is warm against my ankles but the heavy rain hurts. Pinging against my face as we run.

I look across at her, her short black hair plastered against her head like a helmet. Her lover, Timian winks back at me. He’s carrying all of our baggage in three bags strapped to his back, and I almost feel sorry for him. But the man’s a giant. I swear he’s related to the men from Boren in the North.

‘Nope!’ I protest with a laugh. I know how little time they get together, I’m not going to share a small room with the pair of them tonight. We’re aiming for the single candle light and the open door for the barracks check in. I skid in across the damp wooden floor with a gasp. Arms spread as I catch my balance.

Rune skids but lands like a cat and Tim had the good sense to slow down and looks almost dignified as he ducks under the doorframe and lifts a hand to greet the desk clerk.

Rune sticks her tongue out of me and I roll my eyes in reply. Out of the rain and the dense summer air, it’s colder.

‘Two rooms,’ she leans over the desk, scratching names into the parchment which records which Knights have used the barracks. Raindrops fall from her hair, spreading over the paperwork as the clerk grimaces. He looks between the three of us before inspecting what she’s scratched out.

‘She’s not a Knight,’ he lifts a finger, accusing as he points at me.

‘I know,’ I reply with a smile. I’m not even pretending to be a Knight.

‘She’s assisting us,’ Rune replies before shaking her head, ‘it’s two rooms, one for me, one for him,’ she jabs Tim with her thumb and the red haired warrior lets out a sign. ‘She’s my guest,’ Rune stares down the clerk as he stands up. It seems to take him forever as he struggles with lifting his weight from the chair. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone move so slowly. Especially no one employed in the army. His movement shout reluctance as he moves to the back cabinet and retrieves two keys. He shuffles back, dropping them on the counter and I lean forward to collect them both.

He glares at me, and I keep smiling in response. Sometimes people just need some extra kindness. He looks past me then, back at Rune.

‘If she causes trouble - it’s on you.’

I can’t ignore the way Rune lifts an eyebrow, looking between me and the desk clerk and I’m struggling not to start laughing. I scan the room numbers, the pencil smeared by the rogue raindrops, rooms 11 and 17, easy enough to remember. But her message to the clerk is clear as we back hastily out of the room and back into the downpour. Do I look like I’m going to cause trouble?

Back outside in the dark, the thunder crashes again and she’s swearing.

‘I can’t read the tags,’ she mutters and passes them to Tim, as though he’d have more luck finding light.

He ducks back into the office, ignoring whatever the clerk mutters at him then returns.

‘Your eleven,’ he tosses the key and the little wooden tag at me. I fumble, struggling to catch it in the dark. It slips in my fingers and drops with a clatter. I ground, fishing it out of the nearest puddle as the rain carries on drenching me. I feel like I’m standing in a waterfall, washed over and over by waves of water. This is getting ridiculous. Lightning strikes not far from the barracks and I hurry after them, shielding my eyes against the stinging torrent as they vanish into the darkness of the block.

I can’t wait to get dry, and changed and damnit - Tim has my bag! I’m halfway down the corridor when I spin back. Running my fingers over the tab of my key. I’m eleven so they must have squelched down to seventeen. I stop at their door, knocking gently. Over the sound of the storm maybe they can’t hear me, because there’s no answer.

I can’t hear them inside either and I knock again, louder. My hair is sticking to the back of my neck. Droplets sliding down my spine and if they’re getting busy, then I want my bag before they get naked. There are some things that a noble daughter doesn’t need to see until she’s married; and I’m determined that I’m not getting married. One of those things is definitely Tim’s naked ass.

They’re not answering and my fist hammers against the wood. This isn’t funny anymore and I step forward to shout through the wood when the door swings open. I’m caught off balance, stumbling forward into the panels and into the arms of a stranger. He’s tall, blocking out any light from the room behind him. His bare arm is warm against my body, pressed against my ribs and under my arm and I can’t breathe. He sets me straight, like I’m some kind of doll and steps back.

I feel like my world has been pulled from under my feet. Is he naked? His chest is bare, smattered with dark hair across the defined muscles. His skin lean and tan and I can’t help but follow the line of hair down, towards where I hope his trousers will be. My mouth is dry, heart in my throat.

‘I’m so sorry!’ I blurt it out and blink, tearing my eyes up to his face. Catching his expression in the flicker of lightning behind me. He doesn’t look angry, he looks amused? Is that the right word? It’s hard to define the expression on his face.

‘I’m just-’ he pauses and I find myself leaning forward, eager to hear what he wants to say ‘just confused as to why you wanted to break my door down?’

He touches his tongue to his teeth and I don’t think I’ve ever imagined something so erotic. What’s wrong with me? I’m a woman who enjoys books and mysteries. I don’t flirt, I stay away from danger and I don’t feel lust. But that’s all I can imagine this is, lust. Burning through my entire being. I have to answer him.

‘Because it’s raining,’ I tell him and I wonder if I’ve ever said anything more stupid. Who is he? I’m so embarrassed, maybe I should just turn and run. Pretend this never happened.

‘It is raining,’ he’s grinning back at me and I could melt. All my nervousness slips away because I made him smile. Okay Lana, I try and get a grip of myself. Say goodnight to handsome stranger, run away. But there’s something disarming and boyish in his smile and I’m rooted to the stop. The thunder rolls again and the lightning flashes but it feels so far away. Outside the world where I stand before him, enthralled.

‘But I don’t know your name, and I didn’t think anyone knew that I was here.’

‘Why would they know you were here?’ I frown, some spark of my usual curiosity fighting through the fog that threatens to take over my entire being. I tilt my head to the side. Is he hiding from someone? I thought only Knights could stay at the Barracks. But I’m not a Knight and I suppose I’m here. But I help the Knights - I’m Knight adjacent. My thoughts are running away with me and I blink. What did he just say?

‘To send me a whore who’d brighten the shit storm of a season I’m having-’

‘T-the wh-’ I can barely speak as he reaches out, touching his fingers to the side of my face. I stare at him, dumbfounded. This dress must be awful, if one man thinks I’m a trouble maker and another thinks I’m a whore. The door clicks shut behind me and I gasp. I’m alone, with a strange man in the dark. I suck in a breath, hands dropping useless to my sides. I have to fix this - I have to tell him who I am before he makes a terrible mistake.

‘Don’t play coy,’ he bends towards me, his nose nudging the edge of my cheek and I whimper. My legs feel like they’re going to crumple as I feel his hot breath against my cold skin.