“I know you’re thirsty. You didn’t drink anything earlier.”
My parched throat was turning drier by the second, but I couldn’t reply. I still couldn’t believe I was going to spend the night with my sworn enemy. Alone.
“Here, the glass is on the table if you want it.” He set it down and poured another for himself, taking a seat.
The fire crackled and spit. Alex studied the glass in his hands, turning it in his fingers, and his eyes moved back to me.
I couldn’t take it. “Remind me again why it’s safer for me to stay with you?”
A grin twitched at his lips. “Unfortunately, those in the king’s immediate company, including the Aegis’, don’t have a very—” he looked to the ceiling for his word “—honorable reputation when it comes to women. No one will suspect your value this way.”
“Oh, so your method of safety is ruining my honorable reputation?”
He folded his fingers together and rested them on the table. “Daria. Anyone that actually knows you knows they’d be better off going after a porcupine.”
He wasn’t smiling. There wasn’t even the hint of one. I glared back at the fire, wishing the night would hurry up and end.
“Sit with me.”
I looked back at him. The muscles in his face were tight but there was a warmth in his eyes that was disarming.
Oh, come on. Quit being so melodramatic. It won’t kill you to sit next to him.
It might. Or I might kill him.
As I hung up my cloak, that little voice kicked it in high gear and I thought only of my parched tongue. I felt Alex’s eyes on my back, waiting to see what I’d do. What I wanted to do was walk right back out that door and take my chances with the strangers. But my dry mouth was screaming so loud that I gave in and made my way over to the table. He was on his feet at once, pulling out my chair.
“Really, this isn’t necessary.”
“I know.”
He stood there, waiting for me to sit. Taking a deep breath, I sat as he pushed in my chair.
“See, that wasn’t so bad.” He seated himself across from me.
“No. There are only a couple of things I can think of that might be worse.”
He looked at me, a single brow arched. “Do me the favor of keeping those to yourself.”
“Done.” I picked up my glass and sniffed.
The liquid was odorless, so I took a cautious sip. It was water, and the most refreshing water I’d tasted in my entire life. In no time, the glass was emptied and I returned the mug to the table. Right next to a fresh roll.
I peered up at Alex.
“I thought you might want this since you didn’t eat earlier.”
I wish he’d stop acting like a gentleman because it only made me angrier. But I was so hungry I shoved the roll into my mouth. As I ate, he turned sideways in his chair and stared at the fire. The angles in his face were sharp in concentration, his eyes fixed in thought. There was a quiet strength to him, like there was nothing in this world he feared. And it was that confidence that made him even more threatening. Which reminded me…
“Um, Alex, I was wondering…”
He seemed apprehensive, but his eyes flickered to me.
“How is it that everyone knows who you are?”
He looked back at the fire. “I’m an Aegis. The Aegis are usually known throughout the realm.”
It sounded like his answer was recited. “But people don’t react the same way to your parents.”
Alex took a sip of his water and then thumbed his glass on the table. I started wondering if the answer to that question had something to do with this apparent reputation of people around the king. And in Alex’s case, he was…better looking than the average male. At least that’s what every other woman in this world thought because they all gawked at him like they’d never seen a man before.
Maybe I didn’t want to know what he was famous for.
“For some reason,” he started, his choice in words careful, “I have—”
“That’s all right.” I didn’t want to hear it. “I don’t need to hear about your female conquests.”
He choked on his laughter and looked at me with a gleam in his eyes. “You think that is why I’m famous?”
I eyed him, unsmiling.
He shook his head. “Please, I know you like to forget we grew up with each other, but I hope you know me better than that.” His eyes bore into mine, the firelight reflecting in them. For some reason, I felt self-conscious.
“I don’t know what I think about you anymore.” I looked away. “Everything I knew about you wasn’t true.”
“You’re right.” His humor was gone. “Everything you knew about my circumstances wasn’t true. But I’m still the same person, and I still find that behavior detestable, like I always have.”
Even though I wanted to argue with his claim about being the same person, I knew he wasn’t lying. Not this time. I could feel his sincerity, but I wanted to believe he was lying. It was easier to be angry if I found fault with him.
“I…have a reputation with my blade. Sword fighting is natural for me. I don’t realize the impact it’s had until I’m recognized by strangers. I thought my skill was average.”
From what I knew of Alex, he was anything but average.
“Oh.”
Silence.
“So did you just let me win?” I asked.
There was a spark in his eyes. “Not always.”
Silence again.
“Nice throw by the way,” Alex said.
Well, I felt ridiculous. As if Alex needed me throwing a mug at some person’s head to “help” him. “By the way, I wasn’t trying to give us away.”
“Daria, I’m sorry.” He stared at his glass. “I was angry but I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. It’s just…since we are Aegis, people naturally assume that a person with us is valuable—especially if we’re away from the castle. And no one can know you’re here.”
His last statement made me think of the conversation we were having with Otis before three madmen showed up.
“What was that man Otis talking about…some secret army?”
Alex took a deep, thoughtful breath, staring past me. “There’s been growing unrest in Gaia for years. Drought and famine. Many blame the king and his lords, accusing them of hoarding all the profits.”
“Profits?”
Alex looked back at me. “Gaians are artisans. Each region is known for different trades. Take Alioth, for example. It’s primarily agricultural because they have the most cultivable land. Lord Commodus’ territory, Orindor, is known for mining…”
I saw where this was going. “The goods are redistributed throughout the realm?”
Alex nodded. “And lately, with all the famine and drought, people are blaming the king, saying he and isn’t fairly distributing produce. The people also believe that their financial compensation is well below what it should be—that the king is abusing his power.”
“Is it true?” I asked.
Alex sighed. “Yes and no. There isn’t as much produce the past few years so the distribution is even less. Still, I don’t believe the king is to blame for it, but he’s not exactly helping. The people are hungry and angry, and he does nothing. We, meaning at least my family and your dad, believe something greater is happening. Greater than we even realize. And after listening to Otis, it sounds like there is someone recruiting people—like those men—for an army. Where they are, we’ve no way of knowing. We’ll have to inform Alaric, and hope he’s heard of something from Lord Commodus.”
“And what about these things happening to some of the outlying villages? Something called gargons?”
Alex was silent for a moment with his thoughts. “That is news to all of us and it’s unsettling if it’s true. The king needs to be warned, if he hasn’t been already.”
“You’ll have to tell him then, Mr. Protector.”
Alex glanced up at me, a funny grin on his face. “Sure thing, p
rincess.”
I grinned back.
See, talking to him didn’t kill you.
Maybe it wasn’t so bad being around him, at least not when there were things to talk about.
But that was the problem. Talking with him reminded me of how we used to talk about everything. All because I’d trusted him. That was before time proved his character, as only time can. And that character proved to be a false one.
Alex stood then, and walked to the armoire in the room, pulling out a few blankets. He moved to the fire, spreading them out on the floor beside it.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I,” he said without looking at me, “am tired and going to bed.”
“On the floor?”
He stopped and glanced up at me. “Well, I’m not sharing the bed with you, and there isn’t the smallest possibility I’d let you sleep on the floor. So, yes, I am.”
Once he finished arranging his blankets, he lay down. He tucked his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. For some reason I couldn’t pull my eyes away from him. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I still searched for the boy I knew, the boy that was hidden in the body of this man. But there was something about this man version I liked, the strength in his face, in his arms…
“Why are you staring at me?” Alex was looking at me.
Shoot. “I just…you don’t look…how you used to.”
If he felt anything his face didn’t show it; he just stared right back with the same stoic expression, and I felt even more uncomfortable. “I’m sure I probably don’t look the same either.”
Just stop talking.
But a grin brightened his face. “Three years hasn’t changed you all that much. And I could never mistake anyone else for you.”
His tone was surprisingly delicate and sensitive. Personal. For a long silent moment we were still, studying one another.
A hardness returned to his features and he looked away and rolled over. “Good night.”
I continued watching him, his chest rising and falling with each breath.
Why was I watching him sleep?
This was a disaster. I’d fallen right back into talking with him, almost how we used to. I’d let down my guard, but it wouldn’t happen again. I couldn’t let him hurt me again.
I glanced towards the mattress and stuffed pillows. My muscles ached to rest on the bed and get lost in the pile of warm blankets. I glanced back at Alex, lying on the hard floor. No, I couldn’t.
I grabbed my cloak, yanked the quilt off the bed, and arranged it on the ground, using my cloak for a pillow. The floor was unforgiving, but I was exhausted. Besides, Alex had been enough of a gentleman. If I let him do any more, it would be impossible to keep finding fault with him.
Warmth on my cheek woke me. Once I pushed my lids open, my eyes rested on a pair of deep green ones hovering close.
“Time to leave.” Alex’s breath tickled my nose.
He held my gaze a moment before walking towards the fireplace and folding the blankets. Blankets we had slept on. Except, I wasn’t wrapped in those blankets. I was on the bed, wrapped in covers.
I sat up. “How did I get here?”
Alex didn’t turn around. “I moved you.”
He stacked the blankets into a pile, and paused, glancing at me sideways. “It’s our last night of relative comfort for a while. Trust me, you’ll hate yourself later knowing you wasted a good bed.” He walked over to the armoire and piled the blankets inside.
“But what about you?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t wake up,” I muttered.
“I can.” Alex turned around to face me. “You were talking a lot, even for you.”
Fire licked at my neck and I felt horrified. When Alex and I were younger, we used to fall asleep in their library all the time. He’d always teased me for talking in my sleep. Only this time, I was nervous about what my subconscious might have said. I already knew it wasn’t on my side. “What did I say?”
Alex’s gaze dropped and he raked a hand through his hair.
Oh, no.
“It was gibberish,” he said.
“Was it that bad?” I almost didn’t want to know.
His eyes met mine as he fought to suppress a grin. “Your subconscious has a…better opinion of me than you.”
I knew it. My cheeks burned as my eyes narrowed.
When I didn’t say anything, Alex made his way to my bed and sat on the edge, careful not to sit too close. His mouth opened, but I felt his hesitation just as he closed his lips. “I think I’ll keep it to myself.”
I stared at him, mortified. “You wouldn’t.”
“I know. It’s not fair.” He glanced away. “But you don’t need to worry. I know none of it’s true.”
He looked back at me then.
I had been about to say, “Well, now you know how it feels,” but I couldn’t. Whether it was the way he was looking at me or something else, I didn’t know. But this morning, the fight in me was gone.
For now.
A firm rapping sounded on the door.
Alex stood and walked to the door as I crawled out of the bed.
Cicero peered in. “We don’t have much time.”
Alex handed me my cloak and pack, and helped me—despite my resistance— sling it over my shoulders. Sonya was waiting for us in the dark, empty hall, her smile wide the moment her eyes found me.
The inn was asleep, the corridors and rooms devoid of life. We exited through the front entrance into the sharp, cold morning. Thick banks of fog obscured the landscape, casting an opaque veil over everything in our path. Remnants of wood smoke lingered, the damp morning air chilled my bones. I pulled the cloak tighter, trying to retain my body heat as we continued around the corner.
Once we reached the stable, Sonya halted before a dark mass. It was a man about the size of a mountain, and, from what I could tell, had the power of one. He loomed above me, solid as a rock, dark skin pulled taut over bulging muscles. There was a supernatural strength to him—one that might have scared the life out of me under any other circumstances. A single leather vest covered his upper body, hanging open, exposing his defined torso. Leather cuffs were strapped around his bulging arms that were folded over his chest, and an enormous sheathed sword hung from his hip—quite possibly as long as I was tall. His black eyes bore down on me so intently, I thought his gaze could probably burn a whole in my head.
“A child? I was expecting someone older and more dignified.” His voice was the lowest bass I’d ever heard. It was difficult distinguishing his words; they all sort of rumbled together.
I straightened my posture, feeling a scowl twist on my face.
“Hmm,” the man growled, examining me without expression. “A young woman. Impetuous. Inflexible. Insecure.”
That was it. I wasn’t sure why every stranger we’d met had some grand expectation of who I was supposed to be, but I was tired of it. Particularly this morning.
“Excuse me.” I stared hard into the eyes of the giant. “But who do you think you are, going around insulting people you don’t even know?”
My companions stiffened, but the man continued to stare, unaffected.
“Master Durus.” He placed a hand over his flat stomach, giving me a slight bow. “If you find the truth about your character insulting, I suggest you change your character, my lady.”
My face burned hot.
“The horses?” Cicero said before I could embarrass them further.
“Follow me.” Master Durus spun around and disappeared into one of the stalls.
Sonya and Cicero both glanced sidelong at me before following him, but Alex didn’t move. He just stood there, studying me with the hint of a grin.
My eyes narrowed. “What are you smirking about?”
He grinned wider, and motioned for me to walk ahead.
I pushed past Alex and marched after the others, feeling Alex’s amusement behi
nd me. The others were whispering around a group of four horses and ceased the moment I entered.
“Please give Stefan our thanks,” Cicero said
“Certainly,” Master Durus replied. “You have the journal?”
“Yes, thank you.” Cicero patted his cloak.
“The roads are clear.” Master Durus nodded at Cicero. “Sonya, Alexander.” Then his eyes settled on me.
I stared at him, waiting for him to say something. Instead, he bowed and vanished into the cold morning air. Cicero didn’t waste another moment.
“There’s one for each of us.” Cicero grabbed the reigns of the black horse he called Nova.
My heart lifted at the prospect of riding horseback. Something familiar, something I could grasp onto—a remnant from my life on Earth. It lessened my feeling of displacement in this strange place.
Cicero led his horse out of the stable, followed by his wife. Sonya had grabbed the reigns of an elegant white one she called Orion. Alex handed me reigns belonging to a beautiful chocolate brown horse with a rich ivory mane and a single patch of white fur along the breadth of his nose.
“Daria, meet Calyx.”
Calyx flicked his tail and fixed his glossy black eyes on me. There was an intelligence in his gaze, much more intelligent than the average horse. Like he was appraising me to see what kind of person I was. Maybe this was what Thad had been referring to—why my dad only rode Gaian horses. But so help me, if Calyx started talking, I would walk.
“Hello, there.” I rubbed my hand along the length of his nose, the fur velvety beneath my fingertips. He whinnied, rubbing his wet nose into my neck and I chuckled. Good, he didn’t talk. I had the distinct impression that we were going to get along just fine.
Alex fastened his pack to the saddle of a black stallion he called Parsec. Relieved, I slipped out of my heavy pack, and strapped it to Calyx. “Thanks for that,” I whispered in his ear.
His ear flickered as his tail whipped through the air again. It really did seem like he could understand me. Once my bag was secured, I hooked my foot through the stirrup and leapt into the saddle.
Gaia's Secret Page 12