Bride of the Traitor (The Prophecy of Sisters #1) - Hayley Faiman Page 0,57
must keep riding,” I slur.
Frowning, I wonder why I’m slurring. I’ve not imbibed this morning, and last night I only had one ale before I went to bed, alone—always gods damned alone. Lief shakes his head again, then I watch as he looks behind him from over his shoulder.
“We make camp,” he shouts.
“Nay,” I attempt to protest.
Lief’s eyes shift back to meet mine. “You are in no condition to ride. You probably ate something soured, Elias. One night’s rest will do you good.”
I want to protest, but my words are cut off with a groan. Practically falling off of my horse, I embarrass myself as I stumble toward a tree trunk and slowly sink down to my backside. Leaning back, my head bounces against the bark of the tree with a thud as I close my eyes.
It doesn’t take long for me to fall asleep. I can’t shake the feeling that something is very wrong, very off, but I’m too tired to try and figure out an explanation.
“We ride,” a voice shouts.
My eyes are so heavy that I can’t even force them to open. I know not of what is going on or why, but I suddenly feel my body being lifted and jostled before everything goes black again.
I hear hooves pounding the ground, sticks and leaves crackling beneath the pressure, my body rocks from side to side, my stomach protesting each and every move, but my eyes are too heavy to open. Eventually, everything goes completely black, again.
Inhaling a deep breath, my eyes open and I sit straight up, my heart racing in my chest. “Elias,” a sweet voice whispers from the darkness. “Calm, my dear heart.”
Frowning, I slowly lay back down onto the soft mattress before I turn to the side and try to make out the dark figure next to me. I feel a wet cloth placed against my forehead, as she shushes me.
“Where am I?” I demand.
She laughs, her voice familiar and husky. I feel out of sorts. I can’t place her voice or the room that I’m currently laying in. I feel my eyes becoming heavy again and my body jerks as I attempt to physically fight my way out of the haze that has begun to take over, again.
“Don’t fight it, my dear heart. I’ve given you a sleeping draught; you need your rest to heal. You’ll wake in the morning and I will be at your side when you do.”
It hits me, slams into me and my stomach rolls when I realize where I am and who is next to me—Duraina.
Chapter Eighteen
ELIAS
My entire body jerks, my stomach clenches and I let out a groan as I sit straight up. Sweat pours off of me as I attempt to breathe in and out, calming my heart. “Elias?” that voice whispers.
Turning my head to the side, I wince as I see her standing next to me. She’s wringing her hands together, her eyes watching me, full of hope. I should strangle my men for bringing me here, they should know better.
“Duraina,” I murmur.
She shakes her head, reaching for me. “It is meant to be,” she says, rushing forward, throwing herself to the floor at the side of the bed. “I heard a commotion outside and I saw you. Frederick recognized me. I demanded you be brought here so that I could tend to you. I love you, Elias.”
My eyes stay focused on her, but I don’t show her any emotion, the fact is that I have none for her. Duraina is a nice woman, she’s warm and soft where she needs to be. She accepted me inside of her body and didn’t cause any trouble, which was why I kept coming back to her, but I hold no true affection for her.
“I’ve already told you that I was to be married and now I am.”
Her lips twitch before she sucks them in. “She is not with child, Elias,” she whispers. “Annul the farce or put me in the mistress house at the back of the property. I can make you happy,” she promises, then she reached for my hand, guiding it to her belly as she straightens her spine.
“I can give you children, immediately if you want them. I have a potion that I can take to ensure that we conceive straight away, my dear heart.”
I yank my hand away with a quick jerk. Throwing my legs over the opposite side of the bed, I let out a grunt as my stomach clenches again.