“Where is Nettle?” Snow asked, the young woman would at least detail what was going on around her.

“She was sent ahead with your belongings to ready everything for you,” Tarass said. “I won’t be long, and don’t dare move away from that tree.”

Snow wasn’t fearful, not with the swarm of warriors around her and Tarass himself. She was more curious of what was happening. What was it that Tarass needed to see for himself? After a few minutes, her impatience got the best of her. Thaw’s did too, since he’d moved away from her leg to sniff around, which meant he was bored with sitting.

“Shall we go find Tarass, Thaw?” she asked in a playful tone she often used when asking if he wanted to go for a walk.

Thaw barked in agreement.

“Find Tarass,” she said and Thaw barked, then took the hem of her shift in his mouth and led the way.

Tarass stared at the pool of blood in the snow, the light snowflakes vanishing as soon they touched the blood.

“It’s odd, my lord,” the young warrior said, his eyes also fixed on the blood.

“Aye, Dolan, it is,” Tarass agreed.

“That much blood in one spot and not a trace of it anywhere else. No drag marks. Nothing. It makes one wonder if the blood rose up through the soil, but that would make no sense.” Dolan shook his head. “Not a good omen, my lord.”

“What’s not a good omen?” Snow asked as she approached Tarass.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, turning around. “I told you to stay by the tree.”

“I got curious,” she admitted.

“So you disobeyed me.”

“Forgive me, my lord, but we’ve been married only a couple of hours, so I’m not used to being a dutiful wife yet,” she said with a soft smile and dramatically pressed her hand to her chest as if it was a heartfelt apology.

Tarass leaned his face down near hers. “I’d watch that flippant tongue of yours, wife.”

“My tongue often has a mind of its own.”

“Then control it or else.” He hurried his finger to her lips to stop her from speaking. “And don’t ask me or else what. You don’t want to know.” His cheek brushed hers as he lifted his head and though he didn’t show it, the touch of her smooth cold cheek sent a warm shiver through him that stirred his loins. Damn, but he had missed her.

“The omen?” she asked and though she couldn’t see Tarass, she sensed he shook his head.

“Nothing for you to worry about,” Tarass said and caught Thaw inching closer to the pool of blood. “Get away from that, Thaw!”

“Away from what?” Snow asked about to step forward.