Read Online Look Before You Bake by Cassie Wright - Free Book Online
Authors: Cassie Wright
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see the faint pinpricks of stars appearing overhead.
"Why do you live alone, Arthur?" The question escapes my mouth before I can stop it.
He doesn't answer right away. Instead, he prods and pokes at the fire a little, doing things that cause the flames to leap higher. "I had a reason, once." His voice is quiet, pensive. "And there's a completely new reason for it now. But to be honest, it's mostly because of habit. I've grown used to being alone."
"What was your reason? The old one?" I feel nervous at prying. But something tells me I'm allowed.
Arthur frowns gently. "I had my heart broken. The woman I had hoped to mate with proved untrue. With, of all people, my best friend."
"Your best friend?" My eyes go wide. "That's awful."
Arthur smiles ruefully. "I thought so too. She'd promised to be my mate. I was going to be the leader of our – group – and as all future leaders must do, I went on a vision quest. It took me far away, right up into Canada. When I finally returned, it was to find my best friend the self-appointed leader, and married to Selune. He'd declared that I must have died, and taken the position without going on the quest."
I listen, spellbound. I don't understand half of what he's saying. Vision quest? Mates? But I don't want to interrupt.
"Many urged me to challenge Rorsk and become the rightful leader. But my heart was broken. I was young. Idealistic. Seeing Selune by Rorsk's side was too much. So I cursed my people for having allowed him to become their leader, cursed Selune for being fickle, and cursed Rorsk for his evil. I swore to never return, and since then, I have lived alone, up here in the mountains."
It's like a story of old, a legend or myth. Curses, exile, betrayal. I feel like I shouldn't believe him, but I do. Absolutely. It's in the slow, sad way he tells his tale, undercut by his bitter smile.
Arthur rouses himself. "But that was many years ago. The pain has faded. I no longer feel that anger. Rorsk wasn't a monster, he was just young and ambitious. Selune wasn't a whore, she had simply done what she thought was best for herself and her future children. And my people? There are leaders for a reason. I should have led them, not abandoned them."
"Why don't you go back, then?" My voice is small.
A slow, rolling shrug is his response. "As I said, I've grown used to being alone. Used to the silence. The simplicity. Or so I tell myself." He frowns and tosses his branch into the fire. "But to be honest, maybe I don't deserve to go back. That was my moment of truth. When I returned. My moment to be a leader, and I failed. I ran away. While I may have forgiven Rorsk and Selune, I don't think I could live under their rule. But by what right would I challenge him now, so many years later? No. That life is an old one, and no longer mine."
I shiver a little and nod. I don't know what to say, so I stay quiet. I want to ask what his new reason is for living alone, but I feel like I've pried enough for now. That, and the water's boiling, so I go to my pack and pull out the two cases of ravioli. "I didn't make these," I warn. "They're store bought. But they were so expensive they better be amazing, and, like, one serving is over three thousand calories, so they'll give us plenty of energy tomorrow."
Arthur laughs. "I'm sure they're great."
I dump them both into the pot, give them a stir, and sit back down. I've got two jars of homemade tomato sauce in my pack that I know will elevate the ravioli to my culinary standards.
"What about you, Anita?" His eyes flash in that strange way as he turns to me, like a cat's. "Why is a beautiful woman like yourself still single?"
"Beautiful? Me?" I laugh. "Hardly. You've been out here in the wilds too long."
Arthur frowns. "How so? You are beautiful."
I blush furiously, glad of the dark, and stare fixedly at the fire. "You're a gentleman for being so polite about it. I'm happy with my body, but I know I'm not 'beautiful'. I am who I am, and that's fine
"Why do you live alone, Arthur?" The question escapes my mouth before I can stop it.
He doesn't answer right away. Instead, he prods and pokes at the fire a little, doing things that cause the flames to leap higher. "I had a reason, once." His voice is quiet, pensive. "And there's a completely new reason for it now. But to be honest, it's mostly because of habit. I've grown used to being alone."
"What was your reason? The old one?" I feel nervous at prying. But something tells me I'm allowed.
Arthur frowns gently. "I had my heart broken. The woman I had hoped to mate with proved untrue. With, of all people, my best friend."
"Your best friend?" My eyes go wide. "That's awful."
Arthur smiles ruefully. "I thought so too. She'd promised to be my mate. I was going to be the leader of our – group – and as all future leaders must do, I went on a vision quest. It took me far away, right up into Canada. When I finally returned, it was to find my best friend the self-appointed leader, and married to Selune. He'd declared that I must have died, and taken the position without going on the quest."
I listen, spellbound. I don't understand half of what he's saying. Vision quest? Mates? But I don't want to interrupt.
"Many urged me to challenge Rorsk and become the rightful leader. But my heart was broken. I was young. Idealistic. Seeing Selune by Rorsk's side was too much. So I cursed my people for having allowed him to become their leader, cursed Selune for being fickle, and cursed Rorsk for his evil. I swore to never return, and since then, I have lived alone, up here in the mountains."
It's like a story of old, a legend or myth. Curses, exile, betrayal. I feel like I shouldn't believe him, but I do. Absolutely. It's in the slow, sad way he tells his tale, undercut by his bitter smile.
Arthur rouses himself. "But that was many years ago. The pain has faded. I no longer feel that anger. Rorsk wasn't a monster, he was just young and ambitious. Selune wasn't a whore, she had simply done what she thought was best for herself and her future children. And my people? There are leaders for a reason. I should have led them, not abandoned them."
"Why don't you go back, then?" My voice is small.
A slow, rolling shrug is his response. "As I said, I've grown used to being alone. Used to the silence. The simplicity. Or so I tell myself." He frowns and tosses his branch into the fire. "But to be honest, maybe I don't deserve to go back. That was my moment of truth. When I returned. My moment to be a leader, and I failed. I ran away. While I may have forgiven Rorsk and Selune, I don't think I could live under their rule. But by what right would I challenge him now, so many years later? No. That life is an old one, and no longer mine."
I shiver a little and nod. I don't know what to say, so I stay quiet. I want to ask what his new reason is for living alone, but I feel like I've pried enough for now. That, and the water's boiling, so I go to my pack and pull out the two cases of ravioli. "I didn't make these," I warn. "They're store bought. But they were so expensive they better be amazing, and, like, one serving is over three thousand calories, so they'll give us plenty of energy tomorrow."
Arthur laughs. "I'm sure they're great."
I dump them both into the pot, give them a stir, and sit back down. I've got two jars of homemade tomato sauce in my pack that I know will elevate the ravioli to my culinary standards.
"What about you, Anita?" His eyes flash in that strange way as he turns to me, like a cat's. "Why is a beautiful woman like yourself still single?"
"Beautiful? Me?" I laugh. "Hardly. You've been out here in the wilds too long."
Arthur frowns. "How so? You are beautiful."
I blush furiously, glad of the dark, and stare fixedly at the fire. "You're a gentleman for being so polite about it. I'm happy with my body, but I know I'm not 'beautiful'. I am who I am, and that's fine
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