The Redwood Rebel (The Redwood War Book 1) (13 page)

She had called his restriction spell cruel, but it was only this morning that he had fully understood that it really was. No matter his intentions, or how desperate he was, to someone that had suffered an incarceration like that, there was no way to justify his actions. It was small wonder she resented him. As his cousin had told him, what reason had Arun ever given her to trust him? If only he could secure her cooperation, he wouldn’t need the spell that kept her from running. She’d told him she was considering his proposal, even though to him it was more of a courtesy gesture, perhaps he needed to try a little harder?

If he knew one solid fact about Naomi, it was that once her mind was made up, she would follow through. If she gave her word and agreed to be his wife and Queen, a prospect he found far less daunting than he had before, he knew she would keep it. He just had to be tactful about it. Find ways to exploit her that were subtle and eventually win her over to his way of thinking.

Looking back up to where she was, he was pleased to see that the soldier, Rostam, had fallen back from her side slightly. The Bond sang out with a bestial pride that the other man was unable to keep pace with her, and he blinked in surprise at the strange reaction. He realised all at once that the unpleasant feeling he had been experiencing while the two talked had been jealousy, and as he picked up his own pace, he couldn’t keep himself from shooting a warning glare at the younger man when he passed. His dragon shifted and coiled within his magic, but before he could act on it, Naomi noticed him closing in on her and frowned.

‘You shouldn’t be up here,’ she dismissed him easily. ‘It’s dangerous.’

‘Is my company really that repellent to you?’ the beast inside him snarled at that as Arun jerked his head back to where Rostam was walking. ‘You didn’t seem to mind a moment ago.’

She rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything as she continued to carefully pick her way through the underbrush. It didn’t escape Arun’s notice that Rostam dropped back even further, and actually hid a little behind the next two soldiers back. He took a deep breath, knowing he was already making a hash out of things, and did his best to calm the strange surge of emotions and magic assailing him.

Suddenly Naomi had tackled him to the ground, her small weight catching him by surprise shoving him back into the mud even as she landed on top of him. Acting on instinct, he grabbed her, expecting some kind of attack, but he soon realised from the way she had wrapped her arm around the back of his head to cushion the force that she was shielding him from something. Dazed by the force of the fall and her sudden close proximity, it took him a moment to register that she was shouting and trying to get up again.

‘Let go, you moron!’ She struggled against him and he realised at once that he had at some point wrapped her very firmly in his arms. Immediately he let her go and she pushed herself up, grabbing his wrist and pulling him with her. ‘Fall back! Everyone, fall back!’

It took him a moment to orient himself enough to stand without stumbling, even as Naomi continued to try and drag him away with her.

'Didn't you hear me?' she snapped. 'We're being shot at by a clabbert! We must be too near their nests. We need to get out of here before she shoots at you again!'

As Naomi shoved him into action, he looked up to a nearby tree and saw a strange, green creature watching him furiously. Its body was similar to a small monkey, all long limbs and tail, but instead of fur, its skin was slick and strange, like that of a frog or newt. On its head, small horns protruded, and in its hand as it danced about the branches angrily, he noticed a small wooden blow-pipe.

The creature was quickly out of sight as Naomi led him back between the dense trees they had just come through. He could just make out the flurry of red that were the uniforms of his retreating soldiers, as she slowed slightly and pushed him ahead of her. He could tell that she was trying to bring up the rear and make certain no one was left behind, but his protective instincts refused to leave her. She scowled at him, but apparently realising he was going to be as pig-headed about it as her, she gave up and ran beside him.

Finally they caught up with the other soldiers, who were all looking confused, mud splashed all up their legs and backs. Sergeant Naseem had a bow with an arrow nocked, and was covering their escape, but Naomi waved him off.

‘She won’t pursue, don’t worry,’ she leaned against a tree and took a deep breath. ‘We frightened her, that’s all. Everyone alright?’

There was a quick sound off, and with everyone accounted for, Arun turned back to her to question further about the creature. He was surprised to find her sitting on a log, gloves pulled off and rolling up her sleeve, then noticed the colourful dart protruding from her arm, just above her elbow.

‘You’re hurt!’ he gasped, dropping immediately down to his knees in front of her and trying to see the wound.

‘I’m fine,’ she dismissed his concern without even looking up. ‘I need a knife, if that’s alright?’

‘What do you need a knife for?’

This time she did look up, her expression pinched as she yanked the dart viciously out of her arm. ‘I’m going to stab you repeatedly in the face, what the cuss do you think? I need to bleed the poison out!’

He bit back a sharp retort and pulled a small dagger from his boot before offering it to her. She snatched the blade, and without even a moment of hesitation, cut a small incision across it. Dark blood pooled, but her mouth was quickly over it, sucking then spitting the blood and poison from the wound. Her emerald eyes looked slightly unfocused and there was a thin film of perspiration beading her forehead.

Standing, he went to one of the packs and retrieved some clean bandages and a small potion that was used to keep wounds from festering. Spitting poison wasn’t exactly sanitary at the best of times, and the last thing he wanted was for the stupid girl to lose her arm. He turned to go back to her, but found himself face to face with the young guardsman, Rostam, who was holding up a water skin. She would probably be thirsty, it was true, but he didn’t want to thank the other man, and snatched it out of his hands unceremoniously.

‘My King?’ the guard muttered, eyes lowered. ‘I just… I just thought you should know that the lady was hit while protecting you.’

Arun groaned quietly in defeat.

Chapter Thirteen

Naomi could feel the poison start to take effect. Her vision blurred at the edges and her movements were sluggish. Finding the right plant to nullify the dart wasn’t going to happen at this late stage, and none of the Korenian soldiers knew what they were looking for, risking making things worse. Thankfully the poison used by clabberts wasn’t deadly, but it was going to make her almost completely useless for the rest of the day, and slow tomorrow.

She should have just let His Royal Pain-In-The-Backside take the hit. She was more useful to them at the moment than he was anyway, and out of everyone to lose for a day, he was by far the most expendable. Honestly, she had no idea what had made her jump in the way of the dart, she knew better. It hadn’t been a practical decision at all.

Now here she was, trying to suck poison from a wound that was in quite possibly the most awkward place imaginable, and probably failing abysmally.

‘Here, let me.’

She looked up to find Arun back again, offering her a water skin and Sergeant Naseem a roll of clean linen bandages. He’d stomped off only moments ago and she’d hoped he would stay well out of the way. She was vulnerable right now, and she knew she was less inclined to be fair or diplomatic in this frame of mind.

Sitting down on the log beside her, she watched in a daze as he took her injured arm and sealed his mouth over the wound. She was about to protest, but the sharp pain in her arm let her know he was doing a better job than she had been. He spat twice, then took the water skin from her slack fingers, rinsed his mouth, then carefully washed the wound.

‘Do you think it needs stitching?’ he asked, looking up at Sergeant Naseem.

‘I don’t think so, it’s pretty small,’ replied the other man. ‘What do you think, My Lady?’

Arun glanced at her, then back to the Sergeant. ‘She’s in no fit state-‘

‘I’m fine,’ she interrupted him, staring at the cut and blinking. ‘We need to move.’

Her voice was slurred, her tongue swollen and her teeth feeling as though they were made of lead. She saw the way Arun shot a warning glance at the Sergeant for daring to ask her opinion, then looked pensively at her arm.

‘No magic,’ she warned, guessing his thoughts. ‘Bind it tight, then we leave. We need to circle West a bit, alright? Clabbert nest in groups.’

The Sergeant nodded, moving to do as she bid, but Arun was there, suddenly snatching up the bandages. ‘I’ll do it. You see to the men.’

She watched as though through a window as Arun began to bandage her arm and Sergeant Naseem winked at her from behind him. The gesture was confusing, and she continued to stare even after he went back to the other soldiers, speaking quietly to the young guard, Rostam. They both looked over, and the worry faded from Rostam’s face with whatever the Sergeant had told him.

‘You like him?’ Arun asked, his voice odd. He didn’t look up from his task, wrapping her wound carefully, but firmly.

‘Who?’

‘Rostam, is it?’ he sounded very tense. Naomi briefly wondered if the poison was affecting her ears. ‘You seem very friendly with him.’

‘He’s a friendly person,’ she replied mildly. ‘He’s been kind to me.’

‘I see.’

He sounded so deeply troubled by that, Naomi snorted. ‘Does it bother you that other people don’t hate me because you do?’

Arun looked up at her then, surprise evident in his face. His eyes were serious, and he reached out to take her chin in his hand. ‘I don’t hate you.’

‘Why do you always do that?’ she demanded, all humour gone as she jerked her head away from his fingers. He looked taken aback, his brows shooting up and lips parting. He didn’t even know what he was doing was wrong!

‘You don’t have to touch me to make a point. It’s such a disrespectful way to behave, using physical force to make a woman listen or pay attention.’

‘Physical force?’ he said incredulously. ‘I barely touched you!’

‘But you did touch me,’ Naomi scowled. ‘You’re always touching me, and it’s rude. You wouldn’t grab another man to make him listen, would you? Not unless you were trying to threaten or dominate him. What makes you think it’s alright to do it to me and not expect an angry response?’

He looked so shocked, as though the world had been blown out from under his feet. It made her feel better to know he hadn’t meant it that way, that it was just a case of being thoughtless or uncorrected in the subject as most men were, but she wasn’t about to let him off the hook. He needed to stop doing it, and now he knew better, he couldn’t claim ignorance again. There was only so much leeway she was going to give him regarding differences of culture, and invading her space was a step he had repeatedly gone over the line with.

‘I didn’t mean…’ he reached forward to take her hands, then pulled up short as he realised he was about to do the same thing again. ‘Forgive me. I never thought of it in that way. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel threatened, I only… I apologise.’

Seeing his genuine horror at the realisation, she sighed tiredly, giving him the opportunity to do better in future. ‘Thank you. I appreciate that, and I’m sorry I snapped. I’m just… I’ve been kicked about a bit over the years, and it makes me nervous when I’m touched unexpectedly.’

Her head was swimming and she felt ill, but she knew they had wasted enough time. Standing unsteadily, she leaned on a nearby tree trunk for support. It wasn’t really the same thing, but if she suddenly grabbed Arun after making her point, it might seem hypocritical.

‘You’re not well,’ he said, regaining some of his usual gravitas. ‘You need to rest.’

‘No. Going around the Clabbert nesting grounds is going to put us behind as it is,’ she sighed and rubbed at her foggy eyes. ‘Can’t waste any more time. I’m fine.’

Speaking was difficult and she hated how weak she sounded, so she didn’t add that with the smell of blood would come predators, maybe even attract however many harpies were hunting them.

‘Then let me carry you.’

‘No,’ she responded without preamble. He went to grab her shoulder, but again pulled his hand back as though burned. The look on his face was priceless as he realised just how often he touched her to make his point, and clenching his fists, he lowered them both to his sides.

‘You’re a practical woman,’ he said carefully. ‘If you don’t let me carry you, you must realise you’re going to slow us down. We could keep up a steady pace with you on my back and you could rest at the same time.’

She was intrigued by this new tactic. He was right, of course. She would slow them down in her present condition, and by appealing to her common sense, he had won her over before she even realised he had. He was smart when he used that pretty head of his.

‘Alright,’ she agreed at last. ‘But only because it’s sensible.’

Arun looked relieved then, and took a step towards her. ‘May I, then?’

She nodded and he took her good arm tentatively, wrapping it around his neck as he turned his back to her at the same time. He lifted her easily, which surprised her more than it should have, and she had no choice but to brace her other arm over his shoulder as he shifted his hands along her legs and under backside. Suddenly she wondered if this really was such a good idea. Maybe she could just walk it off?

‘Is this alright?’ he asked, concern evident in his voice. She wasn’t comfortable. It felt as if every inch of her was pressed up against him somehow, and she had to fight off the irritation that threatened to burst out of her. It wasn’t his fault, it was hers. He hadn’t asked her to be stupidly heroic, and he was right that she wasn’t really in any condition to walk unaided. Another wave of dizziness hit her, and she knew she had no choice but to deal with it.

‘Are you sure you can manage?’ she mumbled into his shoulder.

‘You’re not exactly heavy, Firefly,’ he laughed quietly, shifting her weight slightly and walking towards the Sergeant. They were ready to go, and as she had previously instructed, they moved in a Westerly direction in an attempt to give the clabbert nesting grounds a wide berth. Naseem moved up to the front of the formation, and she felt guilty for not being able to lead them through as she’d meant to. It was dangerous, as she’d unfortunately just proven.

Their pace was slow as they once again began to move through the thick forest, and she knew she must have dozed off a few times. Her arm was throbbing painfully, but there was only a few spots of blood that had seeped through the bandage. Despite Arun’s assurances and her own knowledge, she felt heavy. She could barely keep her head up, and jerked upright every time she found her face buried in his neck. The fourth time she did it, he puffed a small, exasperated sigh.

‘I don’t mind, you know. You should try and rest if you can.’

‘I don’t want to sleep,’ she murmured. The clabbert poison wasn’t deadly. It was supposed to incapacitate an enemy, but Naomi couldn’t shake off the fear that she might not wake up again. Her thoughts were taking an increasingly morbid turn, and the idea that she had endured all she had just to die like this caused a sharp pain in her chest.

‘Would you like to talk for a while, then?’ he asked, almost hopefully. Naomi felt suddenly suspicious.

‘What do you want to talk about?’

‘Well, under normal circumstances I suppose I might ask you about your childhood,’ he watched her from the corner of his eye, and she tensed up. ‘But since I gather that topic isn’t on the table, perhaps you could tell me if you’ve reached a decision yet?’

She frowned deeper. ‘A decision?’

‘I’m not sure whether to be offended or not,’ he sounded like he was smiling. ‘I suppose a lot has happened, though, hasn’t it?’

Naomi realised all at once that he was talking about his offer of marriage yesterday and experienced a peculiar mixture of embarrassment and amusement. Only half in control of her faculties, she snorted in a decidedly undignified way.

‘You really think that’s been top of my priorities today?’

She hadn’t exactly meant it to come out that harshly, and expected Arun’s sudden light humour to dissipate immediately. She was surprised to hear him chuckle instead. ‘No, I suppose not. After saving my life three times in as many days, I probably owe you a little space to breathe, don’t I?’

‘You don’t owe me anything,’ she reiterated, not wanting his thanks. ‘But it’s only once by my count.’

‘If you say so,’ he sounded dubious. ‘I’m not here to force the point, only that I’m glad we’re on even footing now. There’s no need for you to keep throwing yourself into danger to try and prove yourself.’

‘Oh?’

‘It’s not that I don’t appreciate it,’ he hurried on, then hesitated, shifting her weight again as he stepped carefully over a fallen log. ‘It’s just that I can’t help wondering if you’ve considered the possibility that you might be with child.’

Her heart lurched sickeningly in her stomach at this, but she quickly tried to compose herself. Her already woolly head barely processed his words, and she found she had to close her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, there was an odd expression on his face, hesitant but somehow provoking at the same time.

'I'm not,' she kept her voice steady. 'Due to my living conditions and general health, I haven't menstruated in almost two years. I understand it to be common with underfed women and while I expect it to return to normal as my health returns, it's highly unlikely that I'm with child now.'

'It isn't impossible, though,' he insisted doggedly. ‘Would it make a difference to our situation if you were?’

What was wrong with him? It was like he wanted her to be pregnant. Then she realised that he probably did. His line of questioning had been about whether she would stop fighting his supposed marriage to her, so this was just another way to tie her to him. Just like the Bond spell. Part of her was angry with him for trying to use such an idea against her, but another part understood. After all, he had been getting married for a reason. She knew that without an heir of his own to continue the Hadrian line, with his death would come civil war. It wasn’t a particularly nice pressure to have placed upon you, but it was one Naomi could understand. Lineage was everything to royalty. She would just rather he didn’t involve her in his, that was all.

‘I’m truly sorry, Sire,’ she lied, more for his sake than for hers. ‘But I don’t think it’s very likely at all.’

‘Arun.’

She blinked. ‘Pardon?’

‘I would really like it if you called me by my name,’ he explained, his eyes flicked quickly towards her, then became very fixated on the forest in front of him. ‘You did say you would.’

It took her a moment to realise just when they’d had that conversation, but when it finally came to her she felt slightly less charitable towards him. ‘It wasn’t actually me you made that request of though, was it?’

‘Actually, you might be interested to know that I had decided not to go through with the marriage if my bride turned out to be as horrific in private as she was in public. Myself, my family, and my people were all treated by her with utter contempt, and with the Bonding spell and her own marriage ritual not completed until consummation, Rayan made me swear not to tie myself to her unless I could find a redeeming quality or two,’ he smiled mischievously and Naomi found herself at a loss as how to react. ‘Imagine my surprise when I entered the wedding chamber expecting more disrespect, but was met with courtesy, education and an easy frankness of manner I’m not often privileged to experience.’