What the Earl Desires by Burke Aliyah

Author:Burke, Aliyah [Burke, Aliyah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Passion In Print Press
Published: 2011-09-14T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Najja woke to vivid nightmares for the first time in years. Her body sat drenched in sweat and she had her weapons held before her. One in a defensive position and the other ready to deliver a kill shot.

Her hands shook as she lowered the sais to the mattress beside her. She ran a hand over her mouth and bolted from the bed, barely making it before she lost the contents of her stomach. On shaky limbs she got cleaned up and splashed some clean water on her face. She stared at her flickering reflection in the small mirror over the wash stand, courtesy of the fire which still burned in the hearth.

Calm yourself. Deep breaths.

She continued to tell herself that as she stoked the fire and returned to the bed. She stood beside it and honed in on her sais. Flames licked at her skin, lowering her more into her own private hell. Without another breath, she fit them in her hands and began a workout. More sweat poured but this time she pressed harder. Muscles burned and lungs screamed for respite yet she continued on.

A whisper of feeling alerted her to the fact she was no longer alone. She finished and paused, ingesting large breaths of air, filling her lungs until they no longer burned. Folding her legs, she sank to the thick rug and allowed the black steel to leave her grasp.

“Why are you awake, Jo?” she asked without glancing in her direction.

“I heard you scream.” Footsteps drew near. “Are you all right?” Jo’s tone was laced with concern.

Shame at being heard ran over her and she struggled against her embarrassment. “I am fine. Go back to sleep.”

Najja could feel Jo’s hesitation but she continued to sit rigid on the floor. Eventually Jo’s steps retreated and the door opened.

“Jo?”

“Yes, Najja?”

“Thank you for checking on me.” She met her friend’s gaze.

A tremulant smile lifted Jo’s lips. “Good night, Najja.” Jo’s farewell was in her native tongue and she responded in kind.

The moment she was alone again, she scooped up her sais and got to her feet. She shuffled to the window and sat on the cushion in the sill. Frozen until the first shafts of morning light sliced through the dark, Najja saw the snow still fell outside. Deep inside she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that filled her from head to feet. Something was out there. Something or someone wanted to hurt the Adrys family. She had no clue why, who, or how. Helpless was not a feeling she did well.

“It makes no sense,” she muttered, her breath condensing on the window.

Najja climbed upon the bed and lay back down, wishing she could get more sleep. Tugging the blanket up, she closed her eyes and tried. It didn’t matter, even with one hand wrapped around a sai she found no rest to be had.

Not much later, she sought out Lord Adrys in his study, well aware of his early morning habits.

“Good morning, Najja. It…good Lord, are you feeling okay?”

“A rough night ’tis all.

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