Page 13 of Tashama
“Who is she?”
Tashama, her mind tried to force her tongue to say.
“She used a name forbidden to us, General.”
She waited with great anticipation to hear the forbidden name.
“Tashama,” the sergeant said, his voice a harsh whisper.
Early the next morning,Tashama listened to the sounds of men’s murmured voices in the tent hospital. “They say she is Tashama.”
“She cannot be. She’s dead.”
Her brows lifted slightly. Light drifted toward her, and she opened her eyes while the veins of leaves screened them. The leaves were pulled away, and the light burned her eyes. She quickly closed them.
When she opened them again, she watched the healer study her face. He nodded. “The discoloration is gone. You certainly look more human today.” He unwrapped her left arm. “I’m afraid I was so busy attending to your wounds, I neglected to ask your name.”
“It’s…” The healer touched the stitches he had sewn, then, recalling the fuss her name had caused the last time she mentioned it, she said, “Mary.”
The healer’s eyes grew big, he sat back in his chair, and stared at her. “Mary?”
“Well, yes, isn’t that all right?”
“I’ve never heard of such an unusual name before.” He examined her right arm. “How old are you?”
“Well, if a woman will tell you her age, she’ll tell you anything.”
The healer frowned at her.
“It’s a joke. I’m twenty-three.”
“Are you linked?”
“Linked?”
“Do you have a mate?”
“I’m supposed to have.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. Bal…Balfour was supposed to tell me who this prince of my dreams would be, but then again, he wasn’t supposed to have dumped me in the middle of Maldovia either.”
“Balfour?”
“My dear friend.”
“What happened to him?”
“I’m not certain.” She winced as Healer Throckmorton touched the deepest laceration.
“You’re not a Maldovian then?”
Tashama stared into the healer’s blue eyes. “Do Ilooklike a Maldovian?”
He shook his head. “You’re too fair. But you’re not one of us.”
“Because?”
