The Border Trilogy (Book #1) Enemies to lovers, Forbidden love

Part 17

When I opened my eyes, the room was back to it's normal mortal color, I took a deep breath and wiggled my fingers, to be sure I was really back. I brought my hand up to touch my cheek but quickly flinched as I had touched the place where Stetton had punched me, now sore. I couldn't even focus on the pain, I was just glad to be back in my body. 

"Eva?" Darien hurried over to my side. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

"Like a punching bag and a knife rack." I hissed as I sat up slowly.

"Careful, your stomach is still healing internally. Where do you feel the pain?" He said.

"It's not so much pain as it is a more of an ache. And some soreness." I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands. "What happened." I asked.

"After Stetton attacked you I brought you here to Josenia's hut, she's the tribe healer."

"I gathered," I looked up, "I can smell the scent of the herbs."

"She put her everything into healing your wounds,"

I smiled, "How long have you been here?"

"Not long," he lied.

I looked up at him, "Stetton?"

"In the jail cells, the Elders sentenced him to a week. And then probation for a 6 months. It would've been worse if we didn't have the battle coming up, we need him. I'm sorry." He put a hand on my shoulder.

"That's okay. As long as he stays the hell away from me, I don't care what they do to him." I said.

"Eva, while you were asleep," He pulled his hand back, "You were mumbling a bit. You spoke about your sister, Katrina. You were... apologizing, excessively. Saying it was an accident and some other things, what is that about."

My eyes widened a little, when did I say that?

I knew exactly what he was talking about, I must've been dreaming about the night I staked Katrina. I looked down and began fiddling with my fingers. How do I explain that to him.

"You don't have to say I just... you sounded like you were in a lot of pain." He said quietly.

I looked up at him and for some reason, the look in his eyes gave me the courage to tell him the truth. It was a look of curiosity and respect. Like he was ready for whatever I was about to say. So I began.

"It's... it's the reason I can't, I don't like to kill I...," I struggled to find the right words to say. "I almost killed my sister."

He blinked back and then narrowed his eyes at me with a confused look, "I'm sorry, what?"

I sighed and looked down, "A while back, on the night of my birthday my sisters and I went out to celebrate past curfew." 

He nodded, guestering for me to continue. 

"Katrina and I were excited because I was going to begin training and the face that it marks a point of adulthood, or entry into it anyway. So we began messing around, kind of training on our own. At some point I, I threw a stake at Katrina to catch."

I stopped, remembering the fear I'd felt that night.

"It cut right into her, 2 inches away from the heart. Two inches away from taking her away ."

"It was an accident,"

"Potentially fatal-"

"But wasn't. That's the only thing that's important." He looked me in the eyes, he meant what he said. He wasn't judging, or looking at me as if I should have known better. 

Just as I opened my mouth to answer, Josenia walked in.

"Eva, how are you feeling?"

"Getting better, thank you Josenia."

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, I'm just glad we were able to get you all fixed up."

I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Is she good to go?" Darien asked Josenia.

"I recommend she stay here for the night, for my supervision and access to my herbs should she need them. But she'll be fine to leave tomorrow morning," she said to him and then turned to me, "Is that alright with you?"

"Of course,"

"Ah, Eva, glad to see you're awake," Elder Geneveive's voice came from the doorway.

I looked up to see the Elders walk towards me.

"She's feeling better," Darien told them.

"Good to know, we're very sorry about Stetton, he's been put in the jail cells as punishment for his actions, I hope you can understand Eva, that we can't leave him there for very long." Elder Ethella said.

"Yes, Darien explained it to me."

"Good." 

"Elders, if I may, since we are on the subject of the battle, I had an idea come to mind." Josenia began.

"And what may that be?" Elder Elzara looked at Josenia.

"I think we should form an alliance with Eva's tribe to fight beside us against the Ra'am." She said straight out.

"You didn't mention it would be a ridiculous idea!" Elder Ethella said.

"Why not, the Ra'am tribe is also enemy to the Kairi, and we are outnumbered. Especially now that Eva is here with us and has spent a large amount of time here, I'm sure she'd be able to speak on our behalf. She can ask them to fight with us," Josenia continued.

"Makes sense, we can tell them about the deal you've made for Eva's freedom to return to her tribe, and maybe they'll consider it. Elders we do need the help." Darien added.

"It does make sense Darien, but even if we were to allow such a thing the Kairi tribe would never want to form an alliance with us, they simply would not agree to it." Elder Genveive explained.

"Maybe they will."  Everyone looked at me. "If the Ra'am tribe succeeds the Theon tribe, what's to say they won't come after us next? This time stronger and in bigger numbers. Josenia's right they are our biggest enemy, they pose a serious threat to my tribe and it would be in my tribes interest to protect themselves against the Ra'am."

"It wouldn't be so simple Eva," Elder Genevieve continued, "To form an alliance after years of separation by a binding treaty with fatal consequences, it's impossible. There's too much hate in between our tribes. You're an exception. We do need the help and we are outnumbered, but we'll have to find another way."

"I'm the exception because I was allowed to live, to stay, and in doing so I came to learn the truth. That the treaty is completely outdated, there is no reason to hate anymore. There is enough of that to go around from the Ra'am."

I looked at Darien who was looking at the Elders.

"Elders," I looked back at the Elders, "Would you at least consider it? There's no harm in asking. I'm more than willing to try and convince them and to speak to your character as a tribe." 

There was silence for a few moments but then Elder Ethella spoke up.

"We will consider it."