“Who wants to bet she’ll kill you by sundown?” He looked way too pleased at that possibility.
“Hand me the med kit,” I said to Dalin, one of the members I’d traveled with. He did, and I opened it to find a pathetic amount of supplies. I unwrapped the wet strip around my thigh, peeling it from the sticky skin. Instead of rolling up the pant leg, or lowering them from my waist, I flicked the dagger from my back pocket and cut it open. The salve with healing herbs had nearly been depleted, and I felt no guilt using the remains. Slathering my wound had me grinding my teeth, beads of sweat gathering at my temple.
With the withering remains of the bandage roll, I placed the new fabric over the gash, tore another section from my pant leg and tied it tight. Whatever was in that salve had been a gods-send. Numbing properties were the most beautiful invention on the planet.
Rearing my head back, I sighed, feeling the first amount of relief in my human form since the afternoon. I stared up at the starry night, watching the cosmos.
The world had felt so stagnant before today, an endless continuation of routine. A steady deterioration of my soul. Not one that I regretted, but a hardship nonetheless.
I didn’t know why Ro had come here, why she’d crossed my path. But for the first time in a long time, as the stars twinkled above, it seemed as though the universe pried open a sleeping eye.
And watched.
29
Melody
Arelaxing peace had settled over Rahana since the last time I’d been here. Once the Argora Vale residents departed for Solei, tensions and worries regarding resource management seemed to have melted away. This was the first time I’d been able to settle here myself, without requiring rescue and immediate travel back to Highcrest Castle.
I don’t think I’d ever smiled so much as I had while watching Tio over these last several hours. He currently carried a child over his shoulders and was galloping around the evening fire, horse imitations and all. The regal men that comprised my dating history would never have invested such time in children that weren’t their own, especially not the hungry children that used to litter the streets.
I finished my stew and bit the delicious roll I’d saved, watching the residents mingle among one another. Love and laughter were most prized in this camp, not reputation or class. It was surprisingly easy to adjust to.
Tio finally forced the child to dismount, and despite the disappointed groans of the other children wanting yet another turn, he sent them on their way with promises of more rides in the future. I couldn’t take my eyes away as he strode to sit next to me on the log bench by the fire. His gait was smoother since Nicholas’s craftsman provided a better attachment piece for Tio’s prosthetic.
“I finally get to have you to myself,” I said teasingly.
Without hesitation, he leaned in and pressed a long kiss to my cheek. He was a gentle tide, but so easy to get swept up in. Concerns about gossip and rumors regarding such a public display of affection didn’t occupy my mind, not as I leaned in, savoring the affection.
He pulled back and studied my face, as if we hadn’t been staring at each other for days. Then he gingerly tucked a strand of my golden hair behind my ear. His knuckles were rough as they brushed my cheek, and I wondered how they’d feel against other soft parts of my body.
“Anytime you want me, just say the word, and I’m yours.” His eyes twinkled from the flames, igniting that lusting look in the depths of his blue-greens. The shimmering hoop accentuated the masculine bump of his nose. Then he lowered his head. A moment of panic splashed over me because he wasn’t aiming for my lips.
That’s when I felt the tug on the roll in my hand. He rose with a big, torn chunk of bread between his teeth and waggled his eyebrows as he fought to conquer the oversized bite. My laugh was deep and thrown toward the evening sky. As he focused on his portion of stew, I said, “Well, you saw a bit of what my life growing up was like. Will you tell me about yours?”
“It was just me and my mom growing up. She was an artist. We traveled all around Windguard so she could paint portraits. My childhood was great, actually.” He beamed as he spoke. “Shedidn’t possess magic, so when we found out I did, she warned me over and over to never use it in public. Some parents betray their children, turn them in to Windguardian soldiers, but my mom would never.”
I sucked in a tiny gasp. “Why would they do that to their children?”
He took another spoonful, and a line formed between his eyes as he shook his head and said, “Generally, it’s only families who already have lots of children. If you’re found out to have been harboring a wielder, punishments can be inflicted to every family member. That army is…something else. That’s exactly why my mother convinced me to join.”
From the look on my face, Tio correctly surmised I needed further explanation. “She figured if I hid in plain sight, appearing to align with their values, that no one would think twice about questioning me. Plus, she figured if things at some point turned south for me, at least I’d be equipped with the skills to fight. Can’t say she was wrong.” He shrugged, as if the topic were about something frivolous, like choosing what to prepare for supper and not the risk to his life.
“Did they find out? Is that how you ended up here?” I asked, placing my hand on his forearm.
He wiped the corner of his mouth with his other sleeve. “No, discovering Rahana was unintentional. After a military training exercise had gone wrong and I took a sword to the leg, an infection spread. The only way the doctors could save my life was to amputate. You can imagine how weak a devastating injury like that would look to a group that wields intimidation and strength better than a sword. It took months for my leg to heal, and more months after that to relearn how to move. I was honorably discharged. No one ever found out.” Swallowing his next bite, he seemed to soften.
“It was during my recovery that my mother got sick. An outbreak of a nasty flu. Being bedridden, I couldn’t care for her like I should have…” The grip around his spoon tensed, turning his knuckles white.
“I’m so sorry, Tio.” My heart faltered in my chest, a crushing weight of sorrow placed upon it over hearing his loss. I slid my hand over his.
Clearing his throat, he shook his curls from his face, his nose ring shining from the reflection of the flames. “After that, I didn’t care so much about getting caught with magic. While the pain from the injury was still fresh, I started using my abilities more and more. Without income, stealing became the only way I could support myself. I got really good at it.” A dimple dipped into his freshly shaved cheek as he offered a charismatic smirk.
“Ravinder was making one of his runs into Hava City when he caught me using magic. That’s when he said he could offer me a place to live, free of fear. With nothing left for me in Windguard, it sounded like an adventure. After that, Rav started training me, taught me how to fight with my new leg. When Ro found her way here, he started teaching her too. By that point, we both had the same level of skill. Not very much.” He chuckled. “So we trained together. She didn’t even think twice about holding back because of my leg. I like to say Rav gave me the ability to fight again, and Ro pushed me until I became just as skilled as before. Rahana and its people became my new family. Thick as thieves, as they say. We’ve gotten out of so many scraps that I swear not even the Goddess of Death herself can catch us.”
I meant to inquire about the goddess further, but another joined in on the conversation.
“Yeah, and pains in my ass.” Radhak, the leader of the camp, approached our fire. “Mind if I join you?”
