🔥 The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) 🔥

Chapter 5.1: The Path of Fire

The first thing Sabin felt when he woke was pain. It was a slow, heavy throb that pulsed in tune with his heartbeat.

A heartbeat. That's a good sign.

He opened his eyes, taking in his foreign surroundings. Thick, tightly bound grass pillars lines the wall and he felt an occasional breeze slip through. It was still very warm and his blanket was soaked with sweat. Either that or other fluids Sabin did not want to consider.

He sniffed the air and a sharp, pungent smell entered his nose, likely from a healing poultice. At least he hadn't soiled himself.

He pushed the blanket away and winced as he forced himself up to a sitting position, feet touching the floor. Bandages covered his chest where Valice had struck him, but other than that he was completely nude.

Kianna sat to his right, dozing in a chest facing his bed. Embarrassed by his nakedness, Sabin stepped gingerly to the floor, careful to move slowly lest he wake her. His clothes hung from a hook near the door and Wade was propped below. He pulled on his pants, grabbed Wade and his shirt, then left the room.

It led to a nook with a window, its curtains pulled back. Daylight flooded the hallway and from his vantage point he could see the women still going about their daily duties. So all was well with Feral.

He pulled his gaze from the window and went into the common room. Leena sat in a wooden chair, idly balancing a dagger on her finger. She was so involved with her diversion that she did not hear him enter.

"How long have I been out?" Sabin moved his arm in a small circle and testing his range of motion. It felt stiff, but otherwise okay.

Her head popped up at the sound of his voice and she smiled. He could see the bags under her eyes from a lack of sleep. She rose and made to give him a hug, but stopped halfway through the motion. "It's been a few days. Kianna didn't tell you?

"Asleep," he replied. Days? "How is Turrent? Last I remember, Valice put his hand through his shoulder. And the girl?"

"Turrent and Alaina are fine," Leena reassured him, placing her hand softly on his shoulder. "I'm not sure how Lila did it, but Turrent recovered pretty quickly."

Sabin let lose a sigh of relief. He noticed as Leena closed her eyes for a moment, lips wordlessly moving. He meant to ask what she was doing, but was distracted from his question as he heard footfalls from behind.

Kianna was awake.

Sabin turned quickly, startling Kianna in the process and inflaming his chest pain. "Why was I naked?"

Kianna yawned, clearly unaffected by his distress. Her black hair cascaded across her face in disorganized fashion and she made no move to fix it. "My punishment for putting the Elder Guards to sleep and breaking Turrent out of prison was to take care of you until you awoke. That included cleaning you daily. Keeping you naked made it easier." She moved the hair from her face, looking at Sabin with a hint of mischief. "You should thank me."

Sabin was at a loss for words. She is right. Not that I'll ever say so.

"Turrent roams Feral with free reign now," Leena cut in quickly. Was that a smile? "Since he survived the encounter with Valice he's a legend."

"We should get the others together, then." Sabin said, furrowing his brow at the two of them. He knew he should let it go, but he couldn't help but feel undressed by the two of them. "Figure out our next move."

"Nice to see you awake, Sabin," a voice said, drawing Sabin's attention to the front door. It was Elder Lila, the woman he'd 'talked' to outside the church. As he looked at her now, he could see similarities between her and Kianna. Similar eyes and hair, but she was shorter with thicker hips. An older sister or mom? She was followed by Turrent and the little one. What was her name? Alaina. All energy and smiles.