Destined by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

him?”
    “I am drawn to him, interest does not enter into the question.” Unless she was drinking, then that grey skin and those dark eyes were all she wanted.
    They sat silently while her head took up a steady beat that made conversation unappealing. Kebril noticed it, and he kept quiet while the driver took them across the continent and into the Edival mountain range.
    A city appeared in the groove between two mountains. Their transport descended and landed on the roof of a building with a landing deck.
    Kebril helped her out of the vehicle, and as she stepped out, she clung to him for support. Her legs were weak, her head spun and she was nauseous.
    Medical staff came out to greet them, and after one look at her, they took her in and she was riding a hover bed into the scanning units.
    Rhoda listened to the murmurs that broke down her injuries. Apparently, while her skull was the most painful due to a crack, her ribs were injured, and she had internal bleeding where kicks had been administered.
    Kebril was nearby while they were listing her injuries, and as they began treatment, he turned and left the exam room.
    Rhoda watched the medics carefully as they set about working on her body. She was stable in two hours, and they put her in a patient room to rest.
    Kebril came in, and he stood next to her bed. “Drehl will be here shortly. He will administer your healing, and you can accompany him to his home.”
    She blinked. “I thought I was going to your home.”
    “That was before we knew the extent of your injuries. You need additional healing beyond just the bruising. It is an intimate procedure, and he will be the one to assist you.”
    “This is about the nanites, isn’t it?” She frowned. “He is going to use his to heal me.”
    Kebril nodded. “He is one of the few that can donate enough to cure this damage immediately. I mean, you would still heal, but it would take weeks if not months for you to be up to full health.”
    Rhoda rubbed her forehead. “How long until Drehl comes?”
    “Is the pain bad?”
    “No, the pain of knowing that my work has been destroyed is worse than my headache.”
    He shook his head. “Artists are a strange breed.”
    She sniffed. “I prefer to think of us as random events in the population.”
    Kebril sat at her side and took the data pad that controlled the entertainment screen.
    “Are you planning on staying?”
    He chuckled and scrolled through local news feeds. “You have to be kept awake until you are healed. I will honour my brother’s choice and keep you company.”
    She made herself comfortable and watched the news of her arrest and subsequent release. The reporter made note of the fact that witnesses indicated she had not resisted and yet still suffered a beating. An inquiry was being launched, and she could not be reached for comment.
    The close up of her bruising and the blood down her cheek from the open tissue made her wince. “I looked like hell.”
    “You did. It was a little startling to see that the woman my brother had described as lovely and almost crystalline was puffy, bruised and dazed.”
    An image of Rhoda from the gala appeared on the screen, and Kebril looked at the picture and smiled. “Ah, that is quite the difference and quite the gown. Your wardrobe was empty when I arrived. You will have to start from scratch, I am afraid.”
    She groaned and leaned back into her pillows. “That is going to be a pain. Trying to find something to fit is complicated.”
    “Well, we can make that easier. Pick a style and your scanned measurements will allow local seamstresses to bid on the right to make your gown. It is a fairly fair system. You decide if you want to accept the bids or not.”
    She reached for the controls. “Can you show me how to do it and help me pick things that are appropriate?”
    He grinned. “Of course. Now, shall we start with underwear?”
    He took charge of her shopping, and together, they worked through the night until Drehl