Page 77 of Freedom Mine
“Why?” she asked, an innocent look on her face.
“Because I’m here.”
“But you’re still young.”
He liked that she could be so optimistic. That was good for her. Perhaps she could still have the family she wanted, once he paid for her freedom and she fled the Empire.
“This Empire is no place to raise a child,” he said.
“You can go home.”
She made it sound so easy, but it wasn’t. He had responsibilities here. And his family, they believed him dead. Hell, why was she even wasting her breath on him?
Alli leaned on her elbow, her blue eyes warm and full of possibility. He’d be lucky to have her, but she’d be leaving here eventually, without him.
“Have you considered what you’ll be once you have your freedom status? You can still be a papoas trainer. You know, you could keep a pocket full of birdseed, to keep from getting bitten.”
She lowered her head to his arm again, staring up at the inside of the tent. “How can I know what I want? I don’t even know who I am anymore. Only what they’ve made me.”
“Nonsense. You’re you, despite what they’ve done to you. Nothing will change that. You have to search inside of you, discover your dreams, and pursue them.”
“I’m afraid to dream,” she said, barely a whisper.
He wanted to hunt down every slaver, every male who’d ever touched her and made her afraid. All he could do was pull her closer.
“Never be afraid to dream, Alli. You’re safe here.”With me, he wanted to say, but he didn’t want to promise something he couldn’t guarantee. He had too many debts.
“How about you? Did you always want to be a soldier?”
“Let’s see, three brothers constantly chasing me, hanging me upside down from a tree, stealing my homework, forcing me to do their chores. . . Getting military training was more out of necessity in my family.”
“Why would they hang you upside down from a tree?”
“Because they could.”
“Is that why you don’t want to go home? You resent your brothers?”
“Hells, Alli, I don’t want to talk about this.” He missed his brothers, more than anything, but he couldn’t go back. And thinking about them made everything worse. He rose, offering her a hand. “I’m heading back to the house. You coming with me?”
“No. I think I’ll stay here.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He pulled on his pants and strode off, resisting the urge to turn back and scoop her up. He felt like an ass leaving her there, but he had to get his mind off of his brothers and home. Looking at her, and thinking of how he might have had a family of his own by now had he not been sacrificed, soured his mood.
He heard a splash and turned in time to see the ripples in the moon-lit water spread out. Quickly, the ripples died down and tranquility returned to the lake, except Alli hadn’t surfaced. He ran to the edge, straining to see into the black pool. His heart raced as he ran along the edge vying for a sign that she was coming up.
“Alli!”
There was no answer, and that sense of dread returned. As he climbed a boulder, getting ready to dive, her head broke the surface. She waved. “You came back!”
He grabbed the blanket from the tent and wrapped it around her when she stepped out of the water. Then he scooped her up.
“You’re coming with me, and I don’t want any arguments.”
Her hands slid around his neck and she rested her head against him, but she didn’t argue. Family. Hell, he didn’t need a family, he needed Alli. If only he could tell her that.
* * *
ALLI
