Free Brave Men Die: Part 2 by Dan Adams

entered. Carina noted the gleam of sweat on his forehead that he casually wiped off. It ruffled the front of his short hair, pushing it in all directions. His easy grin brought out his dimples under the short whiskers that had grown while in the countryside.
    He casually smiled when he saw her on the bunk and winked. ‘How was your day sweetheart?’
    ‘Don’t call me sweetheart,’ Carina replied coolly.
    She hated how he knew which buttons to push. She pulled her hair back behind her ear and looked away.
    ‘But you hate it when I call you pumpkin.’
    Carina rolled her eyes and shook her head.
    ‘Was the chamber everything you were expecting?’ Rigel asked, ignoring her pained expression.
    ‘I scanned the room. There are plenty of magical objects in there so it was worth coming to this shithole.’
    ‘Know what you want to take yet?’
    Carina wondered why he was so inquisitive today. Rigel wasn’t known for his social skills, and she kind of liked that quiet, reserved attitude he had.
    ‘No, the diggers will give me a list once they have figured out what’s down there. Then I’ll know what the two most valuable artefacts down there are, and that’s what we’ll take.’
    Rigel didn’t bat an eyelid at her suggestion, just moved further inside. Carina was curious why he wasn’t attempting to defy her about this. It was something he would have enjoyed, telling her he would take what he liked no matter how much she insisted.
    Rigel was definitely acting strange.
    ‘Is there anything I should know about your day? Like what you were doing in the woods?’
    ‘A casual stroll. Keeping myself fit. You know, things us warrior types like to keep on top of.’
    He was lying, but he wasn’t giving anything away.
    ‘That would only be the case if you were actually a warrior.’
    ‘There is that.’
    ‘Did you find anything out there?’ Carina pressed.
    ‘That I should seriously reconsider my decision to be your acolyte?’
    He said it with a grin and she knew he wouldn’t ever take his decision back. Carina would never be fazed by his little jeers about that at least.
    Rigel enjoyed the perks; the strength, the speed. She knew it. All the acolytes did, it was a feeling of exuberance. His outward portrayal of hatred was even more of a ruse, a performance for all the onlookers. Carina knew exactly how he felt, not that she ever planned to tell him that. When they'd bonded, his soul was open to her when the magic transferred to him and his feelings had overwhelmed her to an almost shocking extent.
    He was loyal beyond anything she had ever dreamed possible. Rigel would die for her and she wondered if the situation was reversed whether she would do the same for him. She honestly didn’t want to find out. She had her doubts.
    ‘So the thing that killed some of the help?’
    ‘Nothing I can’t handle.’
    ‘So you don’t need my help?’
    ‘I’ll be fine. I’ll take care of it when it comes out to play tonight.’
    Carina smiled and stood up to look him eye to eye, although he still tilted his head to make it possible. She tugged at his belt. ‘That means you’re mine until then.’ And then she kissed him.
    Sunset was hours ago and Rigel was finally strapping his sword belt back on. He spent moments staring at Carina’s sleeping form. Gods she was beautiful, and every moment he was with her it was harder for him to leave. She grunted and rolled, bringing the sheet up to cover her exposed breasts.
    He couldn’t say she was elegant, but she was his, and every little quirk …
    Rigel was hoping that he would get this over with before she even knew he was gone. He hoped even more that he’d just come back to her. The thing out there was fast, brutally strong, and it tore those men apart. Even though he could track it, Rigel knew it could slaughter him if he wasn’t careful.
    He just didn’t want to disappoint her. Dying would totally give her the shits.
    Pulling the tent flap across carefully so as to not