Oh, my dear. My love.
Could bards lie?
Well, even if bards couldn't, she knew Jack could. But maybe he could only lie to detail things.
Thorgil rolled over, cursing. Her head ached. They were currently in the dungeons of Einar Adder-Tooth. She was to be his bride. There were a million other things she could worry about—productive, relevant things.
Oh, my dear. My love.
She remembered Jack's face—grimy and twisted with worry, a chunk of brown hair flopping over it. His eyes, gray as rain, had been wide open in panic. And his eyes were never open all the way. Ever since Elfland, his eyes had remained half-closed as he studied the earth and the land. But when he looked at her—when she was in danger—they opened.
Why?
Her mind, sharp and logical under her still-present desire to die in battle, knew the answer. The same reason he'd blushed when he'd seen her ride up to Adder-Tooth's hall. The same reason that she saw his knuckles clench when the idea of her marrying Adder-Tooth was first breached.
She sat up, swaying a little, and looked at him. Sleeping, he was—well. He'd given her some sidelong glances, but he'd changed too. He'd grown taller and more muscular, and instead of sprawled out on the floor, as a farmer's brat would be, he was leaning against the wall, eyes closed, brow furrowed even in sleep.
Suddenly, the world around her began to sway. She grabbed at the wall, but it faded out of reach. She tumbled onto Jack's lap, asleep.
Jack woke with a start, his head pounding and his vision out of focus. Thorgil, for some reason, was sprawled across his legs.
Not quite knowing what he was doing, he lifted her upper body into his lap. She deserved a softer resting place—and the floor was quite hard.
He leaned forward, his face knocking into hers. She stirred, but didn't wake. "Sleep well, my dear. My love." His eyelids fluttered closed, and he was asleep as well.
And though in the morning they would wake to fighting and embarrassment, to yet another foe to defeat, to Thorgil claiming once again that she would never marry, in their sleep, they both smiled.