Druidess Found (Druidess Trilogy Book 1) Machelle Hanleigh (best ebook reader under 100 .TXT) 📖

it felt like tiny sparks ignited. It took all of her concentration to remain intact while she rolled to her back.

"Shimani gave me something to help ease the pain in your head."

She heard Moto moving around nearby. She didn't know where she was. It didn't sound like she was in a hut in the village. She might have opened her eyes to know her situation better, if her head didn't feel like it was going to explode. The light seeping through her eyelids worsened the pain in her head. She didn't think her stomach would fare any better. Not to mention an intense burning sensation in a place she didn't even want to think about. She groaned again. What happened to her? She would have asked the question aloud but feared what it would cost her. Movement bad! Speaking bad!

"I need you to sit up," Moto said as he removed the blankets covering her.

"No." Kaily whispered, because it was all she could manage. She would have grabbed for at least one of the blankets if it wouldn't have jarred her beyond what she could endure. She was dying. There was no other explanation for the way she felt.

"You have no choice, Kaily." Moto put his hand behind her back as if he prepared to help her to a sitting position against her wishes.

She could hear amusement and relief in his tone. She would have protested if she didn't need to concentrate on not dying. She winced with each inch he pulled her up towards his goal of a sitting position. She felt him sit with his leg bent so that she could lean against it. She might have been impressed by the thoughtful gesture, if she weren't dying.

"Drink this."

She felt the warmth of the cup between her hands as Moto handed her the cup. She still did not open her eyes and moisture seeped from between her closed eyelids. She felt Moto wipe her tears away.

"Drink," he said. "I promise, little one, the warmth and contents will help with the pain you are experiencing."

At least his amusement, at her expense, faded, she thought. She would have protested, if she possessed the strength to say no. She remembered what Shimani's helping drink concoctions tasted like. She took a deep breath and held it as she brought the cup to her lips. Holding her breathe didn't help with the taste last time, and she doubted it would this time, but what the heck. The pain she felt overrode her dislike for the concoction. She took a tentative sip of the warm liquid. Unexpectedly, the drink didn't taste as bad as she remembered. "Thank you." Kaily drank some more.

"You're welcome." Moto brushed her hair back and caressed the side of her face. He remained silent as she drank the contents and wiped away the tears slipping from between her closed lids.

Kaily didn't know where the tears came from and couldn't stop them. She was grateful for the silence, and for Moto being with her. She brought her knees up to her chest and rested the cup on them. She thought she drank most of the contents. Regardless, she felt the sharpness of the pain easing, all except for the one place which burned. She refused to acknowledge the pain. She would take the relief she could get. Any kind of relief would be better than nothing at all. Shimani's concoctions might not be the best tasting stuff, but they worked fast. She would give him that.

With a sigh, Kaily let herself rest against Moto. He moved so that she could lie more comfortably against his chest. She imagined she sat somewhat between his legs with her back resting against his bent leg. He made a comfortable chair. His scent was soothing as was his gentle touch smoothing back her hair and removing the tears. She could feel the pressure behind her eyes diminishing. It wasn't enough she wanted to open her eyes, but a step in the right direction.

The other reason she kept her eyes closed was that she didn't want to break the spell of the moment, and she didn't want reality to seep into her momentary peace. While she didn't remember everything about what happened, she remembered enough to know that Moto belonged to another. She wanted, if only for a brief moment in time to pretend it wasn't true. For the moment, she intended to let the nearness of him continue to soothe and comfort her. Reality could wait a few more moments. Couldn't it?

"Kaily?" Moto said breaking the contented silence that settled between them.

She shushed him. She brought her hand up to touch his lips just to be sure he understood that she wanted silence.

He captured her hand and placed a kiss in the center of her palm.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. She loved his strange silver webbed eyes and the hazel coloring that lay underneath the webbing. There was gentleness shining from the depths of his eyes. She sighed and sat up. Reality apparently wasn't going to wait. "I'm finished," she said, handing him the cup.

He looked inside. "You didn't drink all of it."

She shrugged, "I feel better." At least her head felt better. She still hurt all over and in one particular place which perplexed her. There was an ache starting in the region of her heart she chose to ignore.

He frowned but took the cup and placed it on the floor at the head of the pallets. The space was close enough that he was able to maintain his place as her chair with minimal effort.

She looked around to get her bearings on her surroundings and situation. They were in a cave. Nice! She had been downgraded from hut to cave. Of course, she had no clue how she had gotten there. All in all, it didn't appear to be a bad looking cave. There was a fire pit with pots near it, and what might pass for furniture of sorts. It