Page 37 of Upon Buried Embers
I’m used to working. I would get up when the sun rose and sleep when it was long gone, mostly on an empty stomach. Even with my weakened body, I know how to push myself. I’ve had no choice.
Being out of the way was better than being seen, less risk of getting hurt. So if I do these chores, no one will bother me.
Calian shakes his head and walks off.
He speaks to a younger woman waiting for him near a cart. She has her hair tied up high, braided, and a delicate nose that twitches as he approaches.
Bowing his head, he whispers something to her, and she looks off to the side before walking away, her shoulders tense. Calian runs a hand down his face and shakes his head, watching her leave.
I don’t care enough to wonder what that was about.
Looking around, noticing a few people standing outside a row of tents. Darcia is one of them, standing next to Rhett, watching me intently.
I turn my back to them, hoping to block them out.
I look to Serah and place the bucket down, removing the contents and notice some water in the bottom to clean her with.
I eye her warily as I move toward her, that tail of hers swishing.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her quietly, crouching down before her injured leg. “If you hurt me again, I deserve it, it was my fault you were injured.” I start to peel the bandage away, redseeping through and my stomach drops. “Are you in pain too?” She huffs, shifting from foot to foot. “This should only take a moment, and maybe I can ask Calian if there’s something we can put on it to numb it.”
I look at the sludge-like paste in the other bowl. “Master had something like this. Of course, I never had it used on me, but he was injured one time in a hunting game, and he demanded I get it from a healer in the lower levels of the city.”
I shiver at the memory.
The lower levels are unkind.
I whisper to her as I wash her wound, being slow and careful. Talking to animals has always been my preferred choice. I used to speak to the rats in the barn, and the single horse Master had in there. I was always comforted by them.
I think it was because animals don’t hurt others for no reason. They don’t hurt for the enjoyment of seeing others in pain, only lashing out when they want to protect something or have been trained to do so on command.
I also may prefer animals because I’m an elf. Effy told me that apparently elves love animals and nature. I’m not sure if that’s true.
Shaking off those thoughts, I wrap the new bandage slowly around Serah’s leg before tightening it like Rohan showed me. “There we are,” I raise a hand and gently stroke down her leg. “Hopefully it’s on the mend.” I pick up the dirty cloth and now red-stained water and turn, jolting when I see Rohan standing there, arms folded, staring at me.
I lower my eyes, clutching the items closer to my chest. Did I do something wrong? Am I not supposed to talk to her?
Wait… did he hear me?
Red colors my cheeks, and when he leaves again without a word, I breathe out a sigh of relief.
“Is he always so… intimidating?” I ask Serah. She lets out a snort, and it feels like ayes.
Watching as he talks to a group of men, I can sense the sheer power coming from him. It’s clear others respect him, maybe even fear him as another man lowers his eyes while shifting nervously.
I suppose it’s easy to fear a Dragonbond when they have a dragon at their beck and call, but something about Rohan makes me think it has more to do withhimthan a dragon.
He commands any space he’s in, and even Master couldn’t do that.
“Hurry, girl, get to work!” Calian shouts, and I remove my eyes from Rohan and do as I’m tasked.
I make my way to the cart of grain. Grabbing an empty bucket, I put four cups in then pause, spotting a few apples at the back.
Moving quickly, and making sure no one is paying attention, I put two in the bucket and move back to Serah. I place the bucket on the ground, and she eats one of the apples. I’ll make sure to give her extras from now on.
I put the other apple in the side of my pants. I’ll find a sack later to hide it in hopefully, that way when I leave I’ll have food with me.
With Serah enjoying her breakfast, I feed the other horses.
