“She’s in good hands, Captain.” She said softly, placing her hand lightly on his arm.
Davin nodded, his focus already shifting back to the woman lying in the bed. She was now dressed in a loose whitegown, the blankets pulled up under her chin. The woman before him looked nothing like the strong, sassy warrior who had driven him crazy the last few weeks. No, this woman was frail. Breakable. Silent. Her once long hair was gone, the now short spiky locks slicked back from her pale face. Her dark lashes lay against her sallow cheeks. Her spirit, seemingly broken.
Pulling a chair up to the side of the bed, he took her hand in his. It was warm. Thank Fari for that. Davin rubbed his thumb in circles on the back of her hand and settled in. While she slept, he talked about his time in the Brynn army, of how he was officially a deserter now, of anything that would keep him distracted from thinking. His body grew stiff from the hours of sitting, but still she slept on. He refused to leave her side. Eventually, sleep claimed him as well, succumbing to the sway of the ship on the water. His head lay heavy on his arm, his outstretched hand still firmly grasping hers.
Davin awoke to Alex thrashing in the bed, ripping at her gown. He grabbed at her hands, trying to steady them.
“Alex! You’re safe. I’ve got you.” He commanded, giving her a slight shake.
Alex continued to resist him, screaming something about the waterways not being safe. A healer rushed in, helping Davin restrain her. Alex collapsed back onto her pillow, tears streaming down her face.
“Is she alright?” he asked, watching as the healer checked Alex’s bandages, applying more numbing salve.
“Yes, sir. She is still fighting the fever. It seems to be causing hallucinations.” She responded quietly. “Her bandages are holding. For now, all she can do is rest and let her body do the fighting for her.”
“Hey there, princess. You’re finally awake.” He spoke softly, afraid that any loud noise would send her into anotherbout of hysterics. Alex’s wild eyes flashed to his. “The waterways aren’t safe. I promised him. We have to get off this ship.”
“We are hours from shore. The weather is perfect. There are no dangers here. You’re safe. It’s just the pain and fever talking.”
“No. No. No. He said to stay away from the waters!” She cried, shaking her head.
Davin sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her against him. Her body trembled in his embrace. He hated seeing her this way.
“Shhhh. It’ll be ok. We’ll be in Gleann before you know it. The Morrow’s healers will fix you right up.” Keeping his voice low and soothing, he ran his hand up and down her back.
Alex shoved away from him, attempting to push him off the side of the bed. He didn’t budge. “Ugh! Why are you even here?!”
Davin studied her. Her eyes were still clouded with fear and pain, but his Alex, the stubborn fighter,shone through. This wasn’t just the fever or pain talking. She was being serious.
“Who is thisheyou speak of, princess?”
Alex
Alex’s face flushed. She needed to offer him some truths. He had saved her life; she owed him that much, but the burning in her throat made swallowing difficult, and her words cracked as she tried to speak again. “He is…” A coughing fit ravaged her and Davin hurriedly reached for a pitcher near her bed and poured a cup of water. Alex grabbed for the cup, drinking it down, relishing in the relief the cool liquid brought. She stalled, turning the now empty cup round in her hands, trying to think of where to even begin. Davin plucked it from her hands, his warm fingertips brushing her chilled ones, her skin pebbling from the contact.
“Do you not have an answer for me, or are you still unwilling to trust me?” She could hear no malice in his voice. She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t like that, but could she really trust him with this? He continued to stay with her, no matter what was thrown at him, yet sharing this information was crossing a line that couldn’t be uncrossed. Davin shifted, lazily folding his arms across his muscular chest, patiently waiting for her with that infuriating calm he always seems to exude.
Begrudgingly, she opened up, telling him of her visit with Caius, her father, and of how he knew things. That he had heard stirrings of mythical beasts, of the waterways being unsafe. She didn’t tell himeverythingthough. Some things were better left unsaid.
“You’re telling me that your father truly believes that there are mythical beasts living in this lake?” Davin asked, barely restraining his laugh.
“Yes. He is never wrong.”
Davin tilted his head to the side. “Ok. Let’s say you’re right. We aren’t too far from Gleann now, and there’s been no sign of any such creatures, so I think we’ll be safe. We have no other choice but to continue on anyway. No way will the Captain believe that sea monsters lurk beneath us.”
“Iamright.” Alex snapped.
“Let’s address the other issue.” Davin continued on, ignoring her sharp retort. “Whoareyou and more importantly, why were those men trying to kill you?”
“I’ve already told you. My name is Alex. I’m a guard from Varon.” Her voice strained with her unbridled annoyance. “Those men were two pompous assholes.”
“Who tried to kill you! And they damn near succeeded!”, he bellowed, his control slipping.
“Well, thankfully, they didn’t. I am very much alive.”
“BECAUSE OF ME!” Davin’s anger snapped, and he surged to his feet. Pacing a few steps away, running his fingers through his hair, he sighed, turning back to her. He spoke softer than before but not weakly. “If I hadn’t come looking for you when I did…” His eyes blazed. “You would be dead in that field right now.”
Alex couldn’t ignore the utter fear and intensity in his words. He had been terrified forher. She ducked her head, shame creasing her brow. He was right. He had saved her. Those two assholes really had done a number on her. A chance, she would ensure, they never got again.
