AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She stills at my touch, her eyes flicking to my hand resting on her. “You think I’m in shock?” When she finally looks up at me, her face is contorted with rage. “I wish I could go back and run your sword through both of the remaining two who still live. I’m offended that their hearts are still beating. That they will get to wake up and go about their lives, threatening and hurting whoever gets in the way of what they want. They should die a thousand deaths. And I will gladly go back and bring that upon them if I could find my way.” Tears are streaming down her face as she finishes.
Her voice turns into a whisper as she says, “What do you make of the girl who wishes death on her enemies? Of the thief that has no problem killing any threat against those she cares for?”
Anyone else might be taken aback by her words, but I find only understanding as I listen. “I think she’s probably afraid, and anger feels easier than fear,” I whisper down to her.
Sobs wrack through her body now. She slumps, the final string of her self-composure snapping underneath her. I reach for her, putting my hand on her other shoulder to steady her. She is shaking, the cooling air and exhaustion finally reaching her.
I stare at her, remembering the look in her eyes as she watched the man lying motionless at my feet. Gone was the thief who brought me to my knees the first night we met. Gone was the woman who defended Prue at the stables, leaving me and two of my best guards bruised and bloody. Gone was the emotionless force of a lone warrior— and in her place was a girl. A girl whose instincts crumbled into the insatiable need to stay alive. A girl who knew the consequences of ending a life.
I know, because in many ways I’m still that boy. I’m still just a child watching his best friend take his last breath. A boy pretending to be Captain, watching as I condemn another to suffer for their crimes.
My head is telling me to leave her be. Give her space to let her emotions roll out and not intervene. Just walk away and let her have her moment. But every thread of my heart wants to console her— to bring her into me.Comfort her. Hold her. Give her somewhere to rest.
I reach out, brushing a tear from her cheek, avoiding her red jaw from where Jaren slapped her. The same hand trails down her arm, pulling her in close as I move my body toward hers. My arms circle around her as I lean in. She lays her head into my chest, tears now spilling out heavier than before.
She is cold against me, and I hold her tighter to transfer the warmth of my body. Her braid has come loose, subtle waves of hair trailing down her back. I run my fingers through the wavy strands, pulling them away from her face and winding them through my hand so they don’t stick to her wet cheeks.
The tremors soon begin to subside, but I keep myself wrapped tightly around her, stroking her arm.
I don’t want to let her go.
30
Ari
Iawakenwhenthefirst residue of dawn spreads through the morning sky.
The grogginess of sleep still clings to me as my senses orient me back into consciousness. Tess’s gifted shirt is soft against my stomach, but my pants are twisted awkwardly, my legs feeling distorted and oddly trapped in their grasp. The smell of soap and leather fills the air around me. Something warm and supportive rests underneath my neck, and its comfort attempts to prolong my tranquil state. For a moment, I follow the urge to succumb to its spell and let myself be lulled back into sleep. But a nagging feeling of unfamiliarity stirs within me, unsettling my peace.
The feeling pulls me awake. The final string of sleep unravels its grip as that warmth pushes against my instinctual unease, and I open my eyes to find two familiar arms enveloping me from behind. Those arms are still wrapped in leather, a few gashes leaving discolored lines across them. A leg, one that doesn’t belong to me, rests next to my own. His breath is hot against my hair, and my neck prickles in response. I lick my lips, looking around at what I can see without moving my head and alerting Captain Montgomery behind me.
His scent, soap and leather and morning rain, mixes with the heat of a rare thread of sunlight ringing through the leaves above. A war rages in my mind. Stay warm in this cool morning air within the arms of the captain, or save my dignity and roll away, immediately? I take a long, deep breath, letting myself have a few more moments of the peace and calm of his strength before I break his hold and sit up, putting a body’s length between us. A shiver runs through me at the cold left in the wake of his body against mine.
I try to access the annoyance I felt for him only days ago, painting a frown on my face as best I can. If we did indeed sleep entwined all night, I can try to at least be irritated by it.
Except— I’m not.
I squint as I replay what happened last night. There was laughing, and crying, and then… his arms around me. Heat flushes across my skin as the details come back to me. I fell apart, completely— had a total meltdown right in front of him. I want to bury my head in the leaves beside me and not face the jabs that are sure to come my way when he awakens.
He stirs before opening his eyes, his groggy gaze landing immediately on me. “Good morning,” he says, rubbing bleary sleep from his eyes.
“Morning,” I choke out, attempting a smile before I remember I’m supposed to be irked.
I do my best to shake it off, busying myself with the current task at hand— my aching stomach. Prue grazes on a small patch of grass, and I’m to her side in five or six long strides. I pull a few slices of dried meat from my saddlebag, thanks to Tess, and an apple. I split the fruit and divvy out the meat.
“Here, Captain.” I hold out my hand with the meager breakfast. His arms are braced against his legs as he sits on the ground, his eyes boring into me as he takes the food. They are questioning, roaming my face for any hint of emotion. I look away, unable to meet his gaze without another flush rising to my cheeks, remembering how he had comforted me— how I hadneededhim in that moment. His arms brushing through my hair. The intimate touch as he wiped away my tears with his thumb.
What must he have been thinking as I broke right in front of him? What must he be thinking now?
“You really can call me Roan.” His eyes search mine as he says it, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. This is the second time he’s asked me to call him by his first name.
My head is ringing. I don’t acknowledge his statement, not sure how to approach him with so many of my mental walls breached. “We need to hurry and get moving. Those men should be awake by now. They will be hunting us down at first chance,” I say, my gaze focused on Prue.
I continue to busy myself, hoping to evade his questioning eyes. Since we didn’t set up camp last night, there’s little to pack up, to my chagrin. I avoid all thoughts of what actually did happen, opting for the easier option of pretending it hadn’t happened at all.
Distraction. That’s all I need. A distraction. I hop on Prue, maneuvering her through the trees while the captain hurries to adjust the saddle still on his horse.
We decide the main road is still unsafe, so we continue traveling through the woods for the day, keeping the river Villar, a northern tributary of the Rashan, in our sights. As long as we follow closely to its banks we will be heading in the right direction, even without the view of the road.
