Hannah's Hero - Ruby Dixon Page 0,101

fine.

“We are going back to the beach?” he asks, chewing a leaf slowly as he gets to his feet. Taushen is there immediately, taking one of J’shel’s good arms over his broad shoulders.

“We sure are.”

“And you will move into my hut with me, H’nah?” he asks, waiting for my answer.

“You won’t be able to get rid of my ass,” I reassure him.

He laughs, and somehow the world feels a little better already.

We walk through the night, and nothing follows us.

It’s a hard trip for all of us to make. Brooke and I are carrying extra bags because Taushen’s more or less supporting J’shel. My poor alien tries to walk every now and then, but he’s so drunk on the chakk leaf we keep giving him for the pain that he stumbles.

At least, I hope it’s just the chakk leaf.

I keep up, though. I don’t have time to be lazy or slow. I stay right on Brooke’s ass, and I never ask for a break unless I think J’shel needs to stop. It’s crazy to think that it’s been less than two weeks since we were last out here, but it feels like everything has changed. Two weeks ago, I wanted to go home. Two weeks ago I gave a shit about who they were casting in the In Search of a Hero movie.

Two weeks ago I wasn’t pregnant. Or in love.

Now, nothing matters but getting home, taking care of J’shel, and living a very uneventful and boring life on the beach together. I look forward to lazy evenings by the fire, snuggling in the furs, and I don’t even mind that the rest of the tribe will be there. I don’t really care about them one way or another. I just want J’shel.

We pause near morning, long enough to sit for a time. I’m tired and sweaty, but I touch J’shel’s forehead, checking his temperature.

He snags my hand with one of his good ones and presses a kiss to my knuckles. “It was not my head that was hurt, little flower.”

“You sound better,” I tell him brightly, relieved. “And I was making sure you didn’t have a fever in case the bite went bad.”

“I am well.” He grimaces. “Other than I think my arm is broken as well as skinned.”

Ew. “Poor thing. Keep your sling on. How do you feel otherwise?” I slide my hand out of his and press my fingers to his cheek. “Any other injuries?”

“My arm hurts like I have never felt such pain before.” He gives me a half smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “But I will live.”

“More leaves?”

“No. I want my head to be clear in case I must defend you.”

I’m still skeptical about that, since his color is pale, but as he’s a chameleon of sorts, I guess I can’t use that to judge. “I’ll be fine.”

“You are tired,” he says, taking my hand in his and squeezing it. “I can see it in your eyes. Shall I carry you?”

“What? No! You’re injured.”

“Bah. I have three good arms.” And he gestures at me with them.

“Don’t think I don’t notice how number four’s totally fucked up, though,” I snap back. “Honestly, J’shel, I can walk.”

“Even if we continue on through the day? I know it is hard on you and B’rukh.”

I glance over at the other couple. Taushen sits on a rock next to Brooke, and she leans heavily on him. She hasn’t complained once, though, and neither has Taushen. “I think we’re all tired, but I can keep going.” I’ll feel better when we’re all safe on the beach and as far away from the mountains and Old Grandfather as possible. More than that, I want J’shel to get looked at by the healer as soon as possible.

So yeah, I’m tired, but I can keep going.

I’ll walk as long as I need to in order to get him to safety. “We can rest when we’re home,” I tell him brightly and then squeeze his hand. “I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Do you not want to rest for longer, my little flower?”

“Oh, I do,” I tell him. “But if I sit down, I worry I won’t be able to get up again. So let’s just do this.”

“I’m ready, too,” Brooke says, getting to her feet with a groan. “How far are we from the beach?”

Taushen gets to his feet, spear in hand. He studies J’shel, then takes his pack from Brooke’s shoulders. I stubbornly hold onto mine even when J’shel tries to