Remember Me

Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

                Cold wet liquid splattered over Rosalie’s wound. She shot upright, gasping for breath. Under the messy strands of dark hair her vision was unfocused, her head tilt back.

                ‘’I apologize, I thought it won’t be so painful.’’

                The husky voice belonged to no other than Alexander crouched next to her feet. His soft leather pants brushed against her knee. She lowered her gaze to his hand pressing a cloth on her stomach.

                ‘’Why bother? As long as I remember, we are not exactly allies,’’ she barked.

                ‘’I’ll achieve nothing by your death. And, you haven’t answered my question.’’ He pressed harder, the cloth drained. One of the guards fetched him the finest liquor in the castle, Alexander wanted to be sure his method will be successful. She didn’t cry out or hiss, biting her lip to focus on it rather than her stomach. The candle he brought allowed her to see most shallow cuts were fading and closing on her own, but scars were inevitable.

                ‘’There was an old woman in the village.’’

                ‘’And? What was her name?’’ he prompted, leaning forward to get a closer look. The flesh was swollen and red, but she’d live. Her skin was sensitive, not used to violence. Bruises she got from fighting with Darius and her brother faded long time ago.

                Rosalie contemplated her options, unsure if she should mention Prudence. The fact that she was Darius’ mother made her decision difficult.

                ‘’Prudence,’’ she mumbled.

                Alexander remained calm, apathetic. ‘’Good.’’

                ‘’That’s it?’’ Rosalie asked incredulously. He put away the cloth and unfolded another, wrapping it all around her stomach. Her shirt was ripped around the wound, leaving a gap. She went to help him, finding her hands freed from the rope.

                ‘’I already knew, but I wanted to be sure,’’ he admitted, ‘’how is she?’’

                ‘’I just met her once. She’s living a decent life in her house and she seems thoroughly healthy.’’

                ‘’Is she alone?’’

                ‘’Yes.’’ She left out Darius, curious why Alexander was interested in her. He tied a small knot and tore the excess, finished with his work. Rosalie felt better, the fever went down significantly. He handed her a clean plaid and she took it without hesitation, pulling it up to her shoulders. The floor was cold and hard, rocks digging into her back.

                ‘’She’s my mother, Rosalie. I didn’t expect you to go to Valburn, it was a well-guarded village on all sides. How did you manage to get inside?’’

                His words shocked her like a splash of cold water. She recalled Darius acting strange when they first met, but she never assumed they could be brothers. They looked nothing alike. On the other hand, it explained the picture on Prudence’s wall.

                ‘’Your…’’ she stopped for a moment, feeling uneasy, ‘’brother, Darius.’’

                ‘’Where is he?’’