Arranged (15 page)

"Where are we?"

"In the palace." Still he avoided her gaze. Because he knew that her green eyes would consume him and make him want to tell her everything. He had to let her know about things slowly, or he would scare her even more than she was already.

"Palace?...Who are you?"

Qwinn paced to the other side of the room. "That doesn't matter."

Alison pushed herself up in the bed and grit her teeth against the pain. He was at her side in an instant. "You musn't do that."

"Tell me who you are," she demanded, pushing herself up again.

He glared at her. "My name is Qwinn."

She seemed to roll his name around in her mind for a moment. "And what do you do in the palace?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Why not?" she growled.

For a moment, he was mesmerized by the way her nose scrunched in distaste and her lips turned down into a frown. "It is for your own good."

Glaring at him, she threw the blankets off her. "If you won't tell me, then you're not helping me. And if you won't let me leave, I'll escape." She swung her good leg off the bed, and then dragged her bad leg with her hands. Tears came to her eyes again. Qwinn gently placed a hand on her. "Stop before you hurt yourself again."

She shook her head and pushed his hand away, coming to a shaky stand. She leaned all her weight on her good leg. It crossed her mind that she couldn't outrun Qwinn in this condition. She wondered why he hadn't stopped her. She'd told him what she planned to do and he was just standing there. Perhaps he knew that she wouldn't get very far. Or, perhaps he would help her.

She gripped the small table at the side of her bed for balance. She tested her bed leg, putting some weight on it. She nearly buckled at the sharp pain that raced through her.

Qwinn merely watched her, his face a blank mask.

Alison counted to three and tired to take a step. She cried out in pain as her leg buckled beneath her and she fell.

The pain was so much that she almost didn't realize that she hadn't hit the floor, or that there were arms around her. Though her leg hurt, waves of calm began to wash over her. She opened her eyes to find that Qwinn was holding her.

As soon as her eyes landed on him, he lowered her into the bed. She remained quiet, just watching him as he tucked her back in.

"Please, do not do that again," he said gruffly.

She nodded. His face was so close she could see that there were actually flecks of blue and gold in his eyes. They were beautiful. She shook the thoughts out of her head. "I cannot promise that," she said.

"Then I will have to watch you closely," he whispered. A shiver raced through Alison at the promise in his words.

Qwinn sank into his bed, his weary muscles sighing in relief. After visiting Alison, he'd gone to the training hall to banish her from his mind. It worked momentarily. However, now he was physically exhausted and had no way to fight off the thoughts.

Even with the pain in her leg, she had still tried to escape. Maybe his sister was wrong about her coming to depend on him. Alison was a determined woman; However he couldn't blame her. He knew that if he were in the same situation, he would try anything within his power to escape, except, with his magic, he did have the upper hand.

His mind wandered to the many times he had seen her in the forest above, but had not approached her since she was a child. She truly was a beautiful creature. And so lonely, just like him.

He had known he needed to take a queen for years; however, avoided it. There was too much going on in his life, too much he had to take care of first. The right time for a wife never seemed to come, then he met Alison. Even then he had avoided it. He wanted to give her as much time on the surface as possible. He would have left her longer if she hadn't tried to run away from home.

Morinell had informed him about the young man that had meant to court Alison, and instead, hurt her. Though Qwinn was exhausted, anger rushed through him. He wanted to kill the boy, but knew his people couldn't afford to draw attention to themselves. In a way, it was perfect that Alison had run away. No one from the surface would question her disappearance.

Sleep drew him closer. When he'd left Alison, she was eating a stew prepared by one of his servants. Their sleeping patterns were opposite, but she would get used to the night. He hoped…

ALISON'S EYES DRIFTED TO THE DOOR, expecting him to walk in at any moment. When he didn't, she felt…disappointed? She shook her head to banish the thoughts. He was infuriating! He refused to answer her questions, yet insisted on being nice to her. The only men Alison had ever spent time around were her father and her uncle. From what she knew of her uncle, he acted much the same way as Qwinn was acting; he only did something when it was convenient for him.

Alison felt as though he were hiding information from her on purpose, which led her to believe that there was another reason she was here. She didn't rule out being eaten, but she seemed to be getting a different vibe from him. With her leg in this shape, she knew she couldn't run away without help. Maybe she could get him to like her and trust her, and in turn, help her? That is, if he didn't find her kind repulsive.

She laughed at her thoughts, the sound filling the room for a moment. She was worried that he found
her
repulsive, while he was the one with all black eyes and four fingers.

A plan began to work itself in her mind. She would befriend Qwinn, then ask him for help. He seemed as though he didn't want to hurt her, so perhaps he would pity her. She would take whatever she could get.

When she escaped and reached the surface, she would have to find her bag and get as far away from the manor as possible. That is, if her bag was still there. She wondered if her uncle was searching for her, or if he found the bag, which held all of the important papers, and called off the search, ruling her as dead.

The thought made her sad. She knew her father would never stop searching until they found her, or her body. All Jackson cared about was her inheritance, which he thought was ridiculous to give to a woman.

She wondered if James had been sent home and if so, if he was embarrassed. She was sure word had gotten out that she had run away from their engagement. The thought of the gossip surrounding him made her smile.

She sighed happily and laid back into the pillows. Out her window, she could see that it was a little lighter than usual. She figured that the light was coming from the strange bubble on the ceiling of the cavern that she'd seen a few days ago, the one with strange light filtering through. She realized that this must be their daytime. She had only ever seen them when it was dark out. Perhaps they slept during the day, like the monsters she'd read about in books.

She shook her head. She didn't want to think of the scary things she'd read. She needed to stay strong, not become a paranoid wreck. Besides, she was already scared of her surroundings. Though she acted tough and unaffected around Qwinn, deep down, she was frightened. Every shadow here seemed too long, the night stretched on forever. Nothing was warming or comforting; the stone palace was cold and unwelcoming, just as cold as the hearts of the creatures that inhabited this land.

QWINN ROUSED WITH A NEW ENERGY he hadn't felt in weeks. He dressed and made himself presentable. Attending to his first order of duty, he checked with his soldiers about the happenings in the forest. He was pleased to find that the kidnapped woman had been retrieved alive and in one piece. The soldiers had caught the Torin warrior only a mile away from the Torin territory. Qwinn congratulated them as they proudly held their heads high. The council was also happy, for the moment.

Jabr walked with Qwinn through the halls. "You seem cheerful this night."

Qwinn nodded. "I awoke with an idea. I must prepare things."

Before Jabr could pry further, Qwinn hurried down the hall, gathering servants as he went. He told them of what he planned to do and they dispersed to do his bidding; Qwinn hovered, making sure everything was perfect. Only then did he allow himself to knock on Alison's door.

Though her candles burned brightly, Alison slept, curled on her side, mindful of her leg. Qwinn watched her for a moment. Her hair fell in dark red waves over her shoulder and against the pillow. Her skin seemed to glow with life, even in the shadows. He wanted to reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear; however, before he could act on his foolish impulse, he cleared his throat loudly, meaning to wake her.

She started. Her eyes popped open as she propped herself on her elbow. As soon as she recognized him, she relaxed slightly. "Hello," she said, her voice thick with sleep.

He smiled down at her, which seemed to take her by surprise. "I have a surprise for you." He watched an uneasiness light her eyes.

"What is it?"

"I cannot tell you. I have to show you."

ALISON'S EYES GREW WIDE AS HE leaned toward her. She immediately scooted back into the pillows, despite her plan to befriend him. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

He stopped, not losing the smile from his face. "The surprise is in another room. The easiest way to get there is for me to carry you," he said, as if it were obvious.

"I don't want to leave," she lied. In truth, she was tired of being in her room, but at the same time, she didn't want to face the other creatures.

The last time he had taken her anywhere, he'd left her alone, surrounded by numerous creatures. That's how she'd ended up with a broken leg.

"I assure you, nothing will happen to you," he said calmly, almost reading her mind.

"Tell me where we are going then," she demanded.

"It is a surprise," he insisted, leaning toward her again.

"I don't like surprises. You should just tell me."

Now he frowned at her. "You are making this much harder than it has to be. Trust me."

Alison stayed silent for a moment as she mulled over his words. He asked her to trust him. He needed to think she did, so that she could escape when time came. However, her stomach was rolling nervously at the thought of him carrying her to a feasting hall to be devoured. She shoved the thought away, looking up at him and nodding. In the back of her mind she was certain she'd make a huge mistake.

His smile was back. Before she could say anything more, his arms were under her.

Alison held her breath. He lifted her, pulling her into his chest. He seemed to hold her without a problem. However, she felt much too vulnerable with her hands in her lap; he could drop her if he wanted to, so she hesitantly looped her arms around his neck. The texture of his skin surprised her. Up close, it looked as though he had dark blue scales, but it felt like skin, only slightly rougher. It was nothing like she expected. Again, she was amazed at Qwinn.

He was strangely beautiful, like the pictures of creatures she'd seen in books. However, she was sure that if any of his kind were found on the surface, people would panic. Some would try to kill him, others capture him to make money or study him. The thought made her sad, which in turn surprised her. Since when had she begun to feel for the creatures? She needed to stop that immediately. It was much too stupid and dangerous. She needed to stick to the plan.

"Where are we going?" she asked once more. Even though she knew he probably wouldn't answer her. She needed to escape her thoughts.

He opened her door and entered the hallway. A few torches hung on the walls, lighting the hall more than usual. No one seemed to be around, which caused her to relax slightly. He carried her as if she were lighter than a sack of potatoes, which worried her. He was strong. He could hurt her.

"We are not going far," he said, reassuring her.

She tried not to stare at him, but he was so close. His long black dreadlocks seemed to be his only hair. He had no beard or eyebrows. He didn't even have eyelashes, yet it seemed to suit him. He had a light gray scar on his chin, which lit her curiosity as to how he got it.

QWINN WAS HIGHLY AWARE OF EVERY inch of skin that her beautiful eyes touched. He kept his eyes straight ahead, ignoring the pounding of his heart at having her so close. She was so light.

Finally, they reached the room. He opened the door, feeling the heat from the steam that filled the space. He watched as her eyes opened wider, taking in the room.

Three large pools took up the span of the large cave-like room, their deep crystal-clear water a picture of refreshment. Steam rose from two, the pools naturally heated by the earth, while the other was frigid. Sheer white cloths hung in thick strips from the ceiling, allowing a sense of privacy and a relaxing feeling to the room. The ceiling of the cavern glittered like tiny stars in the steam along with the hundreds of candles placed all around the room.

"What is this place?" she asked softly, obviously distracted by her surroundings.

"The baths," he said. He didn't mention that these were his personal baths.

Now her green eyes took in Qwinn. "I get a bath?"

He couldn't help but catch the hopeful tone in her voice. He nodded as he walked her to the first pool. Everything had been prepared. Candles flickered around the pool, reflecting off the water. A fresh outfit had been folded beside the pool. Towels and fruit waited on a small table.

At their entrance, a servant made her way from the corner. He had made sure to find the kindest servant in the palace; she wouldn't judge Alison for being human. He needed someone he knew would help Alison, not scare her.

He placed Alison carefully on her legs, while still supporting her. He wouldn't admit that it made him happy that she was gripping his arm. He motioned the servant forward and Alison's grip tightened.

"I am Naliya," she said softly.

Alison's grip lessened slightly.

"She will help you with your bath," he said. "I have told her to summon me whenever you are finished."

Alison's eyed the pools longingly; however, it seemed that she was second guessing.

"She is wonderful with beauty treatments."

Naliya bowed her head shyly. Qwinn slowly released Alison until she was standing on her own, her weight on her good leg. "I will return when you are finished."

ALISON FELT DESERTED AGAIN, BUT THIS time she understood why. She wouldn't undress with him around. The servant, Naliya, stepped forward. "I take those," she said in a thick accent, motioning toward her clothes.

Alison stood still as the servant unbuttoned the back of her dress. It was now that she realized that she'd been in the same dress ever since she arrived. It was hard to tell how much time had passed when there was no sun. She figured around three days.

Naliya took off Alison's outer gown then assisted with her petty skirt and stockings. When Naliya reached for Alison's under garments, she stopped her. "I will bathe with these on."

Naliya shook her head. "Dirty."

Alison frowned. "I will not be naked in this pool."

The servant sighed. "I cannot…wash with you…clothes."

Alison blushed deeply at the thought of stripping down to skin in front of the creature. She was never so immodest. Naliya insisted; grabbing parts of the undergarment that were soiled with blood from her falls in the forest, or dirt. "Dirty," she said.

Alison was shocked at the state of her attire. After a moment, she nodded, knowing that she wouldn't get a good enough scrub with them on. She felt so dirty, she wanted to scrub every inch. However, that didn't stop her cheeks from flaming when Naliya peeled her under garments away, bearing her skin to the steam.

With help, Alison quickly lowered herself into the steamy water, not relaxing until she was covered up to her neck. Despite her embarrassment, the water was the most heavenly thing she'd ever been surrounded by. The hot water grabbed at all of her sore muscles, massaging.

Holding her breath, she immersed herself, loving the way the water made her feel. She blew a few bubbles out of her mouth then suddenly, she felt hands grabbing her and dragging her to the surface. Alison gasped as she surfaced. Naliya looked frightened. "What is it?" Alison asked, wiping the water from her eyes.

"You will…die," she said in broken English.

Alison smiled. "I won't drown. I know how to swim."

Naliya bowed her head slightly. "Forgive…I do not know."

"You don't know how to swim?"

Naliya shook her head. Swimming was something Alison had taught herself when she was young. She would play in the pond behind her uncle's manor. He hated when she swam, but she enjoyed it. He insisted that a young woman shouldn't go around in soaking wet clothes.

The servant looked ashamed. Alison warmed slightly toward her. She was so timid. "It's alright. I won't do it again."

Naliya smiled slightly, heading for the edge of the pool and returning with a bottle. She opened it and held it to Alison's nose. She sniffed, surprised at the delicious smell that tickled her senses. Naliya took her hand, pouring the contents of the bottle into her palm. "Wash…arm and neck," she said.

Alison began to wash her body with the sweet smelling soap. The water around her body began to fizz when the soap touched it. Her skin felt equally tingly. While Alison scrubbed, Naliya grabbed another bottle, rubbing the substance into her hair; it was thick and had chunks of something in it. For a moment, it made Alison squirm, until the scent hit her. It was unlike anything she'd ever smelled. She liked it.

Naliya's hands massaged her scalp, something her nannies at Jackson's never did when they bathed her as a child. Before she could stop it, she sighed as her eyes fluttered closed; almost forgetting that she was in a highly immodest state.

The servant took the now empty bottle and filled it with water, using it to rinse her hair. Alison dipped her head back, not going completely under, making it easier for the girl. The water fizzed around them again.

When all the soap had been washed away, Alison felt brand new. She also didn't want to leave the water. She could move around without hurting her leg. She was light.

Naliya however had other plans. She insisted on helping Alison out of the pool, sitting on the edge. Alison immediately covered herself with towels as she dried off while the servant began to comb her long red hair. Naliya braided the bangs out of her face and connected them in the back. She waved beads and white feathers into a few braids left to hand down to Alison's lower back.

"You hair…pretty," she commented.

Alison smiled, thanking her. She was truly enjoying herself, which surprised her considering that a creature was doing her hair.

Naliya's skin held a hint of green that seemed the color of dark seaweed. She had bright red eyes and a small flat nose. Her ears pointed upwards, like the elves in books. She looked almost human in stature, however, one of her legs was much larger than the other and her feet were hooves. She was a strange sight; nonetheless, Alison didn't feel threatened. She could tell that Naliya had a kind heart.

Once her hair was finished, the servant helped Alison stand. She held up a long white cloth. Alison tilted her head in confusion.

"You…wear."

"How?" Alison asked, eyes going wide.

Naliya smiled, motioning for Alison to lift her hands, which was hard considering that she was clutching the towels to herself. After a moment, she let them drop and lifted her arms. Naliya helped Alison into the clothing until the cloth spilled to her ankles. Before Alison could figure out what she was in, Naliya tied a golden rope around her waist, smoothing the cloth, and smiling at her work. "You look…how you say?"