Page 8 of Rhaz's Redemption
“Of course not,” she rolled her eyes. “Forget that I mentioned it.”
“Done,” I growled. I would like for nothing more than to forget that Beatrice viewed me as weak.
I carried her into the mountain and straight to Sozu. “She is injured. Can you assist her?”
“Put me down!” Beatrice demanded and I gently set her down on one of the cushions.
“I’m so sorry Sozu. I’m sure it’s just a sprain. You don’t need to waste your healing powers on me.”
“It would not be a waste,” I growled. “You are in pain and need healing.”
Why is she fighting this? Does she not see how valuable she is? She is kind, gentle, strong willed, beautiful, and…perfect.
Beatrice looked up at me with a shocked expression on her face. “I just think other people might need Sozu’s assistance more than I do.”
“We will let Sozu decide,” I huffed.
The young male looked at us with wide eyes. We’d clearly interrupted a game that he was playing with Talia, Sarah, and Jax. They all looked up at me with fear in their eyes. Everyone but Jax who knew me better than most. He knew I’d never hurt anyone here. I just liked to give the impression that I would so no one made the mistake of getting to close.
Jax patted Sozu’s shoulder and pointed to Beatrice’s ankle to get the healer’s attention.
“Right. Uh, I’m happy to heal her. May I touch your arm?”
“Yes,” Beatrice sighed with defeat. “That would be fine.”
Sozu touched her arm and the tension she’d been carrying in her face and shoulders immediately melted as he took away her pain. Seeing her relaxed eased something within me as well. Like it or not Beatrice and I were connected through luminescence. I would always care for her well being and as long as I was around she would be safe. Safe. She should not have been out there on her own. The idea of her being in danger raked against my soul and before I could think about what I was doing I lifted her into my arms again and carried her to the room the human’s shared. This was the safest place she could be.
I remembered the leaves I’d picked up for her before I came to her aid and pulled them from my bag and put them on a shelf.
“Where did you get those?” she asked, her face a mask of confusion.
“The same place you do,” I kept my answer short and gruff.
“Why?”
“We were low. So I got more.”
She crossed her arms and frowned, “I don’t understand why you’d trouble yourself to gather these leaves when I’m the only one who uses them.”
“Why not?” I didn’t elaborate further and quickly left the room. I was planning on leaving the mountain again when I heard a commotion at the entrance. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I heard unfamiliar voices floating through the cavern. I let my claws descend from my fingers and itched to fully shift as I approached the entrance. No matter what I found there I’d fight it. I would keep Beatrice safe.
Chapter 6
Beatrice
I heard a cacophony of voices carrying through the caves and got up to investigate. I tested the strength of my healed ankle and was relieved to find it was good as new. I walked quickly to the entrance and found Tarak happily greeting two sirrets I’d never seen before.
Rhaz stood in the hallway with his arms crossed looking annoyed but relieved.
“Welcome! Come in. Warm yourself by the fire.” Tarak welcomed our guests.
“You’re back!” Hai jumped into Lumod’s arms and embraced him in a tight hug.
The sirret male next to him looked pained as he watched the touching moment unfold before him. He was as tall as Tarak, but he looked more weathered. Not necessarily older, just rougher. He had long dark hair that he wore in a braid down his back and strange scars that ran up and down his arms.
“Yes, I have returned,” Lumod laughed as he hugged Hai back. “And I’m happy to be here. It’s too cold for such a long swim even for a shifter like me.”
“Then let’s sit by the fire,” Hai suggested.
