章節 49: Chapter 49: Finally
When Yuliah emerged from within the God's mind, the entire sky turned black. It vanished as quickly as it appeared. The God's Tower that's what they called this place. It showed her the way of the Nomens, and how to use the Mark. She understood now why everyone hated Nomens, why they were a dying race. Yuliah sat down; there must be another way to live. She couldn't believe that there is only this way?
A scrape followed by grunts came up the side of the tower. She grabbed the cloth that was bandaged around her head and hid behind the shed.
The footsteps were heavy and slow; it went inside the shed, and then slugged back out. Yuliah jumped from behind the shed. Then wrapped the cloth around the man's neck and pulled hard. He stumbled back. The weight of his body crushing her underneath. She let out a yelp, and then he yelled out.
"It's me, Ward!"
The cloth loosened across Ward's neck as Yuliah's fingers let go. Where did he run off too? This late at night. She mistaken him for a Nomen trying to kill her.
"Why the fuck are you always trying to kill me?" He laid on top of her, taking deep breaths until she shoved him.
"Get off me Ward," Yuliah sat up.
He looked tired and moved slowly. "Here, take this," he tossed a bunch of the Red Oris at her. "Grind it up and put it on your wound before it festers." Ward made his way towards the shed.
"Why are they all wet?" Yuliah asked. Her fist mashed the leaves into her palm. Yuliah's face scrunched up when she spread the paste onto the gash. The throbbing in her head went away, followed by a tingling across her face. Her brows furrowed together. That's incredibly fast. What kind of plant did he give her?
"Wait, don't use them yet!" Ward screamed out.
"What do you mean, don't use them!" Yuliah's eyes darted towards Ward. "I've already used it."
"Forget it. Did you take a look inside this shed?" He asked.
"No, I didn't, but can you tell me how to get down from this place? I need to get back to the river."
His head popped out from behind the shed door. "NO, why would you go back to the river? The woods are crawling with the Fenrir. We can go back tomorrow but not tonight."
"Fine," she answered. Maybe she imagined it. There would be no way Ryas would be out this far. He's most likely back in the Southern Kingdom by now.
Except for the occasional glimmer of light from the moon they could hardly see one another. Ward stuck a few sticks out so they could use it to dry their clothes on then started a fire.
Yuliah watched the flames flicker and crack away while he undressed. Ward tugged and grunted while peeling the wet clothes from his body. The way he hopped around flinging his arms, she wanted to laugh at him but held her tongue. Finally, he removed the last piece and draped his clothes on the sticks before making his way over to Yuliah.
Immediately her eyes gravitated to his finely cut chest, the pecks of his stomach, then the white, wet, and tight shorts that were almost see-through at this point. Her face warmed, and her eyes shot up, she made damn sure they did not stray down again.
"Stand up," he ordered, with a smug look on his face.
Did he see her? "What do you want?" Yuliah snapped at him and jumped to her feet.
"Your clothes. They need to dry. Hand them over," Ward smirked.
She shook her head at him. Her wet clothes turned damp, but she would manage. "Like hell, I'm going to undress for you," her finger jabbed at his chest, and he backed away.
"Fine, I'll take them myself then." He had both hands on the sides of her top, ready to yank.
She stuck her elbows out but couldn't break from his death grip. With one hard pull, he flipped Yuliah's top up and over her head and revealed the tiny white garment binding her breast together.
"You bastard," her eyes squinted. "You better not try anything or I'll make you regret it."
A smile flashed across his face. "If I wanted to, I would have done it already. You were knocked out for the entire fucken day. Plus you're a little on the bigger side for my taste."
"Bigger side?" She had a pinched expression when she took a step towards Ward. "Did you just call me fat, eh." Yuliah's voice became a high pitch tone, and she looked ready to attack him. It annoyed her the way he always had a snarky reply to her every word.
"Did I say big? I meant curvy," his hands gestured to her hips. "Now hand that over," he pointed to her skirt.
She stepped back and away from him. "FUCK YOU, WARD."
"So much ego," he sprung at her.
"NO," she turned to run, but his arm hooked around her waist. He was much taller than her, and she lifted off the ground. He pulled the skirt down her legs and right off.
Yuliah stood clad in only her undergarments. The cool night breeze nipped at her bare skin, and she trembled. With both hands wrapped around her body, she moved towards the fire.
Ward set her clothes beside his and then fanned the cloak out next to the fire. He patted the ground next to him. "Come sit here," the muscles on his arm flexed.
He was bigger than Ryas with broad shoulders that spanned wide. Yuliah's feet shuffled across the ground and towards him.
Ward eyed her slowly, taking in every bit of her until she stood next to him.
Why was he staring at her? Yuliah's cheeks warmed again. She wanted to poke at his eyes but instead stared straight down the tip of his tall narrowed nose to his dark glistening eyes. Her hands fell to her sides. "Stop looking at me like that," she placed a hand on her hip.
"Why does it make you uncomfortable?" The left side of his brows and lips raised. He didn't break his gaze from hers but took a sip from the water bag, "Who was he?" Ward asked. "Let me guess a married man? There's no way a woman like you would have made it out this far without the help of a man and no way in hell would a single man leave someone like..."
She plotted right next to him and ripped the jug from his hand. "NO, he's not a married man!
What kind of woman do you take me for?" She glared at him. Ryas, that's who he was, he saved her, and she liked him too much. Thinking about him, the knots in her chest returned.
"Be careful with that. It's not..."
She tilted her head back and poured it down her throat. Minty but smooth. Hopefully, this will soothe her heartache. Yuliah didn't stop until she choked, and a mouthful of the drink spilled down her chin. "A General," she wiped her face. He abandoned her and broke her heart. Yuliah could feel her eyes sting.
"Ohhhhoho, a General." Ward took the jug then put it to his lips and tipped it back. "So, what happened?"
"He couldn't handle the truth," her eyes burned now, and she tore the jug from Ward and gulped whatever it was down again. It must be wine or ale. "What is this?" She drank some more.
"Nomen wine," he pulled the jug from her hands. "And what's the truth?" He patted her on the back when she coughed again. "Easy woman, I don't want to wake up next to your dead body tomorrow."
"Nomen wine kills?" She gave him a look like he were an idiot. Did he think she would believe his crap?
"No, only man if he drinks too much of it. They don't have a high tolerance, not like us."
"Well, it's a good thing I'm half Nomen." Shit! She shouldn't have said that. No one knew about it, including Ryas.
"I know," he looked at her. "That explains why you have the Mark." Ward went back to his drink, but his head quickly turned back. "That would make you King Baasa's daughter!" His eyes bulged as though he'd seen something unbelievable. "How? All his wives are barren."
"You knew all along?" Yuliah gave him a suspicious look. "My Mother is Geneoshi," she answered.
"Yea, I did. King Baasa had a Geneoshi wife? Ahhh. That explains it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You have no idea about any of this? Do you?"
"My adopted Father kept the truth from me. I don't know who I am," her voice got shaky. If General Wey told her the truth, maybe she wouldn't always be struggling to survive. Who knows perhaps she would have been able to control some of this.
"Look at that," Ward leaned back and rested his head on one arm.
"Look at what?" Yuliah asked?
He got up and placed one hand over her stomach and the other between her shoulder blades, then slowly tilted Yuliah onto her back. "Look up," he spoke smoothly. "You probably don't get to see the stars this clearly in the city, huh?"
Yuliah's heart quickened when her eyes turned upward. Thousands of brightly lit stars gleamed against the blackened sky. It reminded her of the nights she spent with Ryas. That feeling in her chest returned. "Ward, do you think those in the Southern Kingdom can see the same night sky?"
"Of course they can. There's only this one sky," Ward's voice turned soft. "Why are you asking?"
She had drunk too much, and the words came out before she could stop herself. "I - I miss him," Yuliah's voice strained again and tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.
A rough, callused hand wrapped around hers and their fingers intertwined. Maybe it's the wine, or Yuliah just needed another beings comfort, but she didn't pull away.
"What is it confessions time?" Ward replied. He only held her hand and kept his distance. "I'm like you. Half Nomen and half Geneoshi, but I didn't get to grow up on a nice Manor. My Father sold me to the Nomens as a slave, thinking I might have the Ethereal Spirit. They trained me to kill for them, but I never did get the Ethereal Spirit."
Yuliah sniffled, "How did you get free?"
"I killed for my freedom and finally killed someone I shouldn't have, but I was desperate at the time. I killed so many people, what was one more right?"
"You're an assassin, and you couldn't even kill ten Nomens?" She asked him. Is he even telling her the truth?
"I'm older alright, it's been a while, and you forget, I'm just one halfbreed. Pure breeds are much stronger."
Yuliah felt his eyes on her.
"You have the Mark of the Nomens and couldn't even use it to save us?" He rolled over onto his stomach and looked at her.
She rolled her eyes at him, "I just learned how to use it today. I haven't even tried it yet," she answered.
"Here try it on me?" Ward stood up. He stumbled back and forth, his fingers held tightly to the wine jug.
"Give me that," Yuliah took the jug from him and swallowed another mouthful of wine. She closed her eyes and sensed for the Mark, the same way she would for the Ethereal Spirit. A jolt of pain shot up her arm and the blood vines coiled. "OUCH," Yuliah held her arm. She forgot about the pain, "Kneel," she ordered.
Ward's face darkened, and suddenly, he went down on one knee. "Shit! I'm kneeling! Try something else?" He laughed.
She paused for a while. Her eyes fell on Ward, and she watched him move around waiting for her. He had potential. Yes, he sold women, and he probably killed a lot of people, but this would be his redemption. A sly smile slowly spread across Yuliah's face, and she giggled. Time to get him back for the other night as well.
Suddenly Ward's face changed from happy to worried. "What are you planning?" he asked.
"Kiss my feet and swear your loyalty to me, that if you betray me, you will die immediately," she commanded. "Also that you will never trade women again." Now he won't be able to betray and sell her or anyone else.
Ward's face grew angry. "You!" He dropped to one knee as Yuliah stood up.
"No, I'm just trying to survive in a Man's world," Yuliah grinned and lifted her right foot.
Ward's head moved towards her feet, "You wicked girl. You fooled me into thinking..." His lips met with her feet.
Yuliah's eyes raised, "Swear it."
Ward's lips moved, but his face wasn't happy about it. "I swear it," he mouthed.
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Vorie
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