Nielli crouched beside her, worry tightening her features. Elias knelt beside the mare and inspected the leg carefully." It's not deep," he said." But it'll fester if we leave it." He cleaned the wound with water warmed on the stove, wrapped it with clean cloth, and showed Nielli how to keep it dry. Her relief was immediate, her gratitude earnest.
I didn't know how to handle it alone, she said quietly. You won't have to, Elias answered. This answered another question that had lingered from earlier chapters. What place did Elias have in this small family forming between them? It became clear in small scenes like this, not as a guest or a passing traveler, but as someone who belonged in the daily struggles of the homestead.
Aiona watched them from a short distance, seeing the ease with which Nielli followed Elias's guidance. She didn't interfere. Instead, she accepted how naturally he fit into their lives. Later, they repaired the water barrels together. Aiona held the frames steady while Elias replaced the damaged rings.
Nielli fetched tools, working in quiet coordination with him. Throughout the day, Elias explained why these repairs mattered if riders came, how water, horses, and secure storage could be the difference between surviving a raid or losing everything. It wasn't fear-mongering. It was preparation spoken with the authority of someone who had lived through too many close calls. In the afternoon, the faint smell of smoke drifted through the breeze.
Not from the cabin. This scent came from farther out, somewhere near the distant ridge. Elias lifted his head sharply, his hand instinctively lowering toward his belt. Aiona and Nielli froze, following his gaze." Someone's making camp," Elias said quietly.
"Too far to see from here, but close enough to be watching." Nielli's voice trembled." How long before they come?" Elias studied the haze in the distance." They're testing patience. Could be tomorrow. Could be the next day." He looked at both sisters.
We'll be ready. Dinner that night was simple. The mood in the cabin was quiet but steady. Nielli tried to hide her fear, but the tension in her shoulders exposed it. Elias sat closer to her, not touching, but close enough that she felt grounded by his presence.
Aiona noticed and placed a reassuring hand on her sister's knee. Another unanswered curiosity, the balance between fear and trust, found its resolution as the sisters shifted around Elias without hesitation. They no longer questioned why he stayed close. His presence didn't just protect them, it steadied them. When they prepared their bed rolls, the arrangement felt different than the nights before.