you to any more chairs. I’m trying to hold out an
olive branch here, but you’re not making it very easy.”
She raised an eyebrow, but stopped herself
from snapping at his insult.
Something far too important was happening
here. If it could be trusted, it appeared Jackson was softening to
her.
She’d been almost entirely alone for the
past year. The thought of having someone to rely on....
A tear pooled at her eye and trickled down
her cheek. She hated herself for being this emotional, but she did
not have the energy to fight it. Bringing her hand up, she clamped
it over her eyes, hiding behind her crooked fingers.
“ Ki,” he whispered, the surety gone from
his voice, “why are you crying? Are you still in pain?”
“ No. But you’ve given me an ultimatum, so
it’s my turn to give you one.” She let her hand drop, not caring
that her tears flowed freely and obviously. “If you make me trust
you and you turn on me again....”
She couldn’t come up with a threat; she had
no power to follow through with anything. All she could do was lock
him in her watery gaze and try to make him understand how easily he
could hurt her.
It was one of the most intense experiences
of her life. Neither of them shared a word, but their expressions
were enough.
Trust, or something like it, began to
grow.
As the wind blew through the trees around
her, bringing its biting chill along with it, she felt something
shift. That tight energy of suspicion that had filled her gut since
she’d fallen to earth yesterday morning began to loosen. It would
take more, so much more, for her to fully trust this man. Yet for
now she would try.
Chapter Seven
Ki had slept most of the morning. He’d made
her do it. Considering what had happened to her over the past 24
hours, she’d barely been able to walk, let alone keep up the pace
they needed to reach the pass.
It had been a strange experience to watch
over her as she’d slept. His own weariness weighing down his limbs,
he’d taken up post with his back resting against an old pine tree.
Half closing his eyes, he’d been sure never to let himself nod
off.
The scanner had been too much of a
distraction anyway. He’d analyzed it carefully as she’d slept.
Learning to use it properly would no doubt
take years, but for now he was confident he could at least use it
to assist them through the ranges.
When she finally woke, she snuffled for at
least half a minute, shifting restlessly before she pushed herself
up. It was a strangely cute move.
When she opened her eyes to stare his way,
he was already smiling.
“ Where—” she began.
“ We’re still in the mountains. You had to
sleep, remember? It’s a little after midday. If you think you’re up
to it, we should start moving. If we’re quick, we can make it to
the pass by tonight.”
She propped herself against a large, jutting
stone behind her. She rubbed at her arms, obviously feeling the
chill wind against them. Unfortunately neither of them were
properly equipped for this trek. The higher they went, the colder
it would get. Their only other option was to head back to the town,
but he knew that would be suicide.
“ How’s your arm?” he pulled himself up,
ignoring the stabbing pain in his legs. He’d really pushed himself
last night. He was sore all over, with more than a few cuts and
bruises. At least the effects of that drug had worn off
though.
“ Did you get any sleep?” her voice croaked
harshly.
She still hadn’t had a drop of water.
He’d been productive whilst she’d slept
though, and had found a river close by. She’d get her drink soon.
“We should get you something to drink.”
“ Did you sleep, Jackson?” she adamantly
repeated her question.
“ No.”
“ Shouldn’t you try to get some? If you need
someone to stand guard, I can.”
He shouldn’t have, but he laughed. He hadn’t intended for it to be
callous, just light hearted. She was a priestess, she was very
injured, and she was
olive branch here, but you’re not making it very easy.”
She raised an eyebrow, but stopped herself
from snapping at his insult.
Something far too important was happening
here. If it could be trusted, it appeared Jackson was softening to
her.
She’d been almost entirely alone for the
past year. The thought of having someone to rely on....
A tear pooled at her eye and trickled down
her cheek. She hated herself for being this emotional, but she did
not have the energy to fight it. Bringing her hand up, she clamped
it over her eyes, hiding behind her crooked fingers.
“ Ki,” he whispered, the surety gone from
his voice, “why are you crying? Are you still in pain?”
“ No. But you’ve given me an ultimatum, so
it’s my turn to give you one.” She let her hand drop, not caring
that her tears flowed freely and obviously. “If you make me trust
you and you turn on me again....”
She couldn’t come up with a threat; she had
no power to follow through with anything. All she could do was lock
him in her watery gaze and try to make him understand how easily he
could hurt her.
It was one of the most intense experiences
of her life. Neither of them shared a word, but their expressions
were enough.
Trust, or something like it, began to
grow.
As the wind blew through the trees around
her, bringing its biting chill along with it, she felt something
shift. That tight energy of suspicion that had filled her gut since
she’d fallen to earth yesterday morning began to loosen. It would
take more, so much more, for her to fully trust this man. Yet for
now she would try.
Chapter Seven
Ki had slept most of the morning. He’d made
her do it. Considering what had happened to her over the past 24
hours, she’d barely been able to walk, let alone keep up the pace
they needed to reach the pass.
It had been a strange experience to watch
over her as she’d slept. His own weariness weighing down his limbs,
he’d taken up post with his back resting against an old pine tree.
Half closing his eyes, he’d been sure never to let himself nod
off.
The scanner had been too much of a
distraction anyway. He’d analyzed it carefully as she’d slept.
Learning to use it properly would no doubt
take years, but for now he was confident he could at least use it
to assist them through the ranges.
When she finally woke, she snuffled for at
least half a minute, shifting restlessly before she pushed herself
up. It was a strangely cute move.
When she opened her eyes to stare his way,
he was already smiling.
“ Where—” she began.
“ We’re still in the mountains. You had to
sleep, remember? It’s a little after midday. If you think you’re up
to it, we should start moving. If we’re quick, we can make it to
the pass by tonight.”
She propped herself against a large, jutting
stone behind her. She rubbed at her arms, obviously feeling the
chill wind against them. Unfortunately neither of them were
properly equipped for this trek. The higher they went, the colder
it would get. Their only other option was to head back to the town,
but he knew that would be suicide.
“ How’s your arm?” he pulled himself up,
ignoring the stabbing pain in his legs. He’d really pushed himself
last night. He was sore all over, with more than a few cuts and
bruises. At least the effects of that drug had worn off
though.
“ Did you get any sleep?” her voice croaked
harshly.
She still hadn’t had a drop of water.
He’d been productive whilst she’d slept
though, and had found a river close by. She’d get her drink soon.
“We should get you something to drink.”
“ Did you sleep, Jackson?” she adamantly
repeated her question.
“ No.”
“ Shouldn’t you try to get some? If you need
someone to stand guard, I can.”
He shouldn’t have, but he laughed. He hadn’t intended for it to be
callous, just light hearted. She was a priestess, she was very
injured, and she was
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