*Ghost
Her stomach had healed more or less. She stretched out in her room. Carver had gone back to his own room, but he had also convinced the guy next to her to trade rooms in exchange for a couple guard watches downtown.
She got off her training mat and ran over to the looking glass. She sighed as she pulled at the short untamed strands of wildly curling ombre hair. The back of her head was shaved now. She liked it. It made her feel edgy. She threw some gloss over her lips and highlight over her cheekbones.
Pinching her cheeks she ran out into the hall and was about to knock when the door swung open.
"Hey Carver you ready?" He gave her a sleepy grin and grabbed his training bag.
"Yeah let's go."
They both started walking and their hands bumped as they walked. She blushed and crossed her arms.
"So heard any news from Scar?"
He sighed, "He's lost his mind. I think hes playing with the idea of testing the boss. I dont know why he would do that when he knows he could lose the gang."
Ghost frowned. "I should really go check on him soon."
"Perhaps you could talk some sense into him." They walked out into the meadow behind the manor and pulled out the boxing helmets.
"Scar has never been one to take good advice."
She pulled her hair back as they pulled the helmets on. Shed been working on her core strength as her stomach had turned to scars under Carvers ministrations. It had taken everything to let him switch out her healing strips, but he had done it patiently without touching her skin once.
They both pulled on some softening mittens to soften their blows and slipped out of their shoes.
He held up his softened mitts, "You ready?"
She got into a fighting stance and gave him a playful smirk.
"Are you?"
"Fire away." She threw her arm forward and when he went to block it she dipped and threw an undercut with the opposite hand. He dodged the throw and spun backwards swiping her legs as he went. She tucked and rolled over his sweeping leg. Rolling over the ground to a stand she turned for the blow he was aiming at her back. She ducked and collided with his chest quickly spinning to deliver a knee to the inside of his calf. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up against him in a gentle choke hold. She threw herself spinning out of his grip and poised a elbow on his throat. He smiled and aimed a few quick jabs at her. She ducked and twirled. Avoiding his blows like a tornado. He lunged at her back and gripped her arms firmly pulling her wrists until she bear hugged herself.
"Gotcha." He whispered breathlessly as he lifted her and she giggled. Releasing her quickly he backed off a few feet and they squared up again.
She smiled. It felt good to be testing herself again.
She didn't even mind his touch when she was distracted and her blood was pumping in her veins. The next bought ended with her piggy back lunging at him and holding a stick to his throat. She giggled as he hooked her knees to him with his broad arms and he chuckled as she squirmed to get off. She hopped off and they went again. They practiced until the sun was low in the sky and they headed back for their bedrooms. They stood in the hall sore, her freshly healed body worked over to the point of exhaustion. It felt nice.
"Tomorrow I have duty, but I have a few hours in the afternoon." He said quietly, and scratched his head nervously, "Wanna go get some food together?"
"Sounds good." She said smiling and stepping into her room.
"Goodnight Ghost." He said slapping the doorframe and bouncing into his room happily.
"Goodnight Carver." She called after him. She shut her door and slid the brand new bolt on the door closed.
Carver had insisted on installing it yesterday,
she ran her fingers over the metal lightly before releasing the handle of the latch. It was good to have a friend who cared for her.
***
*Nadine
Scar had been healing for a few days. A Nursara had been sent by to check on him, and she said Nadine was doing an excellent job. She had prescribed some fast healers and he was on the mend now.
Nadine had grown accustomed to sleeping in the living room. Insisting that while he was healing he used the bed.
He, the scandalous man that he was, had offered to share the bed every night. She rolled her eyes remembering how she had flushed and left the room each time. His booming laugh following her up to the fireplace as she grabbed the stack of folded blankets.
It was almost like it was becoming their own little goodnight ritual.
She was bringing in another small load of firewood when the envelope appeared on the porch step. It had a snake on it. She dropped the wood inside and snapped it up. She stood in the doorway tonight and told him,
"Goodnight Scar,"
"Come on, you know the floor is hard and uncomfortable Nadine Anani."
"You got an envelope today." She stated stared at her hands and didnt see him raise from the bed and walk over to her. She looked up at him frantically, "What are you doing?!"
"Easy Nadine, I'm almost back to normal."
She glared at him and gave him the envelope.
"I regret ever telling you my middle name by the way."
He smirked as she walked out of the room. She went outside to get a little kindling. He was right. He was almost healed. She could leave now. Without thinking about it she headed off into the woods. About a mile from the cabin she came across a beautiful rose bush. She smiled thinking of the black rose he had brought with them on their first 'date'. She sat on a rock nearby wondering what had been in the envelope. She really should leave. Shed been mulling it over in her head, but she was curious what he was going to do. She always found some excuse to stay believing somewhere deep down that he couldn't dare to put those shackles back on her. She shivered and realized how cold it was before turning to walk back.
She was stepping on to the porch when the door burst opened. He was hastily pulling on a sweater, and almost ran into her. They both froze. He was standing so close she could smell the pleasant mint of his breath as it billowed into the chilly afternoon air. His voice came out low and gravelly. His face not betraying anything.
"I thought you'd gone home."
She didnt know why she said it, but soon she was telling him the truth.
"I almost did."
He didnt react and it unnerved her, "Were you coming after me?"
He sighed, "I was, but not in the way you might think." A paper was clenched tightly in his palm as he looked at her with a calm face and white knuckles.
He got impossibly close to her, leaning into the porch railing he was close enough to touch her,and he did. His fingers trailed lightly down her face. Sweeping her hair from her collarbone he gripped her upper arm gently.
"Before you leave I want to tell you that your free to go. I wanted to ask you..."
Her heart was pounding as he paused and his eyes devoured her lips. He looked down his face shadowed.
"I just wanted to ask you to stay away from Boren. I know I dont have the right, but I'm going to be facing my father, and if I dont make it I want to know that your gonna be okay." He looked up at her and it was so intense that she thought she might melt out onto the steps. Her voice came out feather light. Her breath lingered lightly between them.
"It's quite cold outside."
He looked at her unmoving.
"Can we go back inside?" she breathed staring at his strong jaw, and then his lips.
He stepped back and her eyes flicked to his eyes. She felt drugged as she looked at his hooded stare. Butterflies erupted as he released her. His calloused hand ran feather light down her arm and off her elbow. She swallowed and followed him into the cabin. There hands met as they both reached for the knob.
She hastily released it and went to the fireplace. The flame was so low. She stoked it and added another log. It crackled and soon caught. She stared at it ignoring his gaze hot on her back.
"Scar. I cant make any promises."
She kept her back to him, and he said nothing.
Somthing crossed her mind.
"Why should you care? Why are you even letting me go?"
When he didnt answer she whipped around to look at him searching his eyes for answers. They were blank. He was leaned up in the corner of the cabin bathed in shadows.
"I dont need you anymore because your father finally paid the randsom. Your free."
He bounced off the wall, and went to the bedroom archway, "You should be gone by morning." He snapped the curtain shut behind him.
So that was it then.
Anger boiled in her stomach and she stormed into the bedroom. He had removed his shirt and was tossing all of her stuff into her laundry basket.
"So that's it? I really was just a mark for you, a paycheck? Free and convenient Nursara service provider and cooking services for the last few days. Now I'm no good and can get out?!"
He tossed a shirt on the ground. His voice rose and she took a step back out of the room as he began yelling at her.
"Did you forget that you were my prisoner?! Sorry doll but it was always about the money. Always!" He slammed a hand against the wall and a single tear slid down her cheek as she looked at his furious face.
"And you were horrible in the kitchen; I've seen prostitutes with much more talent."
The way he said it as his looked at her from head to toe cut deep. The little fight she had in her had died. A bucket of water thrown on the flame.
She turned and pulled the curtain softly shut between them. In the morning he was no where to be found but all of her belongings were loaded up into a tiny carriage in front of the house a driver sat holding the reins. Ready to take her home.
***
Somtime after she left the fireplace lay cold. A man with ice blue eyes walked back from a lake with empty hands. A paper lay floating on its rippling surface. The paper became transparent and the ink on it ran. The letters barely visible on page.
"It'll be fun to fry the mind of your purple eyed slut as you watch. Get rid of her by tomorrow night, and be back to work that day or you'll find out how serious I am."