AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"No," Shalsa said, pulling away to wave me closer. "I think this is something she needs to understand. Come with me, Nariana."
I hugged my notes to my chest and nodded. Shalsa tapped lightly at her own door and then peeked her head in. There was a pause, and then she caught my arm, tugging me inside.
"Put your things there," she ordered, pointing absentmindedly at the coffee table.
When I did, she kept going, leading me to the bedroom at the back. Everything about her posture softened as she rounded the corner, but that was the only warning I got. The moment I could see the bed, I sucked in a breath.
Amerlee lay on top of the covers, and Jamik hovered over her. He held a basin of water in one hand, a soft cloth in the other, and he was slowly cleaning every inch of her body. It wasn't simply bruises that covered her, but also cuts, abrasions, and more. She looked like she'd been dragged down the street! One of her eyes was swollen almost shut, and her arm was wrapped in a bandage.
"This," Shalsa whispered, "Is what we mean when we talk about the dangers."
Amerlee opened her eyes. "Nari?" she asked. "Why is she in here?"
"Because she needs to know," Shalsa told her. "You were a fool to take that assignment, but we've all done it. Nari needs to know why she should choose carefully."
Amerlee sighed. "I'm ok, Nari."
"No, you aren't," Jamik growled.
That was when I noticed his own injuries. A livid bruise colored his jaw on the far side, and there was enough bulk under his sleeve to convince me his bicep was bandaged. He also moved stiffly, as if his entire body hurt. On impulse, I hurried over, taking the bowl from his hands.
"How do I help?" I asked.
"This is my duty," he told me.
I just nodded. "I know, but there's nothing that says you have to do it alone. I'm here, and you're hurting. Amerlee will be better cared for if we all help, so what do you need from us, guardian?"
The sound of his title made his eyes jump up to find mine. Tears welled there, easy for me to see. "We need to clean off the blood, apply ointment so the scabs will heal easily, and help her eat something."
"Shalsa?" I asked, glancing back. "Can you get a light soup for her? Irila? Bring me the ointment before you go with her? Jamik's going to need a meal too, and that will take more hands." Then I looked at the man who'd become the best brother I could ever imagine. "Go change, Jamik. Soft clothes, and bring back more cloth when you return?"
"Listen to her," Amerlee said.
Jamik tried to resist. "I can't leave you, darling."
"You can for a minute," she assured him. "Besides, I need to talk to Nariana, and you won't want to hear this. Go on. She'll call out if there'sanyproblem."
"Promise," I told him.
Carefully, he leaned down to kiss Amerlee's hair. "Then I'll hurry. Irila? Will you stay until I get back?"
Another guardian. That simple request proved exactly how worried he was, and how hard it would be for him to leave her sight. Yet when Irila agreed, Jamik did. He looked like he had to force every step through their main room and out the door, but he managed. Still, the moment he was gone, Amerlee clasped my arm.
"Do you understand what happened, little sister?"
"No," I admitted. "I just know that all of you are hurting. Your body, their hearts."
"Mm," she breathed. "Perception lost her chance when Zeal claimed you." She paused to give me a weak smile, but her hand didn't let me go. "Nari, a woman did this to me. She wanted to make someone hurt, and she did. I agreed to an assignment to be flogged, but it went bad quickly. When we arrived, she wasn't alone. Her lover was there as well. That was when I should've rescinded, but I was too proud. I thought I could handle this, but Jamik can't hold off everyone. He stopped the one who cut me, but the other began to hit, and I was tied."
"Why?" I asked.
She chuckled wryly. "Because that is a temptation that is often requested. I was bound, gagged, and at her complete mercy. When the pair began to hurt me, I couldn't get away. It is one of the most dangerous things we do. Not the binding, but the groups, I mean. Most times, being tied is good. It's almost liberating."
"So I shouldn't do groups?" I asked, trying desperately to understand what she wanted to teach me.
Her hand weakly caressed the side of my face. "Never alone. Promise me that? Even if you have to ask for extra guardians, do not try to put that responsibility on a single protector."
"But I may not follow the Path of the Body," I reminded her.
