Page 21 of The Freedom You Seek
Maybe the slate roses were the reason my mind jumped to the association of drained color because the flower seller had explained to me how the petals of the rare breed had been artificially depleted of their hue, and the result—instead of becoming dull and lifeless—had been breathtaking. Just like this man’s eyes. If only the rest of him wouldn’t appear so pissed.
I tried to sit up again, but the man’s hand shot to my shoulder, keeping me in place.
“Stay down, Jama.” He glared at me as he barked his command.
His words confused me, especially the weird name he’d used, but I did as I was told. Mostly because a fresh wave of nausea and pain had wrecked me when I’d attempted to rise.
“Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine?” It also hurt to speak, and I immediately regretted opening my mouth.
Instead of giving a response, the man huffed and stood up from his seat next to me, taking the damp cloth with him. Had he wiped my face while I was out?
My eyes followed him. His hand on my shoulder had felt huge, and as he towered over me, I could see why. He must have been a couple of inches taller than six feet. His stature was lean, his waist tapered, and his physique muscular without being bulky. Dressed in black garments and protected by dark leathers, he radiated predatory danger, even though he appeared to be unarmed.
There was no doubt that this somber man was just as deadly as he was beautiful. Despite his less-than-friendly behavior, I couldn’t stop myself from being slightly fascinated by him. Both his appearance and the tone of his voice caught my attention—if I ignored the annoyed undertones.
“Stay. Ireas will be with you in a moment.”
The stranger, whose name was still a mystery to me, stalked away.
The instant I wasn’t distracted by the attractive man anymore, the last days came crashing down on me. I’d been assaulted. I’d killed someone. I’d almost died. And how had I escaped? Where was I? Whom was I with? And whyhadn’t I asked the stranger instead of gaping at him like a complete idiot?
“Hey, good to see you’re conscious. You had me worried for a while. Nayana, isn’t it? I’m Ireas, and that unfriendly brute who just left is Dion. I bet he didn’t tell you his name. If he was callous to you, ignore it, and don’t take it personally. He’s like that with everyone. How are you feeling? Better, I hope?”
I turned my head as well as I was able to and eyeballed the other man, Ireas, kneeling down next to me. He had to be around my age, and he smiled at me in a friendly way. His light brown hair was wild and unruly and had some resemblance to a crudely built bird’s nest. He was tanned and had a trustworthy face, especially when he smiled like he did now. Like the dark stranger Dion, he wore no beard, and not even the faintest hint of stubble adorned his chin. His eyes were dark brown, like liquid chocolate, and twinkled as if he’d just cracked a great joke. As far as I could see, he was also tall, well-built, and lean but not as muscular as Dion.
“You need to drink something. I’d already tended to your wounds as well as I could, but you are seriously dehydrated. Together with the Hirla they’d given you and the trauma to your neck, we need to be cautious.”
“Yes, it’s Nayana. Hello, Ireas.” My throat was as dry as the Restless Desert, and speaking was painful—I was parched. “Water. Yes, may I have some water, please?”
Ireas carefully helped me to sit up and handed me a canteen. “Slow, steady sips. And not too much at once, or you’ll vomit.”
Ireas supported my back, holding me steady while he also helped me with the bottle. I drank a few sips of clear water, and it felt heavenly as the cool liquid ran down my throat. Together, we lowered the canteen, and my gaze dropped to my bandaged wrists. I vaguely remembered the restraints the guards had used to bind my arms behind my back and wondered briefly if the metal had left marks.
“How am I alive?”
“Long story, and you’ll hear it soon. But we should get back to the horses first, and then we can tell you more on the road. If we idle away for any longer, Dion will explode, and believe me, you and I don’t want to be here when that happens.”
“I like you more than him.”
“Well, thanks. Let’s see if you can stand up. Don’t worry, I’ll help you—and you’re such a tiny little thing, so if you fall, I should be able to catch you without a problem.”
“Let’s try.” Carefully, I shifted and attempted to ignore the pain flaring up again with the movement, but I couldn’t suppress the little wince escaping my lips.
“I’m sorry. You must hurt like crazy. But I promise you, it’ll improve soon.”
“Well, I’m alive. That’s all that counts.”
“You are. Oh, and you shouldn’t speak much. From what I’ve seen, you’ve been lucky, and the trauma to your neck isn’t as bad as I feared, but it’s still a serious injury.”
In the end, I was standing, leaning heavily on Ireas. Dizziness and exhaustion washed over me just from that little bit of movement.
“Dion, in your never-ending graciousness, could you please bring your horse over?” Ireas’ tone was teasing, and his eyes sparkled. Despite the other man’s cold attitude, these two were friends, if I interpreted Ireas’ behavior correctly.
Dion appeared, already sitting in the saddle, leading another mount with him, and scowling at us. “She can ride with you, Ireas.” A muscle in his jaw ticked, and I got the impression he thought I was the biggest inconvenience that had ever happened to him. What had taken place that this man despised me? I was sure I’d never met him before.
“No chance. As much as I’d approve of having her close from a medical standpoint, my horse is still weakened from her injury two weeks ago. Yours is much stronger and better suited for two people. Just place a soft blanket under Nayana for comfort.” Ireas’ lips thinned as he stared at his friend, and he readied himself to help me on the black horse Dion was sitting on. Of course his horse wasblack. Black hair, black horse, black soul.
Dion glowered at me and huffed but made room in the saddle in front of him and even padded the space. Together, the men lift me on the horse without triggering too much discomfort.