Page 44 of Firebird
“You’re my body slave. It’s common for generals and officers to bring them.” He paused, then added, “Many slaves travel with the campaign.”
“How else would Romans eat or dress themselves?” came my tart reply.
I winced at my sharp accusation. He edged closer and corralled me against the stone banister.
My back hit the railing while I kept my chin up to face him.
He placed his hands on the banister, caging me in but not touching me. I kept forgetting how large he was. I couldn’t even imagine what he’d look like in half-skin. And why the thought of seeing him that way didn’t repulse me was another mystery.
“True enough, firebird.” He dipped his head lower, studying my eyes carefully.
“Why do you call me that?” I asked, angry that my voice trembled.
“You don’t know the tale?”
“No.”
His smile turned fiendish, then he stood straight and stepped back, removing his heat and intoxicating presence. “Good night, Malina. Be ready to leave in three days.” Then he walked away down the terrace steps and around the corner toward the stables.
I found Enid awake when I ducked into her small room. Her hair was pulled back in a neat bun away from her face, the way Kara wore hers. I realized the older woman must’ve helped her with it.
“You’re awake,” I whispered happily as I rushed to her side.
The single oil lamp burning on her bedside shadowed her thin face. She’d lost weight.
She smiled when she saw me and reached up a hand from the bed. “Malina.”
Her voice was raspy from disuse. I sat on the edge of her bed, hugging her gently. She smelled of the lavender oil Kara set out for me to use in bathing. Kara had been taking good care of her.
It made me smile to think of the rough Kara tending so kindly to Enid.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, easing her back to the pillow.
Rather than answer, she asked a question of her own. “How did you manage it? To get the general to save me?”
I’d begged.
The tether wound tighter.
I shrugged. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters. You’ll be well enough soon.”
“I don’t know if I will.” She fell into a coughing fit.
I helped her sit up more and grabbed the cup of water on the small table to help her drink. She gulped it down, then settled again. A wet wheeze squeezed out of her lungs every time she breathed.
“Why would you say that? Kara said the wound is healing.”
I held the cup in my lap in case she needed more water.
“There’s something wrong on my inside.” She grimaced as she tried to move to get more comfortable. “Don’t think any healer can help me now.”
“Don’t say that, Enid.”
Dread gripped me hard that she might be right. Her face was paler than before, her lips dull and gray. Shadows danced across her eyes as she got a faraway look.
“Do you remember Brigid?”
Setting the cup aside, I gripped her pale bony hand in both of mine,swallowing the lump swelling up my throat at the thought of the frail, white-haired woman Brigid, who was a little addled in the brain.
