Red Moon by Elizabeth Kelly Read Free Book Online Page A

left wheel of the wagon.
    He strode towards her, crouching down and touching her
shoulder.  She had a thin blanket wrapped around her body and her head was
bowed against the steady downpour.  The blanket was soaked through and her
hair was clinging limply to her skull.
    “Girl, wake up!”  He shouted to be heard over the
sudden crash of thunder.
    She looked up, her face pale and dark circles under her
eyes.  “What my lord?”  She asked wearily.
    “Why are you out here?”  He shook her.  “Have you
gone mad?”
    “There is no room in the tent.”  She curled up into
herself again, her body shaking violently.
    He cursed loudly and grabbed her arm.  He pulled the
blanket from her and tried to yank her to her feet but she cried out and fell
back against the wheel.  There was a dull clanking noise, and he stared in
disbelief at the metal cuff around her wrist.
    “What in the gods name is going on here?”  He grabbed
her chin and made her look at him.  “Who chained you to the wheel?”
    Her mouth set in a thin line.  “Please, my lord.
 I’m very cold.  May I have my blanket back?”  She reached with
trembling fingers and he threw the sopping wet fabric angrily onto the ground.
    “Hold still.”  He held the chain next to the cuff on
her wrist with his right hand and grabbed the other end of the chain with his
left.  He pulled, the cords standing out in his neck and the muscles in
his arms bulging, and Avery’s mouth dropped open when the chain snapped in
half.
    He picked her up and carried her to his tent.  He
dropped her to her feet, and she stood dripping water on to the floor of the
tent as her entire body shook violently.  He cursed again and turned
around, digging through his bag to find a dry shirt and a towel.
    “Here, girl.  Put this on.”  He handed them to her
and she nodded gratefully.  He turned around to give her some privacy and
Avery peeled off her sodden dress, dropping it to the floor of the tent. 
She toweled off quickly and then slipped his shirt over her head.  It fell
to just above her knees, and she tapped him on the back and handed him his
towel when he turned around.
    “Thank you, my lord.”  She whispered.
    He stared at her.  Her lips were blue and her face was
so pale the freckles on her nose stood out in stark relief. 
    “Turn around.”  He demanded.  She turned and
flinched a little when he began to rub her hair dry with the damp towel. 
He squeezed the water out quickly and efficiently as her teeth chattered, and
she wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to warm herself.  The
cuff around her wrist jingled softly as she shook.
    He threw the towel into the corner and picked up the top
blanket from his bed.  He wrapped it around her, and then pushed the rest
of the blankets back before picking her up and placing her between them. 
He took his cloak off and shrugged out of his clothing before climbing into the
bed behind her.
    He pulled her blanket-wrapped body back against his and
wrapped one arm around her waist.  He rubbed her body roughly through the
blanket as she shook and shivered.  After almost half an hour, her trembling
finally began to subside.
    He leaned over her, inspecting her face closely.  Her
lips had turned back to their normal pink colour but her skin was still pale
and she looked exhausted.
    “Warmer?”  He asked.
    “Aye.”  She whispered.
    “Who chained you to the wheel, Avery?”  He demanded
quietly.
    She sighed.  “Please, my lord.  I am very tired
and it will be morning soon.  Could I sleep for a few hours?”
    He nodded.  “Go to sleep.  We will speak in the
morning.”
    * * *
     
    Avery sighed and stretched languidly.  She could hear
Maya snoring softly behind her and she frowned a little, not understanding why
her normally soft bed was so hard.  She was much too warm.  Maya was
wrapped around her like a vine and she was positively radiating with heat.
    She tried to wriggle away but Maya