Page 20 of Grounded By Love
The sharp sound of metal hissing against metal drew Claira's attention away from her herbs. Her jaw dropped, when she saw Robert strutting into the middle of the camp, sword in hand. She blinked several times. Surely, she was just seeing things. When he didn’t disappear, she realized he wasn’t an apparition of her over active imagination.
He just wouldn't give up, would he? He had to be deluded, and now he was marching into a camp with a rock giant? Robert didn’t know how to use a sword, and she wondered how he had got his hands on one.
She glanced over to the tent. When she glanced back at Robert, he was standing right next to her.
Robert reached down and grabbed her arm roughly giving her a slight shake. “Where is the rock giant, Claira?”
She glared at him. Kaeldar was asleep in the tent, but she wasn’t about to tell Robert that. She knew Robert would slip in and slit the throat of the rock giant, while he slept.
“He went out to hunt for some food, and I have no idea when he might be back.” Claira hoped it would be enough to keep Robert from searching the camp. Hopefully, he wasn’t searching for a fight.
“Let's go before the rock giant comes back.” He proceeded to drag her off by her arm, having decided they’d been there for enough time.
Heaven forbid he should ask if she wanted to be rescued. She dug in her heels. “Where are you taking me, Robert?”
When he tried to keep dragging her instead of answering her, she shifted her weight down over her heels to make it harder for him.
With an explicative, he gave in and turned to stare at her.
It was then that she read the uneasiness in his eyes. He didn’t actually want to face the rock giant when he came back from 'hunting'.
“Back to the village of course.” He said to her as if she had gone simple.
Claira shook her head. “They will kill me, Robert. Why would you want to bring me back there? Do you want to see me burn at the stake?”
He smiled at her. “Trust me, you will be fine. You have my promise.”
“I thought I could trust you earlier, but you told the village about the giant.”
“It wasn’t safe for you to have a rock giant in your cottage. You’re so gentle, Claira. You have no idea what one of those beasts could do to you.”
“He was injured. He wasn’t about to do anything to me.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me. This is what I do. I heal people, whether or not they are humans.” Claira kept her heels dug in, as her jade eyes glared at Robert.
“It was an accident. I had a few too many, when I was at the tavern.” Robert explained.
Claira rolled her eyes, likely story, and even if it was true, it didn’t excuse him from what he did.
“He kidnapped you, after all you did for him.” Robert tried to point out, without knowing all the facts.
“He saved me. In case you don't remember, the villagers were going to burn me, and he rescued me.” She couldn't resist adding on, “Unlike you.”
His face turned beet red, and she gave him a smirk. Robert had always been a pain in her side, and she was tired of him pestering her about marriage. She was tempted to give out a scream to wake Kaeldar, but she had no idea if he was feeling well enough to take on a sword fight.
Dare she risk it?
Even though Robert wasn’t a skilled swordsman, he was still well built. Claira didn't feel like testing Kaeldar’s strength out, so she decided she would go with Robert. She was sure she could slip away with ease, and then she and Kaeldar could get move out of range for anyone else who wanted to follow them.
Giving up she allowed Robert to pull her towards the edge of camp, where he had a horse tied to a tree.
“Let's get going before the giant gets back. I want as much space between us, just in case he still wants you.” Robert explained to her, as he was about to mount the horse. Then he stopped and looked at her. “If I let go of your arm, will you run?”
With all honesty she said, “I will not run.”
And she wouldn't. She didn't want Kaeldar to wake and come to her rescue in his condition. Even if he did have the strength, his wound would never heal, if he kept opening it.
