[This post is from Cameron’s point of view.]
Even though the mirth was short-lived, it was good to hear, like a balm on his soul. Cameron reached up to pat her hand, shaking his head slightly. “I was only half kidding, you know.”
“Oh, I’m well aware.” Lara smiled before she withdrew her hand, tucking it back into the pocket of her jeans. “Though I do hope more positive ones notice you rather than the alternative.”
“That would be a change,” Cameron said, then blew out a quiet breath. “That would definitely be a change.” He looked at her for a long moment. “Anything you want me to tell them? Anything you need from us next time I come?”
“So that means you’ll be coming back, I take it?”
Cameron choked on a laugh. “As long as they let me. If it’s not me, it’ll be someone else—I don’t know who.”
It’ll probably be me. I’m not sure if anyone else is as comfortable on horseback short of Phelan, Thordin, or Seamus, and it strikes me that they’ll stick a bit closer to home—just a hunch, but I feel like it’s a good one.
One corner of her mouth curved upward in a smirk. “You assume we want you to come back.”
“If you want to cut off contact, I’m sure we’d respect it, though we both know how hard that might end up being. We’re in pretty close proximity to each other.”
Lara nudged him, shaking her head. “I’m just teasing you, but you already knew that. We’ll take anything you’re willing to part with—food would be best, but I can understand how that might end up being dear. If something hits us here, we may come to you if you’ll have us, just the same as we’d take any of your people who might want to leave.”
“I doubt anything else will come after you,” Cameron said.
“Key words being anything else,” Lara said, then sighed. “I don’t know, Cameron. There’s not many of us and we’re not very fortified. We survive by being small and staying unnoticed. I don’t know how long that will last.”
“Well, hopefully we’ll be distracting enough to keep you and your people safe,” he said, reaching over to squeeze her shoulder. “I’ll pass along the message. Who knows, maybe we can arrange it so the Hunt checks in on you on their way through.”
“That would be strange,” Lara said, “though I don’t think it would be bad. Thank you.”
“Of course,” Cameron murmured, then smiled a little. “Anything for friends, right?”
She nodded. “Right.”
Make friends where you can and keep them.
Indeed. Cameron will (hopefully) be good at that on everyone else’s behalf.
Let’s hope. Otherwise, I get the feeling they won’t stand much a chance. No way such an easy target will be left alone…