- Don't push it, MacBride! - I said in a serious voice. - Don't push it!
She let out a laugh, but then she made a face. I approached her and with my fingertips I assessed the wound on her neck and head.
- You need some stitches. - said by passing his hand through the wounded skin. Annabel's body shook and she sighed.
- I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. - said she holding her breath and closing her eyes. - It's nothing I can't handle.
- I'm sure of it!
She moved a little away from me and twisted her fingers. I knew she was scared. I just didn't know if it was because I knew I could try to kiss her again or because of what I told her about Kaiser's death.
- Don't be afraid of me, Annabel! - said taking his hands. - I regret every day the path I've taken. Believe me!
- I do! Why did you choose that path?
- I didn't choose him!
- Well! - she smiled at me giving me an arm. - We must clean those wounds before they become infected.
I laughed at the subtle way she changed the subject. Annabel was really an amazing woman.
- I agree!
We start climbing the stairs.
- You know what? You hurt yourself too much! - she said ironically. - I feel like the mother of a naughty child.
- Now you've hurt my ego! - he said by pretending to be offensive.
We had a laugh.
- Thank you for saving my life!
- Go ahead!
That had been the friendliest contact we'd had all the time we'd been together. I confess that I was enjoying and praying for more moments of understanding like that. I was distracted when I felt my arm weigh and Annabel go down.
- Annabel! - I called him knocking on his face. She just moaned.
Taking Annabel in my arms with ease, I ran upstairs. I asked Abby to prepare everything to clean that wound. I'd need a bath too, so I asked her for plenty of hot water. Taking a deep breath, I placed Annabel on the bed and smiled taking a stir from her blonde hair that covered one of her eyes. Even knowing that Annabel had suffered a lot during her childhood, with all Ravenna's demands, I made a bad judgment of her. After what she had done tonight, preventing me from accumulating a little more darkness and sin in my soul, I just had to thank her. I looked at Annabel's face and frowned when I remembered the walkway again. Would Annabel be that woman who would rid my soul of darkness? I wasn't so sure about that, but anyway, after that night, I thought Annabel deserved a little more of my respect than the contempt I directed at her.
- Well! You've taken care of me all the way here and I'm grateful! - I whispered lovingly on his pale face. - Now it's my turn to reciprocate.
Chapter 09
Annabel
Two days later...
I opened my eyes slowly, realizing that I was in the room. I had had another nightmare about the day I saw Roy MacGregor attacking my sister. Living with guilt for not being able to get the guards to help her, has made me have nightmares for several days since then.
I took a deep breath, and decided to forget the bad moment and got out of bed. A hook on my forehead made me take my hand to my head. Logos the memories of Morvan's attack came to mind. There was a bandage on my arm and my neck hurt. His words about being a monster made me nauseous. Even though I agreed with Bruce and with an immense desire for me to put an end to Morvan's unhappiness, I could not allow him to become an even more tormented person, as I had already seen him to be. Saving Morvan's life was something I didn't have in mind, but it was better that he had a fair trial and Bruce, a clear conscience.
Looking around, I realized that the room I was in was very different from the previous one. Besides having only one bed, there was also a bathtub. I looked at the dresser with several items of cleanliness and beauty. They were all sealed off. There were also some simple dresses, but very nice and tasteful, arranged in the small closet.
- How beautiful! - I whispered as I ran my hand through a light yellow dress with some lace on it. - I wonder what happened while I was asleep.
Hearing noises from outside, I went to the window. I realized I was on the second floor and no longer on the third. There was a group of men who took turns cutting the wood. They made batteries and wood, while others carried them somewhere out of my sight. There was an unusual movement on the outside. My eyes crossed with a pair of dark blue eyes that I didn't realize were watching me.
Bruce smiled when he realized my amazement. He was without the shirt he used to wear. There was a band around his waist, which had probably been changed by cleaning the wound. The wide chest shone with sweat, probably because of the effort, because he was one of those who carried an axe and revealed himself in the cutting of the firewood. The scars he carried on his chest shone as the sweat flowed through his light brown skin. I had seen him shirtless before, but that vision made all my blood warm and a blush took over my face. Bruce
