Chapter 10
Jessiah
Rummy hadn’t been able to mount her own horse, but since Xavier helped her into the saddle an hour ago, she’d managed to bite back any complaints.
Matthias hadn’t said much this morning, either. After last night’s rude awakening—and the reminder of what we really had lying ahead of us—we were all subdued. We weren’t on an entertaining adventure. It was a risky, dangerous trip. The stakes were high, and it was important we remember that.
I let my guard down last night. I could feel that something wasn’t right, and I pushed aside those feelings. Those instincts.
The fear in Rummy’s eyes when she was laid out and bleeding?
For a moment, it almost made me care.
More than that, it angered me. I was the commander of Scarlata’s army, yet I couldn’t even protect Rummy from a damn animal attack?
I should have seen it coming. I should have been more prepared. I should have been more?—
A pained groan pulled me from my thoughts. I instinctively whipped my head back to survey Rummy.
She already plastered a bullshit smirk onto her face, but she held her left hand over the fresh bandages.
The fresh bandages that were already bleeding through.
“This isn’t going to work.” I pulled my horse to a halt. “You can’t ride like this.”
“I’m fine,” she snapped. “Just peachy. Can we keep going?”
Goddess above. TheI’m finewas hard to believe when her entire body was tense and pain practically radiated from her.
“You should be riding with me,” Xavier called out from behind her. “You need more rest, Rum. You shouldn’t be riding your own horse.”
Rather than immediately deny this suggestion like I expected, she lowered her head.
“He’s right.” Matthias, of course, chose this moment to speak for the first time since we’d left camp. “You need all the strength you can get before we pass the Whispering Caves. That wound needs to be as healed as possible before then.”
Rummy closed her eyes and tilted her head up, actually considering this decision.
I couldn’t object. Did I want her riding with Xavier? No. But did I want her riding with me?
Absolutely not.
“Tie her horse to mine,” I insisted. “Make it fast.”
Xavier dismounted, and Rummy attempted to as well, though with far less grace. Once her horse was tied to mine, Xavier hoisted her onto his own horse and settled into the seat behind her.
This was the right decision. I knew that. Rummy wouldn’t have to engage her body as much as she rode. She could focus on resting while Xavier supported her from behind.
Even so, I couldn’t help the frustration swirling inside me as I took off down the path once more.
Fuck, this was going to be a long journey.
It had been a long time since I’d ridden, but it came back to me pretty quickly. My body ached for a while, but I was starting to settle into the calmness.
The first night may have been a bit shocking, but nothing even remotely dangerous appeared in our path since then. The weather cooperated and we hadn’t seen another soul out here. Even Rummy’s wound was beginning to heal.
“It’s been two days,” she said. “Shouldn’t we be at those creepy caves by now?”
“The Whispering Caves,” Matthias corrected. “We’ll be there soon. You really shouldn’t sound so eager.”
