ticked by, the woman’s eyes never leaving mine. I could tell her body was taut, readying her to turn and leave. Her face betrayed no change, though I saw something flicker in her eyes before her muscles released and she spun around, throwing her name back over her shoulder.
“Kahira. My name is Kahira.”
Chapter 8
T HE woman continued to walk away, heading toward the tree line where she had hidden the bodies of the fallen soldiers. Before I even thought about it, my hand flew out and I gently caught Kahira’s arm. I briefly saw a horrible scar knotted into the flesh on her upper arm before she tore herself loose from my grasp. The hardened gaze that fell on me when she turned around stopped every movement of my body, even the pull of air into my lungs.
I swallowed, trying to rid myself of the frustration caused by the sudden development of a stutter. “I just… I wanted….”
“Your overdeveloped manners will do you more harm on these roads than good if you offer a meal to everyone you come across.” Kahira’s eyes had softened, albeit slightly, and I noticed for the first time that her speech was slightly accented.
Ori took a step to stand beside me, obviously unhappy with Kahira’s tone. “We are offering dinner to a woman who helped us, as is customary. Even people the likes of you should show some semblance of manners. Should that be above you, however, then continue on your way.”
Kahira saw Ori’s hand resting on the pommel of his sword. The woman’s eyebrow arched as her green eyes flicked over the guard’s aggressive stance, further highlighting the tattoo she wore. “Relax. I have no reason to kill either of you.”
I felt the air thicken as Ori stared at Kahira. A smirk spread across the woman’s face when Ori was unable to release the white-knuckled grip he had on his sword.
“Fine.” Kahira sighed and relaxed her body, effectively calming the aggressive spark between her and Ori. “Help me bury these men, and I will join you for dinner.”
The way she agreed convinced me she only did so to aggravate Ori further.
“Why do you care if they are all buried?” Ori’s voice still held an air of suspicion.
“All?” The woman laughed slightly. “I couldn’t care less about the men you seemed to know. However, the men carrying Dakmoran blades belong in the ground.”
Ori grunted in response, as if a question he hadn’t even asked were answered.
Kahira had not even waited to see if Ori and I would help before she chipped away at the soft ground. My guard glanced at me, his silent wish that I order his refusal to help plainly etched on his face. Determined to repay this woman for saving our lives despite how Ori was now treating her, I urged him on. Soon, a still tense Ori was at her side, digging another shallow pit. It wasn’t long before Ori and Kahira managed to dig suitable graves without much difficulty. When the disguised Dakmorans were covered in dirt, Kahira knelt between the two graves, uttering words I could barely hear, but which seemed as though they were in a different language.
As soon as he could, Ori returned to my side. Addressing the woman still hovering over the disturbed earth, he spoke.
“I do believe we owe you a meal.”
The woman ignored him, turning toward us only after she had finished whatever rites she was performing.
“As I said, you and your wife offer more than you should on these roads.”
“He’s not my—” I cut off, completely forgetting that a married couple would bring less suspicion. I hoped the woman had not noticed my slip, but the amused look in her eyes told me otherwise.
“So, unmarried then, but too well-spoken to be a simple peasant girl running off with a trained soldier. I guess you really are the pair those men were asking about. And here I thought they had mistakenly sprung their trap on the wrong travelers. Maybe I will actually enjoy joining your camp tonight. I am always a fan of a good story, after all.
“Kahira. My name is Kahira.”
Chapter 8
T HE woman continued to walk away, heading toward the tree line where she had hidden the bodies of the fallen soldiers. Before I even thought about it, my hand flew out and I gently caught Kahira’s arm. I briefly saw a horrible scar knotted into the flesh on her upper arm before she tore herself loose from my grasp. The hardened gaze that fell on me when she turned around stopped every movement of my body, even the pull of air into my lungs.
I swallowed, trying to rid myself of the frustration caused by the sudden development of a stutter. “I just… I wanted….”
“Your overdeveloped manners will do you more harm on these roads than good if you offer a meal to everyone you come across.” Kahira’s eyes had softened, albeit slightly, and I noticed for the first time that her speech was slightly accented.
Ori took a step to stand beside me, obviously unhappy with Kahira’s tone. “We are offering dinner to a woman who helped us, as is customary. Even people the likes of you should show some semblance of manners. Should that be above you, however, then continue on your way.”
Kahira saw Ori’s hand resting on the pommel of his sword. The woman’s eyebrow arched as her green eyes flicked over the guard’s aggressive stance, further highlighting the tattoo she wore. “Relax. I have no reason to kill either of you.”
I felt the air thicken as Ori stared at Kahira. A smirk spread across the woman’s face when Ori was unable to release the white-knuckled grip he had on his sword.
“Fine.” Kahira sighed and relaxed her body, effectively calming the aggressive spark between her and Ori. “Help me bury these men, and I will join you for dinner.”
The way she agreed convinced me she only did so to aggravate Ori further.
“Why do you care if they are all buried?” Ori’s voice still held an air of suspicion.
“All?” The woman laughed slightly. “I couldn’t care less about the men you seemed to know. However, the men carrying Dakmoran blades belong in the ground.”
Ori grunted in response, as if a question he hadn’t even asked were answered.
Kahira had not even waited to see if Ori and I would help before she chipped away at the soft ground. My guard glanced at me, his silent wish that I order his refusal to help plainly etched on his face. Determined to repay this woman for saving our lives despite how Ori was now treating her, I urged him on. Soon, a still tense Ori was at her side, digging another shallow pit. It wasn’t long before Ori and Kahira managed to dig suitable graves without much difficulty. When the disguised Dakmorans were covered in dirt, Kahira knelt between the two graves, uttering words I could barely hear, but which seemed as though they were in a different language.
As soon as he could, Ori returned to my side. Addressing the woman still hovering over the disturbed earth, he spoke.
“I do believe we owe you a meal.”
The woman ignored him, turning toward us only after she had finished whatever rites she was performing.
“As I said, you and your wife offer more than you should on these roads.”
“He’s not my—” I cut off, completely forgetting that a married couple would bring less suspicion. I hoped the woman had not noticed my slip, but the amused look in her eyes told me otherwise.
“So, unmarried then, but too well-spoken to be a simple peasant girl running off with a trained soldier. I guess you really are the pair those men were asking about. And here I thought they had mistakenly sprung their trap on the wrong travelers. Maybe I will actually enjoy joining your camp tonight. I am always a fan of a good story, after all.
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