Eira: Banished (Viking Guardians Book 1), стр. 22
He hurried up the path as fast as he dared. But by the time he arrived at the place he’d seen her, she was nowhere to be found. It was as if she had some kind of vanishing power. Cursing his ill luck, he turned around and went home but the day wasn’t entirely wasted. He was certain that she was still alive and living close by and that lifted his spirits. It would be only a matter of time until he found her.
As soon as Halvar had gone, Eira cautiously emerged from the tree trunk she’d been hiding behind. She’d been so sure that no one would find her here. She had even made sure of it by covering her tracks. How had he found her so quickly? She was glad to see that he had survived the fight with Taft. She had been so worried about him. One night she had even crept to the edge of the village, hoping to see him, but a dog had barked and she’d fled back into the forest.
Back in the little hut, Eira looked around her. It was comfortable enough for makeshift living. She’d cleaned away the dust that had gathered since the old woman had died. She’d washed the bedding and the cooking utensils down at the stream. She was happy enough living here. If only she didn’t miss Halvar quite so much. She sighed as darkness fell and she was alone again. Nighttime was the hardest time to be alone, she thought. And dreaming of Halvar wasn’t the same as seeing him.
Halvar couldn't sleep that night. He had seen her! He was certain it was her, even at a distance through the trees. He made up his mind to search for her again tomorrow after he’d finished the work he had to do on the farm. He would be cunning this time. Eira was obviously good at hiding and covering her tracks but he could be even better. So what if it became a game of cat and mouse? He was patient and the day would come when he would find her.
The following morning, Halvar again collected a parcel of food and set out on foot for the forest. When Halvar reached the place where he’d seen her the day before, he stopped and examined the ground closely. His sharp eyes picked up a faint trail leading deeper into the forest. It wasn’t long before he reached a tumbledown little hut. He had vague memories of Heiđr, the Wise Woman, using this as her summer hut up until her death two years ago. But as a man, Heiđr’s business had not concerned him and he had never been to the hut. Was this where Eira had been living? He quickened his pace, hoping to catch her before she saw him and fled.
There was a fire burning in the fire pit outside the hut. An old kettle hung over the fire, boiling some water. It must mean that she was there!
But when he opened the door to the hut, it was empty. There was a half-eaten meal on the table and the bed was neatly made up with old blankets. Bundles of drying herbs hung along the walls. He looked at the roof. It didn’t look too watertight and he wondered if the hut got wet when it rained. He decided that he would wait for her to return.
Eira had been lucky enough to escape before Halvar got to the hut. She had sensed him coming, the excitement in his heart getting to her before he did. She’d left her meal and fled into the forest, hiding inside a nearby tree stump. From the safety of her hiding place, she watched as he walked in and out of the hut, determined to wait for her to return. Her heart skipped a beat when he seemed to look straight at her hiding place, his handsome face a mixture of worry and determination. But he would try to make her go back to the village with him if she allowed him to see her, and there was no way she was going to do that.
"Wait all you want,” she whispered. "I am not coming back to you."
Halvar tended to the fire outside the hut and replaced the boiling water. Eira sensed how badly he was feeling; she felt even worse. She longed to come out of her hiding place and run into his arms but she didn’t dare. She wanted to hear his voice and feel his warm, solid body against hers. But she didn’t dare reveal herself. It would only cause more trouble. Why didn’t he just get the message and leave? Then she could come out of hiding and return to her safe but lonely existence.
Halvar knew by noon that she wasn't coming back to the hut. It was obvious she had seen him approach and had run off into the forest. She was probably half a mile away by now, determined to get as far from him as possible. Finally, as evening approached, he got up and left. He felt tears gathering as he thought of her out here in the forest, completely alone because she thought no one loved her or wanted her to live among them. But someday, he would find her. He wouldn’t give up, especially as winter approached. His concern grew as he thought about her spending the snowy months of winter in that tumbledown hut. Surely, she would freeze or starve to death if he couldn’t find her in time.
After Halvar had gone, Eira waited for some time before she came