Warrior's Last Gift

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Authors: Melissa Mayhue
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Paranormal
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she would spend her life with the man seated next to her.
    Staring up at the star-speckled sky, she felt a sense of peace settle over her. She’d carried out the promise she’d made and now she could get on with her life. She felt free.
    And cold and hungry.
    Eric’s stomach rumbled, and hers echoed its response.
    “I’ve heard tales of special men who take fish from the sea, guided only by the light of the moon.”
    “I’ve heard such tales as well,” Eric acknowledged, tightening his arm around her. “Unfortunately for us, I’m no one of those special men. And with that mist rolling in over the waters, I doubt even Eymer’s Thor could find fish on this night.”
    As Eric said, it looked as though a cloud had descended upon the water’s surface, and not even moonlight penetrated beyond the mist.
    She laid her head against his chest, willing her stomach to silence. It had been so long since she’d eaten that even Eric’s lumpy, tasteless porridge from last night sounded good right now. She was so hungry, in fact, she could swear she smelled food on the breeze.
    “Close yer eyes and try to rest,” he advised. “At first light I’ll find something to fill our bellies; then we’ll return home.”
    Home had such a nice ring to it.
    Her eyelids were heavy, but they refused to stay shut. Tipping her head back a little, she stared up at the moon, following its light down toward the black waters where the cloudy mist had begun to lift. The moon’s light cut a path across the waves and up onto the sandy shore.
    Its trail seemed to lead directly from the water to the place where they rested. The shining pathway glistened and beckoned, like a well-worn road to market, regularly traveled by masses of people. People like the one heading in their direction right now.
    With a start, she jerked upright, unsettling the covers from her shoulders.
    Next to her, Eric came instantly alert. “What is it?”
    She’d thought she was dreaming, but that wasn’t the case.
    “There.” She pointed toward the sea, toward the man who headed their direction. “Someone’s out there.”
    •   •   •
    Eric jumped to his feet and drew his sword. With no place to hide, they were at a disadvantage. He reached down and clasped Jeanne’s hand, pulling her to her feet.
    “Should the need arise, mount up and ride as hard as you can. Dinna you slow and dinna you look back.”
    “And leave you here alone? Oh, I don’t think so. Besides, he’s likely no threat, out here on the shore alone as he is. I’d guess it’s only our fire that draws him to us.”
    Indeed, their fire gave them away like an accusing finger pointing to their location. Having a fire when they were already so exposed had been a tactical error, but he’d had no choice. Either he built the fire or he risked Jeanne succumbing to the cold.
    “Whether or no,” he said, keeping his voice low and in control as he put his body in between Jeanne and the approaching man. “If I give you the word, yer to mount up and ride. I’ll no accept any argument on this point.”
    She shrugged in that annoying way she had when she disagreed with him, but he hadn’t time for further discussion. As the stranger drew closer, Eric’s concern grew. He was a big man—far bigger than most—carrying something large over his shoulder.
    “Oho, travelers!” the stranger called as he soon as he was close enough. “It’s good to find you out here in the wilderness.”
    “Keep yer distance,” Eric called back, holding his sword in front of him. “We’ve nothing here for you. No even any food, so yer best off to just keep moving.”
    “We have a fire, though,” Jeanne piped in. “We’ll gladly share that.”
    “Dammit, woman!” he hissed. “Where’s yer good sense?”
    The man kept coming, his booming laugh echoing around them. “Then it’s an excellent thing that I’ve found you, because I’ve food aplenty to share. And a much better campsite than yer own, too.”
    When

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