Crow shrugged carelessly when Penelope said they shouldn’t talk about the previous night at that moment. “Of course. That’s why I didn’t use your name,” he nudged her teasingly. “That hard-head would have no idea who I was talking about.” Though he was only kidding, he did have a suspicion that William would find it hard to believe that his comrade had slept with a thief. It was a far jump from mere friendliness, after all, and as far as he knew, Penelope was only being kind to their prisoner because she acknowledged the skills he brought to their team. He didn’t have the faintest clue about just how far their relationship had progressed.

When William called them over to get ready to leave, Crow trotted after Penelope, waiting for her to mount their stallion first before he took her hand and climbed up after her. Despite having ridden the animal once before, he still found the experience to be strange. It was interesting how such a large creature was content with allowing humans to ride and guide it without complaint. He leaned back in the saddle, resting his weight on his palms as they began to move again. Horses seemed to be very laidback animals. It was a quality he could appreciate.

As they travelled through the forest, he felt his weariness slowly returning. The gentle swaying of the stallion’s steady gait made it difficult for him to stay alert. He wrapped his arms around Penelope’s waist, leaning contentedly against her back. “Remember when I said I wouldn’t fall asleep on the journey?” he muttered tiredly. “I take it back. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”