Chapter 6
Sabine and Evander left the inn at dusk. The streets remained crowded, even more so than before. The two of them kept their ruse up by holding hands, hoping not to attract any attention. While Evander wanted the assassin to be able to track them as they made their way to the palace, he hoped to stay a day or two ahead of him.
At the dock, dozens of people were haggling, trying to acquire a boat for the evening. Evander quickly led Sabine to where they’d tied theirs up. She stepped in, getting settled on the front bench while Evander untied the knot. He shoved the boat away from the dock, and they set out. He expertly navigated them between several boats until they were in the middle of the canal, once again heading south.
The majority of the boats had two passengers with a raised pole at the front with a lantern hanging from it. Sabine hadn’t noticed that yesterday—and she’d been paying attention. “Why are there so many out on the water at this hour?” she asked, trying to determine the reason for the change from the day before. Perhaps something was going on that she was not aware of.
“You’ll see.” Evander scooted over on the rear seat and patted the spot next to him.
Since they were pretending to be a married couple, she moved to sit beside him.
As they floated along the canal, the sky darkened and more and more boats joined them. Sabine continued to take in her surroundings, diligently observing. Evander had to be impressed she’d remained quiet for so long. However, with several boats so close by, she didn’t want to point it out by talking and attracting attention.
A light flashed to her right. She blinked, wondering what it had been. And then another light flashed right in front of her. She watched as tiny bursts of light appeared all around. Her eyes widened, and she turned to Evander. “What’s going on?”
“Lightning bugs,” he said. “Have you never seen them before?”
She shook her head, marveling at the idea of bugs producing light.
“They only come out at night,” he explained.
“Is that why there are so many people on the water?” It truly was a sight to behold. It felt almost magical witnessing the tiny flashes. Like fairies if fairies were real.
The corner of his lips pulled into a wry smile. “Sort of. It’s Lovers’ Night. Since we’re newly married, it’s only appropriate we’re joining in.”
“Lovers’ Night?” She’d never heard of such a thing.
“The story goes that Princess Kalina fell in love with a young man named Lakin from a warring family. The two managed to secretly marry on this day almost two hundred years ago.”
“That sounds romantic. Did the two families stop fighting and become friends?” she asked, watching the lightning bugs all around her in a beautiful display of nature.
“No. When her parents found out, they killed Lakin and his entire family. They burned Lakin’s village to the ground. No one survived.”
She looked at Evander. “That’s horrible.” And violent.
He turned to face her. “It is. Kalina took her own life when she discovered what her parents had done.”
“I hope that taught them a lesson,” she replied.
“Unfortunately, it did not. However, the king and queen declared today a day of mourning. On this day each year, no fighting is allowed in order to pay respect to the princess. However, it has turned from a day of mourning to a day of love.”
“But not by royal decree?”
“No.” He smiled, the look both mischievous and thoughtful.
Sabine found herself leaning toward him, wanting to hear what he said next.
“The people decided that since they couldn’t fight, they’d make love. Through the years, the day became known as Lover’s Night.”
She laughed, enjoying the idea that something beautiful could come from a tragedy.
Evander reached out and took hold of her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. “In case anyone is watching us,” he murmured.
“Is this dead princess your ancestor?” she asked. She recalled the story Markis had told her about the warring families and one managing to assassinate the others in order to gain control of the land. She didn’t know the timeline of these events.
“She is not.” His attention went to the shoreline. “My ancestor is the young man she married.”
“I thought you said the royal family had Lakin’s entire line killed.”
He looked at her. “Everyone except his unknown twin brother who wasn’t home at the time. When he returned and discovered what had been done to his family, he swore revenge. He eventually got it. It took decades of planning. But he got what he wanted.”
Which must have been the throne. Sabine shivered.
Evander wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.
“Avoni’s history is very…colorful,” she said.
“It’s complex. A delicate balancing act.”
Curious to know more about Evander and Avoni, she asked, “Besides being your family’s representative to the League, what are your responsibilities as a prince?”
He peered at her. “That is a complicated answer that I do not feel like discussing tonight.”
As the only male son, she wondered if he was involved with the army. But then she remembered Avoni didn’t have a standing army. Obviously there were sentries at the royal palace, but other than that, she couldn’t be sure what the kingdom and royal family had in place for protection.
Sabine eyed Evander, wondering if he had a lover. It was Lover’s Night, and he seemed a little off, almost wistful. He’d told her brother he would marry Lottie, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have someone at home that he loved. She had so many questions for this man beside her. However, now was not the time to ask them. Some of the answers she wasn’t ready to hear. Not tonight with the lightning bugs floating around them as they drifted along the canal, Evander’s arm on her shoulders.
Neither of them spoke as they passed town after town. The night wore on, and the boats gradually lessened. Since they’d slept during the day, Sabine didn’t think they’d stop tonight. Not tired, she remained at Evander’s side until the lightning bugs faded away, the boats around them docked, and they were the only two people on the canal. At some point, one of them reached over and took the other’s hand.
* * *
Hours passed, and Sabine and Evander continued to float along. With the thick cloud cover, no moon or stars shone above. Sabine tried to remain alert, watching for hidden threats. The buildings on either side of the waterway ended, replaced by a thick forest. The trees made it impossible to see what dangers could be lurking behind them. The only sounds were crickets and the occasional owl.
Sabine moved and sat across from Evander in order to keep an eye on one direction while he watched the other. At first, the darkness had been scary. However, after so many hours of it, it now offered a sort of comfort. Like a blanket.
Neither of them spoke as they continued to make their way south. Sabine focused on listening and watching, as Evander had taught her to do. The skin on the back of her neck tingled when she realized it had gone quiet. Too quiet. No crickets or any other creatures made any noise. The only sound was the occasional lap of water hitting the boat.
Sabine looked at Evander, about to say something when he pulled out a knife from his boot and handed it to her. She took the weapon, clutching onto it. He continued to scan the area around them as he slid another knife from his sleeve and a third from his back somewhere. With a weapon in each hand, he motioned for Sabine to get down.
Her heart pounding from fright, she slid from the bench and laid in the bottom of the boat, hoping she wasn’t visible from the shoreline.
The boat drifted along in silence.
She didn’t like the idea of Evander remaining upright and unprotected. If someone shot an arrow at him, he’d be hit. Thankfully, he joined her a moment later.
“I’m glad you finally saw reason and decided to get where it’s safe,” she whispered.
He wedged himself between her and the side of the boat. “There’s a rope across the canal up ahead. I’m hoping we pass right under it.”
A chill slid through her. “Is that rope always there?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“No.”
“Do you think it’s the assassin?” she asked, wondering how he’d caught up with them already.
“Yes.”
“What’s the plan?” she asked, assuming the assassin had to be close by watching. When he saw an empty boat, he’d probably be able to figure out they were hiding in it. Her body began to shake from the thought of being attacked. Her hands were sweaty, so she wiped them off on her cape. At least she had the weapon. Holding it helped her feel as if she had something to protect herself with.
“Can you swim?” Evander whispered, reaching out to tuck a strand of her hair around her ear.
The simple gesture startled her. “Yes, but not well. Why?” Why had he done that? No one could see them, so they didn’t need to keep up the ruse of being a married couple right now.
“I may have to flip the boat. If you hold onto the side there,” he pointed to the rope handle nailed on the edge, “you can keep your head in the air pocket so you can breathe.”
Blinking, she thought through all he’d said. The idea of being under a boat, in the water, when it was dark out and she wouldn’t be able to see anything, scared her. She really hoped he didn’t have to flip the boat. But seriously, why had he tucked her hair behind her ear like that? Perhaps it was a nervous gesture on his part. Regardless, he didn’t need to touch her so intimately.
“We’re coming up on the rope. Get ready.”
“For what?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Something.”
She looked up and saw the boat pass under the rope. If either of them had been sitting, they would have been knocked off.
Something thudded against the side of the boat.
Evander cursed and sprang to his feet, searching the water for threats.
Sabine sat up, peering over the side and not seeing anything.
She heard a slight whoosh, and then the boat shook. She swiveled around and saw a man had jumped into their boat, landing on the rear bench seat.
Evander lunged forward, tackling him over the side and into the water with a splash. The two men grappled as the boat continued floating along the canal, leaving the men behind.
Having no idea how to make the boat stop, Sabine grabbed the long pole attached to the side and shoved it in the water, trying to get it to do something. When nothing happened, she reached for the steering handle at the back of the boat. Turning it, she managed to angle the boat toward the shoreline. Once the front of the boat struck land, she stuck the pole in the water until it hit the bottom. She held it there, trying to keep the boat in place.
While she hadn’t gone that far, she no longer saw the men fighting. She scanned the canal, searching for Evander, and not seeing him anywhere.
Terror sliced through her like lightning through a tree trunk. If the assassin had killed Evander, she’d be at a serious disadvantage. Not only would she have to face the assassin alone, but Avoni was a strange kingdom with odd customs. And Evander…the mere thought of him being injured made her feel ill. Staring at the dark water, she didn’t understand why it became hard to breathe or why her vision blurred.
Sabine gripped the side of the boat. If Evander died trying to protect her, she’d never forgive herself. He didn’t deserve to die on her account.
The crickets began chirping again as if everything were fine. As if a fight hadn’t happened only moments ago.
Something appeared in the water several feet away, heading toward Sabine. Clutching onto the boat, she leaned out, trying to get a better look as a body lying face down drifted past. The person was too far away to tell if it was Evander or the assassin. Her stomach cramped with nausea.
She scanned the canal again, looking for the second person. Squinting, she spotted someone swimming directly toward her. Her heart thudded in her chest. “Evander?” she whispered, moving backward, away from the edge of the boat. She spotted the dagger Evander had given her on the bench but decided against it. She’d rather not let anyone get that close to her. Grabbing the pole, she used it to shove away from the shoreline. The boat immediately got caught in the current, putting space between her and the assassin.
“Sabine,” Evander called out. “It’s me.”
Relief filled her. She turned the lever again, steering back toward the shoreline where she used the pole to hold the boat in place.
Evander swam over and grabbed onto the side of the boat, hoisting himself out of the water and collapsing onto the floor, soaking wet, his chest rising and falling.
Sabine looked him over, trying to determine if he’d been hurt. “Are you injured?” she asked, not spotting any blood.
“Of course not.” He glanced at her. “You know it’s not safe for you in Avoni if you don’t know what you’re doing or where you’re going.”
“I know.” Tears filled her eyes. Evander was here, with her, unharmed. He was alive. It had been the assassin’s body she saw floating by. “I would never leave without you.” She hooked the pole back onto the side.
Evander sat up. “Really? Because you sort of left me back there which indicates otherwise.”
She didn’t know how he could joke at a time like this. “I didn’t know if it was you or not,” she said, trying to explain.
He wiped his face off with the edge of Sabine’s cloak. “Your lack of faith in me and my abilities is astounding.” He stood and grabbed the pole. “We need to get going.” He moved to the rear bench seat and shoved the boat away from the shore.
She got the impression that she’d upset him. Or disappointed him.
Now that they were back in the middle of the canal floating along with the current, Evander set the pole aside and reached into his bag, taking out a dry shirt. He pulled his wet one off, tossing it on the floor.
Sabine sat there staring like a teenager who’d never seen a man without a shirt on. Evander’s muscles were well defined, and there was something about his sleek elegance that made her want to run her hands over his chest. He was all lean muscle, not an ounce of fat on him. His shoulders had a slight dusting of freckles over them.
She turned on the seat, facing forward, away from him. Her ogling must be because of the attack they’d just experienced. It was irrational to be attracted to this man in the boat with her. He’d kidnapped her. She was married. He wasn’t her type. He killed people. Rubbing her hands over her face, she tried clearing her thoughts.
There was something about Evander’s kindness toward her, the way he joked with her and made her laugh. She needed to snap out of it. She was here for one reason and one reason only—to get rid of the assassin so she could return to Lynk—to her husband. She had a war to stop.
The sound of water falling came from behind her so she twisted around and saw Evander wringing his shirt out over the side of the boat. At least he was clothed now.
He hung his wet shirt to dry over the seat beside him. “I guess there’s not much I can do about my pants except sit here and be uncomfortable.” He looked her right in the eyes. “Unless you’re good with me taking them off?”
If he wanted her to say it was okay for him to change his pants in front of her, she wasn’t going to. He’d have to sit there and suffer. “I think you’ll manage just fine.” She’d never been so thankful for it being dark out as she was now. Under the night sky, there was no way to see her blush.
Wanting to change the subject, she asked, “Was that Ex you killed?”
“No, unfortunately it wasn’t.” He scanned the shoreline. “It seems news of his reward for your capture has not only spread to other towns, but most have figured out where we’re headed now.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked.
“Keeping me alive.” While she knew he did it to save his own skin and keep his family and kingdom protected, she still wanted him to know she appreciated his help. “Does it bother you?” she asked, curious to know more about this man before her.
“Does what bother me? Sitting here in wet pants? Yes.”
She shook her head. “Killing people.”
He didn’t answer right away, and she thought perhaps he wasn’t going to. “If I think of them as people, yes,” he said, his voice soft. “But you have to understand, there is a code. We live and die by that code.”
She didn’t understand what he meant by code and was afraid to ask.
“Sometimes it’s better to be proactive.” He ran a hand through his wet hair. “I didn’t set out in life to be the head of the Crimson Cloaks.”
Her eyes went to the tattoo around his wrist.
“I’m the youngest person ever to lead them.”
She imagined it wasn’t an easy position to earn or maintain.
“But my family…they’re the most important thing to me. If being the leader of an assassin guild keeps them safe, then it’s worth it.”
Sabine had no idea how any of this worked. “I thought your family was head of one of the guilds?”
He nodded. “My father was. Traditionally, it passes to his first born son. But after three daughters, people started to question him. By the time I was five, there had already been attempts on my father to take his place. My parents started training me even more. I shouldn’t have had to take over until my thirties, but we knew my father wouldn’t make it that long.”
“So you took the position from your father?”
“I had to pass a series of tests, but yes, I took the position from my father. He is now just a king. Nothing more. Sometimes I think he resents me for it. But he’s alive.” His focus went back to the shoreline.
Sabine could feel the conversation was over. She didn’t think Evander had ever shared this with anyone else.
* * *
The sky started to lighten. Dark clouds, a constant here in Avoni, promised rain. The forest along the canal ended, replaced by two and three story buildings, jammed close together.
Evander steered the boat toward a dock.
“Are we stopping?” Sabine asked, wondering how far they were from the palace.
“I need to change out of my wet pants and sleep for a few hours.” When they neared the dock, Evander reached out, tying the boat up. He got out and extended his arm.
Sabine grabbed his hand, letting him pull her up and out of the boat.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his body, as they made their way from the dock into town.
Sabine tried to act normal, as if they were married and behaved this way all the time. However, the nearness of him felt different today than it had yesterday.
“Are you doing okay?” Evander mumbled in her ear, sending a ripple of pleasure down her spine.
“I’m fine.”
He chuckled and slid his arm from her shoulders to her hand. They entered an inn, and Evander went over to the woman at the counter, inquiring about a room for the night. After paying and obtaining a key, he led Sabine up a staircase and to the end of the hallway to the last door on the right.
She stepped inside and removed her bag and cloak. The bed was large, big enough for the two of them to sleep without touching. She was just about to crawl under the covers when Evander took hold of her arm, stopping her.
“I’m famished,” he said. “Let’s grab food first.”
The last thing Sabine felt like doing was eating some gross fish this early in the morning, especially at a tavern.
“I’ll stay here. You go and eat. I’m not that hungry.” She pulled back the blankets.
“Sorry,” he replied. “It’s too dangerous for you to remain here alone. You need to come with me.” He went to the door, opening it, and motioning for her to join him.
Sighing, she followed him downstairs and out of the inn. They made their way along a crowded walkway.
“I’m surprised your parents allow you to leave the palace at all seeing as how dangerous your kingdom is,” she mumbled.
“It’s not that bad.” He grabbed her hand, and they took the path to the right.
“We’ve been attacked more times than I can count,” she said. It seemed to be a daily occurrence here, and it was exhausting.
“Then you can’t count very high,” he teased, poking her in the ribs. “And there’s a hit on you. Otherwise, you would be safe here. Well, safer.”
“I’m not sure anyone is ever safe in a land filled with assassins and warring families.”
Evander eyed her sidelong as he led her into a small store filled with all sorts of baked goods.
Everything smelled divine, and Sabine wanted to sample it all. She noticed Evander speaking to the man behind the counter, and she got the feeling they knew one another. The man ended up packing a variety of pastries in a basket for them to take back to their room.
“This is convenient,” she said as they exited the store.
“You look like you’re about to fall over, so this seemed the better option.”
“Me? You still have wet pants. In Lynk they would have dried by now.”
His eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you just said that. You really are tired if you’re complimenting Lynk.” Since he held the basket with his right hand, he slid his left around Sabine’s fingers, pulling her closer. “We’re being followed,” he whispered near her ear.
She groaned. “I don’t have the energy for another attack. This is getting ridiculous.” And with so many people around, being attacked would cause a massive scene which in turn would only attract more people to them. Unless the person followed them back to the inn, waited for them to fall asleep, and then broke in and kidnapped her.
“You don’t have the energy?” Evander said. “I don’t recall you jumping into the canal and fighting the last one.” He shoved her in front of him and into a narrow alleyway. “This way,” he mumbled, handing her the basket.
“Am I supposed to hit my attacker over the head with this basket full of food?” she asked, wanting to instead whack him over the head with it. She didn’t want a basket—she wanted a weapon.
“I need my hands free so I can face whoever is going to come up behind us.”
She glared at him.
He rolled his eyes and pulled out a knife, flipping it and handing the hilt to her. “Better?”
“Much.” She took it, glad to have more than a basket to defend herself with.
“Get moving.” Evander put his hand between her shoulder blades, pushing her forward.
She thought she heard footsteps behind them; however, she didn’t dare look back to see. Just when she was about to reach the end of the alley, a man stepped into it, blocking the path.
“Duck,” Evander said.
As Sabine squatted, she felt something move above her head. The man in front of her flew to the ground, a dagger protruding from this chest. The sheer quickness, brutality, and precision Evander killed with sent a wave of unease through her. Not having time to think too much about it, she dropped the basket and stood, holding the knife out before her. If anyone came too close, she would defend herself. Twisting to face the other end of the alley, she spotted a man rushing toward them.
The attacker lifted his arm and threw a knife aimed right for her.
Evander shoved Sabine against the wall. The knife flew by, only inches from her chest.
As the man neared, he withdrew another weapon, throwing it at Evander. Evander deflected it, then threw his dagger at their attacker. The man dodged it, producing another knife and tossing it at Evander. Evander twisted, and hurled a knife at the man who managed to move out of the way just in time.
The man stopped about five feet away, a smile on his face. “I have one weapon left. Do you?”
Evander’s hands were empty. “I thought you were supposed to take her to Ex alive, not kill her yourself.”
The man shrugged. “As long as I take her body to Ex so he can see she’s dead, that’s all that matters.” He lifted his arm, about to throw his last weapon right at Sabine’s chest.
Evander stepped in front of her, blocking her from the assassin.
Sabine couldn’t let him die on her account. His life was no less important than hers. Besides, both her brother, Rolf, and her guard, Markis, had taught her how to throw a knife and since she had one in hand, she would use it. Readjusting her grip on the weapon, she leaned to the side, aimed, and Evander shifted just as she threw it, knocking her to the ground. Something metal clanked against the wall above her. Evander kicked his leg out, tripping the assassin. Then he lunged to the side, picked up a dagger lying on the ground, and plunged it into the man’s chest.
Sabine shoved the hair from her face, trying to get a better look. The assassin laid in a pool of blood, lifeless. Evander’s chest heaved up and down as he sat there, looking winded.
“What’s the matter?” Sabine asked, coming to his side, immediately knowing something was wrong.
He reached down, pulling his shirt up and revealing a slash on the side of his torso.
Horror filled her. “How did that happen?” she asked, covering her mouth with her hand.
“I thought you were handing me the weapon, not throwing it.” He examined his wound.
“I did that?” Her hands started shaking. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s just a nick,” he gritted out. He tore off a piece from her cloak, balling it up and shoving it against his side to stop the bleeding. “It’s not that deep.”
“Let’s get you back to the inn,” she said as she wrapped an arm around him, helping him to his feet. She couldn’t believe she’d injured him by accident. “I’m so sorry,” she said again as they rounded the corner, joining the throng of people on the walkway. Blood began seeping through the cloth and onto Evander’s fingers. It had to be worse than he was letting on.
“Turn here,” he said, nodding his chin.
When they reached the inn, she opened the door, letting him lean on her as they went inside.
Evander went to the desk, reached over and grabbed a quill and paper. He scribbled a few things down. Tearing the paper in half, he gave one to the woman working there and then shoved the other in his pocket.
“Your face is looking rather white,” Sabine said. If it truly was a slight nick, he shouldn’t be losing so much blood or have such pasty skin.
“Let’s go to our room,” he said, looking at her pointedly.
She nodded and wrapped her arm around him, helping him up the stairs. In their room, he sat on the edge of the bed. Sabine removed his shoes then lifted his legs onto the mattress. “What can I do to help?”
He handed her the paper he’d written on. “I made a list of what I need. You will take it to the apothecary’s where he will give you everything. When you get back here, I’ll need you to help close my wound.” He reached in his pocket, pulling out several coins and handing them to her. “I’m losing a lot of blood, so I need you to hurry.”
“Where’s the apothecary?” she asked, trying to remember if she’d seen one around.
“Exit the inn. Turn right. Go two blocks, then turn left. It’ll be another block down on the left. Look for a circle with a flame around it.”
She clutched the paper, nodding.
“Sabine,” he said, regaining her attention. “Put this on.” He removed his bracelet and handed it to her. “Keep your hood up and don’t talk to anyone other than the apothecary. Show him that bracelet. After he reveals a red mark on his inner right wrist, give him the list.”
“Okay.” She repeated everything he’d said in her mind, trying to commit it to memory. After the bracelet was hooked on her wrist, she folded the paper and left the room, running down the stairs and out of the inn.
On the walkway, she tried to keep her head down as she took note of the streets she passed, being sure to turn at the right places. She scanned the signs, looking for the right one. When she saw the circle with a flame, relief filled her.
She threw the door open and burst inside. “I need help,” she said even though she didn’t see a single person in the store. Then she remembered what Evander had told her about talking to no one but the apothecary. She stood in the middle of the shop, waiting.
Along the walls were several shelves filled with glass bottles, bowls, and plants. A funny smell permeated the room. There was a counter covered with stains in the middle of the shop. Since time was of the essence, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“Hello?” she called out, louder this time. “Is anyone here?”
A door between the shelves opened and an older man with white hair came out, drying his hands on a towel. “Can I help you?” he asked, squinting at her.
She reached out, showing him the bracelet.
His eyes widened as he leaned closer, examining it. “What do you need?” he asked.
She tapped her right wrist.
“Oh.” He lifted his arm, revealing a red tattoo matching the sign out front.
She handed him the paper. “It’s an emergency.” She dumped the coins Evander had given her on the counter.
The man nodded and got to work pulling several bottles from the shelves. He poured the ingredients into a bowl then mashed them together. Once done, he used a spoon to put the pasty goo into a container, capping it with a lid. “This is for the cut. It will help with infection.” Then he pulled out a black rock and put it in a stone bowl. Using a hammer, he beat it into a fine powder. Then he put the powder into another container and capped it. “This is to stop the bleeding. Use this first, then the gel second.”
Sabine nodded.
He reached under the counter, withdrawing a bottle. “This is to be taken like a drink.”
“Okay.”
The man picked up the list, reading it again. He went into the back room and returned a moment later with a needle and thread. Gathering everything together, he put the items in a round basket, handing it to Sabine.
“Thank you,” she said, taking the basket.
“Good luck.”
She exited the shop and took off running. On her way back to the inn, she got turned around. On the verge of panicking, she took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She didn’t have time to waste. After going another block, she realized she’d missed a turn. Shaking her head, she backtracked and found the correct pathway. When she reached the inn, she went inside, running up the stairs and bursting into the room. She set the basket aside before closing and locking the door.
“That was quite a dramatic entrance,” Evander said, his voice weak. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead.
Sabine sat on the bed beside him with the basket. She withdrew the black powder. Evander reached for it. “Let me,” she said.
“Have you ever done this before?” he asked.
“No.” She almost lied and said yes but figured he’d know. “Just tell me what to do.”
He nodded.
She reached forward, carefully removing the cloth pressed against his would. The cut wasn’t long, just deep.
“Sprinkle the black stuff on,” he ground out.
She uncapped the bottle and shook it, covering his wound with the black substance. The blood immediately stopped oozing out.
“Now use the gel,” he said.
She removed its cap, trying not to gag at the smell. “Do I just put it on with my fingers?” She didn’t want to hurt him.
“Yes, but only use half. Save the other half for after.”
“After what?” she asked, scooping up about half of the contents.
“Don’t press too hard,” he said. “Just cover the area.”
She nodded, gently putting the gooey substance over his wound.
“Now I need you to sew me together.”
“You want me to do what?” The only thing she’d ever sewn was a pillow.
“Don’t overthink it,” he said. “Pick up the needle and thread.”
With shaking hands, she found the needle and thread.
“Push my skin together and sew. Pretend it’s fabric.”
He had to be joking.
“Hand it to me. I’ll do it.”
“No.” She would fix him up. After all, he was in this mess because of her. Once she had the needle threaded, she placed it at the tip of the wound.
“I’m only going to be numb for a few more minutes,” Evander said. “I’d like to have the wound closed before feeling returns to the area.”
That gave her the strength to begin. She used one hand to hold the skin together and the other to push the needle through his skin. She quickly sewed the skin closed and tied off the thread. “Now what?”
“Did the apothecary give you something for me to drink?”
Sabine reached into the basket, pulling out the other vial and handing it to Evander.
He took it and quickly drank the contents, handing the vial back to her when done.
“Now what?”
“We wait.” He laid his head back against the pillow. “In a couple of hours, I’ll have you put the medicine for infection on the wound again.”
After placing everything back in the basket, she set it aside and stood. “Let’s get your shirt off.” Not only did they need to keep the wound clean, she didn’t want it rubbing against the cut and making it bleed again.
“I don’t want to move and reopen it.”
Since his shirt was pretty much ruined, she took hold of the bottom of it, tearing it in half. Then she carefully pulled it from him without moving him too much.
“I’ve always envisioned a woman doing that to me but under very different circumstances.” The corners of his lips rose in a slight smile.
“If you can joke at a time like this, then I know you’re going to be okay.” She tossed his shirt in the corner of the room and left.
She heard him calling out after her, but she ignored him. Downstairs, she went to the young woman working behind the counter. “May I please have a bowl of water?” She had no idea if this was a strange request or not.
The woman nodded and left the room. She returned a minute later with a bucket filled with water and a small towel.
“Thank you.” Sabine carefully carried the bucket upstairs. Back in the room, she set the bucket next to the bed.
“I thought I made you mad, so you left.”
“Have you so little faith in me?” she asked, using the same words he had earlier. She sat on the edge of the bed and dipped the towel in the water. Then she used it to gently wipe the dried blood from Evander’s torso, being careful to avoid the area around the cut. She noticed goosebumps covered his skin as she wet it.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said, his voice soft.
“I know. But I want to.” She continued to wipe him off until most of the blood was gone. “Now let’s clean your hands.” After she re-wet the towel, she wiped the blood from his hands, noticing the calluses on his fingers.
When she finished, she tossed the towel in the bucket.
Evander reached out, taking hold of her hand. “Thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do. You’ve saved me countless times.”
Sabine remained beside him, sitting on the bed, holding his hand. His breathing became steady, and his coloring slowly returned to normal.
The room began to darken. She carefully slid her hand from his and stood. Taking her discarded cloak, she rolled it up and stuck it under the door as Evander had done. After making sure the door was locked, she laid on the other side of the bed, as far away from Evander as possible so she wouldn’t accidentally touch his wound.
Lying there, she watched his chest rise and fall as he slept. At some point, she reached out and took his hand, holding onto it, wanting to comfort him in any way she could.