The Binding (Chronicles of Azaria #1) by Sam Dogra Read Free Book Online

swallowed.
    “Last night, I made you…you were holding on so tight, I never thought that…it would be uncomfortable for you.”
    I bit my lip. I was forcing so much guilt onto him, and after everything he ’d done for me, too. How could I be suspicious of his motives when I harboured a secret so much worse?
    A twinge ran down my arm, wanting me to hold his hand, but I tensed my muscles instead. It would only be a repeat of the berries.
    “Ryan, don’t apologise,” I said at last. “You’ve got me out of danger, twice. And I have to learn not to react like that if you touch me.” This was true. If I didn’t find ways to rein back my feelings when I was in contact with him, I’d have no chance at beating the curse.
    Or keeping my mind.
    “Okay.” Ryan folded up his handkerchief, dusting the petals from his trousers. “By the way, how’s the ankle?”
    I shuffled back and kicked the sleeping bag off my legs. I slipped off my boot, resting my bandaged ankle on the soft bed of flowers. The swelling had gone down, but when I tried to move my foot, I winced. Ryan crawled over, inspecting it.
    “You should start putting more weight on it today,” he said, “else it’ll go stiff. Wait here.”
    He climbed to his feet and walked across the meadow ’s edge. In the midst of the shrubs, I made out a bleached trunk, fallen from a storm long past. Ryan examined it, sometimes testing the branches, before he removed something from his belt. With his hunting knife, he hacked at the bark, until a straight piece broke away. He scooped up the stick and returned to me.
    “Try this,” he said. I nodded. With difficulty I rolled onto my knees, then placed my good foot on the ground. I braced my thigh, summoning the power to push my body up. Ryan hesitated, unsure if he should take my shoulder.
    “It ’s alright, give me a hand,” I said. I gritted my teeth, hoping I could resist the urges that would come from the contact. Ryan crouched beside me, taking my arm, and slowly we both stood up. My pulse bounded, so I counted my breaths. I was so focused I almost didn’t feel Ryan place the stick beneath my arm. His grip loosened, and I found my balance.
    “Well?” He took his hands away—Goddess, it was like releasing a pressure valve in my chest—and stood back. I remained still, recovering from my latest bout of Binding. I was building some endurance to it. At least I wasn ’t shaking as much as last night.
    When I was confident I was back in control, I took a tentative step. Pain wasn ’t so much the problem as unsteadiness; I felt my ankle would give way any second. Quickly I sagged against my make-shift crutch, and let my other leg follow through. I paused, as a fresh flurry of petals whipped across my hair.
    “Not too bad,” I said. “If I practice a bit , I’ll be fine.”
    Ryan smiled again.
    “Show me where that berry bush is,” I said, trying out another step. This was much less clumsy, as I was more aware of where to position my legs. Too eager, I tried to take two steps in one go, and almost toppled over. Ryan’s hands sprang up, waiting to catch me, but I managed to keep upright. Fear of him touching me was quite the motivator.
    “Don ’t overdo it,” Ryan joked. He kept alongside me as I walked, close enough to grab me should I need help.
    I wasn ’t planning on falling again.
    He guided me towards the edge of the field. I swatted away the blossom storm; it had become irritating, now. Cielo lifted his head from grazing, curious. He walked over, ears twitching, but a stern glare from Ryan told him to keep his distance. I giggled, shaking my head.
    I was moving quite smoothly now. However, my leg was tiring. By the time we reached the bushes, I couldn’t take another step. I hobbled over to a nearby log and dropped down, rubbing my hip.
    “Very good for your first try,” Ryan said. He grabbed a handful of berries, placing them on his handkerchief again. This time he laid the cloth on the log.