“Thank you,” he murmured when he was calmer.
“Just let it be.It will heal with time.”
Releasing him, she went to a small fire, bringing some recently cooked meat back to him.His mouth watered, stomach churning at the sight of food.
“Eat.I’m not losing you now due to stubbornness,” she said.
Taking it, he devoured the meat along with some water and fruit.The constant edge of pain stemming from his upper body wounds ebbed a little with the food.He wasn’t dying anytime soon if his appetite was anything to go by.
Priority one, regain strength.Then worry about the rest.
He distracted himself by watching his beautiful rescuer, Daya.His anaiah.He may not know his own name, but of that, some part of his soul was certain.
Walking over to a velentha tree, she used her knife to scrape a portion of sparkling amber sap out of a crevice in between the twining trunks.Returning, she spread the sticky, sweet provision over a piece of travel bread and offered it to him.Accepting it, he watched the golden sap seep into the bread, softening and sweetening it.
“How is it that I know that lentha nectar is sweet and rich to taste, and can be harvested all year?That I secretly enjoy it in my morning tea and crave it when I’m home, where it’s less accessible?Yet I can’t recall my name or what’s happened to me.Or where my home is.”
“Give it time.Once your physical wounds heal, you’ll be ready to accept the knowledge in your mind.Let it protect you until then.”
“Something tells me I won’t be much good at resting.”
Daya’s laugh brightened his spirit, lightening the weight of his burdened soul.“That makes it the perfect time to learn.Any other memories come to you?”
A thunderous flash of gray as a horse galloped past him, mane snapping in the wind.
“My horse.He was with me when…” He swallowed as harsh shouts and jabs of pain streaked through his mind.His horse’s enraged cry filling his ears.“Did you see him anywhere?I can’t lose him, too.”
“No.I’m sorry.Besides the man who attacked us on the mountain, it’s just been you and me.”
“The birds are yours?”
“Ereven and Ember, yes.They’ve been helping me watch over you.Try to rest until it’s time to travel, Raiden.”
Raiden.He turned the name over in his mind.It was unfamiliar, but he liked the way Daya said it.As if it had significance.
BalancedunstablyonMelody,Raiden picked his way along the earthen trail.The mare had solid footing and seemed to know where they were heading, so he simply had to hold on and try not to aggravate his injuries.
He was sweating heavily despite the chill of the early winter air, his body straining with the effort to stay upright.It had seemed a better idea than walking at the time, but he was growing doubtful.
Guiding Melody off the path, he debated for a long moment whether the effort it took to dismount was worth the break, but his deep abdominal wound was aching something fierce with the effort to sit upright.Daya had been gone hunting for hours and would catch up to them soon.It would be nice not to be on the verge of blacking out when she returned.
After an ungraceful landing that had pain searing through him, he grabbed a pack and ambled over to lean against a large rock.He wanted desperately to collapse and not move until dawn, but he’d be mortified to make Daya haul his deadweight if he couldn’t make it up off the ground.Again.
Standing, then.
Pulling the water free, he guzzled its contents and took a few bites of travel bread.It didn’t taste nearly as satisfying without the lentha nectar Daya occasionally found.
Setting the food aside, he carefully stretched his injured arm.It was crippled for the time being, every movement causing the deep gashes to tug at their bindings.His leg was a little better but still just barely functional, forcing him to drag and throw the stiff limb when he walked.A complete and total mess, and that didn’t even include his head or gut wound.
Daya had done well sewing up his injuries, but closing them didn’t repair the torn muscles and tendons within.At the slow rate of healing he’d endured since waking two days ago, it would be spring before he was able to lift his sword without pain.
If he was in this much pain after almost a week of healing, it was a mercy that he seemed to have slept through the first few days of his recovery.
Ember, the larger female hawk, gave a warning cry as she approached.Swooping low, she circled around him before hovering for a practiced landing on the wide front beam of Melody’s saddle.She stared at him, ruffling her feathers as she gave him a critical once-over.
“Did she send you to check on me?”
The pair of winged hunters followed Daya everywhere, tracking her movements from high above or riding her padded shoulder.They occasionally disappeared for a while but would coalesce whenever she called for them.Unusual behavior for hawks, he was pretty certain.
