Free Arranged by Jessica Spears Page B

ankle. A deep bruise was turning her skin purple. It looked painful. He frowned, wondering if one of his men had caused this.
    Anger flooded him in a hot flood. His men would not go unpunished. He closed his eyes, containing it. After the rage subsided, he looked down at her again, thankful that she had not been injured worse. He focused his energy, calling on the magic in his blood. Warmth spread through him as his arms began to softly glow.
    He gently circled her ankle with his hands, allowing his magic to leave him through his hands. He kept his eyes closed, using all of his concentration. In his mind's eye, a vision of her broken ankle came into view. The small bone was in the completely wrong area. With a deep breath, he shifted the bone with his mind, slowing moving it into the right position.
    Alison moaned softly, but didn't pull away from his touch. Though he wanted to open his eyes to see her, he controlled himself.
    Alison felt that something in her body was changing and it pulled her from her dreams. As she grew closer to consciousness, she sensed that she wasn't the only one in the room. Her eyes flew open and she froze. He was there, the tall one that spoke her language, the one that kept coming back.
    As if sensing that she was awake and startled, Qwinn opened his eyes and pulled his hands gently away from her. He hadn't completed the healing process, but he knew that now that she was awake, he wouldn't be able to concentrate.
    Her eyes remained large with fear. Even in the dark, he could see the beautiful green color that shone from them. Without a word, he moved a few feet away, giving her space. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her.
    She swallowed hard as she watched him back away. Though it was dark, she could still see a basic form of him. His dreads hung low down his back, some locks hanging over his shoulder. Though they looked so primitive, they seemed to suit him. She frowned at her thought. "What is going to happen to me?" She asked, remembering the room full of Vidarian, and the old woman jumping into her mind.
    He didn't say anything. After a moment, she realized that he wouldn't answer. "What did the woman find?"
    Another tense moment of silence, then, "You are innocent. You are no longer a prisoner."
    Hope swelled in her chest. She touched her shackled legs, realizing for the first time that her ankle didn't hurt. As she looked at it closer, she noticed that the swelling was all but gone and the dark bruise had disappeared. He had been touching her when she awakened.
    "You will not be able to go free until the council is informed of your innocence."
    The hope died as quickly as it had come, leaving her with a hollow ache in her chest. She sucked in a shuddering breath, her hand still feeling her ankle. "Why did you heal me?"
    He remained inhumanly still, staring at her.
    "What is going to happen to me?" She tried again. The tension in his shoulders grew. Without a word, he stood and turned to leave. She sighed heavily, pulling the blanket up around her neck. The sound caused him to pause and glance back slightly over his shoulder.
    She instantly silenced herself, thinking that she'd made him angry at her. Who knew what he would do. However, after a moment, he continued out the door of the cell, sliding the board into place. The guard stationed outside the cell bowed to the king.
    Qwinn ordered more blankets and food brought to her. The guard bowed again and hurried off down the hall. Almost instantly, another guard took his place.
    From there, he angrily made his way to the training courtyard where he knew he would find his warriors. He opened the door and his eyes roamed upon his men angrily. He would make an example of those who dare disobey his direct orders. Lavtis was lucky he was dead.
    Qwinn found one with a spear, practicing with his targets. He found the other talking with a few other soldiers on the side of large training courtyard. He called both their names loudly. They rushed