The Healer's Hellion - Miranda Bridges Page 0,29

it unless absolutely necessary in order to keep people from being jealous. They said other males would not take kindly to my gift, especially since I was one of the few in the house of Mankoi who actually had it.”

“The house of Mankoi?” I prompt.

“There are five Dravian houses that go by the names of Kaimar, Mankoi, Fael, Tari, and Silae. I have pledged my alliance to that of my house, which was my father’s house before me,” Braxton says.

Erix fingers a braid on the side of his head. “This shows that I belong to the house of Tari. Braxton is not displaying his right now.”

“My house is not worthy of such respect,” the physician says, his voice sharp.

Now that I think of it, I’ve never seen Braxton’s hair braided. Not that I’ve known him long, but the other Dravian males always have their braids, and this entire time I chalked it up to being nothing more than a hairstyle. Actually it’s way deeper than that. It makes me wonder why Braxton is upset with his house.

“Well, regardless of your house or whatever,” I say, “I still don’t think your parents did the right thing concerning your power.”

Erix frowns, his lips pursing. “Agreed. The gift is to be honored and revered. You would think your parents would have been proud of the fact, not hidden it away, Braxton.” He shakes his head as though still confounded.

Braxton shrugs, but his voice is anything but nonchalant. “I think in the end it was my father’s jealousy that was the source of the conflict, not anything else.”

I squeeze Braxton’s hand in a show of support, moved by his story. “That was so unfair of him.”

“It matters not,” he says. “Most people discovered my gift during the Purist uprising.”

We lapse into silence after that, although I don’t stop thinking about what Braxton said. I may be disillusioned, but I would bet my ass that there was more to his father’s behavior than Braxton let on. It was in the undertone of his voice, a sliver of pain that I was able to detect. My heart, despite my objection, lurches in my chest for him.

“I need to tend to the wounded,” Braxton says, releasing my hand. “Watch over her, Erix.”

The two men nod at each other before the physician turns away.

“He cares about you,” Erix says to me once Braxton is out of earshot.

I scoff. “What gave it away? When he yelled at me or when he lectured me?”

Erix grins, and I catch the tips of his ears twitching. “It was the way he smiled when you were eating.”

“Huh?”

“He took great joy in providing for you because you are his mate.”

I shake my head. Erix’s face falls at my sour expression, and it sends a thread of guilt straight through me.

“He’s just being kind to me,” I say, trying to smooth things over.

Erix gives me a pointed look. “If that’s the case, then you must be the most important patient the physician has ever had because the way he acts around you is nothing even remotely proper.”

Chapter 9

“Are we going to make camp?” I ask Braxton after he returns from caring for his patients.

He shakes his head at me. “We are going to stay stationary until darkness falls so that we can use it to cover our movements.”

I raise my brows as I take in his silver hair. “I don’t think that’s going to work the way you think it is.”

“We’ll keep to the shadows. You will see.”

“Okay.” I look up at the already darkened sky, wondering how much blacker it can get. As if reading my mind, Braxton answers.

“The Yalat can see in near darkness, which will leave us at a disadvantage. However, we will employ retinal enhancers, giving us the ability as well.” He gestures to a large moss-covered boulder. “Please rest while you can.”

I do as he suggests, quickly scooting over when he joins me. However, Erix sits on my other side, effectively squeezing me in. Apparently, these Dravians do not understand the idea of personal space.

“Are you the only human to possess the gift?” Erix asks me.

“I’m not sure. That would be a question to pose to the doc.”

Erix turns his large frame toward the physician. “Is Skylar the only human who exhibits the gift?”

Braxton exhales as if he finds the topic a bore. “So far that seems to be the case, but who knows what we will find with this next batch of females?”

“I hope to find my mate among