Raven's Return - Ruby Dixon Page 0,85

than a little chaotic today, but I don't plan on going in the water. "I feel as if we have barely gotten a chance to speak."

She's not wrong—it feels as if everything's been chaos since she arrived. "That's funny, because your name comes up a lot when everyone else talks to me."

"Oh?" Daisy casts a shrewd look in my direction. "You don't say?"

"Wanna take a guess as to who's brought you up?" I keep my tone friendly but firm.

"Well, hopefully it's A'tam. That poor boy is utterly lost." She shakes her head, red-gold ringlets bouncing on her shoulders. "I've been trying so hard to guide him and Bridget together, but they're determined to be stubborn. I've had to resort to a bit of trickery." She shoots me a mischievous look. "The trick is to not let them know I'm interfering."

Despite my misgivings, I find myself smiling. "I wondered why both of them showed up asking me for advice on how to woo the other person."

Her eyes go wide. "Have you ever met two such bull-headed people? Kef me, they're dreadful." She shivers, hugging the fur close to her, khui blue eyes shining with enthusiasm. "But despite everything, A'tam can think of nothing but Bridget, and Bridget clearly wants him, so I'm trying to help their love blossom."

"I'm not entirely sure it's love," I point out. "You kind of have to have a real conversation with someone you love, and those two are clearly not talking."

"It's love," she states again with a dreamy sigh. "I wish someone thought of me half as much as A'tam does Bridget. But I suppose until then, all I can do is try to push those two together." Her expression is downright wistful. "I do so love seeing people in love." She turns to look at me. "Speaking of, where is your big, strapping young man?"

It's my turn for the wistful sigh. "Hunting. He'll be back soon."

I hope. If it takes much longer, I might start climbing the walls—or worse, go after him.

31

One Week Later

RAVEN

Bridget rolls her hips, the motion neither smooth nor graceful as she sinks low. She turns slowly…and nearly falls over.

I fight back a wince. "You're getting better, I think?"

Bridget just flops onto the floor of the hut and sighs, staring up at the ceiling. "We can both be honest. I am not a dancer. I have the dancing ability of a middle-aged dad."

My lips twitch with amusement. While she's not entirely wrong, she also tries hard. "Don't give up. Some of it is just remembering to be loose with your body. Think fluid. You're still incredibly tense when you dance."

"Because I'm concentrating!"

"Maybe concentrate less and focus on how you feel more?" I sit down and cross my legs in front of me, taking a break since it looks like Bridget's not getting up from the floor anytime soon. "And practice. Practice is the number one thing to remember. And stretching. And being loose."

"That's three things."

I nudge her with my foot. "I said I was a dancer, not a mathematician."

She laughs, and I smile, too. The last week has flown by, at least, with Bridget's company. She makes up excuses every day as to why she needs to hang out around camp instead of gathering herbs or checking traps, and takes turns cooking or sewing or drying meat for storage. When the chores are done for the day, she meets with me in U'dron's hut and we practice dancing. A lot of it is just basic movements and learning to work your body in a sexy manner, but Bridget is absolutely terrible at it. She doesn't give up, though, and has a good sense of humor, and it's become a lot of fun for me to work on the dancing with her.

"Maybe I should have you teach me to twerk," Bridget says thoughtfully.

"I don't have the ass for twerking, and neither do you." I lean over and tap her shoulder. "Sit up. Let's practice some of your floor work, okay? Remember to arch your feet because it makes them look elegant."

The other woman heaves out a huge sigh. "Did I mention my feet are a size ten?"

"Did I mention I don't care? It doesn't mean you can't be sexy." I nudge her again. After getting to know her a little better, I'm starting to see what the problem is between Bridget and A'tam. Bridget can be loud and playful at times, but I suspect it's to cover intense insecurity. She's completely awkward with