Gingerly she sat up, he was there immediately, gripping her arm and her shoulder tightly, leaving no chance for her to falter. It unnerved her that he thought she needed his assistance. From a young age the sister of the Tan U Tae were taught to be self-reliant.
She reminded herself one more time that she was not in her homeland.
�Thank you.� She groaned through gritted teeth.
He nodded and helped her position herself against a tree trunk where the sun would still shine on her. How did he know about the sunlight? �Thank you.� She repeated once more and settled her gaze on the ancient coldling, who was doing his best to look innocent. He had always been a meddlesome creature.
�What happened back there? There was some sort of explosion, Shyra.�
�Explosion.� She echoed, trying to recall just what had gone wrong. Numbly she fumbled to feel her armor for damage. She had no flesh wounds as far as she could tell. The pain was mostly in her head. �Well, I�� She snapped her head up and looked into Quivern�s eyes. �Just what did you see happen?�
Silu suddenly felt very foolish and cumbersome. Naturally she was a bit of a klutz when it came to people, she�d never had to develop a relationship with another human before, let alone a man. Mallia, on the other hand, that relationship hadn�t been by choice but necessity. Silu really had no clue how to act around real people. So far she had gotten along using intimidation and arrogance, but at the moment she didn�t feel capable of either.
�I mean to say, I�I really can�t remember much. I must have hit my head.� Idiot.
Quivern�s brows drew together in concern and he cradled the side of her head with one hand and ran the fingers of the other through her hair gently. �I don�t feel any bumps or cuts Shyra.� He frowned slightly with concentration and thought.
Silu had to look away from that pout; she was frightened by the reaction her heart was having due to his touch. Something was wrong with her. She hadn�t ever felt this way in her life.
�I think I�m sick.� Silu clutched her stomach, it was somersaulting. She looked pleadingly at Bjover, not even sure herself what she wanted from him.
Bjover�s icy voice creaked and squeaked as he tried to give her the explanation she had sought. �You defeated all but three of the hunters, Shyra. Two of them rode off with the young ones.�
Silu jerked suddenly wary. �The leader?� That ball of slime, he should have been dead. No one had ever survived the attack she had used.
Quivern shook his head. �He got away too.�
�What of the third solider?� Quivern turned a sickly shade of green. He looked down at his hands, avoiding eye contact. He must have killed him. �How did you escape Bjover?�
The coldling shook his head shamefully. �I did not escape, Shyra. The young Duke pulled me from the clutches of the hunters.� He was wringing his hands nervously looking about the clearing, obviously disturbed by the mention of the bloodshed the night before.
�You left the young ones?� She suppressed a wince when the question came out so accusingly. Quivern�s head was hanging in shame. Seeing him so forlorn made her chest tighten to the point of pain. She needed to get away from him, fast.
Silu leaned against the tree for support as she stood. She was a little relieved to find she could stand without much pain. The effects of whatever had happened were wearing off. Absently she rested her hand on the pommel of her golden sword.
Her fingers gripped air.
The breath slammed out of Silu�s lungs and her knees buckled. Quivern dropped to her side and held her by her shoulders, trying to steady her. She heard him mutter a few unidentifiable curses under his breath.
But even the effects he had on her were swept out of the way in the wake of the encompassing need that had her mind gripped in a vise of shear terror. �My sword.� She had to touch it, he to have it close to her. She knew exactly where it was; she could feel it pulling at her soul. �Quivern.� She heaved in a breath and tried to calm herself. She hated, hated that fact that she needed this sword so much, she hated even more that she needed this man�s help to get it. But the pain it�s far proximity caused paralyzed her. Her muscles where clenched, her teeth locked together. She felt dizzy and heavy at the same time.
�What do you need Shyra?� Quivern�s voice grated on her sensitive hearing. Her clothing brushed against her skin painfully. Every nuance of her being was centered on locating that blade.
Sun Flare. She whispered its name in her mind. �My sword, it�s on the highway.� She gasped. �I must have it.� Before she could explain he was gone. She looked up and watched as he sprinted off through the thick foliage. The coldling waddled up beside her and patted her shoulder with cold fingers.
Silu fought to stand. The thought of another person, a man touching her sword was appalling. At times she felt almost as if the weapon were a part of her soul, a missing piece that completed her explosive personality. It was an extra appendage that allowed her to express her sense of justice and carry out the needed actions her Tan U Tae responsibilities required. She had to get to him as soon as possible. She realized she needed his help, accepted it. But she refused to allow him to take possession of her blade any longer then necessary.
�Shyra, you are too week.� Bjover tried in vein to push her into a sitting position. His growing agitation was stirring up a cold wind, clouds were moving in, blocking the sun.
Usually, during the day, in the sunlight her gentle compassionate side came out. In the purity and warmth of the sun�s light she found it almost impossible to be violent or aggressive. In fact it was almost painful, definitely shaming, to be anything other then respectful and polite towards all life when the sun was overhead. This morning was different though. The separation from Sun Flare was too agonizing to allow any other thought into her mind. �You don�t understand Bjover.� She staggered to her feet. �I have to get to it.� Frustration erupted. �I can�t just sit here helpless while that man retrieves it. I do not trust him and I am disgusted with you for revealing so much of our business to him.� She hated the way she sounded, so angry and ugly. Just last night she had been thrilled by the power she possessed. Now she was revolted by it.
A wave of nausea gripped her insides when she finally got to her feet. She wasn�t certain if it were from her physical condition or her current black mood that sickened her more.
She pushed all other thought from her mind and started to slowly make her way down the path Quivern had created through the brush.