Unexpected Love

Chapter 9

Julia groaned as she trailed her hand up to her cheek, her breath catching when she felt the warm blood on her hands. She could still see though. Barron must have taken one and was sparing her more torture later.

"God damnit." She muttered as she noticed she wasn't in the chair anymore. She was left on the floor but when she tried to stand, seen her leg was still tied to her other. She brought her hands down to the rope to try and untie it, but the blood loss from her eye made her dizzy and she couldn't move much. She wiped her cheek and spotted the blood that came off, noticing she could only see through her left eye.

"I need to get out of here." Julia mutters and tries to lift herself up, but failed again. She can barely move a muscle. Deep in thought, she didn't notice someone else was there until she heard the door open causing her to tense.

Disoriented and not paying attention as she tried to look around to run, she didn't notice who exactly it was. She tried to untie her legs quickly as she heard the person approaching, her fingers covered in the blood from her cheek causing her to falter.

"Julia-"

"Get away!" Julia shouts as she backed into the wall, trying to undo the knot and shoved the person away when they sat their hand on her shoulder.

"Julia, it's me. Alma. Everything's alright, I promise."

Alma?

Julia's panic eased as her vision adjusted. She wasn't use to having only her left vision available. Of maybe it's Barron. It could be Barron. In disguise.

"I need to go." Julia says immediately and tears through the knot, but made no progress as her hands fumbled.

"I'm going to get you out. Let me undo this." Alma says firmly and gently moved Julia's hands to undo the rope. Eventually she couldn't wait any longer. If this was Barron, she had to make the first move. She felt the fire in her hands and burned through the rope, not caring with the burns on her ankles as she tried to stand.

"Let me help you." Alma says softly and Julia hesitated before eventually taking her hand. "Come with me."

Alma led her down the hallway and Julia spotted Barron lying on the floor, Alma picking up her crossbow on their way out.

The taller woman wasn't expecting the sunlight that shone outside as the building was awfully dark, the pain in her eye increasing.

"Let me see."

"No, it's nothing."

"Julia." Alma scolded gently and Julia dropped her hand, the ymbrynes face falling slightly when she seen what had happened. She gently cupped the taller woman's face in her hands as she looked over her, her thumb running across her cheeks as she did.

"Oh darling." Alma says softly and Julia dropped her gaze, not liking the pity. She gently took Almas hands and moved them away, walking ahead of the ymbryne. Alma felt a small pang of hurt when the woman ignored her, but didn't let it show as she followed behind her.

"You're coming back to the loop." Alma says firmly and Julia glares at her.

"I am not. Why should I? You were no help when the wights came, I knew you were looking for a way to just kill me!" Julia accuses as she walks ahead, not looking at the older woman.

"That is not true, Julia, and you know that." Alma argues and Julia stops to tower over the woman with a glare.

"Then what is it?" She snaps.

"As a ymbryne it is my duty to protect my children. No matter what the cost is." Alma says returning her glare.

"Then why did you follow me here in the first place? Letting me die would be an easy solution." Julia scoffs and walks off before Alma took her by the wrist, yanking her over, slightly surprising the taller woman.

"Because I still care a lot about you." Alma says firmly. "Now let's get back home so I can take care of you." She adds softly as she looks over the woman eye, the other gone and blood still ran down her cheek.

"I can take care of myself." Julia argues and Alma shushed her with a glare before they began walking back to the loop. It was fairly quiet, but not exactly awkward. Julia mainly just followed behind the older woman as they made their way to the loop, Alma waiting for her to go in the cave first before following behind.

"Too scared to walk ahead?" Julia asks with half a grin and Alma raised an eyebrow.

"Is rather enjoy the view here, thank you." She flirts and Julia felt her cheeks burn slightly and glared at the woman.

"Sure." Julia says sarcastically and walks towards the home, Alma catching up to her to walk beside her.

"You know you enjoy it." She grins and bumps her hip into hers, the taller woman glaring at her. "No arguing?"

"I'm tired." Julia points out and Alma only smirked. "What?"

"Were your cheeks that red before?"

"No! I mean-yes!" Julia argues with a hard look as her cheeks burned and Alma chuckled.

"I'm kidding, love." Alma says softly and her smile from earlier slightly faltered. A few days ago, Julia snapped when Alma said anything about loving her. What makes her any different now?

"Hey." Alma looked over at her, confused when Julia's expression softened. Especially when a slight smile took hold of her. "I'll take that cup of tea now." She says and Alma couldn't help but return the same smile.