Always Golden by Dickerson Gina

Author:Dickerson, Gina [Dickerson, Gina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: RoseWolf Books
Published: 2015-11-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Oriana

Now it was light, Oriana could see the farmland and the way to the forest properly. Crops were trampled down from where the soldiers had rampaged through the fields. Although the rain had long since eased, the ground was boggy and water had collected in the tracks left behind by hooves and boots. The air was unmoving and clung around Oriana, scented with a mix of wet mud and something metallic...blood? Oriana shuddered; she must be imagining the blood, maybe it was the iron in the soil as she knew her father’s lands were rich with the ore. Most of the soldiers had departed, except for two who were sat astride horses at opposite ends of the farmhouse. Vilas had obviously told the others they were no longer needed.

At the rear of the house was a water pump. Deciding there was no use in hiding the true colour of her hair any more, she set about rinsing the dye from it. It took a long time and she was unable to remove all traces of the muddy brown colour but it would fade over time. Wrapping her hair in a sheet, she retreated to the kitchen and forced a little food down. She had not eaten since early yesterday and she should be famished by now. The bread she had buttered may as well have been sawdust for all she could taste and she managed just a few meagre bites.

What had she promised? Her life for lives of others. Pain crawled across her forehead, spiking into her eyes. Would Hashir accept her bargain? Did he think she was worth enough? Would he be as true to his word as Vilas insisted? Would he be content with waiting to see if they could care for each other, could love each other? Oriana rubbed her eyes. She already knew her own answer to that question.

She could never love Hashir.

Pacing the length of the veranda, Oriana watched the still line of trees at the edge of the dense forest. Two figures on horses emerged from the gloom. Shielding her eyes against the sun, she held a hand over them and squinted. On one horse sat Vilas, rigid in his armour, and on the other was Karima sitting side-saddle and dressed in a long, peacock-blue dress which billowed around her legs. Oriana jumped down the veranda steps and raced through the field to meet them.

‘Oriana!’ Karima squealed, sliding down from her horse while it was still trotting. She burst into tears.

Flinging her arms around her friend, Oriana kissed her profusely, her own tears mingling with the other woman’s. ‘I was afraid I would never see you again. It broke my heart to leave you in the castle!’ She examined Karima’s throat. ‘How does it feel?’

Karima touched the red ring mark around her neck. ‘It is a little painful but I’ll survive, thanks to you. How did you get that monster to agree to release me?’

‘Never mind that now,’ Oriana replied hastily. ‘Come inside and tell me what happened to you.

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