Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
TYNAN
Irarely slept more than four hours but after being completely exhausted all day, I could not master more than a couple hours of rest. Short, strange dreams tortured me all night long and I awoke long before the redhead girl.
Giving up on sleep, I sat up in my bed, and only then saw the silky, smooth hair spilled over the pillow and the sheets in the dim morning light.
Alina laid on her side with her hand under her cheek.
She looked so incredibly young. It was nearly impossible to look away.
I understood now why all those men could not stop staring at her every time she entered a room.
She was striking, and uncommonly beautiful. I rubbed my forehead.
As my eyes adjusted to the soft blue light coming from the window, I got up and stretched my back and shoulders.
A faint headache already settled behind my eye sockets.
I sighed and walked to the window. The street below looked completely empty.
All the shops were still closed, only the bakery’s doors were ajar.
Absent-mindedly, I watched the man in a white apron rearranging the cakes in the display window.
A faint sound coming from the bed made me turn and I saw Alina moving her head to the side, her eyebrows furrowed, her hand clenching the blanket. She made a light, muffled whimper.
I watched her in silence, not sure if I should wake her or let her sleep a little longer.
Another faint sound returned me back to reality, and I looked at Alina. Her head moved from side to side again, her cheeks were wet with tears. Moved by nothing other than sheer instinct, I stepped closer and placed my hand on her shoulder.
“Hey,” I called but received no answer, “Wake up!”
Suddenly, her eyes opened wide and she sat up, pulling the corner of her blanket almost up to her chin.
“What happened?” she asked in a breathless tone.
“You had a nightmare.”
Alina’s throat bobbed and she touched her face. She felt the moisture on her cheeks and wiped her tears with the sleeve of her shirt.
Judging that she wanted some time alone, I left the room. I kept the bathroom door open to make sure Alina would not take the opportunity to run away again. Quickly finishing up, I collected the basin and filled it with cold water and returned to the room.
Alina was still sitting on her bed staring out the window.
“Do you want to wash up?” I asked but received no answer.
I placed the basin on the side table. Without thinking better of it, I pulled my shirt over my head and splashed myself with cold water. When I glanced toward the mirror, I saw Alina’s eyes on my back, her lips parted. Then I realized what she was looking at.
Fuck!
She had seen my scars. She knew that I had been whipped like a dog. Whipped for everyone to see, and I bore the evidence of my weakness like a damn flag. I gritted my teeth and picked up a fresh shirt.
Alina lowered her gaze, saying nothing.
When at last we got down to get breakfast, I surveyed my friends, noticing the dark undereye circles on Victor’s face, Frid’s angry look, and Sol, was completely oblivious to everything, having slept through all of the adventures during the night.
“So, you tried to escape, huh? Very, very stupid,” Victor said.
“What?” Sol gave me a questioning look.
Frid shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
“You don’t expect me to go back to another cell on my own, do you?” Alina raised her chin.
“How did you . . .?” Victor turned to Frid.
“Can you just be quiet?” The blond girl pushed back her chair with a loud noise and walked away. The bang of the front door made all of the early morning crowd look our way.
“I bet she’s regretting getting you that suit.” Victor tilted his head looking at Alina.
I glanced at her, noticing the coils of dark copper hair touching her cheeks, her leather suit, and sharp, unyielding brown eyes.
“You might get me to whoever you work for, but I’m not going to assist you in that. In fact, I’m going to fight you every step of the way,” Alina declared and Victor did not have a response to that.
“Enough. Let’s eat and take a break before Erin gets back with his orders.” I motioned to the blond girl who served the lonely visitors of the tavern.