Page 5

5

Farah couldn’t stop watching the ocean. She managed to brace herself on one elbow and push upright. The sun glittered upon its waves as if beckoning her. The smell of the salty air and the sight of the crashing surf took her back to another time when she and Nitya had snuck away from their community—breaking dozens of rules and disobeying their parents—to travel south for a glimpse of the sea.

She jumped at the sound of the door shutting abnormally hard but couldn’t look away. The past had her in its grip.

Every step that led her away from home was debilitating. She had expected her father and archers to jump out at any moment to stop them. But while fear had hindered her, Nitya had been jubilant. She had raced ahead, leaping from limb to limb, while Farah constantly fought the need to return home. Nitya doubled back for her and spun a tale of grand adventure.

They traversed other Wood Elf territories, skirted human outposts, and ventured into sections of the rainwood Farah had never viewed before. Soon , Nitya’s excitement became hers. Emboldened , it wasn’t long before Farah was racing through the trees with Nitya , ready to embrace the experience.

The smell of the sea air and the crash of waves reached them before they ever saw the water. When Nitya drew to a halt and had pushed aside a giant frond to gaze out, they were both out of breath. Farah had been too intent on the wonder on her sister’s face to see anything else for a full minute, but then she took in the sight of the magnificent blue water.

“ It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Nitya had whispered reverently.

It was pretty, but Farah preferred the dense woods around her to the wide-open expanse of the sea. Yet Nitya’s veneration of the water pulled Farah with her. As it usually did. She would do anything and go anywhere her sister asked.

“ One day, I’m going to sail those waters,” Nitya proclaimed.

Farah had pulled her eyes from the ocean to look at her sister. The thought of Nitya leaving not just their community, but also the rainwood, made her panic. Nitya wasn’t just her sister. They were best friends. Where one was, so was the other. How could she face a future without Nitya ?

Farah shut off the memories when they became too painful. She lowered onto the pillow and stared up at the ceiling, trying to recall specifics about Nitya’s face, but the details had begun to blur long ago. It was becoming harder and harder for Farah to remember her sister. She could no longer describe the shade of Nitya’s green eyes, but she could still hear her sister’s laugh, could still remember her exuberance and thirst for life.

And how it had all been cut short with her disappearance.

Farah winced when her leg throbbed. She wanted to get out of bed. Being ill wasn’t something elves endured. If a Star Elf wasn’t nearby, they usually had magical herbs readily available. To be stuck in bed, at the mercy of enemies, was galling. And she stank. She wanted a bath so badly she ached for it.

She felt a presence next to her and looked over to find Rohan . He sat on a stool, holding a bowl with a blank stare. When he reached for the edge of the covers near her leg, she slapped his hand.

His nostrils flared, and they glared at each other. He tried again, and once again she smacked his hand away.

His eyes blazed with anger. “ I need to tend to your wound.”

“ You aren’t touching me,” she stated. “ I’ll do it.”

He contemptuously raked his eyes over her. “ You can’t even hold yourself up.”

“ I’ll manage.”

Suddenly , Kalyani was there. She waved her brother away. For several tense moments, Rohan didn’t move. Finally , he jerked to his feet and walked to another part of the space.

Then Kalyani turned her dark eyes to Farah . “ We are trying to heal you,” she said calmly.

Farah sighed and looked away. “ I can do it.”

“ You can’t. And you know it.”

The moment the infernal weakness vanished, Farah would be gone. No one would be able to hold her. Especially not humans.

“ I brought you some clothes,” Kalyani continued. “ I thought you might enjoy a bath and then food.”

“ I would,” Farah said hastily as she swung her gaze back to the woman.

Kalyani lifted a single brow. “ Then you require assistance.”

Farah glanced at Rohan , but his back was to them.

“ He will leave,” Kalyani replied.

A moment later, Rohan stalked out, though he closed the door softly this time. Kalyani wasn’t paying attention to any of it. She was busy filling a large bowl with water. Farah twisted her neck to see what she was doing, but it began to hurt. Kalyani didn’t try to fill the silence with conversation. Why should she? Farah was nothing more than a prisoner.

The image of the human covered in blood filled Farah’s mind. She turned her head away and shut her eyes, but the woman’s face remained. As did the memory of the blood. She could tell herself she had been playing a role, but she wasn’t as convinced of that as she had once been. Was it a blessing that she had been taken from Mortham ? Maybe there was something of her soul left to be salvaged.

The cloth on her shoulder startled her so badly she jerked away and then bit back a cry from the pain that shot from her leg.

“ Apologies ,” Kalyani said in a soft voice. “ I thought you knew I was there.”

Farah tensed, the pain swelling within her.

“ Breathe . Slow and steady.”

She tried, but her lungs had seized.

“ Breathe , Farah ,” Kalyani said loudly. She put a hand on Farah’s wrist. “ Your breath will draw the pain away. Do it. Now .”

Farah looked at the human as she exaggerated drawing in a breath and releasing it. She motioned for Farah to follow suit. The longer she remained tense, the more her leg hurt. Farah drew in her first shaky breath, mimicking Kalyani as she breathed. To her surprise, the pain started to ebb. So , this was how humans dealt with discomfort. Breathing .

“ Good ,” Kalyani said with a nod. “ Stay focused on your breath.”

Bit by bit, Farah relaxed into the bed. Kalyani gently lifted her arm softly wiped a warm, damp cloth along her skin. It felt heavenly to have the traces of her fever cleansed away. When Kalyani had finished Farah’s front, she helped her sit up to wash her back. Farah’s eyes were getting heavy. She fought against the pull of sleep as Kalyani helped her into a faded gray tunic.

Pants didn’t follow, but she hadn’t expected it with her injury. Kalyani gathered her hair and helped her lie back down, spreading the length behind her across the pillow. To Farah’s surprise, the human began combing through the tangles. It wasn’t long before Farah was completely relaxed, her mind drifting.

The comb reminded Farah of how Nitya used to run her fingers through her hair. It was the only way Farah would go to sleep when they were children. Nitya had done it so often, it had become a habit. After her sister vanished, Farah had gone weeks without sleeping. Her heart ached with a longing that could only be quenched if she discovered what had happened to her sister.

Kalyani moved the blanket away from her leg. She didn’t exactly trust the woman, but she was right. They were trying to make her better. If they wanted to hurt her, they would’ve let her die. So , she grudgingly allowed Kalyani to tend to her.

Farah didn’t protest when a hand slid under her knee and raised her leg so the bandages could be removed. The human’s touch was light and tender, even when testing the area near the wound. Her leg was returned to the bed. The sea breeze brushed over her skin and along the exposed wound, causing it to sting. She winced and started to pull her leg away.

A soft hand landed on her thigh before something cool and wet was spread over the lesion. It immediately stopped the stinging and eased the pain that lingered. Once more, her knee was lifted, and more bandages were wound around her thigh. Kalyani didn’t have to be courteous. The bath, the clothes, and brushing her hair were?—

Farah’s thoughts froze. Kalyani was still brushing her hair. So , if the female was doing that, then… She opened her eyes, instantly awake, and saw Rohan beside the bed. Farah lay frozen, watching as he quickly tended to her. The man she saw was so at odds with the one from earlier that she could only stare.

He finished and covered her leg with the blanket before glancing in her direction. Their eyes met, and she saw him stiffen, returning to the obstinate human she had encountered earlier. A muscle moved in his jaw.

“ Don’t worry. Your leg is still there,” he mocked.

“ Rohan ,” Kalyani said before speaking in their human language.

Farah had never learned it. Never had a need. Now , she wished she knew what they were saying. Rohan didn’t look at her again as he got to his feet and walked out of sight. Farah could hear him moving things about, but she didn’t know what he was doing.

Kalyani followed him to continue their discussion, leaving Farah alone. She focused on the clouds drifting across the sky so her mind wouldn’t conjure imaginary conversations they were having about her. Because they were talking about her.

Farah willed her leg to heal. She needed to be able to stand so she could look out the window and find a way out. Quickly .

Soft footsteps announced Kalyani’s approach. She held out a cup and nodded to it. “ It’s simple broth. You’ve been too long without food.”

The moment she mentioned sustenance, Farah’s stomach growled. She was starving. With her pain under control, she was able to think of other things. She tried to sit up. Kalyani helped her raise her head while bringing the cup to Farah’s lips. When Farah smelled the fish, she almost pulled away. She hated fish. But her hunger got the better of her.

The taste was surprisingly pleasant. She had expected to hate it, not be delighted by the mild flavors that both soothed and nourished. Farah drank the entire cup of warm broth. The bath had done wonders to make her feel better, but having something in her stomach would go a long way to regaining her strength.

Rohan and Kalyani were talking again. Farah hadn’t heard Kalyani get up. She was lulled by the food and the diminishing pain. When she heard Rohan start toward her, Farah almost pretended to sleep. She decided against it at the last moment. He came to stand at the foot of the bed, his tall form blocking a large section of the window and a perfectly good view.

“ We leave tomorrow,” he announced.

She waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she frowned. “ I can barely sit up. How am I supposed to get around?”

“ You’ll manage.”

“ Nay .”

He glanced over her, likely to Kalyani , before saying, “ You don’t have a choice.”

“ Where are we going?”

“ Mortham .”

It was the last place Farah wanted to be. Ever again. “ You’ve lost your mind.”

“ I told you why I took you. I meant every word. If you aren’t helping me, you’re hindering me. And that means I toss you in the ocean.”

He was bluffing. He had to be.

But the longer Farah stared at him, the more she realized he meant every word.