“Right,” I said, my mind racing. “Do you think it best to take Reyna and Marcellious with me now? It would look better if I said I found them in the forest. And I can’t have Mathias asking questions about my whereabouts.”
My story must be convincing; my reputation as a solitary wanderer would lend credence to the tale.
Zara scanned out the window for any signs of danger.
“Yes, I think you should take them with you,” she finally said, her voice laced with concern. “Marcellious’ healing is slow, and Reyna is badly bruised. I don’t want them in any more danger.”
“I will protect them both with my life, Zara,” I said. “No one, and nothing will harm them while they are under my care. You have my word.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of Zara’s lips. “I know, Malik. I’ve always known how fiercely protective you are. And when Mathias asks how you found them, you’ll tell him that while trying to restore your energy, you stumbled upon them in the forest, abandoned and left for dead.”
We returned to Reyna’s room. She studied me, her eyes wide with uncertainty.
“Reyna, my dear, you’re going to go with Malik,” Zara said gently but firmly, her voice carrying an edge of finality.
Reyna nodded.
As we made our way to Marcellious’ bed, I couldn’t help but notice how Reyna’s presence seemed to fill the space around us. The antidote was cold in my hand as I administered it to Marcellious, who writhed under its influence until, mercifully, he calmed.
“Is there a cart we can use to transport him?” I asked, considering the logistics of moving an incapacitated man.
Zara shook her head. “Showing up at Mathias’ estate with a cart would raise too many questions, anyway.”
“Then we make do,” I replied. “I’ll fashion a stretcher out of sticks and secure it to my horse’s back.”
“Can you manage?” she asked, doubt lining her brow.
“I have to,” I said. “Reyna will ride with me.”
The thought of Reyna riding behind me, her arms wrapped around my waist, her body pressed against mine, sent an unexpected surge of heat through my veins. Forcing the distraction aside, I returned to the task at hand. Marcellious needed us, and I had no room for anything else—not desire, not doubt, only duty.
The forest floor was littered with the debris of nature’s own making, and from this disarray, I selected the sturdiest branches.
“Help me with these branches,” I said, setting about creating a makeshift stretcher with practiced hands.
As Zara handed me strips of cloth to bind the wood together, my resolve hardened. I would transport Marcellious and Reyna safely, no matter the personal cost.
Zara’s hands moved in unison with mine, silent but efficient, as we constructed a makeshift stretcher. It wasn’t elegant, but it would serve its purpose. We secured it to Swiftwind’s back, ensuring the knots were tight so they wouldn’t give way under Marcellious’ weight.
Inside, Reyna stood unsteadily, dressed in a traveling dress and overcoat. My gaze lingered on her longer than it should have—her angelic face and graceful figure captivating me in ways I couldn’t ignore. A fierce longing stirred within me, an ache to pull her into my arms and kiss her, to let every ounce of unspoken affection spill forth. At the same time, an equally powerful instinct surged—a need to shield her from the world, to ensure no harm ever touched her.
I caught Zara’s glare of reproach and hurried toward Marcellious’ room.
“Careful,” I murmured as we lifted him, swaddled in blankets like a newborn. His body was limp, the sedative holding him in a merciful grip of unconsciousness. We settled him onto the stretcher, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were preparing for a journey far more precarious than any I had undertaken before.
Reyna leaned heavily against a tree, her legs trembling as she attempted a step. Without thinking, I reached out, slipping an arm around her waist to steady her. She leaned into me, her breaths shallow and labored, her vulnerability tugging at something deep inside me.
Zara’s sharp gaze fixed on us, her expression darkening with warning. “Watch yourself, Malik,” she said, her voice low but firm. “She’s betrothed. We don’t need to repeat what happened with Isabelle. Reyna belongs to another, and youwillrespect that.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Of course,” I said, chastened, though the warmth of Reyna’s body against mine sent conflicting messages racing through my mind.
With care, we hoisted Reyna onto Swiftwind, and then I mounted, positioning her behind me. The moment her hands settled on my shoulders, light as a whisper yet heavy with meaning, a sense of elation mixed with forbidden longing washed over me. I focused on the rhythm of the horse’s breath, anything to distract from the sensation of her touch.
Zara disappeared into the cabin, returning with a satchel filled with supplies—vials of Calabar, bandages, and other necessities. Her eyes met mine, a solemnity in their depths. “You need to care for her. She’s hurting, she’s weak, and she’s going through more than you know.”
“I understand,” I said, taking the satchel from Zara’s hands. “And I won’t forget her situation.”
