Page 22

She would curse this Djinn if only she could know who was behind all this. She tried asking Oman, but he wasn't in a condition to respond. He was exhausted, and the pain was clearly visible on his face.

A steady stream of blood trickled down his arm, and a few drops of blood also fell on the muddy surface. A look of horror washed over her face.

He had been left with a hefty slash across his right shoulder that gaped and burned with so much force that his legs felt weak. Everything seemed to be concentrated in that area now, and the throbbing was unbearable.

Now his torso was naked, and he was only in his pants. Then, slowly but steadily, he turned to face Tara.

She must have looked completely horrified.

"Look away," he hissed through his clenched teeth.

He tore his black headrest; the material was fine and would soak the liquid.

She swallowed the lump building in her throat. She took small steps closer to him.

"Let me help you," she said, reaching for a small piece of cloth in his hand and coming behind him to clean his wound.

"If you are not comfortable seeing all the blood. Then, you don't have to do this" he said and sat on one knee.

"I am fine"

He let her lift and fold the fabric just above the wound.

With shivering hands, she was engrossed in cleaning the blood from his skin, at least as much as she could, while being as careful as she could not to hurt him. Her body was rigid with tension, while his eyes held little emotion.

Her long, slender fingers were loose but warm against his skin. Accidentally, her hand touched the part that was highly affected, and he didn't flinch half as much as she did.

"I am sorry. Are you hurt?" She panicked and took a step away.

"No. But don't touch the wound," he said, looking back at her.

She nodded and tied his headrest around his shoulder as tight as she could manage without hurting him or cutting into his skin.

He sat there for some time, closing his eyes.

Right in front of his face was a small piece of bread held by Tara. All thanks to Azadeh, who provided them emergency supplies.

He shook his head.

"I don't want to eat," he said, frowning at her.

"No, you have to eat it. You will be weak if you do not eat anything. Let me feed you," she glared at him, showing him her big eyes.

Seeing him not opening up his mouth, she lifted the bread close to his lips.

Finally, he pouted and quietly leaned forward to take a small bite.

After a few small bites. He ate like a hungry lion.

She chuckled in her mind.

She also fed him some dry fruits. While she was busy feeding him, he kept admiring her smooth neck and her pink lips.

"I love you," he said suddenly, looking into her eyes.

She stopped midway. Her hand was in the air, close to his lips.

after a big pause.

"Me too"

"What? You too, what?" He leaned closer to her face.

She looked down shyly.

"I love you"

Trust takes time to build. But he had never known hunger such as the one she awakened in him. It was like a fire that burned out his common sense and control. He fought it, but the fire kept on blazing up, destroying all his good intentions.

"When will you give yourself to me?" He muttered under his breath, but she was able to hear him.

"But I am already yours," she said in a confused tone.

He placed his hand on her nape of the neck and pulled her closer with a jerk. His thumb stroked against the side of her throat, trapping the pulse fluttering there.

"Beleive me. You don't know what exactly I am saying" he said strocking his fingertip on her plam.

She observed Oman from under her lashes, and she wondered just for a moment what he actually meant.

The thought came to her that he was teasing her, punishing her for her naivety.

"Unless you won't tell me clearly, How would I know what you mean?" she glared at him.

"I want to eat you," he whispered close to her lips.

He gave her a fluttering kiss on the lips. Then a kiss on her brow.

"You want to eat me?" She asked with her mouth opened.

Supporting his arm, he placed his head on her lap. Closing his eyes, he took her hand and placed it on his head. indicating her to fold her head.

"You will find out"

What does that mean? Eat her?

He fell asleep almost as soon as she touched his head, curled up in a blanket. His one arm bounded around her waist.

She wanted to ask him about his remark but drop the idea when she felt his soft intake of breath on her stomach. He looked innocent as he slept. It was hard to believe that such a calculating mind lay hidden beneath.

She pulled the rough material of the blanket on her legs to keep her warm. When she risked another glance at him, it was plain to see he was exhausted.

He hadn't moved when she had; he hadn't even felt her stir. His soft breathing continued, almost creating a pattern.

She creased his cheek lovingly. She didn't know what she would do without him.

What if something bad had happened to him today? He was the sole reason for her to live now.

If he doesn't exist, she also won't exist.

She lay beside him and rested her cheek on his hard, warm, and infinitely comforting chest. Vaguely, she registered slow, regular bumps. like a heart beating. just for her.

She had felt so incredibly safe enfolded in his arms that she slept with no care.

The night approached, and it was midnight.

A shooting pain went through his shoulder, reaching down to his spine.

The moon from outside blinked through the gaps in the shed frame, and he adored the little rays of moon. It almost made him forget himself and their situation for a moment.

But then his eyes moved to Tara, who was lying uncovered beside him.

A startling reminder brought him back to reality with a whoosh.

He covered her with the blanket and got up. He still had to make another plan to escape this city.

He didn't think the assassins would strike in the city, as they may have gone in another direction to find him, but he was taking no chances. He will be more cautious than before.

Tara slept heavily while Oman was readying the horse. He loaded their few belongings and the emergency supplies onto it.

Tara was still asleep. He didn't want to wake her up, but he didn't have another choice. He came to her and lifted her in bridal style.

She woke with a gasp. She could tell by the darkness that it was not yet morning. She was confused.

"We are leaving."

She looked around to find the shed open and the horse standing outside. He hoisted her onto its saddle.

With a small grunt, he also hopped on behind her.

They rode for hours, but Tara lost track of time. Her hair was tangled over her face. The air was cool on her face.

As they wended their way inexorably east across the huge stretch. When the sun began its spectacularly fast slide down towards the horizon, striping the sky with gold and crimson, the miles flew by.

After speeding the horse for hours, Oman slowed its race.

She had ample time to observe him. Despite the fierce heat of the sun, which made the horizon flicker hazily and seared relentlessly through her thin dress and the veil that she kept in place to protect her from the dust, Oman sat bolt-upright in the saddle, on full alert.

His eyes were the only part of his face she could see, for he had pulled his headdress over the rest of his face.

As the sun was about to set, they stopped. She was lowered to the ground.

Before them lay the desert. Now she was scared of the desert's life. It was harsh and much scarier.

They couldn't travel further with the horse. They needed a camel to cross the desert.

Her stomach lurched and then rumbled. She hadn't eaten in such a long day that she had forgotten what a full meal tasted like.

He looked at her face and knew she was hungry.

The journey was long and made both of them tired.

"Something moved," he whispered, though she could see nothing.

"Just a rabbit. I'll fetch it" he said, pointing at a tiny dot a few hundred yards away.

"Stay here," he said, pointing a finger at her.

She nodded more than once.

She didn't know why, but sometimes Oman's way of speaking irritated her.

He always treated her like a child and that she couldn't do anything on her own.

Even though he was hurt, still his hunting techniques were impressive that a single shot of dagger was enough to catch the rabbit.

When he came back to where he had left Tara, he was surprised to see her nowhere.

His head moved everywhere in search of her.

"Tara" he called out for her.

"I can't believe this. I told her not to go anywhere," he muttered in anger while pinching his forehead.

It was already dark, and he wasn't able to see anything. The small lantern in his hand would not help him at all if he went on her search.

After sometime, he heard his name.

He didn't look her way. He knew a single glance at her would make him burst at her.

He wanted to change himself, and his anger was an enemy in their relationship.

"I was collecting some bushes. I thought we could start a fire. Did you catch the rabbit? Allah, I am so hungry. You don't have to worry; I will make a meal. I have learned so much from Azadeh," she said, dropping the dry bushes and sticks on the sand next to his feet.

She spoke with so much enthusiasm that his anger fled like a falcon released from its fetters.

But, he decided to ignore her.

They sat by a small fire, eating a simple meal that Oman had prepared from their supplies. She insisted on making the meal, but one glance from him made her sit away from him.

A new moon was rising. Hilal. the crescent moon. The sign of new beginnings

Across the distance that separated them, Tara could somehow see the searing flash of his eyes and sense his dark eyes running on her body, like a lion studies its prey's next move to pounce on it.

He watched her face. In the light of the stars, her skin looked as translucent and pale as the new moon.

Because of his intense eyes on her, she felt her skin prickling.

Is he angry with her?

Tara shifted uncomfortably on the sand. The narrow skirts of her robe made kneeling difficult.

Glaring at her, he said. "Next time, tell me before being so stupid. It's not safe for you to wander around like before. Always listen to what i say" she was taken aback by the abrupt tone.

He spoke with the authority of a man used to being obeyed without question. A man, she reminded herself, held the power of life and death over her.

So this was the real reason behind his foul mood. Because she just went here and there to grab few dry bushes, it hurted his male ego.

"I am not a child." Her head was held low while she spoke.

He smirked at her sarcastically.

"But you behave like one"

Moisture gathered in her eyes. she felt humiliated now.

Standing in front of him, and so close to him that a single step forward would bring them body to body. Lifting her head, she took a breath, then exhaled it.

"I have lived my whole life on the streets. A child would not even survive a day there. Stop treating me like that" she yelled at him and ran away in another direction.

Oman looked at her with wide eyes. She was the new Tara. Where is his little wife? Who only talked in small whispers.

This was the first time she stood for herself. He didn't knew why but seeing her outburst, he felt proud of her.

But still she looked like a kitten in anger, showing her little paws to lion. So adorable and at the same time funny.

Not controlling himself, he chuckled to himself. He wanted to grab her and kiss her forehead for her little bravery.