Chapter 10 - Iverton

At the tavern in Iverton, Hadrian stitched my wounds. I lay there, weak and lightheaded, feeling like I was drunk.

"How you feeling?" Hardian's voice drifted through my head, cheery as ever.

"Like someone tried to kill me by slicing my stomach open, then someone else tried to finish the job by drowning me in a river." Stringing words together to make sentences was challenging. I kept my eyes closed. "How am I actually?"

"Not as bad as I expected." He answered.

I heard his voice, but his face swum back an forth into focus. What was he saying? Where were we?

"Twenty seven stitches," He finished.

"I'm so glad you counted. Couldn't have lived without that." I was just blathering now.

I struggled to remember the details of what had happened. Hadrian had saved me from the tower, slogged us through the river, through a lake too, and helped me stagger to the tavern. I was warm and dry now, wrapped in several blankets.

I opened both eyes and was about something nasty to Hadrian, but stopped. Hadrian had done a good job. He'd saved my life, and risked his own to do it. Hadrian's altruism was as unsettling to me as the hole in my side, maybe more so.

I said, "You should have left me there to die. You'd wanted me dead. Why'd you do it?"

Stupid didn't cut it anymore. And clearly Hadrian wasn't stupid. He'd gotten us safely down the tower, across the countryside, taken care of my wounds, while both of them courted death. Hell, they still probably would both die. We didn't know each other, We didn't like each other. In fact, we hated each other, and yet….

"Thanks." I heard myself say.

"What?"

"You heard me." I answered softly. At least one thing was the same, Hadrian was having hearing problems.

"Maybe the struggle to get that word out was what was making you nauseous." Hadrian flashed a grin. That giant, charming smile that melted away everyone's resistance. I was no exception.

The silence stretched out and our gazes locked. His eyes were warm and a lovely shade of blue. Although we were on the run from the tower guards, both of us seriously injured, and me not far from death, Hadrian looked almost happy. I couldn't look away. The whole world felt like it was turning upside down and Hadrian's charming eyes were an anchor in the chaos.

A twinge in my gut brought my attention back to our situation. I asked where were we and what was going on? Hadrian explained that Doogan, the proprietor of the tavern, had gone to fetch water from the well in the village. Understanding hit me and I knew we were about to be betrayed.

"We need to leave," I told him. "Now."

"Now?" Hadrian helped me to my feet.

I explained, "The last time we were here Doogan told you everyone got their water from the lake. 'Just walk out with a bucket and scoop it up, crystal clear.' He'd said. This village doesn't even have a well. Remember?" Bolts of pain ripped through me, but I managed to walk slowly, leaning heavily on furniture as I staggered to the door.

"I'll get our things." Hadrian said.

I reassessed Hadrian's capabilities. The man was physically impressive, an amazing fighter, adept at battle strategy, passionate about his principles, but in some many ways still as dumb as a door knob and naive as a child. It was clear that Hadrian needed me, and my wits, if we were going to survive.