The Key to Her Past by Dabney Blanche

Author:Dabney, Blanche
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-08-12T16:00:00+00:00

10

Natalie went looking for Wallace. He was somewhere on the ship. Injured. But alive.

He had climbed onboard first, disappearing through a door while the captain readied the sails. “Anything I can do?” she asked.

“Can you sail?” the captain replied.

“Nope.”

“Then go make sure he’s not bleeding to death. I’ll get us to the mainland.”

“I’m Natalie by the way.”

“Captain.”

“Captain what?”

“That’s my name. Captain. Confusing, isn’t it?” He turned and began slackening off the sail.

Natalie left him to it, heading to the closed door and pulling it open. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the gloom inside. Wallace was in there with his back to her, trying to reach around his back to the head of the arrow.

She watched him for a moment. He had removed his top and he seemed more muscle than man. There was a splash of dried blood around where the arrow had emerged but already she could tell it wasn’t as serious as it looked.

“Can I help?” she asked.

“I can handle this fine,” he replied.

“You’re sure? Only you look as if you’re flailing about like a beetle on its back.”

He turned his head to scowl at her. “I dinnae need help from a MacCallister.”

“Yes, you do.” She took a step toward him. “Hold still. It’s only just inside the skin.” She picked up the tunic he’d removed and tore a strip from it. “Wait there.” Sticking her head back out of the door she shouted, “Any alcohol on board?”

“Dinnae be getting drunk,” the captain called back. “The journey isnae long enough.”

“Good advice. Where is it?”

“There’s some whisky in the bottle by the bed.”

She ducked back inside, rummaging until she found it.

“What are you doing?” Wallace asked, pulling the feathers from the end of the arrow.

“Making sure you survive long enough to get me home.”

“By drinking?”

“By keeping your wound clean.” She doused the strip of fabric in whisky before handing it to him. “When I say so, press that to the wound. Ready?”

“Ready.”

She dipped a second strip and placed it nearby. “Here goes,” she said more to herself than to him. Then she pulled hard and fast. The arrow came out and immediately blood began to flow. She pressed the cloth to the wound, holding it fast while Wallace did the same at the other end. Throughout it all, he didn’t make a sound.

“Didn’t that hurt?” she asked, feeling the blood starting to soak through.

“Aye.”

“Yet you remain silent as the grave.”

“What would be the point of screaming? The pain would remain.”

“Fair enough.” She looked at his back, noticing the scars that covered it. “You’ve had a hard life,” she said, tracing the line of one of the marks with her free hand. “Who did this to you?”

“I was beaten in the dungeon.” He paused for a moment. “Many times.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, almost able to feel his pain. She could only imagine what had caused so much damage to his skin.

Stretching her hand out, she was able to fetch a length of twine from under the bed.

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