Chapter seventeen
My mind woke before my eyes opened.
For a moment, I felt warm—and safe, like there wasn’t anything or anyone I had to run from.
For a moment, I forgot that I was on a journey as a captive, taken from my village and brought to mysterious foreign lands.
I wanted to sink into this feeling even further. I didn’t want to wake my eyes. I didn’t want to stir, afraid that this illusion of a dream would dissipate into a nightmare.
And then, I felt warmth where my dry head lay.
My cheek realized this wasn’t the dry ground.
Nothing could compare to this warmth.
I opened my eyes.
During the night, somehow, my head had landed on the emperor’s massive chest, my hips and body facing him.
My eyes now were wide open.
Oh my gods!
I froze where I lay and panicked a little in my head.
I held my breath.
My pale, freckled arm had defied me through the night and appeared across his rock-hard, inked chest.
My leg was wrapped between his.
As if we were one, warmth covered our entire bodies.
My body was now inflamed with fire that burst from my insides to the surface of my skin. My heart pounded in my chest so hard I thought it would implode.
My chest.
I was naked.
The screaming in my head hadn’t stopped.
In fact, if I didn’t know better, I thought I would go deaf from it.
The linen barely covered me anymore.
It was loose around me since the heat generated between the two of us had protected me from the cold enough through the night.
Slowly, very slowly, I went to retract my hand, finger by finger, rising from his firm abdomen, hoping not to wake him.
My mind was still panicking to get out—but as quietly as possible.
I didn’t breathe as I took my time peeling my hand from him, ever so gently.
I looked up briefly and saw his dark eyes on me.
Damn him.
I diverted my gaze, face flushed and snatching my hand away.
“You sure you’ve never lain with a man before?”
He chuckled, and his chest vibrated under my head.
I left his warmth and sat up with one hand clenching the quilt to my chest to keep it from falling.
I grabbed my dress that I had thrown to the side.
Stupid, arrogant emperor.
His grin spoke loudly, like I was his source of entertainment.
“Hey, no need to get serious.
It was said in jest!”
His arm was above him where his head lay as he spoke to me.
His tattooed chest was bare from the animal skins, and I had taken the rest of the linen and wrapped it around my body trying to hide the smallest ounce of dignity I had left.
I was so flustered by his rhetorical question, I couldn’t form a single word with my mouth with the humiliation that washed over my being.
My fingers rushed to pull my damp dress over my head and over the linen that still covered me.
I yanked the linen from underneath, causing my wet dress to cling to me.
Aris rose from the bedding, filling the tent with his presence.
His head hit the top of the skins.
A muscle twitched in his jaw as his eyes hovered over my body.
“At least stay a while longer, until your dress dries.”
I hadn’t let Aris finish his sentence when I pushed one of the skins hovering over the opening aside to get out of his suffocating space.
As I stumbled out, I barely noticed the clear and warm skies as I stopped in my tracks.
Aris followed me out of the tent with nothing but his trousers that were loose around his hips.
He also halted abruptly, nearly colliding with me.
I could feel his body tense from behind.
Standing before us were Justir and Beshien, and by the looks on their faces, they were surprised to see anyone other than Aris come out.
Perhaps even more surprised it was me.
Grins appeared on their faces along with their bulging eyes.
Whistles and a cheer passed between the two as they looked at each other and back to me and Aris.
Kill me now.
I was ready to die and be buried already and try again in the next life.
Their clear and false assumption wasn’t the worst part of this moment.
It was that Camilla was there, face pale, with an incredulous stare and mouth open.
This morning officially had become a nightmare.
Aris shook his head and cursed under his breath when Beshien approached him and clapped his hand on Aris’ shoulder.
“We had been looking for you.”
He had a large grin on his face as he looked at Aris.
“A mute.
Why, Aris—I would never have thought—"
My face, neck, and chest flushed the deepest shade of red.
The area I stood rooted in became smaller and smaller.
I couldn’t hear anymore.
I swallowed the rising lump in my throat and didn’t wait to hear what Aris had to say.
I fled from the scene.
My eyes stung and my vision became blurry once I was far enough to not hear their voices.
I followed the scattered warriors who gathered their supplies until I knew I was around the end of the legion.
Out of breath, I eventually found Maeri and Nirelle.
Their foreheads were crinkled with concern, but they knew better than to press the matter when they saw my flushed face and pursed lips.
The next two days went by faster than before, and we were feeling more refreshed from bathing.
At last, we reached the vast lands of Siniya.
By the time the end of the legion arrived, the warriors had already been welcomed by the citizens of Siniya.
Tears fell down the cheeks of women and children, embracing their warriors home.
The air had turned lighter and surprisingly, brighter.
Maeri, Nirelle, and I were led by Kallen through the cobblestoned streets, weaving through vivid and colorful buildings, from bright orange to dark, rich blue.
The people who greeted their beloveds wore just as colorful clothing, smiles plastered on their free-spirited faces.
The air was cooler.
Like Finny had said, it was their winter, but that didn’t stop them from celebrating.
Bright-eyed children danced, the pounding drums and flutes filling the air as we walked through the streets.
Besides the fresh, clear air that surrounded the lands, the scent of fresh-baked bread and fruits I’d never seen before permeated the air, causing my stomach to growl in response.
We passed by a large, marbled building that was guarded by towering animal-shaped trees.
Kallen pointed while weaving through the crowds.
“This is the Vinian temple, for all the gods and goddesses that are worshiped here in Siniya.
This was where Emperor Aris was crowned many years ago by the people.
According to Siniyan culture, they believe him to be their living god who saved them from destruction.”
Maeri and Nirelle said, “Oooh.”
I refrained myself from the snort that nearly left me.
They thought Aris was a living god? That would explain his arrogance.
Soon the temple was obscured by another pink building we passed.
My lips parted as my head turned from left to right.
What was this place? This was a far cry from the camp we came from.
I was tempted to admit that it might be even more beautiful than my own village, but I couldn’t yet admit such a blasphemous confession.
I had never stepped into a world like this before.
Tingles spread on my skin, causing my breath to hitch as we moved deeper into the soul of Siniya.
PART II
SERVITUDE