Chapter 26
Her lungs sucked in air as she gasped, her body throwing herself upright and she could feel the sweat on her back.
The wind was howling outside, the canvas tent rustling loudly around her and seemed to barely stay staked down. Raine was sound asleep next to her, indicating she wasn’t screaming in her sleep and she was relieved for that.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hands and pulled herself out from under her blanket. The glow of the fire could still be seen from the other side of the canvas door. She needed to get some air.
She pulled the door back a little to peek out into the darkness wondering who was up on watch. No one was at the fire, but she could see Kaden standing towards the treeline talking to someone.
She didn’t figure they needed two people up for watch, but maybe they were switching shifts. No one decided to fill her in on the plan, or maybe she went to bed too early for them to tell her.
She shuffled her boots on and made her way out of the tent, her chest expanding as she took in a deep breath. The scent of trees and flowers filled her nostrils and it made her anxiety lessen.
When her eyes moved back to where Kaden was, he was alone and the other person was nowhere to be seen.
Questions filled her mind but she didn’t want to jump to anything, maybe no one had been there and she was seeing things.
Kaden’s eyes saw her and he started walking in her direction, the moonlight barely lighting his silhouette as he moved closer.
“Nightmare?” he whispered.
She nodded and crossed her arms in front of her chest, the fire barely keeping the night chill away.
“Who were you talking to?” she asked quietly.
“What are you talking about?” His eyebrow raised.
“When I first looked out, I saw you talking to someone over in the trees,” she said a little louder, her eyes watching him carefully.
His face was schooled into his normal blank stare, his eyes not even giving a hint of any emotions when he answered.
“There was no one there, you must have seen the shadow of an animal or something. I saw a deer not that long ago.” His voice was unwavering, and even after all the time they had spent together, she wouldn’t be able to tell if he was lying or not.
She decided not to push the matter, keeping her suspicious to herself was the best option. He himself even said not to trust him, and at this point she tried not to trust anyone.
“Hmm.” was all she mumbled and stared at the fire.
“Did I do something to upset you?” his soft voice caught her off guard again and she glanced up at him slowly.
“Why do you ask?” her tone was sharp.
He tilted his head slightly, confusion forming on his face and shifted on his feet.
“Ever since we delegated sleeping pairs, you have closed me off.” His eyes searched hers but she didn’t let her wall down.
“I thought our dynamic was changing, but it seems you are still all about serving your king and finishing your mission.” she muttered and pulled her eyes away from him, the flickering flames drawing her attention.
“My mission is to keep you safe, but I would do it even if I wasn’t ordered to.” The tension in his voice made her look back at him, his eyes flaring and the maroon color brighter than she had yet seen. “You chose me to protect you and I will, orders or not.”
Her throat went dry as his eyes raked over her, the thin cotton sleep clothes she wore blowing in the wind. His words sounded more like a promise than a statement and it caused her skin to prickle.
A snapping twig caught her attention and both whipped their heads towards the woods, a deer hesitantly entering the small clearing.
They both let out a breath and she went back to staring at the fire to avoid his haunting eyes.
Canvas rustled next to her and Finnley exited his tent, his eyes going between her and Kaden.
“I can take over watch now, you better get some sleep.” His eyes stayed on Kaden, who just nodded and disappeared into the tent without another word.
“You should probably sleep too, my lady.”
She didn’t know much about the male staring at her, but her instinct told her he was good, which was something that didn’t typically happen.
“You’re probably right.” She smiled and ducked back into her tent, hoping sleep would take her again.
- - - - - - - -
“Alyra?” Raine’s voice stirred her from sleep and she blinked a few times up at her friend looking down at her. “We need to get going.”
She groaned and sat herself up, stretching her arms above her head trying to wake her muscles.
There was little light coming from the outside of the tent, and she figured the sun was barely coming over the horizon.
“Is everyone already up?” she asked in a groggy voice.
“Yes, everything but this tent is packed and ready.”
Slight embarrassment took over, the thought of her sleeping while everyone else was up working made her feel queasy to say the least.
“Why didn’t anyone wake me earlier?” she sighed.
“Kaden said to let you sleep.”
Of course he did, and she now had to thank him even though she wasn’t even sure how to act around him. His words to her last night hit her deep, and she wasn’t sure what to do about it.
She moved to get dressed quickly while Raine exited the tent to inform the males she was awake. Minutes later she was stepping out of the tent with her blankets rolled and ready to pack on the wagon.
Xander and Boone moved to start taking her tent down and Finnley grabbed towards her blankets. “Here.” He gestured towards her and she reluctantly handed them over.
She wasn’t used to being waited on so much. Even when she was in her home in Mydalsa, they didn’t have this many servants.
The sound of hooves made her head turn and Kaden was leading Zuri towards her, fully tacked up already.
“Did you get more sleep?” he asked hesitantly, his hand holding out the reins to her.
“I did,” she mumbled.
They stood in awkward silence for a short moment while everyone else finished packing. Zuri nudged her and she took a minute to give her face a good scratch.
“About yesterday-”
“It’s in the past.” Kaden cut her off, his eyes staring at her delicately as if he didn’t know how she would respond.
“Aren’t we supposed to be training while we travel too?” she asked casually.
“I would have last night but you ran off.” he smirked and she looked away towards Zuri, her cheeks flushing. “As long as you stick around tonight, we will train.”
His voice was the softer tone she had come to hear in recent days and she glanced at him with a small pull of her lip.
“We are ready when you are.” Boone spoke behind her and she glanced back over her shoulder seeing he was speaking to Kaden.
“Then let's go.” Kaden responded and turned to mount his horse.
She threw her reins over Zuri’s neck and proceeded to mount into the saddle, her muscles aching slightly from the long ride the day before.
They had a three day ride till Grimstone, and she knew today they would start their climb up the mountain which would take two days to get over.
Once everyone was settled into their saddles and Titus on the wagon, they began to make their way towards the road.
Raine settled in next to her just like the day before and everyone rode in silence as the trees continued to surround them. A few birds sang to them but it was rare they heard much else besides the horses.
After a few hours, she noticed Raine glancing behind her with a sheepish smile on her face. When she looked over her own shoulder, she saw Finnley smirking back.
“You can go back with him if you like, it seems you two are getting along.” she teased.
“I don’t want to leave you alone.” Raine replied hesitantly.
“It’s ok, I’m used to being alone. Plus, out of all these brutes he seems the sweetest,” she whispered.
Raine just smiled before slowing her horse, the wagon passing her and she heard the two start talking behind her. She was happy for her friend, even hoped something good came out of it for her. If she really had no one else like she said, she deserved to have someone.
The sound of hooves getting closer to her made her head turn, Xander taking Raine’s place next to her.
“The road isn’t wide enough for three,” he said plainly, his eyes staying forward.
He was a man of few words, the quietest of them all and the most mysterious. She realized those were the first words he had said directly to her, and she looked at him with a questioning look.
“So you can talk?” she said in a playful tone.
He just glanced her way for a second, then continued forward and remained silent. His body was tense, his large sword across his back and she realized he was the only other person besides Kaden that looked lethal in their group.
Titus was of course no threat at all, Finnley looked more friendly than foe and Boone just looked muscly but not dangerous.
Xander held an aura around him, one of caution and danger that she couldn’t place. Maybe it was a front to keep people away, or maybe Kaden chose him because in the end if he failed, Xander would take his place.
She didn’t want to think of that scenario, even if things were confusing with Kaden, she would never wish him dead.
She didn’t let herself want things anymore, it was too heartbreaking when she was disappointed so she avoided the whole concept entirely.
So, she just kept quiet next to Xander and tried to chip away at the wall inside her that blocked the only thing that made her worthy, the only thing that people wanted from her when it came down to it.