Page 38 of Stone
His brows lowered, which she half-expected.
Going back into the living room, she picked up the remote and turned on the television, quickly flipping it to a news channel. Although she knew he wouldn’t be able to make out what was being said,at least he could view the pictures and get some kind of idea of the world he now inhabited.
She handed him the remote, then tapped the buttons. “Off.” The TV went blank. “On.” The screen came back to life. Flashing him a smile, she left him there and returned to the bedroom. Using a spare blanket as covering, she kicked off her shoes and crawled on top of the bedspread.
The last thing she was aware of was hearing the familiar jingle of an insurance company playing from the other room.
* * *
Garenthreturned to the bedroom and slowly eased the door open to gaze upon the woman lying on the bed. After she’d left that morning, he had spent those intervening hours thinking of her. Wondering what would become of her once he found the mother idol.
At the same time, he’d tried to think of what he would do when he retrieved the blessed vial. A part of him kept insisting he should return to his home country, but that suggestion was met with disdain. The idea of going back to years of sleep had become abhorrent to him, especially now that he’d seen this new world.
Since he’d met Brielle.
But common sense also told him he couldn’t stay withher. In fact, there was nowhere in this time where someone like him would be welcome.
He touched his face again. His appearance alone was horrid. But Brielle accepted him. She’d offered him shelter, and she’d brought him food and drink. And she’d touched him, without hesitation, without fear, and without revulsion.
The young woman sighed, drawing his attention back to her. She was lying onher side, facing away from him, her body curled slightly. She looked vulnerable, and he found himself wanting to go over and wrap his body around hers for protection. It was a desire that continued to grow in him, along with a stirring between his legs that had been dormant for so long it was almost alien to him. But he knew his feelings, his returning need and want, were futile. He was a creaturewho was not meant to be, and he silently cursedMinbarfor what she’d done to him.
He’d come to accept the fact that he had gotten his revenge onSerasinby outliving the vizier. By surviving after the man had condemned him to die. But what kind of life was this? What kind of existence could he expect to have in this form?
I need to find the mother idol,he repeatedlyreminded himself.Without it, I will die. Or maybe I am already dying because I have lost contact with it.
He shook his head. There was no way he could fit into Brielle’s life, or into any kind of life on this world. As much as he tried to avoid it, he knew that his only option after retrieving the mother idol was to return to his home country and accept whatever future the godsplanned for him.
A heaviness filled his chest, now that he was finally willing to accept his true fate. His only fate.
Silently, he returned to the open window and slipped out onto the fire escape to await the night. Once he deemed it safe enough, he would continue in his search for the mother idol. Something told him he would be successful. Perhaps even tonight.
As he tooka stance on the metal landing, he bowed his head and closed his eyes. But no matter how hard he tried to concentrate on his task, his thoughts always returned to the woman lying sleeping in the room behind him.
