Page 26 of The Robber Knight's Love
She pushed. Reuben could feel the arrowheadslowly sliding along his rib—and then it suddenly was free andpierced his skin, sliding halfway out of him in one go. Ayla fellforward with a gasp and landed on top of him. He could feel thewarmth of her small body pressed against his back and stiffened atthe unfamiliar contact. Though he had to admit, it didn't reallyfeel bad...
Before either of them could move a muscle,they heard a knock on the door and a deep, gravelly voice: “Milady?Milady, it's me, Burchard. May I come in?”
AmongEnemies
Reuben had to admit, it was really impressive howfast Ayla could move when she put her mind to it. She was off himand across the room in a matter of seconds.
He turned and looked at her. Her smooth satincheeks were suffused by a blush almost as deep red as the bloodthat stained the front of her dress, where she had landed on hisbloody skin. He grinned at her, and in return she gave him a glarethat could have made a general quake in his boots.
“Yes, you can come in, Burchard,” hecalled.
Her mouth dropped open in astonishment at hisaffront, which only made him grin wider.
A massive elderly man with thick, black hairand beard entered the room. He glowered at Reuben as if he wasbreaking the law just by breathing. The knight thought it best toturn to the wall again, but still regarded the newcomer out of thecorner of his eyes.
“I see our guest has recoveredconsciousness—and insolence,” the black-bearded man grunted. “Whoare you, if I may ask?”
Reuben was spared an answer by the girl. Shestepped forward and said: “Burchard, can't you postpone theinterrogation for five minutes? Can't you see that he's bleedingheavily?”
“I can. Actually, I’d hoped that fact mightspeed his tongue. Bandages are very hard to come by.”
Burchard's eyes narrowed as they focused onReuben. That look told it all. Reuben realized that here was a manas hard as flint, who wouldn't rest until he knew every singlelittle thing about his unexpected guest and had confirmed he was nodanger. Not good.
“Burchard!” Ayla chastised the man. Reubenwondered what position he held. Adviser? Weapons master? “How canyou say such a thing! Unless you can control yourself, leaveimmediately!”
“Tell me,” Burchard demanded of his mistress,completely ignoring her orders, “how that got on your clothing.” Hepointed to the bloodstains that surrounded the delicate neckline ofher dress.
Ayla turned a lovely shade of red again, andReuben quickly looked away.
“I had to get the arrows out of him,” shesaid, sounding as if she were defending herself. “It got a bit...messy.”
“Messy, eh?”
With a grunt, Burchard dragged one of thechairs into one corner of the room and sat down astride it, all thewhile not taking his eyes off Ayla. “I think I'd better stay. Justin case things get messy again.”
Peeking, Reuben saw the girl roll her eyes.“Fine, if it makes you happy. Just don't get in my way.”
Ayla went to the table and fetched a bowl ofwater and some clean linen.
“Here.” She held out a linen cloth to Reuben.“I'll need you to press this on your chest, so that it won't bleedthat heavily. Can you do that, in spite of the pain?” Despite thebrusqueness of her voice, it wasn't an unkind question.
Reuben just nodded and pressed the cloth onhis chest.
Ayla, meanwhile, began to methodically cleanhis back wounds. He was amazed that she still didn't seem deterredby his injuries. Now that the arrows didn't conceal the woundsanymore, they had to be a pretty grizzly sight, and bleedingheavily, if those on his chest were anything to judge by. Yet Aylanever hesitated, never wavered. Reuben could feel her small handscaressing his back through the wet linen—but no, he remindedhimself, cleaning, not caressing. Cleaning.
“So,” Burchard grunted, “start to talk,fellow. I'm mighty curious about you. What's your name? Who andwhat are you?”
Reuben opened his mouth.
“He's a merchant, and his name is Reuben,”Ayla said.
“I didn't ask you!”
“No. And it was so rude of me to interrupt,since you asked so nicely.”
Reuben was glad he was turned to the stonewall, so neither of them could see the grin on his face. Perhaps hewouldn't have to worry about answering questions, after all. Hecould just quietly lie here and listen to those two bite eachother's heads off.
However, he was not so lucky. Burchard justignored Ayla's retort and returned his attention to him.
