His gaze darted behind her again as he leaned closer. “But won’t it, you know...”
Aria frowned at him. She started to shake her head but realized the motion would only bring on another bout of nausea. She forced herself to remain still as she swallowed heavily. “No. I don’t know. I’m not entirely sure how that all works.”
“You’ve never discussed it?”
She lifted her hand slowly; trembling as she wiped a strand of hair back from her face. “Not that part.”
“Huh, I had assumed that you had.” William sat back on his heels; his eyes inquisitive as he studied her.
“William?” she asked worriedly.
“He really does love you.”
Aria started in surprise. “Did you think he didn’t?”
He shrugged; his fingers tapping against the floor alerted Aria to the fact that it was not solid wood beneath her, but worn carpet. The carpet was beneath her too, but she couldn’t feel it as her fingers were somewhat numb at the moment. It was an unsettling feeling not to have the full sensation of touch. She hoped the numbness went away soon. “I don’t know what to think,” William admitted. “I’d like to believe it, but it’s all really strange Aria.”
She wasn’t going to argue with that. “But seeing him today, the way he was with you, I don’t doubt it anymore. All I can do is wonder why?” Aria glared at him, but she couldn’t hold up the pretense of being mad at him as he finally managed a smile for her. “You had me worried kid.”
“You’re all of an hour older than me.”
“But it was a glorious hour of solitude,” he quipped.
“Jerk.”
“Brat.”
She awkwardly embraced him with her injured arms. “Where is Braith?”
William exhaled noisily as he pulled back. “They had to...” His gaze traveled to her wrapped arms. “Go outside.”
Aria nodded slowly, sorrow and regret twisted her insides. “This is difficult for them.”
“It’s difficult for all of us.”
She tilted her head, her heart picked up as her body instinctively began to react. “Help me up.”
“Aria…”
“He’s coming William, I can’t be sitting down.”
“How do you know that?”
“I just do, please William.”
He was about to argue further but decided against it as he slid his arms under her and gently lifted her up. He was steadying her when Braith appeared in the doorway. A muscle twitched in his cheek, his shoulders were rigid, but those hated glasses were in place so she was unable to see his eyes, unable to get a read on what he was really thinking, what he intended.
“It’s ok William,” she told him, sensing that her brother was hesitant to leave them alone as Braith seemed unstable.
William stood uncertainly before nodding slowly and leaving them. Braith’s broad shoulders almost filled the entire doorframe as he watched her in silence. Aria swallowed nervously, shifting slightly as she tried to gather what little strength she had left.
“You’re not sending me away Braith.” The silence was killing her. Braith was not the strong, silent type. When he was angry or when he was upset or frustrated, he didn’t hide it, especially not with her. “You’re not going to stash me somewhere either,” she blurted when he remained frustratingly mute.
“No, I’m not.” His voice was hoarse, grating.
“But you said before that you should have left me behind.”
“I was wrong.” She didn’t know what to say. “You nearly died.”
“I’m fine.”
“If I hadn’t been there…” He broke off as he shook his head. Her heart ached for the anguish she felt twisting through him. “I won’t send you away Aria. I won’t leave you somewhere I think might be safe because there is nowhere safe for you, and I can’t take the chance of something happening to you while I’m not there to possibly save you. This never should have happened.”
“This isn’t your fault.”
“Isn’t it?” She was thrown off by his words. “You shouldn’t be in danger.”
“I’ve always been in danger.”
“But I want more for you!” he exploded. Aria was startled by the devastation behind his words. He was in front of her in an instant, his hands grasped hold of her arms as he smoothly turned them over. She stared down at the makeshift bandages, disturbed by the amount of blood that coated the rags. Her blood. Her life. “Don’t you understand that? I want you to be safe; I want you to know peace for once in your life. I don’t want you to know fear and death anymore. And I’ve thrust you into even more jeopardy; I’ve brought this upon us. These lands, they aren’t good Aria.”
She swallowed heavily, her hands flipped within his as she grasped hold of him. The feeling in her fingers was slowly returning. “One day Braith, when all of this is over, we’ll know peace.”
His head was bent as he studied their hands. She knew he was thinking what she couldn’t say, what she didn’t even want to consider. If they made it to the end, if they won, if they were even still together.
“Let’s get these off and see how your arms look.”
“I can have William do it.”
His head came slowly up to hers as his nostrils flared. “I can take care of you Aria.”
What had happened to her had rattled him even more than she’d realized. He was off balance, edgy, and uncertain in a way that she’d never seen before. “I know that Braith.” And she did know that, but he was unpredictable right now and her blood was a torment she wanted to spare him from.