by Danube Adele
Bruner and Krevier cast me a look that made me shrug defensively. “I’m not a killer. I’m a healer.”
And still it was two more nights before I finally saw Tabron.
I got into bed immediately after the dungeon incident, and couldn’t seem to get warm for a while. Anxiety got the best of me. A long, torturous night of poor sleep led to a noon wake-up with Tayla bringing me food.
This place was so foreign, their culture so medieval, fear for my life was becoming very real. Their ability to dismiss life so easily had me feeling despondent, and I sat staring out the window at nothing for a number of hours feeling overrun with depression. Not even Tarra flouncing in unannounced could convince me to go for a ride. She made me promise to go with her in the morning. To get her to leave, I agreed.
My sleep schedule was all thrown off from napping during the day, so I pulled a chair up to the window and sat in the dark watching the sky, seeing the beauty of the moons. They really were magnificent. An idea came to me, and I grabbed my phone. If I ever got home, wouldn’t it be cool to have proof? I took a picture and was about to get a different angle when I saw movement along the wall of the courtyard.
“Who is that?” I murmured to myself. Using my phone, I tried to zoom in and thought I saw the shape of Tarra carrying something under her arm. What was she doing? I thought about chasing after her, but also worried I’d bring attention to what she was doing and didn’t want to get her in trouble. However, when it was time to ride the next morning, I was ready with my questions.
Showered, breakfasted, and dressed in a culottes-type skirt and blouse, I grabbed my white sneakers and found Sondra was already saddled for me. Tarra looked fresh and pretty in blue-and-white print as she approached.
“I wasn’t sure you were going to come.”
“Cabin fever.” I mounted Sondra and followed Tarra off the grounds of the palace. “Where did you go last night?”
Her head snapped around, and her eyes were wide. She wasn’t good at hiding her reactions. “What do you mean?”
“I couldn’t sleep last night. I saw you sneak out. I was taking a picture of the moons.”
She frowned and faced forward, obviously wondering how much to tell. Then she looked back at me and around, as though making sure no one could hear. “Okay. Listen carefully. Once I say this, you will forget it. Only if you promise this will I tell you.”
“I promise.”
“I work with others to sneak baskets of food to different families every other week or so. I do it in the middle of the night on a night when Draxton’s men are on watch because I know they drink and pass out long before the morning comes.”
It excited me beyond belief to know that someone, even if it wasn’t the king, was trying to take care of the poor souls in the village. “But that’s wonderful! How are you getting the food?”
“I won’t tell you who else is working with me, so don’t ask. Just know that over time, so it isn’t noticeable, I collect goods and fill a basket.”
“The people think of you so unfairly. There is a belief that you are stuck-up and selfish.”
A flush tinged her cheeks. “Well, I have been. And it’s good for them to think that. That way, no one will suspect that I’m doing anything. And I took care of Sayla and her twins last night. Our babies need to be born healthy. Our children need to grow up with healthy bodies and brains.” She smiled. “I want to know I’m helping people, just like you.”
I mirrored her look, relieved that she was doing something. “You are. For sure.”
“No more talk of this, and share this with no one. I can’t risk being found out.”
“Cross my heart,” I promised.
We rode the countryside, enjoying each other’s company. She had many more questions about Earth, and I told her about travels and places and strange foods that had her wrinkling her nose. I kept my eye out for the wolf, but saw no sign of him. By the time we were back at the palace, it was time for the noon meal.
The countdown had been going in my mind. Tabron was going to return the next day, and part of me was feeling the build of anticipation. I wanted to see him. He’d stood up for me, saved my life and tried to keep me protected from the moment I’d arrived. I wanted to know he was okay. I didn’t know what was going to happen between us personally, but I’d missed him. And for that reason, I hadn’t wanted to join anyone for meals. The idea of seeing Draxton’s face or having to field Morten’s stray hands was more than I could handle.
Tayla sat with me a few minutes when she brought me a small plate of food. I wanted to ask her if she’d discovered anything about how to transfer back, but didn’t want to sound pushy. She’d saved me from the dungeon, and I was so thankful for that. It was strange that I so desperately wanted to leave, but also wanted Tabron to come home.
When I woke up, it was with a purpose. I planned on remaining busy all day so I wouldn’t be sitting here watching for him out the window. I dressed, and was ready to go downstairs when the door opened.
Tabron was there. My heart danced. My eyes swept the sight of his tall, muscular form, his angular face, his beautiful eyes that seemed to be drinking me in as well. He looked tired. Had he been up all night?
“Where are you going?” he asked, stepping through the door and closing it behind him, more a question of curiosity.
“I was going to ride out. Investigate.”
“Do you need me to go with you?” He looked so tired. There was a part of me that wanted to wipe the lines of exhaustion from his face.
I shook my head. “You look beat. Why don’t you rest?”
He paused to consider and nodded. Wearily, he trudged to the bed, sat hunched over and met my concerned expression with a look I hadn’t seen before. Remorse. “We rode all night. I wanted to get back... I wanted to apologize for the way I...acted toward you.” He straightened, then looked at me. “I’m sorry, Ceci. You deserve better.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded and reached for his boots.
I moved to the side of the bed to where he was sitting, watched him unlatch the heavy buckles that closed his boots, and in a surprise move, knelt to help him pull them off. If his rounded eyes were anything to go by, he wasn’t sure what to make of my actions. Truthfully, I didn’t either.
“Morten told me that he deliberately misled his father, feeding him false information about a sighting of some kind of blue light the night you left.”
Tabron’s eyes narrowed on me. “How do you know this?”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. He told me. I just wanted you to know.”
“Was that his blood on your dress?”
“Yes. But that’s not the point,” I rushed to say as his lips tightened grimly. “The point is, he’s dangerous. Somehow, he feels like he can manipulate his father, and if he feels so comfortable lying about something that would send you out for three nights, I can only imagine what else he might try to lie about. If it were me, I’d want to think about how to get in front of this with the king.”
Tabron slowly reached out to my face. He was giving me time to pull away, but seeing the vulnerability innate in that gesture, I leaned closer. If I were being real, I wanted his touch. His hand was warm on my face when it cupped my cheek. “Morten is a danger to you more than to me.”
I didn’t argue. At this point, it was Morten and Draxton and all of their cohorts making me feel like I was perpetually in danger, but I was tired of hiding out. I knew Tabron needed to know about the happening with the servant, but now wasn’t the right time. Besides, I was sure Bruner would tell him in great detail.
“Be careful today. Do not put yourself in a position where you are alone.”
I nodded. “I’ll be careful.”
With some reluctance, which surprised me, I pulled away and walked toward the door. T
here was a part of me that wanted to join him in that bed right now even if it didn’t make sense. Turning back to Tabron, and feeling a strange sense of intimacy in the moment, I said, “Get some rest. I think you’re going to need it.” It was hard to look away from the sharp blue-green of his eyes.
Abruptly, I left, closing the door.
I went riding back to the woods and ground-hitched Sondra while looking for samples again. It was a beautiful day and exploring made the time go by faster. This time, I managed to get them into the saddlebag before they were lost. It had only been a few hours when I decided to return, anxious to see Tabron again. Somehow, being apart had made me feel closer to him.
I was getting back on my horse and riding out of the forest when a rabbit burst out of the brush followed by a large creature. Sondra hadn’t been ready for such a start and reared, neighing with fear. Then two things happened: I fell off, and she ran away. The impact caught me flat on my back, my air pushing itself out of my lungs, but as I sat up, I saw that the large creature hadn’t moved on. It was dirty beyond belief and had blue eyes that I vaguely recognized. Impossible. Not impossible.
My heart pounded in my ears.
“Dr. Sandburg?”
Chapter Eleven
“A little goes a long way. Just a little.” The man laughed, but his eyes were wild and his movements big and unpredictable as he paced back and forth across the path. One of his hands kept rubbing over his face, through his matted hair. His other hand held a stick that he stabbed into the ground. He was not in his right mind. What was he on?
I didn’t know if he was safe, but I was so desperately glad to see him, talk to him, find out all I could from him. “Do you remember me? Cecilia Bradford?”
He threw back his head and laughed uproariously. “The funny little girl with the big green eyes. Kevin’s hot for her.”
“Kevin! Yes. Kevin Carson.”
“We went climbing the other day under a big blue sky. Yosemite. Half-dome.” He laughed again, less exuberantly, and it ended in a harsh sob. “No more. No more. Forever.”
I was losing him. What the hell had he taken? What was the running time on it? I approached, which got his attention. When he scowled at me, I quickly threw out, “I was kidnapped, too. A few days ago. I found your journal!”
He went back to his pacing, shaking his head in answer to a question only he could hear. “Ears everywhere! Listening, hearing things. How did they know? Listening.”
“Who’s listening?”
“Ceci!”
The sound of my name being shouted from some distance seemed to startle him. He put his finger to his lips in the universal symbol to be quiet and took off into the forest, running toward the edge of the gorge. Where was he going? And oh my God, was that the doctor we’d all assumed had gone walkabout? He’d been kidnapped! We were going to need bodyguards for the doctors at this point. Would Kevin be up here next week?
“Ceci! Answer me!” Tabron’s voice was booming across the meadow, echoing with ferocity and anxiety.
“Here!” I came out of the forest to see him on his horse a short distance away, pulling my horse along.
The moment he saw me, relief instantly calmed his wild eyes and he urged the horse into a gallop, running at me with hoofs pounding, which made me a little nervous. When he was close, he jumped off the side and pulled the reins over the horse’s head to ground hitch him before coming at me with fierce look.
“Did you fall?” His large hands ran over my arms, swiping at the leaves that still clung to my clothing. “I saw your horse running riderless and grabbed her.”
“She spooked, but I’m all right.” I’d already made the decision not to share about Sandburg. If possible, I was hoping to come out and find him on my own, verify he was the doctor and ask him about what had happened. Had he been here the last two years? If so, it was disheartening. It would mean he hadn’t found a way back. Where had he been living for the last two years? Was it so impossible to get back home?
“Your thoughts are heavy,” Tabron cupped my face, his eyes searching mine. “What are you thinking about?”
“Home.” At least that was truthful. Running a hand through my hair, I found a few more leaves that I shook out.
He didn’t say anything to that. There was nothing he could say. “Why are you out here? Where is Tarra?”
“I wanted to collect plant samples to test.” Easy enough, but for some reason, I didn’t like that I wasn’t being completely truthful with him.
“Test for what?”
“I wanted to test for medicinal purposes. The forest can be a place of good health and nutrients. I’m surprised you don’t have anyone in the village with knowledge of the natural herbs that grow here.”
“There are many things missing from the village,” he uttered cryptically, but looked me over with a quick question. “Did you get what you needed?”
I crinkled my nose. “I did, but at the cost of my pride and my tailbone.”
“Are you ready to go back?”
The palace had such an oppressive air. Going back felt like a downer. “It’s nice out. Can we walk?”
Tabron nodded. “Of course.”
He went back to hook the reins over his arm, but what surprised me, was that he came back toward me and took my hand, not my arm. He was walking with me, not marching me along. My mind seemed to separate itself from my body, frowning down at the action, questioning it, but my fingers responded separately. They curled into his rough warmth and held on. Tenderness eased over my heart, making me feel a new sense of vulnerability.
“How did you end up at the palace?” I asked. “Did your parents live here?”
He was quiet so long, not even acknowledging that I said anything, that I wondered if he hadn’t heard me or if I’d offended him. “The king saved my life.”
“The king?”
“Ral’e.” Tabron nodded affirmatively. “It’s not a pretty story. It’s enough to know that I was a young child on the verge of death, and like some of the others who are also his personal guard, he brought me back to the palace.”
“But how were you almost dead? Where were your parents?”
Some dark emotion edged his eyes when he looked down at me. “I didn’t have the childhood you did, Ceci. Why do you want to know about mine? What purpose would it serve?”
“I want to get to know you better. What happens to us when we’re kids helps make us who we are.”
“Tell me something about yourself.”
“From my childhood?” I asked. When he nodded, I thought of what my grandmother had reminded me of. “I used to bring animals home when they were hurt and try to fix them. Unfortunately, I was not a doctor then, and they usually ended up dying on me. My lesson there? I needed to learn about anatomical structures before I could try my hand at healing something.”
His eyes smiled at me. I could see he was reluctantly amused and had the sudden desire to make him really smile.
“I’m sure my parents were very happy to have me grow out of my elementary years because they were terrified of the things I would do. Sal bugs used to be one of my favorite bugs to collect. The kind that roll up when you touch them? I’d found a cash load of them in some freshly turned earth in the garden and had managed to stuff my pocket with them. Later that night, my mom was doing my laundry and almost had a heart attack when like a hundred bugs came crawling out of the laundry basket. The lesson? Leave bugs outside before coming in the house. Then there was the time I dug a small pond in the backyard, right in my sandbox. I even lined the bottom with plastic before filling it up with water and dumping my fish in. I thought it would be a great place for my goldfish, kind of like taking them for a walk outside, you know? Unfortunately, I forgot about them out there. When I went to check on them the next day, the water had all seeped into th
e ‘bank’ of the pond, the sand, and the poor goldfish were laying on the bottom. The lesson there? Goldfish don’t need a walk.”
He chuckled, and I felt like I hit pay dirt. My heart felt light.
“You had the freedom to explore your imagination.”
“I did.” With a shrug, I admitted, “I was a lucky kid. I know not everyone is. Working in the trauma ward opened me up to a lot of other people’s realities.”
“My childhood is not something I think about.”
“I don’t mean to pry.”
“My parents were not happy together. It was one of the first things I remember knowing as a child. My mother was beautiful. I mean, really beautiful. All of the men in the village couldn’t help but watch her if she was in the area. She liked the attention she received in our small village. My father was a handsome man, and he caught her eye for a short time. They joined when they discovered she was pregnant with me.”
I could see how he’d come out to be so striking. “And then?”
“She resented me, and she resented my father. She didn’t want to have to take care of a home and family, and she didn’t want to be stuck with only my father.”
“Other men?”
His brows furrowed, remembered anger made his eyes blaze. Unconsciously, he ran a hand over the scar on his jaw. “Yes.”
Was that when his mother had done that? What the hell had she used on his face? Then it occurred to me that someone had sewed him up without any anesthesia to numb the pain, or antiseptic to ward off infection. It must have hurt like hell. And he’d only been a small child.
He nodded, hearing my thoughts, and took a deep breath. I thought he was going to brush me off, but it seemed he was in a mood to share.
“My father did his best to protect me from certain truths, always trying to talk of her in a positive light, but I knew she hated me. I heard them argue many times. She liked to tell him she’d been out in town all night and torment him with the idea that maybe I wasn’t his. There were times she didn’t come home for several days.”