The honesty came out before he meant it to. He let the truth stand without taking it back. Aiona approached them with a coil of rope in her hands." Fence held through the night. No animals crossed." She paused, watching Elias closely.
"You think someone will come this way?" Elias answered carefully, aware that truth and reassurance had to be balanced. Tracks farther out were old, but riders move through this land when they know people are alone. He looked directly at her." You're not alone now." Aiona didn't react openly, but something in her face eased. One of the questions that had lingered, whether Elias saw this place as a temporary shelter or a place he needed to guard, settled into a clear understanding.
He wasn't planning to leave until he knew the land was truly safe. They worked through the morning together. Elias reinforced the northern posts, teaching Nielli how to angle the nails so the wood wouldn't split again under rain. Aiona repaired the railings along the corral with steady precision. As they worked, Elias explained his methods with simple, direct guidance, giving the sisters skills they could use long after he was gone, even though a part of him wondered if he would stay longer than he expected.
Later, they gathered near the creek. The sisters noticed how Elias always kept his back toward the open field, positioning himself to watch the land while they worked. He wasn't paranoid. He was trained by years of hardship to notice patterns before danger surfaced. One of the unspoken concerns from earlier chapters.
The nature of Elias's past mistake grew clearer when Nielli, curious but gentle, asked, "Is that why you wake so hard?" Something from before. Elias took a long breath. He didn't want to expose everything, but he didn't want them guessing wrong either. There was a night someone came into a camp while I slept. I shot before I understood who it was.
His voice stayed steady, but the memory tightened the muscles in his throat. I learned to keep people close so nothing like that happens again. Aiona absorbed the explanation with quiet respect. Nielli, moved by the weight he carried, said softly,""We didn't mean it." "I still did it," Elias replied. He didn't offer excuses.
He never had. The sisters didn't press further. Understanding was enough. By late afternoon, the three of them walked the full length of the property, checking for loose rails, broken branches, or signs of riders. The land felt different now, not just guarded, but shared.
The sisters spoke more freely around Elias, asking small questions, offering small smiles. Elias responded with the simplest expressions, but each one carried more openness than before. When the sun lowered and the temperature dropped, they returned to the cabin. The air inside felt familiar, no longer tense or uncertain. The arrangement for the night fell into place without discussion.
They knew where each would sleep, how close and why. The purpose wasn't questioned now. It had become part of how they protected one another. As the fire settled into a low glow, Elias sat near the wall again, scanning the room with a softer gaze. This place, these women, and the silence they shared.