On Fire's Wings - Christie Golden [103]
She turned and looked at him. The fine fabric of his breeches clung to his damp legs. His torso glistened in the faint light and his dark, wet hair curled.
Seldom had she beheld him so, out of his well-made clothing, without a kerchief or wrap around his head. She remembered when he had been a boy, come home from his first battle, the first time he had taken a life. She had seen the healing scar that snaked across his chest and had held him while he wept. That scar had faded now, but new ones had joined it, marring the otherwise smooth, brown skin. His body was beautifully fashioned, his chest broad, his hips narrow. A thin trail of dark hair traveled from his belly and disappeared into his breeches, and she averted her eyes.
Kevla understood how men were made. Her mother had seen to it that Kevla knew just about all there was to know about how men and women came together. But knowing something and seeing it, or even imagining it—that was something different.
He padded over to her and sat. “Kevla,” he said gently, “tell me what happened.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt the khashima,” she said.
His eyes widened slightly. “I am sure you didn’t, but…she was hurt? Was it bad?”
Kevla took a deep breath, and as calmly as she could she explained what had happened. He listened without interrupting, his eyes fastened on her face, nodding from time to time. When she had finished, she pulled her knees into her chest and clasped them. He put a strong hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, then let it fall.
“I, too, have had something happen to me,” he said. “I have learned that I am not alone in my dreaming. We all stayed quiet for fear we would be condemned. There is an army of an Emperor gathering force on the other side of the mountains. His standard has a strange creature on it called a ki-lyn. I have seen this beast in my dreams. Many have died. I am doing what I can to unite the clans and stand against this, and I know that somehow my dreams and your abilities have manifested at this time for this reason—to protect our people.”
She buried her face in her arms. “I wish I could believe you. I wish I did not have these powers.”
“Kevla, look at me.” She did and found him smiling. His gaze seemed to bore right through her. Why was it so hard to breathe?
“I know,” he said, slowly and deliberately, “that your powers are not from the kulis, any more than my dreams are. I know you only wanted to save our—our Clan leader. There is nothing evil about you.” He reached to brush a strand of damp hair from her face. “Nothing.”
Tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision. “Oh, Jashemi,” she said thickly, “I am so sorry. Your father will be angry with you for helping me.”
A shadow fell over his face and he looked away. A terrible suspicion filled her. “Jashemi,” she said slowly. “Jashemi, what will happen to you?”
He sighed heavily. “He will disown me. I will be Jashemi Bai-kha, who has no father or mother. And he will track us down until he finds us and puts us both to death.”
Kevla’s hand went to her mouth, and for a moment she couldn’t speak. Then a cry burst from her.
“No!” she screamed. “No! I will not be the one to bring this on you!” She leaped to her feet and reached for the sa’abah.
“What are you doing?” Jashemi’s hand closed on her arm.
“I’m going to ride back to the House,” she said. “Persuade him to take you back. If they have me they won’t need to kill you, too.”
“But you’ll die!”
“Better that than live with having done this to you!”
He had both her wrists now. She struggled against him. Why had he come for her? Why?
“Kevla, listen to me!” He shook her roughly. “Listen! I knew exactly what would happen! I chose this! I saw that you were in trouble and I came. I had to because—” His voice broke and then softly he said, “Because I love you.”
She stared at him, stunned. He released her and went to the other side of the cave, not looking at her. Sighing, he sat down and