Chapter Nine
Rain sleeted against the windows as Art slumped in a chair at Kymbal’s kitchen table, wrapped in a blanket which burned against his damaged skin, but he snuggled into nonetheless. His host’s blonde wife, Melissa, bustled from cabinet to refrigerator to stove, preparing the first real food Art had seen in…how long?
Melissa obviously had dozens of questions, but just as obviously had decided to put them off until she had seen to the needs of her unexpected guest. Art smiled at her when she set stew, bread, and cheese before him. “Thank you,” he said, and she nodded in return.
Though his mouth watered at the savoury odour, he waited until Kymbal and Lorn were also served before taking his first spoonful of the stew—and then it was all he could do to keep from gulping it down.
