Chapter 198

Ari held a large, green leaf cupped carefully in his hands. Nestled inside the makeshift bowl were a handful of plump, purple grapes and two citrus fruits. ‘Found these near a little stream,’ he explained. ‘Aleatico grapes. They are used to make sweet dessert wines.’ ‘Thanks.’ Elodie popped a couple of grapes into her mouth and devoured them. Slightly unripe, a bit sour and tangy, but they tasted better than the best wine she’d ever had. Ari began peeling off the thick rind of a citrus fruit. ‘Citron. Has tart flesh, but it’s edible. Its peel is often used in making candies and liqueurs.’ They dined on the fruits. ‘Thanks, Ari. You’re a lifesaver.’ Elodie rubbed her stomach. She knew eating sour food on an empty stomach was going to make her pay for it later, but it was better than eating nothing. Ari extended a hand and helped her up. ‘There are mussels and clams on the beach, I spotted some earlier. We’ll catch them first thing tomorrow morning. And if we can improvise a fishing rod