I roll my eyes and stick my leg out, trying not to shiver at the feel of his finger tracing the shape of my bruise. Goosebumps raise all over my skin, as his breath skims over my thigh as he inspects me. Once he’s done, he covers me up again and stands up, clearing his throat. “Let me know if it feels worse.”
I clear my throat, embarrassed but trying to keep my composure. “You know, you could just ask next time, instead of manhandling me like a sack of potatoes.”
He grunts, crossing his arms over his broad chest, his muscles straining against the fabric of his shirt. “You weren’t exactly forthcoming.”
I snort as I plop back down on the log, ignoring the way my entire thigh is showing as I line up the tear to return to my darning. “It’s just a torn skirt. It’s not like I have an endless supply of clothes, since someone kidnapped me from my home without allowing me to pack even one change of clothes.” My hands shake as I thread the needle again, trying to ignore the way my heart is still racing. “And maybe because I didn’t think you needed to know every little thing about me.”
“You thought wrong,” he replies, his voice serious. Then he storms away, flinging a command at Yosef to keep an eye on me before stomping back into the woods and out of sight.
A few hours later,racing toward the sunset into a small village, I start to feel lightheaded. The world tilts slightly, and I press one hand to my head and the other on Rylan’s thigh, trying to steady myself, but the dizziness only worsens. I don’t want to admit it, but I feel like I’m about to keel over. I’ve never ridden on a horse for this long. And my body’s making its displeasure known.
Rylan notices, of course. “We’re stopping here tonight,” he announces to everyone, no room in his voice for argument.
“I’m fine,” I protest weakly, though the way the world is spinning tells me otherwise.
His arms tighten around me. “You’re swaying like a drunken maiden after her first taste of ale. We’re stopping.”
“You know, I liked you more before you started using full sentences.” I turn my head to give him a snarky expression, but there’s a protective edge in his returned gaze that I haven’t seen before, and it makes my heart do an odd little flip. I quickly turn to face the front again.
Our company stops at an inn on the edge of the village. The wooden building looms before us, promising warmth and rest. Yosef dismounts, disappearing inside to book the rooms, while I shift in the saddle, wide awake now and taking in everything around me. The inn is surrounded by a bustling marketplace, and my gaze lands on a nearby clothing stall. Soft fabrics in rich colours flutter in the evening breeze. I can’t remember the last time I wore something that wasn’t patched together. Shifting on the horse, I crane my neck to get a better look. Rylan stiffens and grumbles behind me, his voice low and irritated. “Do you ever sit still? The way you’re rubbing agai—nevermind. Just stop moving.”
I freeze, but my eyes stay locked on the clothing stall. The thought of wearing something whole, something new,something not held together by a decade of patches, stirs an ache in my chest. One day, I promise myself again.
Yosef quickly returns with the keys. “Two rooms,” he says, handing one to Rylan.
Rylan takes the keys and nods. “I’ll take first watch before dinner,” he says, his tone leaving little room for argument.
But Yosef doesn’t back down. “No, you need the rest more than us. I’ll take the first watch.”
They stare each other down for a moment. I watch, intrigued by the subtle back and forth between them. Finally, Rylan nods, though it’s clear he’s not happy about it.
Inside the inn, warmth wraps around me like a comforting blanket. The common room buzzes with activity—voices, laughter, the clatter of dishes. Rylan hands me the key and gestures toward the stairs. “Our rooms are this way.”
I follow him up, ignoring the way the other patrons glance our way. At the top of the stairs, I turn the key in the lock and push open the door to my room. But before I can close the door, Rylan blocks the door with his arm.
I whirl around, eyebrow raised. “What are you doing?”
He steps inside, completely unfazed. “I’m going into my room.”
“No. This ismyroom,” I snap, blocking his path.
“And mine,” he replies, his voice calm but firm. “I’m not letting you stay in this room by yourself. It’s not safe.”
My eyes narrow. “It certainly won’t be safe for you if you take another step in here.”
We stand in silence, neither of us willing to back down. His gaze is steady, unyielding, and I can feel the tension crackling between us. Finally, he speaks again, his voice a low growl. Any semblance of the truce between us is gone. “You need a guard—not just so you don’t do something stupid like try to leave without us.”
“Escape from my captors, you mean,” I retort. “Most people would say that’s the safest thing I could do in my position.”
His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t rise to the bait. “Secondly, you need a guard.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I thought that’s what Yosef was for.”
“That’s for this door,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “There are other ways of getting in... and out of the room.”
I stare at him, anger simmering just beneath the surface. “All you care about is that I’m guarded, yes?”
He nods, his expression unreadable.
