Robbergirl

by S T Gibson

  Helvig's heart burned in her chest, and she felt drunk with possibility.

  "It could be dangerous for the three of us out on the road together."

  Gerda smiled. "If you haven’t learned by now that I welcome danger as an old friend, you haven’t learned very much about me."

  -kai!

  Helvig looked up to find a familiar black blur winging towards them from the trees, bands of gold glinting on its feet.

  "Svíčka!" Gerda cried.

  Her crow alighted on her shoulder with a squawk, and she nuzzled its feathery head with her cheek.

  "Tough old girl," Gerda said fondly. "She so hates to be left behind."

  January clapped her hands at the arrival of the crow, trying to shape the word for "bird" with her hooting lips. The Robber King glanced over at the girls, heads close in lover’s talk, and averted his eyes politely.

  Helvig cupped Gerda's face and kissed her like an oath, the sensation spreading through her body with the slow surety of spring thaw. When she pulled away, her eyes shone with delight.

  "I’ll gladly take these things into my consideration. But tonight, we celebrate. For once in my life I’ve got a story better than Rasmus’, one that really happened. And I intend to tell it for all it’s worth with you at my side. That's if you'll deign to be kept for another night more, Miss Sorceress?"

  A warm flush spread across Gerda's cheeks, pink as window box roses.

  "Oh, I think we can manage one night more, at the very least."

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  S.T. Gibson is a poet, author, and village wise woman in training. By day she works for an audiobook publisher in New England and by night she retreats to her home to scribble speculative stories. You can connect with her on Twitter @s_t_gibson or on her website stgibson.com. To receive occasional updates about her new books or flash sales, hop onto her mailing list.

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