Page 54 of When Eden Falls

“Is everything…okay with you?” I asked. “I mean, you haven’t received any further punishment from Havav?”

His lips twitched. I could’ve sworn I saw a hint of a smile there. “No. Havav is not an unreasonable leader. My punishment was swift and that was the end of it.”

“A punishment that was unnecessary.”

“To you, perhaps. But I get the impression you do not think highly of yourself.”

I chuckled. “I’m not imitable, Dybgo. And I’m certainly not a queen.”

Something unspoken flashed in his eyes and I watched his Adam’s apple bob, swallowing down his thoughts. “Maybe not, but to us you are…special. All females are.”

Yes, they were sacred.Even me, apparently.

The infirmary was an area on the eastern side of the fortress. A cluster of open rooms with made up beds ran along an array of large, slitted windows. The area appeared empty apart from a warrior standing guard outside a closed off room.

He opened the hefty, stone door, revealing a small, bright room. My eyes quickly found Oz laying on an oval shaped rock-bed to the right. On the opposite side of the room, a young Akquarian female stood over a table laden with glass bottles and clean bandages. A blue sash tied around her waist.Another chaperon.

I made a beeline for Oz, who winced a lopsided smile as I approached. He was propped up by a cluster of foam pillows. His chest was bare, his left shoulder dressed with a neat white gauze. There was no sign of yellowing pus or blood. The colour in his cheeks had returned, as well as growth on his usually shavenhairline and beard. And even though he looked tired, I caught a glint of a sparkle in his blue eyes.

“Hey, you,” his voice was raw and raspy.

Smiling, I sat down on the edge of the bed. “You’re looking better than the last time I saw you.”

He chuckled. “I can’t remember the last time I sawyou.”

“Do you remember anything?”

He shook his head, scrunching up his face. “I don’t remember much after the day we landed. I stupidly asked Rooke where Sym was. He had to tell me what happened. I thought it had all been a bad dream.” He glanced downwards, remorse flooding every line of his face. “We shouldn’t have gone outside. I made him go outside.”

I reached for his hand. “If you want to blame yourself, you better get in line.” He looked up at me. “Kobe and Rooke blame themselves. I blame myself. I’m sure Zamya blames everyone.”

He snorted, the grief leaving his features momentarily before he narrowed his eyes towards a movement behind me. Heavily sighing, I closed my eyes, remembering where I was and what I had just done. And as expected, Dybgo appeared beside us.

Before he could speak, I pulled my hand away from Oz’s and held it up. “I apologise. Oz is my friend, and I was comforting him. Neither of us are remotely attracted to one another. I promise we won’t start fornicating in front of you.”

Glancing up at the towering, golden warrior, I saw a hint of surprise shimmer across his face. But he graciously gave me a curt nod and retreated to the table, where he resumed conversation with the Akquarian female.

Oz was frowning when I looked back at him. “Speak for yourself,” he japed.

I rolled my eyes.

Twitching his head in Dybgo’s direction, Oz lowered his voice. “Who’s the big guy?”

“That’s Dybgo. I’m pretty certain he’s been appointed as my personal bodyguard.”

“Ahh, that explains it. He looks at you a lot.”

I frowned. “Probably paranoid I’ll slip his net.” Peering over my shoulder, I caught Dybgo’s eye. In all seriousness, I couldn’t understand why he was here. Yuska could’ve escorted me. She was a chaperon, and I was positive it had been her who’d escorted Zamya and Cora here over the past two days.

Dybgo broke eye contact and continued to speak with the pretty Akquarian nurse. He seemed relaxed in her company, lounging in one of the wooden, slated chairs, which looked far too small to accommodate him. Flicking my eyes over his acquaintance, I realised she was really pretty, stunning in fact. Large, glassy blue eyes, high cheek bones structuring a long, delicate face, with a set of full, defined, pink lips. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back into a practical bun, and her nose was dainty but pronounced.

“Is that your nurse?” I asked Oz, turning back to him.

“Yep.” He gazed at her, smirking with adoration. “That’s Oonla. She was the first person I saw when I woke up. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”

I huffed a smile. “Don’t get too attached, Oz. We’re leaving as soon as it’s possible to do so.”

“Can I not smuggle her onboard? She can stay in my room.”