“Tell me the truth about how you feel and I will let you go,” Edric said quietly, pressing her tightly against his chest. Slowly she ceased the fight, sinking into his embrace. “I have a right to know if you have lied to me, Neomi. In succumbing to you, I have put myself and my people in danger. The least you can do is tell me if I have been a fool to think you might actually care for me the way I do you.”
He cared about her? Of course he did! Why else would he have risked his life – twice – to save hers? It was like the story he told her about Callum and Aiva. The Captain was said to love his wife more than life itself. But Aiva had reciprocated those feelings. She’d sacrificed her own safety in return for Callum’s selflessness. Neomi didn’t feel as if she’d done anything to deserve Edric’s affection in that way. But she wanted to. Somehow she desired to be worthy of the adoration she saw in his eyes when he looked at her. The problem was finding the words to tell him. Vocalizing such things was unheard of among her people.
Shaking from the strain which racked her senses, she hesitantly let her arms lift, sliding her hands around Edric’s waist, hoping to help warm his shivering skin. From where her head lay against his chest she listened to the steady rhythm of his heart, beating faster at the feeling of her arms around him. “I am not proficient in expression.” She wasn’t sure what else to say. It should come as no surprise to Edric that she lacked the ability to say what she felt. “Tell me what you want me to say. If you do not, then I can only hope you will be able to decipher my actions well enough to determine how I feel.”
“I worry that I am already reading too deeply into your actions,” he sighed. “Are you trying to tell me it was not a lie? Am I lying to myself to think this?”
“My body does not lie to you.” Tilting her head up she gave in to the urge she felt to look him in the eye. It felt right to face him when she spoke. To see the expression on his face when she told him the truth. “I do not know how to react. When I came to you last evening, I was not prepared for… this. Even now, I am not sure what is appropriate for me to do or say. What do your women do after sharing such intimacy?”
“Stay.”
It was a simple statement. One that carried with it significant weight given their current situation. It had nothing to do with a lack of desire to remain with him. The issue laid in all the reasons why she couldn’t. “What if they cannot?”
“Then the woman gives the man her assurances of a time when they will see one another again.”
“You know I cannot make a promise like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it is not allowed,” she replied simply, drawing in a sharp breath. Her mind reeled in direct contradiction to her words. Ideas floated through her mind of ways a second meeting could be arranged, plotting out the details with an intricacy that was almost frightening. Did she really intend to do this? Would it even work? Don’t be foolish. She couldn’t promise him anything. They were already prepared to return to Nahedu. Their days and nights together were limited. Once they were on the path to the Komoa village, their sleeping arrangements would be compromised, similar to the way they had been on the way to Isavo. There were limited tents. Edric would no doubt be in the company of Callum and Gadiel while she would be forced to endure Sahra’s companionship again. How would she even face that woman?
“Please,” Edric whispered, his voice no more than a breath, soft and warm over her ear. “I must see you again. There has to be a way.”
Oh, damn him and his Vor’shai charm! She was beginning to wonder if there was anything this man wasn’t capable of convincing her to do while holding her the way he did. His lips against the skin of her neck sent a chill through her spine. Breathing heavily she tried to clear her mind. He needed to stop. If he didn’t let her go, she was never going to leave.
She couldn’t push him away. Instead she felt her muscles relax, seeming to melt at his kiss. Maybe morning has not come yet. I could spare a few more minutes… No. What was she thinking? She didn’t need to see the sky to know that the sun would already be brightening the horizon. They were running out of time. Moinie would be looking for her soon and it was only a matter of moments before the Captain would come to seek Edric out. Still, she let her hands slide tighter around Edric’s waist, clinging to him in the darkness of the room. Caught up in the moment she brought her mouth to his, their passion building, burning in each other’s arms, hanging onto the other as if the world would end if they let go.
Coherent thought was impossible. For that brief time she could think of nothing but Edric, knowing she had to leave him but unwilling to do so. It was insanity, the way the ideas flooded her mind. She contemplated running away with him. Leaving the others behind to fight the Avaern without them and sneak off into what was left of the night to find somewhere they could be together forever. Think rationally. Her people needed her. Edric’s people needed him. They had to find a way to destroy the Avaern before they could ever experience peace, even if they managed to escape the disapproving eyes of their families.
Finally managing to catch her breath she pulled away, staring at Edric, the internal struggle she fought no doubt visible in her eyes with the way he returned her agonized gaze. “I will see you again,” she nodded, unable to fight the desire. She wasn’t sure how they would do it. All she knew was that she had to see him. “When nighttime falls, excuse yourself from the company of your friends. I will find a way to get us away from the camp where no one will see. We will not have long. The others will become suspicious and seek us out.”
“Length of time does not matter. We can discuss then what we will do once we reach Nahedu. There must be a way to convince your father to let you continue working with me.”
“I will not be able to convince anyone of anything if I do not leave now,” she huffed. They were pressing their luck. Grabbing her coat from the ground she moved toward the door, aware of Edric’s body remaining close, following her every step. “Remember what I said. You must be alone come nightfall.”
“I will be,” Edric nodded, his arms reaching for her one last time. Afraid of losing her nerve she placed the palm of her hand against his chest, staring up at him in desperation.
“Please,” she breathed. “Until tonight.”
In her rush to get away from him she hurried through the door, realizing her mistake as she stumbled out into the cold morning air. A brisk breeze blew across her skin, reminding her to put on her coat, fumbling over the clasps to make sure it was secured in place. Cognizant of her exposure to the open village she let her eyes scan the area, fearful of who she might find hiding in the shadows. She took a single step forward, gasping in surprise at Callum’s glowing umber eyes locked on her, staring hard through the darkness, the accusation she saw in their depths elevating the guilt she felt to an unbearable level. He knows.
She couldn’t face him. There was no way to know how long he’d been standing there. Either way, it was enough for him to know that she had come from inside Edric’s quarters. She couldn’t convince him that he was mistaken about her whereabouts. He saw her exit, arranging her coat, clearly having been far more comfortable in Edric’s company than was acceptable.
The pain in her chest was excruciating. Her heart pounded, filled with fear and anxiety over what Callum might do or say at having discovered the secret of her visit. Under normal circumstances she might have been able to feign calm for the sake of maintaining an image of strength in Callum’s company. There were just too many things working against her. The thoughts in her head were too scrambled, lacking cohesion, preventing her from stringing together an intelligible sentence to articulate an explanation for her presence. Averting her eyes she ran past him, praying he wouldn’t follow. She needed to get away and back to her quarters before Moinie found her gone. If Callum and Moinie both learned of her misdeeds, there would be no hope in seeing Edric the coming night. The Vor’shai were more reasonable. Sensitive to emotions. Callum could be swayed to grant the meeting if necess
ary. Moinie would not.
Reaching the village center, it became obvious that something was going on, occurring without her knowledge due to the distraction of the night. Ovatai warriors slept in the remains of the Isavo streets, their numbers large enough to indicate the presence of a more prominent leader than a mere search party would bring. The question was who. Onuric wouldn’t have come unless he believed there to be an issue with the Vor’shai. The Chief was too busy dealing with the intricacies of the situation to have wasted his time traveling back to the scene of the last battle.
Ewei. It had to be him. But why? He had been directed not to come there. This mission was her responsibility. Fists clenched at her sides she began to move toward her hut, pausing in sudden dismay. She couldn’t be seen by him. Not yet. She wasn’t composed and he would be more observant than Moinie. His senses were impeccable. There were details which would incriminate her that she had no way to conceal if faced with Ewei in her current state. She needed to find a way to dull Edric’s scent from her body. Mere contact with him alone would leave traces of their time together. The length of time in his company would only serve to intensify the evidence.
If Ewei was there, Moinie wouldn’t be far off. The two would entertain one another long enough for Neomi to think of a cover. She could go for a hunt. The excitement of the previous day’s incident with the Ythes had caused them to overlook dinner. Her stomach rumbled hungrily. It would be a perfect opportunity to conceal the truth of her whereabouts throughout the night and replace Edric’s scent with that of some wild beast they could prepare for the men when they awoke.
“Neomi.”
She shuddered reflexively at the sound of Ewei’s voice. This was a punishment. She must have angered the gods by going to Edric. They were finding ways to torment her at every turn. First Callum and now this? Forgive me, Sarhik. She’d never begged the gods for anything before, but now she pleaded with them for leniency. There was enough turmoil in Ethrysta with the presence of the Avaern. Why would the gods find it productive to torture her at a time like this? “Ewei,” she replied, turning toward his voice with an air of confidence, impressed by her own skill at concealing her true timidity. “I thought you were staying in Nahedu. My father made it quite clear that the research in Isavo was my duty.”
Her stomach churned to see him coming toward her from the hut she’d claimed as her quarters upon first arriving to Isavo. He’d been waiting for her. Aware of her absence. Instinctively she took a step backward. There was too much risk. She needed to distract him.
“Onuric did not trust the Vor’shai men. He gave orders to follow in your tracks in case something went awry.”
“If you were so close behind us in travel, why have you arrived so late?”
“We suffered an unusual attack on our way… why do you distance yourself from me?”
Startled by the question Neomi realized she was still on the defensive, maintaining her efforts to prevent Ewei from getting too close. Stop being so foolish. She was making her unease too noticeable. “I am not distancing myself,” she lied. “My warriors were attacked by Ythes yesterday. We have not had anything to eat in nearly two days. I was out hunting when I thought it wise to return and check on my people before continuing my search for food.”
“Hunting?” he mused, a scornful smirk playing across his lips. “What exactly were you hunting on that side of the village?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I was not hunting in the village,” she scoffed. Frustrated and angered by Ewei’s questioning she tried to recover her composure. As long as he was outside she could try to make her way back to her quarters. It would be improper for him to follow her in. She could use that as her escape until she was better prepared to deal with him. “I thought I heard something coming from one of the abandoned homes. Investigation leads me to believe the female Vor’shai must have been entertaining one of the soldiers. Everything seems to be in order, which is why I would like to enjoy a few moments of peace before it is time for us to set off toward Nahedu.”
“I have not heard anything and I have been standing outside your door for hours. Surely if a noise disrupted the village, I would have noticed.”
“Perhaps you were too far away. I only heard it when I was on my way back from the hunt, which is why I ventured there to check.” Desperate to be out of Ewei’s view she shifted her steps, arcing around him toward her hut to avoid getting too close. This was not the place for him to imply accusations at her. They were in front of Ewei’s men. It would be out of line for them to bear witness to Ewei’s churlish behavior toward her. “You and I can speak once the others have awoken and we can arrange a proper meeting. Until then, I recommend you take some time to consider what you are saying and who you are speaking to. We may be miles from Nahedu, but I am still the daughter of your Chief, so mind your tongue before I cut it from your mouth.”
It was the perfect opportunity to make her exit. Shoulders back, chin tilted upward defiantly, she pushed through the curtain leading into her hut. A look of obvious dismay contorted her features to find Moinie seated at the table near the center of the room, the sound of Ewei’s persistent steps following her through the door. How dare he be so imprudent! She didn’t care what rank he held amongst the Ovatai army. He was not in a position which granted him such freedom with her.
“I have found your missing charge,” Ewei announced, coming to stand stiffly by the door, his eyes staring disapprovingly at Neomi. “Seems she had wandered over by the Vor’shai quarters.”
“I told you, Ewei. I heard a noise on my way back to camp and went there to make sure it was not another ambush by the Ythes.”
“And I don’t believe you.” With long strides Ewei moved away from the entrance to stand in front of Neomi, forcing her to step backward to keep his outstretched hand from touching her. What was the matter with him? Had he completely lost his mind? Did he forget who she was? “Moinie told me about her concerns with you and the Vor’shai. Shall I tell you what my suspicions are regarding your absence from your quarters this morning?”
“You what?” Neomi’s eyes narrowed at Moinie. Her friend rose quickly from the table at the sight of Ewei’s swift approach toward Neomi, her expression revealing evident uncertainty at his strange behavior.
“Remember your place, Ewei,” Moinie said sternly. “Distance yourself from her this instant.”
“I will not! She reeks of those foreigners. Do you not smell it?” Ewei pushed forward, grabbing Neomi’s wrist. She winced reflexively at his tight grip, feeling her body yanked forward under his strong hold, staring up at him in disgust. It was impossible to feel fear at discovery when her entire being was filled with absolute hatred toward this man. “Is this how you honor Mevuk?” he continued, spittle flying from his lips in his rage. “Did you even think about him while crawling into bed with those imbeciles? Those sorry excuses for warriors…”
“You are not worthy to speak Mevuk’s name!”
“I am more worthy than you are! I will not have my Chief ’s daughter tainted by foreign scum.”
Anger rose to the point that she could feel herself shaking uncontrollably. It was all she could do to keep from striking him. He was out of line. And Moinie! How could she have said anything to him? She knew the repercussions it would have! “How dare you?” she spat. “You accuse me of crimes you have no basis for. I told you where I was yet you continue to call me a liar. Have you forgotten your place? I could have you killed for this affront.”
“No basis?” Gruffly he pulled Neomi against him, leaning forward to sniff at her neck. Repulsed by the action Neomi tried to break free, locked in place by Ewei’s strong grip. Without moving his head he lingered over her neck, a low growl emanating from his throat. “The Vor’shai are nothing but fodder in this battle. Worthless creatures that are more expendable than our own warriors. We did not bring them here so you could be their personal whore!”
Unable to contain it any longer, Neomi wound back her free arm, a crisp sm
ack echoing through the room as the palm of her hand connected with Ewei’s face. His reaction time was incredible. Her assault had barely completed before the back of Ewei’s hand impacted Neomi’s cheek, a sharp pain shooting through the side of her face and into her eye from the force he exerted. His unbreakable hold prevented her from falling to the ground, leaving her with no give to ease the strike. Instead her body was rocked in his grasp, held firm while he brought his hand back again.
She hardly felt the second blow, her muscles already moving, sweeping her arm down to retrieve the knife kept inside her boot. In a fluid motion she brought it to Ewei’s neck, pure rage and adrenaline giving her the strength necessary to push him backward, slamming him against the wall with extraordinary force, a strange pleasure filling her at the sound of his breath being knocked from his chest.
“Neomi, stop!” Moinie shouted, scrambling from her position near the table. In a rush she came to Neomi’s side, grasping futilely at Neomi’s fingers in attempts to pry the knife from her hand.
Neomi couldn’t hear her. Rage consumed every corner of her mind, teeth gritted, eyes narrowed, staring Ewei down, her head swimming with all the ways she wanted to tear this man limb from limb for laying a hand on her. “You are a disgrace to our people. A traitor! If you ever touch me again, by the grace of Sarhik I will slit your throat. Do you hear me?” Pressing the knife tighter against his neck she shook him violently, repeating her final words for emphasis in demand of an answer. “Do you hear me?”
Under the strength of her hold Ewei choked. She allowed little leeway for him to speak but she didn’t care. He deserved so much worse! “I hear you,” he replied, his voice cracking under the strain. Satisfied with the response Neomi eased her grip, giving Moinie the opening she needed to pull the two apart.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 45