“What’s wrong?” Snow demanded. “Your laughter ended suddenly. Something is wrong.”
She might be blind but Tarass had learned quickly that she was astute to her surroundings. He didn’t for once think to keep it from her, not after the ordeal she’d been through.
He returned to her side and rested his hand on her arm. “It’s a dead body.”
Shock turned her silent. Though only briefly. “Who?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to remove the snow to reveal anymore of him and leave him vulnerable to the animals until I can get some men out here to dig him out.”
She nodded. “That would be wise.”
Though, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was the man who had grabbed her. If so, that would mean he had not waited around to make another attempt to grab her. Why then had he tried in the first place? Had she misunderstood his actions? Had he been trying to help her? She’d never know if it was him, since she couldn’t identify the man.
“Give me a moment to leave a marker so he can be found when I return for him,” Tarass said and with a command in his voice, shouted, “Thaw, stay by Snow.”
The pup hurried to her side to sit and lean against her leg.
After a bit of a search, Tarass uncovered a substantial rock. It took some effort to lift and place in front of the dead man’s exposed arm, then he covered the arm with a good amount of snow. He had noticed that Snow tried to follow his movements, not always successfully.
He couldn’t imagine living with such a debilitating affliction. He couldn’t live constantly dependent on someone for the simplest need. It would make him insane. How she managed to remain strong was remarkable.
“All done,” he said as he approached her.
“How far are we from your home?” she asked.
“Not far. There’s a small rise up ahead—”
“And your home sits just beyond,” Snow said excited to discover they were close.
“You remember from your only visit there?”
“I accompanied Sorrell when she visited with Twilla, the old woman who occupied your keep in your absence. Sorrell made sure to stir my memory of different places so I wouldn’t forget what the surrounding area looked like. Though, she did mention that your keep had fallen into disrepair after being abandoned for several years.”
“It has seen much improvement since my return. You’ll see for yourself—” He caught his words to late.
“Hopefully, one day I will,” she said. “We should go. I look forward to food and a warm bed tonight.”
“I will make certain you get both. Stay close,” he said as he walked around her.
Snow turned around and settled what sight she had on the gray shadow in front of her.
“Ready?” Tarass asked.
“Ready and eager,” she said with a light laugh.
“We go,” he said and started walking, marveling at her light humor in a difficult situation.
It wasn’t long before they reached the rise. The slog up it wasn’t easy and Tarass made sure to keep hold of Snow’s arm. He stopped at the top, giving her time for her labored breathing to calm.
“Not far now and it’s a good thing since it’s starting to snow again,” he said. “It’s a light snow but it was a light snow that started this all.”
“We should go,” she said, her breath still labored, and Thaw agreed with a bark.
The distance wasn’t far but the snow on the ground made the trek seem endless.
After a while Snow began to make out other gray shadows and the bigger they grew the more difficult it became to see Tarass.
When he was about to meld with the other shadows, she called out to him, “Tarass!”
His hand was on her arm instantly. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re beginning to blend with gray shadows that draw near.”
“We are almost at the village and the keep is not far away,” he said and his hand moved down along her arm to take her hand. “Hold tight to my hand.”
She closed her hand around his and Thaw gave a bark.
“Keep up, Thaw,” Tarass ordered and the pup grumbled and growled as he followed along.
Snow was surprised when they were met with an endless round of greetings as they entered the village. She thought most of the villagers would be inside, out of the cold.
“Tell me this is your bride and not just a woman to warm your bed for the winter?” a man called out with robust laughter.
Thaw planted himself in front of Snow as soon as Tarass stopped and let out a warning growl as the thick-chested man approached.
“This wisp of an animal will not make much of a meal,” the man said.
Snow gasped, her hand falling away from Tarass to reach down and snatch Thaw up in her arms. “You will not dare touch my pup,” she threatened.