Wandering through the remains of the village Neomi tried to think of where the Ythes might have kept records or journals. So much of the land had been destroyed. If Emakai’s documents were inside one of the homes lost to the Avaern, it was possible they might never learn of the secrets kept by the ancient tribesmen. Information which might drastically alter the battle they faced.
The morning was spent gathering bodies of fallen warriors to find a place for them to rest in peace. A mass grave in memory of the lives lost to the greed of the Ythes. She found herself wondering if the Avaern would have awakened had it not been for Emakai and his deluded sense of importance. Then again, if the Ythes had done their job all those years ago when charged with killing the Avaern, there would have been no threat of history repeating itself. But they wouldn’t make the same mistake again. The Ythes would be dealt with as enemies instead of allies. Chief Okivra would never trust them to assist the way their ancestors once did.
By mid-afternoon the wind had picked up, bringing with it a steady flurry of snow. Neomi could sense the discomfort of the Vor’shai. The weather was beyond what their bodies were accustomed to, fighting against the cold, yet they said nothing of the inconvenience. She admired that quality in them. After Onuric’s negative statements regarding their numerous faults she expected them to be nothing more than whiney children requiring constant supervision. Since leaving Nahedu her opinion had shifted drastically. Their Captain was intelligent. A part of her wished to see him take on one of the Ovatai warriors in a test of martial prowess but now was hardly the time for frivolous games. Maybe if they won this seemingly impossible battle they could arrange a friendly competition. Even the Prince appeared to know his way around military strategy well enough. He remained close to Callum and Gadiel throughout the day, their heads constantly together in deep discussion over every detail they uncovered in the village. Other than a stock of weapons and ammunition for their bows, their search had revealed nothing of use. Neomi was beginning to wonder if their return to this place had been a waste of time.
Periodically the Vor’shai woman made her way to where Neomi and Moinie surveyed the damage to the land, attempting to strike up conversation, quickly turned away each time. Neomi had no desire to speak with that woman. She was a nuisance. Surreptitious in her mannerisms. Neomi couldn’t help feeling that there was something more behind Sahra’s desire to befriend them than she was letting on. Her comments were too direct. Too obvious in her compliments toward the Ovatai. Neomi was no fool. She didn’t trust Sahra any more than she did the Ythes who skulked in the shadows somewhere outside the village.
Her mind occasionally drifted back to the scene she observed the night before. She wasn’t sure what Sahra had been doing with Edric. Another attempt at seduction? There was no reason for the two of them to be alone in the middle of the night. But there had been something more to it. She’d sensed immense unease in Edric’s eyes. He was angry about something. Neomi smirked in silent appreciation of his harsh dismissal toward Sahra. It served her right. She couldn’t help wondering if the warnings she provided in regards to that woman had helped him in predicting Sahra’s advances. The only thing which nagged at the back of her mind was the expression on his face when he noticed her watching them. Had there been a flash of anger toward her as well? His usual calm had been distorted. The distance between them may have interfered with her ability to read him properly. He had no reason to be angry with her. She wasn’t the one throwing herself at him.
Shaking her head she tried to push the images aside. What did it matter? None of it was important to the task at hand. She needed to find something. Anything that could be taken back to Nahedu. If she returned empty-handed, Onuric would never believe that there had simply been nothing there. He would assume she merely failed to notice, or had been distracted by the Vor’shai. Onuric would blame their allies. For the sake of everyone, she had to find what they were looking for.
“Moinie, you will stay here and begin an investigation of the fallen homes in case something is buried under the rubble,” she stated calmly, nodding definitively to her friend. “I am going to find a way down into the chasm. There may be clues in its depths to indicate what might have sparked the Avaern’s arousal.”
Moinie looked up from where she worked to dig through the debris, eyes narrowed in discontent. “You shouldn’t go down there alone,” she frowned. “The Ythes might have taken shelter there. It is deep enough to remain out of view if the Avaern returns. I’m not convinced this village is as deserted as we think.”
“What would you have me do? Our men are still gathering the dead. They should not be bothered.”
“Then find one of the Vor’shai. That annoying woman, perhaps. Or their Captain. He is the only one of the men whom I approve of you going anywhere near. His mind is focused. You would be safe with him.”
Confused by her friend’s suggestion Neomi peered at her through the blowing snow. The Vor’shai? Moinie was against them from the start. Why did she now approve of their involvement in anything? “Do you hear yourself ?” she asked, unable to hold back the question. “What has their Captain done which makes you so confident in his ability to be of any use to us?”
“I have been watching him,” Moinie replied simply. “His eyes do not stray the way the others do. He is quick and surprisingly skilled with a bow. The night you and their Prince were attacked by the Boeikath, the Captain retrieved his weapon and shot the creature dead before I could draw my arrow. I may disapprove of their presence in Ethrysta but I do not overlook actions which are deserving of notice.”
“And what of the Prince? He displayed exceptional bravery that night as well.”
Moinie’s hands released their hold on the debris, stiffening at the mention of Edric. To Neomi’s surprise she showed no indication of her usual aversion to the name. Instead she looked puzzled, squinting at Neomi through the falling snow. “What is your fascination with him?” she inquired, straightening her back as she rose to her feet. “You tell me that you have no interest in him yet your behavior says otherwise. Therefore, I cannot trust him based on sheer principle. Your preoccupation with that man makes him a threat, not only out of concern for what he will do to you, but for what you might allow him to do out of naïve curiosity.”
“Don’t be foolish,” Neomi retorted, glancing uncomfortably toward the location where the Vor’shai men toiled over one of the fallen homes. They were wrapped in their own conversation, oblivious to the words being spoken between her and Moinie. Good. She didn’t need them becoming aware of Moinie’s ridiculous fears. “How many times must I tell you it isn’t so before you will believe me? My interest in him is purely strategic.”
“Is it?” Moinie’s eyes narrowed, challenging Neomi with her gaze. “If you truly believe that then you are more callow than I thought.”
Taken aback by her friend’s words Neomi stared at her, incredulous. How could she claim that Neomi wasn’t aware of her own feelings; her own emotions? It was presumptuous. Uncalled for. “Do not accuse me of being blind to my own feelings,” she snapped. “I have survived for nearly a century on this planet. I am perfectly capable of understanding my own thoughts.”
Aware of the close proximity between them and the Vor’shai men, Moinie reached out to grab Neomi’s arm, pulling her away, concealing them behind the cover of a half-collapsed building. The action was unexpected. Neomi was unprepared to struggle against her, following reluctantly into the shadows. “Neomi, I am trying to help you,” Moinie stated calmly, the condescension that had been evident in her tone earlier now having completely vanished, replaced with an uncharacteristic gentility. “I am not accusing you of blindness. I suspect you suffer from denial. The loss of your husband has left you vulnerable. You know the precariousness of your situation among our people. I cannot blame you for seeking comfort in distraction with these men; all I can do is advise you to be careful. It isn’t wise to get so close to a foreigner. Can you imagine the reaction our people woul
d have if the daughter of their Chief was found to be involved with the son of the Vor’shai Queen?”
“I have no intention of becoming involved with Edric. You worry yourself over nothing,” she hissed in response, jerking her arm forcefully from Moinie’s hand. This was embarrassing. Why was everyone so convinced that she was going to throw herself at that man? Did they have such little faith in her?
But what if Moinie was right? A tiny voice at the back of her mind chimed like a bell to her consciousness, pushing the possibility to the surface. The man drove her absolutely insane when he was around. If she was going to take an interest in one of the Vor’shai, he would have to be comparable to the bravest of Ovatai warriors. So far none of the ally troops had proven themselves to that extent.
“Listen to yourself,” Moinie urged, reaching for Neomi’s hand once again to draw her closer, deeper into the concealment of their hiding place. “There have been signs of your interest since you first laid eyes on him in Tanispa. He is a strange man. Different from those you are accustomed to. His uniqueness in comparison to the others is enough to make him stand out from the rest and that is not taking into account the way the Vor’shai men are raised to speak with women. They are brought up to treat their ladies as if they are somehow different from the men. Placed on a pedestal. You are young, Neomi. A single century is not enough to harden you to these behaviors.”
“You think I am falling for his Vor’shai charm?” A smirk passed over her lips, unable to resist. It was humorous to consider herself being swept off her feet by someone like Edric. He was so clueless. How could Moinie possibly think he was a danger?
Moinie pursed her lips, the solemnity of her expression enough to erase the smile from Neomi’s face. “I don’t think, Neomi. I know,” she said simply. “You have made it clear to those around you, even if you do not notice it yourself. I think you have even drawn the ire of their woman.
“Sahra?” Neomi laughed. This was getting more convoluted by the minute. “You should not concern yourself with that woman, Moinie. I am no more worried about her feelings toward me than I am Edric’s. She is a pitiful excuse for a woman. My only hope is that he will see through her games and not give her what she wants.”
“Because you want him for yourself.”
Mouth agape Neomi stared at her friend, confounded by the accusations. She didn’t know what to say. Of all the claims Moinie had made over the past few days, this was by far the most direct. There was no concealing her meaning anymore. “I beg your pardon?” she breathed, too confused to say anything else.
A sympathetic expression softened Moinie’s usually stern features, the glow of her eyes dimmed in the afternoon light. “It is the reason you inquired about Sahra’s feelings toward him. Although you may have convinced yourself that the stunt with the perfume was a test of his character, I saw the curiosity in your eyes when you sprayed the oil on your skin. You hoped to draw his attention. What you might not realize is that I don’t think you needed the fragrance to accomplish that. And I don’t think you have been honest with me about what happened between you two that night.”
Closing her eyes Neomi tried to focus on what Moinie was saying. It couldn’t be true. If her motives had been so devious in nature, she would have known. At the same time she couldn’t push away that tiny voice. Perhaps there was some semblance of truth to what her friend alleged. There had been a part of her that was curious about Edric’s reaction to the perfume. Not that she expected him to take note of it, but she remembered feeling somewhat giddy when he commented on the fragrance, recognizing it instantly upon getting near enough for the scent to invade his senses.
Other details began to race through her mind, sending her into a mild panic at the realization that Moinie could be closer to the truth than she was comfortable with. Her heart beat wildly at the memory of Edric’s hand brushing the skin of her face while they were tucked away in their icy shelter, hidden from the Boeikath and the watchful eyes of the others. His touch was gentle. Unlike anything she’d felt during her marriage with Mevuk. It wasn’t common for men to show such affection to their wives. In turn, she shouldn’t desire to experience it. It wasn’t right.
A shudder passed through her spine. She couldn’t deny the tingling in her body when her lips met with Edric’s. For two days now she’d tried to forget it. To push the memory from her mind. Somehow it continued to float to the front of her thoughts, haunting her with the desire that came with it, wanting to feel his mouth against hers again. His warm embrace holding her against his smooth skin. No. She couldn’t think about such things. This was exactly what Moinie was afraid of. How was she supposed to assure her friend that it wasn’t a concern when she was beginning to share in the fear? “What do I do?” she whispered, not intending to speak the words out loud. Something had to be done if she had any hope of preventing this silly infatuation from going further than it already had.
“You need to do whatever it takes to get the thoughts out of your head,” Moinie replied simply. Satisfied with Neomi’s concession she released her hold on her arm, nodding to her, the gesture proud and definitive.
Neomi’s eyes opened wide at her friend’s suggestion, afraid of what her implication might be. “Whatever it takes?” she questioned. “That leaves far too much open to consideration.”
“Within reason,” Moinie added, her frown deepening. “If you are intrigued by his company then perhaps it is justifiable for you to indulge yourself in a single conversation with him… to help quell the desire. Nothing more. During that time you can let it be known that the games must end. He will understand. He won’t have a choice.”
She couldn’t believe what Moinie was suggesting. All her talk of distrust and now she was willing to give her approval for Neomi to be alone with Edric? A single conversation. What would they discuss? It would be awkward to approach him after the way she’d pushed him away. And in the end it would be for nothing. The simple fact that she couldn’t be near him increased her desire to do so. She would have to come up with a better plan. Something that would help ease her propensity toward him.
At the moment she viewed Moinie’s idea as an opportunity to begin the process. It would require more than a single conversation to persuade her mind to let this go. This was merely her chance to take advantage of her friend’s clemency toward Edric and steal a moment with him. “Are you giving your approval to seek him out as accompaniment into the chasm?”
Moinie’s confidence faltered. It didn’t require words for Neomi to sense her discomfort. “I’m not sure that would be wise,” she hesitated.
“Oh?” Neomi challenged. She wasn’t going to give up so easily. “Would you consider it more appropriate if I dragged him off alone in the middle of the night? If you ask me, I think this is the perfect time. We will be focused on the task we came here to perform. There is less to worry about if we are busy doing other things.”
“Dragging him off in the middle of the night is strictly forbidden. I fail to find humor in the jest, if that was your intention,” Moinie frowned. “If it is your wish to utilize this time with him, I suppose I could allow it. But know that I will not be far. Maintain proper distance and remember what we discussed. This is your one chance to get these foolish thoughts out of your head. After today I do not want to have this conversation again. Understood?”
“Of course,” she nodded, trying desperately to conceal the smile which tugged at the corners of her mouth. It worked. She expected it to take more effort to wear Moinie down into submission, though she found it amusing that her friend believed she had any control over what Neomi did. Dragging him off in the middle of the night was forbidden? As if she had the right to tell her what she could and couldn’t do. Now wasn’t the time to point out the flaw. She had a chance to speak with Edric without having to worry about Moinie lecturing her afterwards. It would be foolish to pass it up. “Keep the men occupied. They cannot become aware of what we have discussed in regards to the Vor’shai or word may still ge
t back to Onuric and cause unnecessary trouble.”
“Very well. Now go. It is my preference that you get this over with quickly so I no longer have need to worry.”
Not giving Moinie a chance to change her mind Neomi turned away, stepping out from behind the ruined structure, her eyes immediately searching the area for the Vor’shai men. She was on a mission. Edric would accompany her into the chasm. She didn’t care what she had to do in order to make it happen.
Near one of the far buildings which remained mostly intact she caught sight of Edric, his figure unmistakable, the heavy fabric of his cloak billowing behind him in the strong wind. His hands clasped at the edges of his hood in a desperate attempt to keep it from falling away from his face, squinting into the snow. Neomi took a step forward, pausing at the realization that Edric wasn’t alone. Another figure stood in front of him, slightly shorter, more feminine in design. Long strands of chestnut hair were tossed about by the breeze from under a thick hood, the woman’s graceful hands brushing it away to stare up at Edric through the white haze of the weather. Sahra. What was she up to? And why was Edric granting her his company? After the scene she witnessed the night before, it seemed strange that he would allow her near him.
Was she jealous? It was difficult to pinpoint what that emotion would feel like. She’d never experienced it before and if that was what she felt now, she didn’t like it. The urge to walk up and push Sahra away from him was far more tempting than it should be. In that moment she detested Sahra for no other reason than her closeness to Edric. It was foolish. What did it matter if Edric talked to that woman? Sahra was an imbecile. He would never fall for her games; and if he did, he wasn’t the man Neomi thought he was.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 39