by Bekah Clark
My stomach turned, and I almost retched right there. I started to struggle. He cursed and tugged me on. I dug my feet into the ground, but he just dragged me. When I opened my mouth to scream, he clamped his hand down over my lips and held me firmly. In my ear, he whispered, “If you don’t stop bein’ a hassle, I’ll find excitin’ ways to hurt you.”
I quaked, ceased my struggling, and let my body become deadweight. He crouched down and slung me over his shoulder. Fighting against the tears that threatened to consume me, I tried to figure out what I could do. Once I was in that cart, chances were I was never getting away. Taking a deep breath, I quickly twisted my body and shoved my hands against his head. He dropped me, and I scrambled to my feet to run. Grabbing my arm, he slammed me against the wall. My head cracked, and pain shot through me. I glared up at him defiantly and he backhanded me across the cheek. My head turned violently with the force.
“If you don’t unhand my woman, I’ll kill you slowly and painfully,” a growling voice threatened. A voice that sent a thrill of recognition through me. I turned to find Torric standing there. His emerald eyes were on my would-be abductor, promising violence.
My attacker’s eyes went wide and the scent of urine filled the air. He turned tail and ran. Torric tore after him in a flash. Grabbing the man by the back of the neck, he whipped him to the left toward the building and slammed him into it.
“You hit my woman.” Torric’s voice was low and deadly.
“I-I didn’t know she was your woman! I’m sorry!” The man cowered against the wall and sunk to the ground.
Torric raised his fist, and I hurled myself at him. Putting both hands on his chest, I said gently, “Stop. Stop! He’s just a deranged man who thought he’d make a profit.”
His glowering eyes were on the trembling wretch, but slowly they moved to me and softened. His voice almost broke me. “He hit you.”
My heart thumping wildly, I smiled up at him. “That’s what crazy people do. Let him go and take me back to the house. I’m tired, I’m hungry, and I just want to feel safe.”
His glare turning back to the man, Torric gave a jerk of his head. Behind me, I could hear the pounding of his running feet moving away from me. My warrior watched him with a savage gaze for so long, I thought he’d go after him before he turned his gaze down to me. The change in his furious expression was immediate. Such warmth pooled in his eyes that relief flooded through my heart in a wave. Slipping his arm around me, we started back toward the house.
A tremble ran through me as I asked, “How did you find me?”
“Meg had told me you were shopping. I was on my way to find you when an older woman ran up to me. She said she’d seen me with you and asked if I would help you. Then she told me how that man dragged you off and pointed out the way. I’m sorry I was late.”
I smiled up at him. “You were just on time.”
He stopped and looked down at me. From the searching of his eyes, I knew he was taking in the freshly forming bruise on my cheek. Reaching up, I gently stroked his face and warmth flooded my heart. I loved this man so much that my heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. But I held onto it. I was too afraid to tell him. Lightly, he kissed my temple on the opposite side of the bruise. With a frustrated sigh, he slipped his arm around me again and we headed back toward the market. “What are you thinking?”
His eyes held tender affection, laced with gentle amusement as he said to me, “That you know how to get your pretty little ass into trouble.”
I started to giggle as we left the alley and finally entered the market. Cera was waiting by the entrance. I left Torric’s arms to embrace the woman gently. She softly fluffed my hair a moment before drawing back and looking at me. “My dear, can you not heal yourself?”
“Sadly, that’s one thing I can’t do. I do have a salve that I’ll put on it that’ll help it heal a bit faster than normal. Thank you, Cera. If you hadn’t sent Torric my way, there’s no telling what…” I broke off, unable to continue the thought.
“There, there, child. Everything is fine now. Plus, I have your fabric all wrapped up for you.”
“What fabric?” Torric asked.
“Something pretty for a pretty girl. My gift to her for healing Cyn.” With that, she handed me a large bundle that Torric intercepted and carried for me. When we reached the house, Meg rushed out to me and pulled me into her arms. Vonn stepped down off the steps and looked me over. The worry coming from both of them thickened the air.
“How did you know?” Torric asked as Meg ushered me into the home.
Vonn replied, “Lizza came by. I was just on my way to join in the search for her when Meg spotted you from the window. Is she all right?”
I laughed. “She is fine. Just a little bruised.”
He frowned at me. “We can’t let you out of our sight.”
With a grin, I let them guide me into the house, where I was sure the three of them would fuss over me.
Chapter Nineteen
Two days later, with the bruise still bright on my face, we left the village and the warmth of Meg’s hearth. Despite the attack by one disturbed man, I really enjoyed Pheon, and I would miss its spice shop. Leaning back, I inhaled Torric’s scent, which I had come to crave. His arm tightened around me and drew me close to him again. I smiled and let his enticing heat seep into me. Riding in his arms was second nature now. The safety of his warmth surrounded me like a comforting blanket.
The rolling hills were a never-ending canvas of colors, and for the next four days, we rode harder than before. We’d eat the food in the saddlebags for lunch. Torric and Vonn would ride until there was barely enough light to set up a camp. I had a feeling they were making up for time lost because of the healing I’d done that had me down for a few days, not to mention the run-in with the irrational man. Torric hadn’t taken his eyes off me since then, and the last night we had made love before setting off, there was a powerful intensity to him, as if he were branding me as his. A small part of me wondered if he was worried about losing me. There was no way I could explain to him that the only way he was getting rid of me was if he broke this off. Whatever this was.
I cursed my inexperience in relationships with men. Despite being a keen observer of people, when it came to Torric and me, I was at a complete loss. I wanted to broach the subject of my love for him, but each time, ice would shoot through my heart, staying my words with fear. Instead, I clung to my feelings and reveled in the warmth between us for as long as it would last. Because of this, I both longed and feared our arrival at Kingshold.
On the fifth day, by midmorning, I noticed that each time we went down a hill, there was less of a slope than when we had gone up it. Each hill rose higher and higher. Finally, we reached the crest of an especially high hill and paused. The valley was deep. There was a large river rushing down through the green swell of hills. It wound its way through the large valley and straight into the largest city I had ever seen.
Kingshold was nothing like I could have imagined. The large, shiny, black walls loomed around the sprawling city. Buildings of various sizes sprouted up everywhere—and the colors were amazing. Rich reds, greens, blues, yellows, and every other color I could conceive. In the center was a large, black castle. The design was not one I had ever seen or heard of before, an octagon. Each corner of the castle had a guard tower—which could hardly be considered “towers” compared to the massive tower at the castle’s center. It rose so high, I swore it could touch the clouds.
“Kingshold,” Torric said softly in my ear. “Before the war, there was no wall around the city. But when things got bad, we had to build it.”
“It’s magnificent.”
Torric nipped my ear before asking, “You ready?”
“As ready as I can be.”
With that, we picked our way down the hill and into the valley. By late afternoon, we finally stopped in front of the huge gate. I marveled at its scrollwork, a carving of a large dragon, staring down with twin emeral
d eyes. Those eyes caused a shiver to roll through me. A sudden awe stilled my soul as I realized those stones were actual emeralds and not painted rocks. Vonn went to speak with the guard at the gate while I stared up at it in a reverent silence.
“Impressed?”
I laughed. “Intimidated.”
Behind me, his chuckle shook his body. “Well, it is supposed to be daunting, lass.”
When the gate opened, I was thankful that the dragon disappeared from view. We made our way into the city. It was loud with the voices of its people. The air was heavy with the scent of the river, spices, and cooking fish.
As I looked around, I noticed many people gawking at me. My hair was a light auburn now; not much longer and it would be flame-red again. I wondered if they knew what I was. I smiled and stared ahead as I tried to ignore their gaping. The streets were packed, and the horses moved at a slow pace. My eyes sought out the castle, and I wondered if, when I met Donner, I’d still be happy to heal him. Despite the kindness of my new friends, a part of me was leery of people. What if all of it was a lie?
No. As I turned my gaze back to Torric, I knew one thing wasn’t a lie. Without a doubt, Torric cared for me deeply. He would never let something bad happen to me, and as long as I was with him, I was safe. I also felt sure that Torric had not lied to me. Glane was not full of evil, as the gossip of old ladies had led me to believe. Rather, it was full of all types of people, just as Renth was. I had to trust what Torric had told me of Donner.
We finally made it to the castle gates. The scrollwork on this one was a large jungle cat with fierce sapphire eyes—real sapphires, I might add—scanning all those who dared to enter. For some reason, this creature did not make me tremble. In fact, there was something noble in its expression.
These guards knew Torric and Vonn on sight, and the huge gate immediately opened to admit us into a large courtyard. Within the courtyard was a ring of white birch trees. Grass grew in geometric shapes cut into sections by white stone walkways.
“Torric!”
I looked up to see a young woman in red come running down the stairs that clung to one of the walls of the castle. Her hair was long and blonde, and her clingy dress accentuated her svelte body. I was surprised to feel a stab of jealousy. I had never been the jealous type, but this girl inspired it within me. She barely gave me a glance as she beamed up at Torric.
“Well, aren’t you going to kiss me?” she asked eagerly.
I nearly growled in anger. Torric tightened his grip on me and looked down at the girl. His voice held a note of irritation. “Gemma, I’ve never kissed you before, I’m not going to start now.”
She frowned up at him. “You’re no fun at all.” Then, she turned to me. Her blue eyes ran up and down my form, clouded by complete disdain. “Who’s this?”
With pride, Torric said, “This is Zianya, the Healer of Vella. She’s come to save Donner. So mind your manners.”
The annoyance in the girl’s eyes told me she did not intend to do any such thing, but she said sweetly, “Yes.”
Torric swung down from the horse and then reached up to pull me down. He set an arm around my waist, which elicited a hateful glare from Gemma. I decided to ignore it. I grew up with people hating me—what was one more?
As an attendant took care of the horses, Vonn excused himself. I had a feeling he was going off to make a report about Fort Nyte. The three of us took the stairs Gemma had come down and entered into the castle. I gasped at all the green marble covering every square inch of the room. “Is every room like this?”
Sashaying toward the middle of the room, Gemma turned her eyes to me. “Of course not. This is just the secondary entry. The marble here isn’t as fine as the other areas of our home.”
I gritted my teeth and said sweetly, “Thank you.”
On the other hand, Torric didn’t seem happy with her tone. “Gemma…” he said warningly.
“What? It isn’t my fault she’s not refined enough to understand such things.”
I barked out a laugh. Torric turned his eyes to me before he started to laugh as well. He pulled me tightly to him and kissed my brow. I spied Gemma’s caustic gaze heating up with hostility. With her desired effect ruined, she sneered at me. I smiled brightly at her and leaned up to kiss Torric’s cheek lovingly. “I’m tired,” I said with a yawn.
“I’ll show you to your room. It’s close to the servants but very nice. Where the healers used to be stationed.” Her tone led me to believe she thought a healer was no better in her eyes. I pitied any servants that attended to her.
I was about to answer when Torric said gruffly, “She shares my room, and we’re heading there now.”
The shock in her eyes as she gaped at Torric quickly turned to fiery fury when she glowered at me. Once, I would have tried to be sweet. Maybe tried to hide my feelings. When I was in Vella, I had become so used to hiding my thoughts, my emotions. During this trip, I was becoming bolder every day. So instead of trying to ingratiate myself to her, I grinned at her and curled closer to Torric. Not because I wanted her to be jealous, but rather I was staking my claim. Maybe it wasn’t kind, but I felt in my soul that if she had the opportunity, she’d try to take Torric from me.
With Torric drawing me along, we made our way down the hall. Eventually, the green marble gave way to white. As I studied my surroundings, I realized that this place was very old. It was easy to see that at one time, this place probably sparkled and shined, but now it was dull. The tables and the pieces of art I found along the way were in need of a good dusting. I had a feeling there really were not that many servants anymore. “This was built a long time ago?”
Torric grinned down at me “Before the war. From what I know, there used to be a thousand servants here. Now there are barely fifty. Our people went from being farmers and nobles to warriors in order to protect their lands. The many lords and ladies that once roamed these halls are, for the most part, back in their homes, protecting their people with what few spare warriors there are to watch over villages. There are still a few on hand at the court, but they rotate out.”
I didn’t know what to do. I could help Donner, but I couldn’t save a kingdom. I couldn’t go to their front lines because I was one healer. My heart grew heavy. All I wanted was to find some way that I could do something to end this war, but my mind was blank.
Suddenly, Torric pulled us to a stop and he turned me to him. He raised my chin and looked down at me. He kissed my brow before he said, “Stop what you’re doing.”
I arched an eyebrow, “Just what am I doing?”
“Trying to find a way to heal a kingdom,” he said gently. “You’re one woman. You heal our king, and that will help us. Stay here in Glane, and that will help us. We’ll go to Fort Nyte and you can finish teaching Kayla. That will help. Please, my little healer, stop.”
Searching his eyes, I knew he was right. There would always be a part of me that would want to help, but there was only so much that I could do. As that beautiful emerald gaze roamed my face, he must have seen something because he nodded and guided me to a set of stairs. The first set of stairs was fine. I was not thrilled with the second. By the fourth, I was ready to drop.
He must have noticed because he suddenly swept me into his arms as he climbed the last flight. “What is it with stairs?” I grumbled. “I can climb a mountainside, but I’m wheezing from all these stairs. Of course, when I climb the mountainside, I tend to pause and gather plants.”
He laughed. “That’s probably the reason. A few months in here and you’ll be fine.”
I grinned. “Or I’ll be pausing every three flights.” He started down the hall and I said, “I can walk from here.”
He gently bit my ear and I let out a little cry. “No, I’m having a lot of fun carrying you.”
With a quick pace, he continued down the hall, passing a few doors that were widely set apart. Finally, he stopped at a door and opened it up. As I tried to glance inside, he turned so that I was facing the hall
. We slipped inside and he set me down. I moved in and poked around his quarters. They were large. The immediate area I was in was an enormous room with a seating section to the left of the door. To the right was a large table with four chairs. The room was utilitarian, however, with a weapons workbench at the back wall. The furniture was masculine and perfunctory. The floors, walls, and ceilings were all a rich dark-stained wood, and lacked personal touches or embellishments. While well-made furnishings filled the room, I felt it needed something.
“What do you think?” he asked hesitantly, which wasn’t like him. When I glanced up at him, I could tell he was anxious for what I really thought.
“I think it’s very masculine,” I said tactfully.
“Then feel free to add what you’d like.”
My eyes went wide. “Isn’t that…invasive?”
He pulled me close and whispered, “I want you to be comfortable here. Happy.”
I could feel my cheeks flush. “I am happy.”
Wickedness gleamed in his eyes. “Want to see the bedroom?”
Stifling a giggle, I said, “I have a feeling you have an ulterior motive.”
He ran his teeth over my neck, eliciting a shudder that ran through me. “I might.”
“I’d like a bath first, though.”
He licked his lips a moment before he said, “Then let me show you the bathing chamber, my little healer.”
After a bath—and after we splashed water all over in a frantic need to make love—I slept for a long time. When I woke, I was starving. Dressing in a green gown that Torric must have left draped over the back of a chair, I left his bedroom, which was as practical as the rest of the chambers. When I opened the door, my mouth began to water from the luscious smells of exotic foods. My stomach growled loudly, and Torric laughed from a chair close to the bedroom door. There he was watching me with his emerald gaze churning with emotions I couldn’t even begin to fathom. “What are you doing?”