AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Relax. I’m trying to help you.”
Moments later, her body starts to tremble. “H-hh-hurts,” she stutters.
“Well of course it does,” I gripe as I study the matted hair at her temple. Actually her hair is beautiful as well. It’s a deep black, like onyx or a raven’s wing. Dipping her back, I attempt to rinse the blood away, but panic at the motion has her jerking in my arms and then going limp. Great. She’s fainted. “Bron!”
“Yes, Deve?” he calls.
“Come and help.”
When he appears, I wade toward the edge of the pool. “She’s passed out. Get my shirt ready. You’ll put it over her head and get her arms into the sleeves.” Transferring her legs to straddle my waist, I cradle her with one arm under her ass and the other across her back as I get out.
“Be quick about it,” I scold, when he just gawps at her bruised back. “She’ll lose all the heat she’s gained.” He snaps to it and gets the job done despite the material sticking to her wet skin.
“Can you handle her weight?” I ask as he brings the blanket and folds it around her.
He rolls his eyes so I pass her over. “She doesn’t weigh much, does she?” he comments while I tie the drawstring on my pants and pull on my leather vest. “She hasn’t eaten in a few days,” he informs me, then notices the hem of my shirt is slowly turning red. “Uh, is she bleeding?”
I sigh as I get my boots on. “Your mother didn’t appreciate her son’s murder.”
“Murder,” he scoffs, followed up by, “My mother?”
Not bothering to respond to something so self-explanatory, I hold out my arms for the girl. “Will you leave her in the cells?” he asks, handing her over.
I shake my head. “Run ahead and have a bed placed in the east tower, then go and find Elsy.” The old healer won’t appreciate the early morning wake-up call, but that’s not my problem.
Bron’s relief leaves me weary. It’s been a long night. Arriving back at the stronghold, more people are milling about, but no one dares approach me. They’ll have to content themselves with guessing at who I have in my arms.
Chapter 3
Rina
Ialways figured there would be no pain in the Eternal. But since my entire body still aches, it seems my death has much in common with my life. At least for once I’m not cold. Wanting to burrow further into the warmth, I shift and get hit with what feels like a dagger to my skull.
“My lady? Let me bring you some water.”
I stiffen, suddenly unsure of my surroundings. Cracking an eyelid reveals a dark room lit only by a small fire off to my left.Where am I?A woman comes to the side of the bed holding a wooden cup, and because I have no energy to even question her, I allow her to support my neck and give me water. It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.
When I finish the contents, I don’t protest when she retreats with the cup no matter how much I want to. To my relief, she reappears out of the darkness almost right away. “Now some broth,” she says gently, a long, blond braid hanging over her shoulder. “Elsy says you have to eat or you won’t heal.”
We repeat the process, this time with a bowl that she holds to my mouth. After a swallow, I try to speak. “Who . . . who is Elsy?” My voice is scratchy with disuse.
“Elsy is the healer,” she says, and over the rim of the bowl, I watch her expression become mischievous. “She was most displeased with the deve.”
It dawns on me that I’m not dead at all, but alive and among the barbarians. My sluggish mind wants no part of the realization, so I focus on the young woman. I don’t feel any animosity from her . . . in fact, she seems to exude kindness, something that begins to unravel the ball of nerves in my stomach.
“Who are you?” I ask.
She smiles. “I’m Yvette, my lady.”
Trying to shake my head ignites a bolt of pain, so instead I whisper, “Please don’t call me that. My name is Rina.”
The smile dims slightly, but she nods. “As you wish. Do you need to use the bucket?”
I blink.
“To relieve yourself?”
“Oh.” I’ve never heard of a chamber pot referred to so crudely. “Yes, I do need . . . the bucket.” Before the thought of how much it will hurt to move can overwhelm me, Yvette comes around to the other side of the bed and throws back the covers.
