Free The Bride of the Immortal by Auriane Bell Page B

I’ll act like you suggested,” Adrijan muttered. “See you soon.”
    The immortal never ceased to amaze him. How could he have kept a place like that hidden from him?
    “I’m glad I could be to your assistance. Your heartfelt gratitude made my day. Anyway, I’ll get some rest now. See you for breakfast around noon.”
    The immortal faked a yawn before he ended the call. Adrijan sighed. The girl was standing in front of him, with her eyes wide open and obviously a dozen more questions on the tip of her tongue.
    “Never mind what I said about asking questions. We have to go.”
     

 
    Was he insane or had he really been talking to someone? Either way, she had to follow him if she didn’t want to be left behind in the dark forest. Adrijan was quickly leading Nebel through the narrow gaps between the trees yet the stallion didn’t baulk. Mairin took it for a good sign. Didn’t people always claim that animals were the first to sense if a person was evil or not? Then again, evil people were also riding horses. Maybe horses were no good at it. “We’re going to be alright,” he said as if he had been listening in on the debate in her head. “And no, I’m not entirely crazy. You don’t have to trust me but please try to stay open-minded. There are things about this world you don’t know yet. Call it magic if that helps, I’m certain that’s what it will look like to you.”
    He was talking in riddles again. At the same time Mairin nodded to show that she had listened to his words, she realised that walking in front of her he couldn’t possibly have seen her.
    “I’ll try,” she assured him.
    The further they walked the more Mairin’s body started to protest. Her legs and feet were hurting and she got closer and closer to giving in to the temptation to fall asleep on the spot. On top of it she had started to feel dizzy and realised that she wouldn’t be able to ignore the headache that came along with it much longer. Mairin shivered. When had it become that cold? She was just about to ask if they had to travel much further when Adrijan finally stopped walking. Exhausted Mairin lifted her head and looked around to find out the cause. Then her legs gave way.
     

 
    He wasn’t prepared for the thud. Expecting the worst he rushed to her side, looking out for any possible attacks. There was nobody around. When he knelt down next to her he noticed the source of her weakness.
    “What happened?” she mumbled. At least she was conscious.
    “You’re burning up. Hold still.”
    Luckily she seemed to have had a soft landing. He gently put his arms under her body and lifted her up ignoring the pain as well as the spiritless protest it caused. By a hair’s breadth he would’ve dropped her when he clumsily stepped on her blanket. Adrijan cursed.
    “It doesn’t befit a priest to talk like that,” the girl babbled, influenced by the fever.
    He frowned. They were just a few steps away from the entrance of the bungalow, which he had managed to unlock the moment he had heard the noise.
    “Good boy,” he whispered passing Nebel. “I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare collapse on me as well.”
    The stallion neighed and softly nudged Adrijan with its head. The way the animal seemed to have understood what he had said, he was wondering where the immortal had found such a horse.
    Carefully Adrijan stepped through the entrance, trying hard to avoid hurting the girl. Due to a mechanism the light was switched on when he entered the room.
    “Put me down. I can walk,” Mairin complained weakly. Having reached the enormous bed he was more than happy to oblige. With a quick move he covered her with one of the two down quilts he had found on the bed and carefully pulled away the damp bedspread that was still underneath it.
    “I’ll try to find some medicine and take care of Nebel. Please rest until I’m back. And don’t worry, I will come back.”
    He tossed the used blanket to the ground and stepped outside. Every