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"Planning your escape? Huh?" Aiden asked as he walked next to me.
I couldn't hide my shock at his question. Could he read my mind?
"You're pensive. There are a limited number of things for you to be considering so
deeply."
Oh.
He grabbed me by the waist. "Don't worry. I'll keep you chained to my slave post again
until such silly notions are forgotten."
"Great..." I said offering an unenthused smile.
From the corner of my eye I spotted a roca plant. I pushed Aiden away and knelt down to
dig it up.
I heard the arrow before I saw it. The familiar whistle through the air, and the sucking
sound when it entered Aiden's flesh. He was on the ground when I reached him, holding the
arrow protruding from his side. My heart fell into my stomach as I recognized the arrow.
I had whittled it myself.
"Move. Let me finish him." Alegria said.
I spread my body out blocking as much of Aiden's as I could. "Wait! Don't!"
Alegria lowered her bow cocking her head to the side. "And why not? You know what
these dogs did to me. They all deserve to die."
My mouth was dry. I didn't want to know the answer, but I had to ask. "Did he? Was he?
One of them?"
"No. But I don't see any reason to let him live. Even if he didn't hurt me I bet there are
dozens of others he has hurt."
With Aiden's taste for pain I placed the number more likely in the hundreds. "Please. Just
let us go back to camp. A friend of mine, another slave, he may have Skandi fever. And I need to
make medicine." She'd have to understand wanting to help someone helpless.
"No." Aiden said. We both stared at him as he struggled to his feet, picking up the roca
plant. "Go with your sister, Wade. I'll take the plant back to camp."
"But I have to make the medicine!" I argued.
"I had my healers watch you. They learned how to make it, and can gather more roca
plants if they need to."
"What about your injury, you can't walk back to camp like that."
Aiden laughed. "Barely a scratch."
Alegria glowered. I got the impression she wanted to try again.
Aiden rested his hand on my shoulder. The gesture caused him to wince. "Wade, I'm
letting you go."
What could I do? I had been rescued.
As I followed Alegria to her tent, she told me the things I had missed. She had gotten
home safely after I freed her. Just like me, she had thought the clan would help in my rescue.
Again they refused. After days of her pleas being ignored, she packed some supplies and went
after me alone. By the time she reached the old camp site the marauders had moved on. It took
her weeks to find them. Alegria had been watching the camp for days, waiting for an opportunity
to rescue me. She couldn't imagine her luck when I walked into the woods with only Aiden.
She packed boots for me and proper clothing, remembering her own journey home in
rags. Having boots on my feet after so long felt wonderful. We gathered her things and put as
much distance between us and the marauders as possible. The clan had already left for our winter
campsite, so we traveled directly there.
We were welcomed back as heroes. My mother wept as she held us. She was certain she'd
never see her children again. I understood her reasoning. We were ants determined to battle
lions. But still I wish she had some faith in Alegria and me. After all, even ants can bite.
Some people feared retribution for our escape, but the marauders had no way of finding
us. By summer they'd be more interested in going home themselves than catching some runaway
slaves.
And in the end, Aiden had let us go. We didn't tell anyone that. Too many questions I
didn t want to answer. It was easier to let them worry about being punished. They deserved to
worry.
The days fell one into the other, and my life was back to normal. Except that it wasn't my
life. I wasn't the same boy that stormed off into the woods, bow in hand, to save the day. I
understood things about myself that should have forever gone untested. I knew now that I was
owned. My mind, my body and possibly my soul belonged to another. I was a slave. I thought of
Kei, and how I promised him his freedom. How naive he must have thought I was. I wore
invisible chains. Intangible. Unbreakable.
I did everything that was expected of me. I went on the hunts. I sang by the campfire. I
smiled at girls when they smiled at me. But I felt hollow. When nothing was expected of me, I'd
stare at the night sky, and think of him. Was he still alive? What was he doing? Had he replaced
me? Did he stare at the same stars and ask the same questions I did?
My mother would catch my vacant stare. She'd ask me what was wrong. But how could I
tell her? How could she ever understand?
The seasons changed and we packed up to head back to the village. One day, not long
after we had returned to the village, I was in my mother's garden planting seeds.
Women and children ran by me into their cabins. Men stood in front of their homes
nervously aiming their bows in the same direction. I followed one man's arrow to find Aiden was
its target. Aiden stood at the entrance of the village, alone. His only weapon, a broadsword,
hung from his belt. He made no threatening moves, yet all around him there was fear.
I slowly rose from the ground, wiping my hands on my pants and walked over to him.
"Hello," I said.
"Hello." He grinned, his eyes peering into mine. I felt like he knew how much I had been
longing for him.
"You let me go." The words came out as an accusation, though they hadn't sounded that
way in my head.
"And now, I've come to take you back." He extended his hand to me.
My clan would think that he had threatened me. That I went back for their protection.
They would hold their cups in the air as they spoke of my noble sacrifice. But my mother and
Alegria would know. Alegria had seen how I used my body to shield his without thinking. My
mother saw me staring at the night sky searching for something I couldn't reach. They'd both
know I was going home.
I took his hand.
[End]
About the Author
Kayci Morgan has had a passion for romance and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She
lives in Chicago with her family. In her cozy apartment, she spends endless nights tapping away
at her keyboard and playing computer games unheard of by normal people. Her English
Literature degree serves as a superb coaster for her 20oz mug of coffee. Follow her sleep
deprived ramblings at her website: http://www.kaycimorgan.weebly.com
* * * * *
Also By Kayci Morgan
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meets the woman of his dreams...and her two boyfriends. Poly romance. M/M, M/F, MMF and
MMMF.
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When a young vampire picks up a first time prostitute, both get more than they were expecting.
Dragoste Academy: Bayne and Lucas
When a lecherous werewolf falls for an aloof nymph, he pursues the dryad's affections, only to
realize his persistence may be killing it. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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